Both countries maintained their 100 per cent records in Palmerston North and will move forward to the super round phase with maximum points.

Five-time winners Australia thrashed Canada 14-3 to continue their fine form at the junior event.

They roared into a 7-0 lead after the first inning at Colquhoun Park, and it was 12-0 after the second.

Pitchers Blake Hunter and Jeremy Garland combined for seven strikeouts in four innings as the Canadians were comprehensively beaten.

The top three sides in each group will reach the Super Round, where results from the opening group phase carry over.

With Australia's last group match against already-eliminated South Africa, they are guaranteed to take two victories forward.

The other two final games in the group will be straight shoot-outs to go through as four countries ended the penultimate round of fixtures on identical records of two wins and two losses.

Argentina beat the Czech Republic 4-3 today and will now face Canada in a do-or-die contest.

Singapore's 9-8 win over South Africa books their own crunch encounter against the Czechs.

In Group B, Japan and hosts New Zealand are both already through to the super round.

The Japanese made it four victories from four as they edged Mexico 4-3, and will also take a pair of wins through with them.

New Zealand had to come from behind before beating Guatemala 8-7, and have now moved onto a record of three wins and one loss.

United States beat Denmark 7-3 but both sides are eliminated.

Mexico and Guatemala, who both have two wins and two defeats, will play each other in their last group game to determine the third team going through.

Japan, the 2016 champions, will end against the Americans and New Zealand will play Denmark.

The Japanese have already won the group due to their previous win against the hosts.