194 Saeed Anwar Pakistan v India MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai 1996/97
189* IVA Richards West Indies v England Old Trafford, Manchester 1984
189 ST Jayasuriya Sri Lanka v India Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 2000/01
188* G Kirsten South Africa v United Arab Emirates Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 1995/96
186* SR Tendulkar India v New Zealand Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad 1999/00
183 SC Ganguly India v Sri Lanka County Ground, Taunton 1999
183* MS Dhoni India v Sri Lanka Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur 2005/06
181 IVA Richards West Indies v Sri Lanka National Stadium, Karachi 1987/88
181* ML Hayden Australia v New Zealand Seddon Park, Hamilton 2006/07
175* Kapil Dev India v Zimbabwe Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells 1983
175 HH Gibbs South Africa v Australia New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 2005/06
173 ME Waugh Australia v West Indies Melbourne Cricket Ground 2000/01
172* CB Wishart Zimbabwe v Namibia Harare Sports Club 2002/03
172 AC Gilchrist Australia v Zimbabwe Bellerive Oval, Hobart 2003/04
172 L Vincent New Zealand v Zimbabwe Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo 2005/06
171* GM Turner New Zealand v East Africa Edgbaston, Birmingham 1975
169* DJ Callaghan South Africa v New Zealand Centurion Park 1994/95
169 BC Lara West Indies v Sri Lanka Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1995/96
167* RA Smith England v Australia Edgbaston, Birmingham 1993
166 BB McCullum New Zealand v Ireland Mannofield Park, Aberdeen 2008
164 RT Ponting Australia v South Africa New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 2005/06
161 AC Hudson South Africa v Netherlands Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 1995/96
161 JAH Marshall New Zealand v Ireland Mannofield Park, Aberdeen 2008
160 Imran Nazir Pakistan v Zimbabwe Sabina Park, Kingston 2006/07
159* D Mongia India v Zimbabwe Nehru Stadium, Guwahati 2001/02
158 DI Gower England v New Zealand Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane 1982/83
158 ML Hayden Australia v West Indies Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound 2006/07
157 ST Jayasuriya Sri Lanka v Netherlands VRA Ground, Amstelveen 2006
157* XM Marshall West Indies v Canada Maple Leaf North-West Ground, King City 2008
156 BC Lara West Indies v Pakistan Adelaide Oval 2004/05
156 A Symonds Australia v New Zealand Westpac Stadium, Wellington 2005/06
154 AC Gilchrist Australia v Sri Lanka Melbourne Cricket Ground 1998/99
153* IVA Richards West Indies v Australia Melbourne Cricket Ground 1979/80
153 BC Lara West Indies v Pakistan Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1993/94
153* M Azharuddin India v Zimbabwe Barabati Stadium, Cuttack 1997/98
153 RS Dravid India v New Zealand Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad 1999/00
153* SC Ganguly India v New Zealand Captain Roop Singh Stadium, Gwalior 1999/00
153 HH Gibbs South Africa v Bangladesh North West Cricket Stadium, Potchefstroom 2002/03
153* CH Gayle West Indies v Zimbabwe Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo 2003/04
152* DL Haynes West Indies v India Bourda, Georgetown 1988/89
152 CH Gayle West Indies v Kenya Simba Union Ground, Nairobi 2001
152 SR Tendulkar India v Namibia City Oval, Pietermaritzburg 2002/03
152* CH Gayle West Indies v South Africa New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 2003/04
152 AJ Strauss England v Bangladesh Trent Bridge, Nottingham 2005
152 ST Jayasuriya Sri Lanka v England Headingley, Leeds 2006
151* ST Jayasuriya Sri Lanka v India Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 1996/97
151 A Symonds Australia v Sri Lanka Sydney Cricket Ground 2005/06
150 S Chanderpaul West Indies v South Africa Buffalo Park, East London 1998/99
194 Saeed Anwar Pakistan v India MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai 1996/97
189* IVA Richards West Indies v England Old Trafford, Manchester 1984
189 ST Jayasuriya Sri Lanka v India Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 2000/01
188* G Kirsten South Africa v United Arab Emirates Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 1995/96
186* SR Tendulkar India v New Zealand Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad 1999/00
183 SC Ganguly India v Sri Lanka County Ground, Taunton 1999
183* MS Dhoni India v Sri Lanka Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur 2005/06
181 IVA Richards West Indies v Sri Lanka National Stadium, Karachi 1987/88
181* ML Hayden Australia v New Zealand Seddon Park, Hamilton 2006/07
175* Kapil Dev India v Zimbabwe Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells 1983
175 HH Gibbs South Africa v Australia New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 2005/06
173 ME Waugh Australia v West Indies Melbourne Cricket Ground 2000/01
172* CB Wishart Zimbabwe v Namibia Harare Sports Club 2002/03
172 AC Gilchrist Australia v Zimbabwe Bellerive Oval, Hobart 2003/04
172 L Vincent New Zealand v Zimbabwe Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo 2005/06
171* GM Turner New Zealand v East Africa Edgbaston, Birmingham 1975
169* DJ Callaghan South Africa v New Zealand Centurion Park 1994/95
169 BC Lara West Indies v Sri Lanka Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1995/96
167* RA Smith England v Australia Edgbaston, Birmingham 1993
166 BB McCullum New Zealand v Ireland Mannofield Park, Aberdeen 2008
164 RT Ponting Australia v South Africa New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 2005/06
161 AC Hudson South Africa v Netherlands Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 1995/96
161 JAH Marshall New Zealand v Ireland Mannofield Park, Aberdeen 2008
160 Imran Nazir Pakistan v Zimbabwe Sabina Park, Kingston 2006/07
159* D Mongia India v Zimbabwe Nehru Stadium, Guwahati 2001/02
158 DI Gower England v New Zealand Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane 1982/83
158 ML Hayden Australia v West Indies Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound 2006/07
157 ST Jayasuriya Sri Lanka v Netherlands VRA Ground, Amstelveen 2006
157* XM Marshall West Indies v Canada Maple Leaf North-West Ground, King City 2008
156 BC Lara West Indies v Pakistan Adelaide Oval 2004/05
156 A Symonds Australia v New Zealand Westpac Stadium, Wellington 2005/06
154 AC Gilchrist Australia v Sri Lanka Melbourne Cricket Ground 1998/99
153* IVA Richards West Indies v Australia Melbourne Cricket Ground 1979/80
153 BC Lara West Indies v Pakistan Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1993/94
153* M Azharuddin India v Zimbabwe Barabati Stadium, Cuttack 1997/98
153 RS Dravid India v New Zealand Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad 1999/00
153* SC Ganguly India v New Zealand Captain Roop Singh Stadium, Gwalior 1999/00
153 HH Gibbs South Africa v Bangladesh North West Cricket Stadium, Potchefstroom 2002/03
153* CH Gayle West Indies v Zimbabwe Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo 2003/04
152* DL Haynes West Indies v India Bourda, Georgetown 1988/89
152 CH Gayle West Indies v Kenya Simba Union Ground, Nairobi 2001
152 SR Tendulkar India v Namibia City Oval, Pietermaritzburg 2002/03
152* CH Gayle West Indies v South Africa New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 2003/04
152 AJ Strauss England v Bangladesh Trent Bridge, Nottingham 2005
152 ST Jayasuriya Sri Lanka v England Headingley, Leeds 2006
151* ST Jayasuriya Sri Lanka v India Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 1996/97
151 A Symonds Australia v Sri Lanka Sydney Cricket Ground 2005/06
150 S Chanderpaul West Indies v South Africa Buffalo Park, East London 1998/99
England v South Africa Trent Bridge, Nottingham 2008 o2754
Pakistan v Bangladesh National Stadium, Karachi 2008 o2733
New Zealand v England Seddon Park, Hamilton 2007/08 o2676
New Zealand v Bangladesh Queenstown Events Centre 2007/08 o2660
West Indies v Netherlands Castle Avenue, Dublin 2007 o2599
Australia v Bangladesh Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound 2006/07 o2559
New Zealand v Australia Westpac Stadium, Wellington 2006/07 o2524
South Africa v Pakistan Sahara Park Newlands, Cape Town 2006/07 o2521
Kenya v Bermuda Jaffery Sports Club Ground, Nairobi 2007 o2489
West Indies v Bangladesh Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur 2006/07 o2426
West Indies v Zimbabwe Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet 2006 o2371
South Africa v India Eden Gardens, Kolkata 2005/06 o2299
Australia v Bangladesh Old Trafford, Manchester 2005 o2254
England v Bangladesh The Brit Oval, Kennington 2005 o2249
Sri Lanka v Bangladesh R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo 2004 o2151
Sri Lanka v England Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium 2003/04 o2063
South Africa v Bangladesh Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein 2002/03 o1962
Sri Lanka v Bangladesh City Oval, Pietermaritzburg 2002/03 o1950
South Africa v Kenya North West Cricket Stadium, Potchefstroom 2002/03 o1948
Australia v England Sydney Cricket Ground 2002/03 o1940
South Africa v Bangladesh Willowmoore Park Main Oval, Benoni 2002/03 o1891
India v Kenya Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein 2001/02 o1758
Sri Lanka v England Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo 2000/01 o1697
Australia v West Indies Adelaide Oval 2000/01 o1677
England v West Indies Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street 2000 o1615
South Africa v India Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1999/00 o1577
India v Zimbabwe Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1998/99 o1374
West Indies v India Kensington Oval, Bridgetown 1996/97 o1203
India v West Indies Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain 1996/97 o1201
West Indies v South Africa Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain 1991/92 o754
West Indies v Pakistan Melbourne Cricket Ground 1991/92 o717
West Indies v New Zealand Lancaster Park, Christchurch 1986/87 o441
Pakistan v New Zealand Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1985/86 o384
West Indies v New Zealand Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain 1984/85 o327
India v Sri Lanka Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1983/84 o260
West Indies v Zimbabwe Edgbaston, Birmingham 1983 o220
New Zealand v India Melbourne Cricket Ground 1980/81 o105
India v East Africa Headingley, Leeds 1975 o24
This page was created by the CricketArchive Oracles
England v South Africa Trent Bridge, Nottingham 2008 o2754
Pakistan v Bangladesh National Stadium, Karachi 2008 o2733
New Zealand v England Seddon Park, Hamilton 2007/08 o2676
New Zealand v Bangladesh Queenstown Events Centre 2007/08 o2660
West Indies v Netherlands Castle Avenue, Dublin 2007 o2599
Australia v Bangladesh Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound 2006/07 o2559
New Zealand v Australia Westpac Stadium, Wellington 2006/07 o2524
South Africa v Pakistan Sahara Park Newlands, Cape Town 2006/07 o2521
Kenya v Bermuda Jaffery Sports Club Ground, Nairobi 2007 o2489
West Indies v Bangladesh Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur 2006/07 o2426
West Indies v Zimbabwe Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet 2006 o2371
South Africa v India Eden Gardens, Kolkata 2005/06 o2299
Australia v Bangladesh Old Trafford, Manchester 2005 o2254
England v Bangladesh The Brit Oval, Kennington 2005 o2249
Sri Lanka v Bangladesh R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo 2004 o2151
Sri Lanka v England Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium 2003/04 o2063
South Africa v Bangladesh Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein 2002/03 o1962
Sri Lanka v Bangladesh City Oval, Pietermaritzburg 2002/03 o1950
South Africa v Kenya North West Cricket Stadium, Potchefstroom 2002/03 o1948
Australia v England Sydney Cricket Ground 2002/03 o1940
South Africa v Bangladesh Willowmoore Park Main Oval, Benoni 2002/03 o1891
India v Kenya Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein 2001/02 o1758
Sri Lanka v England Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo 2000/01 o1697
Australia v West Indies Adelaide Oval 2000/01 o1677
England v West Indies Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street 2000 o1615
South Africa v India Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1999/00 o1577
India v Zimbabwe Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1998/99 o1374
West Indies v India Kensington Oval, Bridgetown 1996/97 o1203
India v West Indies Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain 1996/97 o1201
West Indies v South Africa Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain 1991/92 o754
West Indies v Pakistan Melbourne Cricket Ground 1991/92 o717
West Indies v New Zealand Lancaster Park, Christchurch 1986/87 o441
Pakistan v New Zealand Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1985/86 o384
West Indies v New Zealand Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain 1984/85 o327
India v Sri Lanka Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium 1983/84 o260
West Indies v Zimbabwe Edgbaston, Birmingham 1983 o220
New Zealand v India Melbourne Cricket Ground 1980/81 o105
India v East Africa Headingley, Leeds 1975 o24
This page was created by the CricketArchive Oracles
July 13, 2002
There might have been one-day matches that have ebbed and flowed with more regularity and have produced more exciting finishes. Whether that mattered to a capacity crowd who enjoyed a perfect summers day and a perfect one-day match has to be dismissed as of no consequence. India and England battled it out like a couple of heavyweights trading punch for punch. Any one of three results was possible going into the final over, but it was India who triumphed by two wickets with three balls to spare. It was riveting entertainment.
After England had won the toss, Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight began in a very positive frame of mind by taking the attack to the Indian bowlers from the outset. Trescothick was his usual dominant self, while Knight was still struggling for the touch that has made him a feared opponent in the past. His timing and composure were not quite there as he took 29 balls to reach 14 at which point he played horribly round a full toss from Zaheer Khan to be bowled.
Hussain came in at the fall of the wicket and needed to do no more for a while than watch Trescothick flay the bowling. The Somerset man brought up the fifty by flicking Khan for six over mid-wicket and reached his own fifty from 40 balls with four boundaries added to that six.
Sourav Ganguly was forced to bring the spinners on earlier than he might have wanted, but they met with no more success than the opening bowlers. Hussain was finding trouble in establishing any sort of fluency in his batting, but the arrival of Ganguly himself in the attack signalled the start of an assault from Hussain that was not necessarily pretty to watch but was thoroughly effective in raising the scoring rate at just the time it was needed.
With a combination of elegant strokes, agricultural swings and not a little good fortune, the batsmen plundered 28 runs from Ganguly's three overs, during which he also got an official warning for running down the pitch. It allowed Hussain to settle in, even if he did not curb his extravagant attack that would undoubtedly have been tagged as reckless had it not succeeded. Meanwhile, Trescothick continued imperiously by hoisting Harbhajan Singh over mid-wicket for another six with a slog-sweep, in the modern argot. Such an effortless and controlled shot deserves a better description.
Trescothick appeared intent on a century from the start of the innings. He has been in a rich vein of form throughout the series and scarcely put a foot wrong as he reached his hundred from 89 balls with six fours and those two sixes.
Hussain and Trescothick put on 185 for the second wicket from just 177 balls before the opener played a somewhat tired and lazy sweep against Anil Kumble to be bowled. The sweep and slog-sweep had served him well up to that point as he reached his century from 89 balls with six fours and two sixes. It was a superb innings that completely destroyed any pre-conceived bowling plans that India might have had.
Ganguly employed the services of no fewer than seven bowlers, but they all tended to to come alike to the England batsmen. Even the revered spin partnership of Kumble and Harbhajan went for 107 runs in their 20 overs for the meagre return of Trescothick's wicket.
Andrew Flintoff joined Hussain and proceeded to impose himself on the bowling with gusto. He drove one mighty straight six off Harbhajan and if he only found the boundary on two other occasions, he still managed to reach 40 from 32 balls before he missed a full toss from Zaheer Khan who was finding this to be his prime wicket-taking ball.
Hussain plumbed the outer reaches of his repertoire to get to his century and then some. In doing so, he used up much of the good fortune that he was owed after some dreadful decisions against him over the years. He will care not one jot how he got the runs on the board, only that he did. It was his first one-day international century at the 72nd time of asking. It came from 118 balls with seven fours, and as he reached the milestone he turned to the media centre to indicate the number three on the back of his shirt. He had received some criticism from that quarter about his suitability to bat at number three in the order. The magnitude of his innings if not the manner of it should silence that now.
Hussain had time from the remaining ten balls of his innings to add three more boundaries to his tally - one of them a pre-meditated sweep off Ashish Nehra that raced fine toward the pavilion. It was when he tried to do the same again that he was bowled by a very full ball that just bounced before crashing into the stumps.
Michael Vaughan came and went - to the ball after Hussain was out. He picked up Khan towards deep square-leg where Dinesh Mongia held a comfortable catch. So it was left to Paul Collingwood and Ronnie Irani to slog, nudge and scramble their way to a total of 325 - England's fourth highest in one-day internationals and a record for a Lord's final.
The way Ganguly and Virender Sehwag began the Indian innings, there was every chance that record would be broken before the day was out. They gave the England bowlers no time to settle, savaging them from the outset with a series of ferocious strokes. Ganguly raced to a fifty from a mere 35 balls with nine fours and a six over the covers off Flintoff. Sehwag could not keep up with his captain, and nor did he need to, such was the power of Ganguly's strokeplay.
The hundred came up from 80 balls (England's had been from 101) and Ganguly's contribution to the Indian cause extended to hammering a fierce cut through the covers via Hussain's wrist. The England captain withdrew for treatment. Irani came into the attack, but departed after one over costing 16 runs. Hussain returned, so did Alex Tudor and he started the decline in India's fortunes.
Ganguly fashioned an ugly smear to a ball of full length and was bowled. It had been a heroic innings, but its end saw a clatter of wickets just as there had been a clatter of runs. Next over, Sehwag tried to run Ashley Giles to third man and was bowled. Then Mongia was given out caught behind down the leg side off Irani. The point of contention was whether he actually got a touch.
Irani induced Rahul Dravid to chip to Knight at short mid-wicket, and when Sachin Tendulkar made room to be bowled by Giles, there was an overpowering impression that India's brave and exciting challenge might well have ended. Five wickets had fallen in the space of nine overs for the addition of 40 runs. The psychological impact of Tendulkar's wicket could not be overstated - to either team.
Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif are more used to smashing quick runs at the end of an innings, but this time they had a major reconstruction job on their hands. While they went about the task with admirable common sense before opening into more expansive mode.the asking rate had climbed to in excess of eight an over before they stabilised the decline.
Slowly, they brought the required rate back within bounds with some clean hitting of the highest calibre, to say nothing of some adventurous running. They had put on 121 from 106 balls with England getting increasingly nervous. Kaif had just joined Yuvraj on fifty when Yuvraj was out. A top-edged sweep off Collingwood saw the ball loop to Tudor at short fine leg and a terrific innings had come to an end.
Yuvraj was visibly annoyed with himself, being under the impression that, with him, went India's hopes. Kaif and Harbhajan Singh had other ideas. Harbhajan supported while Kaif drove, sliced, carved and nudged with a rare maturity. The balance swung until India held all the aces.
That all changed in the 48th over when Flintoff yorked Harbhajan. Two balls later, Kumble was caught behind and everyone was scanning the regulations to see what happened if the scores finished level. It was that sort of match.
Gough bowled the 49th over, which had left honours even until the last ball when Kaif aimed a drive down the ground. The ball went down the ground, albeit to the other end as it careered down to third man for a boundary.
Two needed off the last over. Flintoff produced two dot balls before Zaheer Khan pushed the third ball into the covers, they went through for the run, the throw came in at the stumps but went past and the batsmen scampered through for the second run that won the match.
July 13, 2002
There might have been one-day matches that have ebbed and flowed with more regularity and have produced more exciting finishes. Whether that mattered to a capacity crowd who enjoyed a perfect summers day and a perfect one-day match has to be dismissed as of no consequence. India and England battled it out like a couple of heavyweights trading punch for punch. Any one of three results was possible going into the final over, but it was India who triumphed by two wickets with three balls to spare. It was riveting entertainment.
After England had won the toss, Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight began in a very positive frame of mind by taking the attack to the Indian bowlers from the outset. Trescothick was his usual dominant self, while Knight was still struggling for the touch that has made him a feared opponent in the past. His timing and composure were not quite there as he took 29 balls to reach 14 at which point he played horribly round a full toss from Zaheer Khan to be bowled.
Hussain came in at the fall of the wicket and needed to do no more for a while than watch Trescothick flay the bowling. The Somerset man brought up the fifty by flicking Khan for six over mid-wicket and reached his own fifty from 40 balls with four boundaries added to that six.
Sourav Ganguly was forced to bring the spinners on earlier than he might have wanted, but they met with no more success than the opening bowlers. Hussain was finding trouble in establishing any sort of fluency in his batting, but the arrival of Ganguly himself in the attack signalled the start of an assault from Hussain that was not necessarily pretty to watch but was thoroughly effective in raising the scoring rate at just the time it was needed.
With a combination of elegant strokes, agricultural swings and not a little good fortune, the batsmen plundered 28 runs from Ganguly's three overs, during which he also got an official warning for running down the pitch. It allowed Hussain to settle in, even if he did not curb his extravagant attack that would undoubtedly have been tagged as reckless had it not succeeded. Meanwhile, Trescothick continued imperiously by hoisting Harbhajan Singh over mid-wicket for another six with a slog-sweep, in the modern argot. Such an effortless and controlled shot deserves a better description.
Trescothick appeared intent on a century from the start of the innings. He has been in a rich vein of form throughout the series and scarcely put a foot wrong as he reached his hundred from 89 balls with six fours and those two sixes.
Hussain and Trescothick put on 185 for the second wicket from just 177 balls before the opener played a somewhat tired and lazy sweep against Anil Kumble to be bowled. The sweep and slog-sweep had served him well up to that point as he reached his century from 89 balls with six fours and two sixes. It was a superb innings that completely destroyed any pre-conceived bowling plans that India might have had.
Ganguly employed the services of no fewer than seven bowlers, but they all tended to to come alike to the England batsmen. Even the revered spin partnership of Kumble and Harbhajan went for 107 runs in their 20 overs for the meagre return of Trescothick's wicket.
Andrew Flintoff joined Hussain and proceeded to impose himself on the bowling with gusto. He drove one mighty straight six off Harbhajan and if he only found the boundary on two other occasions, he still managed to reach 40 from 32 balls before he missed a full toss from Zaheer Khan who was finding this to be his prime wicket-taking ball.
Hussain plumbed the outer reaches of his repertoire to get to his century and then some. In doing so, he used up much of the good fortune that he was owed after some dreadful decisions against him over the years. He will care not one jot how he got the runs on the board, only that he did. It was his first one-day international century at the 72nd time of asking. It came from 118 balls with seven fours, and as he reached the milestone he turned to the media centre to indicate the number three on the back of his shirt. He had received some criticism from that quarter about his suitability to bat at number three in the order. The magnitude of his innings if not the manner of it should silence that now.
Hussain had time from the remaining ten balls of his innings to add three more boundaries to his tally - one of them a pre-meditated sweep off Ashish Nehra that raced fine toward the pavilion. It was when he tried to do the same again that he was bowled by a very full ball that just bounced before crashing into the stumps.
Michael Vaughan came and went - to the ball after Hussain was out. He picked up Khan towards deep square-leg where Dinesh Mongia held a comfortable catch. So it was left to Paul Collingwood and Ronnie Irani to slog, nudge and scramble their way to a total of 325 - England's fourth highest in one-day internationals and a record for a Lord's final.
The way Ganguly and Virender Sehwag began the Indian innings, there was every chance that record would be broken before the day was out. They gave the England bowlers no time to settle, savaging them from the outset with a series of ferocious strokes. Ganguly raced to a fifty from a mere 35 balls with nine fours and a six over the covers off Flintoff. Sehwag could not keep up with his captain, and nor did he need to, such was the power of Ganguly's strokeplay.
The hundred came up from 80 balls (England's had been from 101) and Ganguly's contribution to the Indian cause extended to hammering a fierce cut through the covers via Hussain's wrist. The England captain withdrew for treatment. Irani came into the attack, but departed after one over costing 16 runs. Hussain returned, so did Alex Tudor and he started the decline in India's fortunes.
Ganguly fashioned an ugly smear to a ball of full length and was bowled. It had been a heroic innings, but its end saw a clatter of wickets just as there had been a clatter of runs. Next over, Sehwag tried to run Ashley Giles to third man and was bowled. Then Mongia was given out caught behind down the leg side off Irani. The point of contention was whether he actually got a touch.
Irani induced Rahul Dravid to chip to Knight at short mid-wicket, and when Sachin Tendulkar made room to be bowled by Giles, there was an overpowering impression that India's brave and exciting challenge might well have ended. Five wickets had fallen in the space of nine overs for the addition of 40 runs. The psychological impact of Tendulkar's wicket could not be overstated - to either team.
Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif are more used to smashing quick runs at the end of an innings, but this time they had a major reconstruction job on their hands. While they went about the task with admirable common sense before opening into more expansive mode.the asking rate had climbed to in excess of eight an over before they stabilised the decline.
Slowly, they brought the required rate back within bounds with some clean hitting of the highest calibre, to say nothing of some adventurous running. They had put on 121 from 106 balls with England getting increasingly nervous. Kaif had just joined Yuvraj on fifty when Yuvraj was out. A top-edged sweep off Collingwood saw the ball loop to Tudor at short fine leg and a terrific innings had come to an end.
Yuvraj was visibly annoyed with himself, being under the impression that, with him, went India's hopes. Kaif and Harbhajan Singh had other ideas. Harbhajan supported while Kaif drove, sliced, carved and nudged with a rare maturity. The balance swung until India held all the aces.
That all changed in the 48th over when Flintoff yorked Harbhajan. Two balls later, Kumble was caught behind and everyone was scanning the regulations to see what happened if the scores finished level. It was that sort of match.
Gough bowled the 49th over, which had left honours even until the last ball when Kaif aimed a drive down the ground. The ball went down the ground, albeit to the other end as it careered down to third man for a boundary.
Two needed off the last over. Flintoff produced two dot balls before Zaheer Khan pushed the third ball into the covers, they went through for the run, the throw came in at the stumps but went past and the batsmen scampered through for the second run that won the match.
5th One Day International cricket match between South Africa and Australia, played on March 12, 2006 at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, has been acclaimed by many media commentators as being one of the greatest ODI matches ever played. The match broke many cricket records, including both the first and the second team innings of over 400 runs. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 434 for 4 off their 50 overs, smashing the previous record of 398-5 by Sri Lanka against Kenya in 1996. In reply, South Africa scored 438-9, winning by 1 wicket with one ball to spare.
The Australian captain chose to bat after winning the toss. Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich got the side off to a good start, both scoring fifties. A difficult catch by Andrew Hall diving to his left removed Gilchrist in the 16th over while the partnership was on 97. Ponting then scored his fastest century with 100 off 73 balls, and went on to his highest score at the Wanderers ground with 164 from 105 balls, including 9 sixes and 13 fours. Ponting and Katich put on 139 runs for the second wicket, before Katich was caught at third man by Roger Telemachus after a delivery by Makhaya Ntini. Michael Hussey was promoted up the order and made 81. Ponting was dismissed after his drive shot was caught by Boeta Dippenaar in the 48th over. By the end of the innings, South Africa were under pressure with Telemachus beginning the 49th over with four no-balls. Australia made 40 runs off its last two overs:Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee helping the side past the world record with 27 and 9 runs respectively and Australia became the first side to ever score 400 runs in a One Day International.
News sites reported how Australia just smashed the world record
With the series at two all, South Africa went out batting, giving it their all, requiring 8.7 an over from the start. The early loss of Dippenaar for 1 probably helped the cause, as Dippenaar was not seen as a batsman who could score quickly.[citation needed] Herschelle Gibbs batted at number 3 and reached his 16th ODI hundred in 79 balls, beating his own South African record for the fastest scoring of a hundred that had previously been off 84 balls against Zimbabwe.Gibbs scored the second highest total by a South African with 175 off 111 balls. He and Graeme Smith had a 187 run partnership, bringing the South Africans back into the game. When Smith was out for 90, Gibbs shared another strong partnership, this time with AB de Villiers. Australia kept the pressure on after Gibbs' dismissal with consistent wickets, but big hitting by Johannes van der Wath and Mark Boucher kept the Proteas in the hunt. Nathan Bracken, in contrasting fashion to the rest of the match, bowled particularly well collecting 5 wickets and keeping his economy a respectable 6.By the final over of the match, South Africa needed 7 off 6, with Boucher on strike. He pushed a single, giving the strike to Andrew Hall who hit a four away, leaving 2 required off four balls. However he was out caught attempting to repeat the shot, leaving the side at 433-9. Ntini, the number 11 batsman, managed to get the bowler, Brett Lee, away for a single to third man and tie the scores. Boucher then hit a four the next ball (getting his 19th fifty in ODI cricket), with commentator Tony Greig exclaiming "one of the great one day matches of all time".
Both Ponting and Gibbs were awarded the Man of the Match, but Ponting declined it, saying that it belonged to Gibbs. Shaun Pollock was named Man of the Series, although he was resting for a back injury during this game.
5th One Day International cricket match between South Africa and Australia, played on March 12, 2006 at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, has been acclaimed by many media commentators as being one of the greatest ODI matches ever played. The match broke many cricket records, including both the first and the second team innings of over 400 runs. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 434 for 4 off their 50 overs, smashing the previous record of 398-5 by Sri Lanka against Kenya in 1996. In reply, South Africa scored 438-9, winning by 1 wicket with one ball to spare.
The Australian captain chose to bat after winning the toss. Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich got the side off to a good start, both scoring fifties. A difficult catch by Andrew Hall diving to his left removed Gilchrist in the 16th over while the partnership was on 97. Ponting then scored his fastest century with 100 off 73 balls, and went on to his highest score at the Wanderers ground with 164 from 105 balls, including 9 sixes and 13 fours. Ponting and Katich put on 139 runs for the second wicket, before Katich was caught at third man by Roger Telemachus after a delivery by Makhaya Ntini. Michael Hussey was promoted up the order and made 81. Ponting was dismissed after his drive shot was caught by Boeta Dippenaar in the 48th over. By the end of the innings, South Africa were under pressure with Telemachus beginning the 49th over with four no-balls. Australia made 40 runs off its last two overs:Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee helping the side past the world record with 27 and 9 runs respectively and Australia became the first side to ever score 400 runs in a One Day International.
News sites reported how Australia just smashed the world record
With the series at two all, South Africa went out batting, giving it their all, requiring 8.7 an over from the start. The early loss of Dippenaar for 1 probably helped the cause, as Dippenaar was not seen as a batsman who could score quickly.[citation needed] Herschelle Gibbs batted at number 3 and reached his 16th ODI hundred in 79 balls, beating his own South African record for the fastest scoring of a hundred that had previously been off 84 balls against Zimbabwe.Gibbs scored the second highest total by a South African with 175 off 111 balls. He and Graeme Smith had a 187 run partnership, bringing the South Africans back into the game. When Smith was out for 90, Gibbs shared another strong partnership, this time with AB de Villiers. Australia kept the pressure on after Gibbs' dismissal with consistent wickets, but big hitting by Johannes van der Wath and Mark Boucher kept the Proteas in the hunt. Nathan Bracken, in contrasting fashion to the rest of the match, bowled particularly well collecting 5 wickets and keeping his economy a respectable 6.By the final over of the match, South Africa needed 7 off 6, with Boucher on strike. He pushed a single, giving the strike to Andrew Hall who hit a four away, leaving 2 required off four balls. However he was out caught attempting to repeat the shot, leaving the side at 433-9. Ntini, the number 11 batsman, managed to get the bowler, Brett Lee, away for a single to third man and tie the scores. Boucher then hit a four the next ball (getting his 19th fifty in ODI cricket), with commentator Tony Greig exclaiming "one of the great one day matches of all time".
Both Ponting and Gibbs were awarded the Man of the Match, but Ponting declined it, saying that it belonged to Gibbs. Shaun Pollock was named Man of the Series, although he was resting for a back injury during this game.