• Namibia became 17th team to play One-Day International cricket.
• Slow left-arm orthodox spinner Lennie Louw was making his international debut at the age of 43 years and 236 days !! Only two players – Holland’s Noland Clarke (47-240) and England’s Norman Gifford (44-359) have made their ODI debut at older age than Louw.
• Craig Wishart (172*) broke and established many records during his brilliant innings. Some important are -
• He became second Zimbabwean to notch up a century on World Cup debut after Andy Flower who made 115* against Sri Lanka at New Plymouth in 1992 World Cup.
• His innings is the highest by any Zimbabwean batsman beating Andy Flower’s 145 against India in Champions Trophy last year. Incidentally the previous highest by a Zimbabwean batsman in World Cup was 142 by Dave Houghton against New Zealand in 1987 World Cup.
• His innings is the tenth highest in ODI history,16 runs behind World Cup record and 22 behind the ODI all-time record.
• He now holds the record of playing the highest individual innings at batting position one in a World Cup match. Wishart just managed to displace New Zealander Glenn Turner who had made 171* against East Africa at Birmingham in 1975.
• Wishart became third Zimbabwean (after Andy Flower and Neil Johnson) and only the ninth batsman in World Cup to carry his bat through the completed innings.
• His 18 fours equals the World Cup record hitherto held by England’s Dennis Amiss (v India at Lord’s in 1975).
• Zimbabwe’s total of 340 for 2 was their highest in all ODIs. This eclipsed their previous highest of 325 for six against Kenya at Dhaka in 1999. Zimbabwe’s previous highest in World Cup was 312 for four against Sri Lanka at New Plymouth in 1992.
• The third-wicket unbroken partnership of 166 runs (off 117 balls) between Wishart and Grant Flower is Zimbabwe’s best for third wicket in ODIs. This obliterated the previous record stand of 154 runs between Andy Flower and Stuart Carlisle against New Zealand at Taupo in 2001.
• BJ Burger took a wicket off his third ball in ODIs when he had Andy Flower caught by keeper Karg.
• Namibia wicket-keeper Morne Karg did not concede a single bye during Zimbabwe’s mammoth total of 340. This is the second highest total in World Cup cricket not to include a bye. The record, however, remains with Sri Lankan Romesh Kaluwitharana who did not allow a bye in India’s total of 373 for six at Taunton in 1999 World Cup.
• Namibian opener Riaan Walters was dismissed off the very first ball of the innings. He thus became the fourth batsman in World Cup history to achieve this dubious distinction after Pakistan’s Aamir Sohail (v NZ,Christchurch, 1992), England’s Graham Gooch (v Zim,Albury,1992) and South Africa’s Gary Kirsten (v Zim, Chelmsford,1999). Apart from these batsmen, New Zealand’s John Wright was also dismissed off the first legitimate ball of the match against Australia at Wellington in 1992 which was preceded by two wides.

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Rajneesh Gupta)