• Shane Bond (6-23) achieved the best figures for New Zealand in all ODIs bettering the previous best of 6-25 by Scott Styris against West Indies at Port of Spain in 2002. Incidentally the previous best figures for New Zealand against Australia were 5 for 25 also by Shane Bond at Adelaide in 2002.
• The previous best figures for New Zealand in a World Cup match were 5 for 25 by Richard Hadlee against Sri Lanka at Bristol in 1983.
• Bond’s figures are now the second best by any bowler against Australia in ODIs. West Indian Winston Davis had taken 7-51 at Leeds in 1983 World Cup.
• Bond’s figures are the second best for a losing side. Only Imran Khan (6-14) against India at Sharjah in 1985 has better figures than Bond.
• Of the 47 ODI wickets Bond has taken in his 25 matches, 22 have come against Australia in six matches at an average of 10.45 with an economy rate of 4.04 and a strike rate of 15.5. These are opposed to his career average of 19.97, economy of 4.36 and strike rate of 27.4.
• The 97-run partnership between Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel was Australia’s best in the WC for the eighth wicket obliterating the previous best of unbeaten 50 runs between Rodney Marsh and Rodney Hogg against Zimbabwe at Nottingham in the 1983 World Cup.
• The above partnership was also the best for Australia against the Kiwis for the eighth wicket eclipsing the previous best of 81 runs between Bevan and Brett Lee at Melbourne in 2002.
• Bichel’s 64 was his highest score of his career in 43 matches. He had made an unbeaten 34 at this same venue against England on March 2.
• Bichel’s 64 equals the highest score made by a number nine batsman in ODI history. West Indian Michael Holding had also made 64 against Australia at Perth in 1984. The previous highest by an Australian batsman at number nine was 55 by Shane Warne against South Africa at this ground in 1994.
• The catch of Bichel was Chris Cairns’ 16th in 27 matches in the World Cup. He now has the maximum catches than any other fielder in the World Cup.
• Just behind the Kiwi is Australian Ricky Ponting with 15 catches in 25 matches. Ponting during the match became the Australian fielder with most catches in the World Cup. He went past the tally of 14 catches (in 33 matches) by Steve Waugh.
• The catch of Fleming was Adam Gilchrist’s 30th dismissal (28ct+2st) in 17 World Cup matches. He now equals the World Cup’s record tally of 30 dismissals (in 20 matches) by Pakistani Moin Khan.
• Adam Gilchrist has now taken 16 dismissals in the 2003 World Cup, which equals the most dismissals in a World Cup tournament. Jeff Dujon effected 16 dismissals (15 ct + 1 st) for West Indies in 1983 and Moin Khan effected 16 dismissals (12 ct + 4 st) for Pakistan in 1999.
• Brett Lee’s 5-42 was his best in the World Cup. His previous best was the 3-36 v India at Centurion on February 15.
• Ricky Ponting took his 8th catch of the 2003 World Cup, which equals the record for most catches by a fielder in a World Cup tournament.Anil Kumble (Ind) took 8 catches in 1996 and Daryll Cullinan (SA) took 8 catches in 1999.
• New Zealand’s 112 was its lowest in the World Cup, the previous lowest being the 156 against the West Indies at Southampton in 1999.

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Rajneesh Gupta)