New Zealand vs Zimbabwe, Bloemfontein

** The catch of Grant Flower by Chris Cairns was his 15th in the WC in 26 matches. He now becomes the fielder with maximum catches in WC history. Following him are Australians Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and India's Anil Kumble with 14 catches each.

** The run-out dismissal of Andy Flower meant that siblings Andy and Grant have been run-out 20 times each during their respective careers - the most by any Zimbabwean batsman in ODIs

** The 68 run partnership between Tatendu Taibu and Heath Streak was Zimbabwe's best for the 7th wicket against New Zealand in ODIs bettering the previous best of 42 runs between Gavin Rennie and Streak at Wellington on 4-1-2001. 

** The above stand was the best for the 7th wicket at this ground eclipsing the previous best of 43 runs between Indians Mohammad Azharuddin and Saba Karim against the home side on 23-1-1997.

** Playing in his 26th match, Taibu (53) registered the highest score of his career. His previous best was the 35 he made against Pakistan at Bulawayo on 23-11-2002. 

** At 19 years 298 days, Taibu became the youngest keeper in ODI history to score a fifty. Sri Lankan Brendon Kuruppu was 21 years 155 days when he scored a 72 against Pakistan at Swansea on 9-6-1983.

** The explosive unbeaten 78 run partnership between Steak and Sean Ervine was the best partnership for the 8th wicket at this ground surpassing the previous best of 37 runs, by a long way, between South Africans Jonty Rhodes and Eric Simons against Sri Lanka on 15-12-1994.   

** Streak during his unbeaten innings of 72 runs became the only second batsman in ODI history to aggregate over 1,000 runs while batting at number 8 position. Streak in 59 matches has 1033 runs (avg. 28.69), while Pakistani Wasim Akram has 1208 runs (avg. 17.01) in 123 matches.

** Meanwhile Streak's 72 not out was the highest by any number 8 batsman in the WC. West Indian Deryck Murray's unbeaten 61 against Pakistan at Birmingham on 11-6-1975, was the previous highest. 

** The 121 run stand between Nathan Astle and Chris Cairns was the best for the 4th wicket at this venue. The pair just went past the previous best of 119 runs between Australians Ricky Ponting and Darren Lehmann against South Africa on 30-3-2002.

** The unbeaten 102 was Nathan Astle's 13th of his career in 172 matches. He has by far the most hundreds by a Kiwi batsman in ODIs. Martin Crowe, Chris Cairns and Stephen Fleming have just 4 hundreds each. 

** This was Astle's second hundred in the WC in 20 matches. His first (101) came against England at Ahmedabad during the 1996 WC. He joins former Kiwi opening batsman Glenn Turner with two hundreds in the WC.

** Interestingly, despite his two hundreds and one fifty, Astle has aggregated just 403 runs in the WC. His batting average of 22.39 is the worst among batsman who have at least one hundred in the WC - and Astle has two! Incidentally, former Indian batsman Vinod Kambli has the next worst batting average of 25.63, with one hundred in the WC.

** The man of the match award was Astle's 20th in 172 matches. He now equals the tally of Martin Crowe (in 143 matches) as they become the joint holders for most such awards in ODIs for New Zealand.