The Hindu : Blignaut's maiden Man-of-the-Match award

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

Blignaut's maiden Man-of-the-Match award

** Jason Gillespie was appearing in his 50th match. He becomes the 39th Australian and the 265th player in LOIs to reach this landmark.

** During his knock of 62 Andy Flower became Zimbabwe's highest run-getter in the WC. He went past the tally of 567 runs (in 20 matches) by Dave Houghton. Flower now has 606 runs in 25 WC matches.

** The 25-ball fifty by Andy Blignaut (54) was the fastest by a Zimbabwe batsman in the WC. The previous fastest was the 32-ball fifty by Andrew Waller against Sri Lanka at New Plymouth on 23-2-1992.

** Blignaut's 54 was the fourth highest by a batsman at number eight in the WC. West Indian Deryck Murray's unbeaten 61 against Pakistan at Birmingham on 11-6-1975 remains the highest. However Blignaut obliterates the previous best score by a Zimbabwean batsman at this position, which was 34 not out by Ian Butchart also against Australia at Nottingham on 9-6-1983.

** The 84-run stand between the Flower brothers — Andy & Grant — was Zimbabwe's best for the 3rd wicket against Australia in the WC. They went past the previous best of 31 between Jack Heron and Andy Pycroft at Nottingham on 9-6-1983.

** The 34-run partnership between Tatenda Taibu and Heath Streak was Zimbabwe's best for the 8th wicket against Australia bettering the previous record of 32 between Streak and Mluleki Nkala at Melbourne at 21-1-2001. The Taibu-Streak stand was also Zimbabwe's best against the Aussies in the WC for the 8th wicket. Butchart and Peter Rawson had earlier added 27 for this wicket at Madras on 13-10-1987.

** During his unbeaten knock of 28 Streak, when on 14, became the sixth Zimbabwean and the 105th batsman in LOIs to aggregate 2000 runs. Playing in his 152nd match and 126th innings of his career Streak now had 2014 runs (avg. 24.56) to his credit.

** Streak (2014 runs and 186 wickets) became the 27th all-rounder in LOIs to do the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets. He also becomes the 19th all-rounder to score 2000 runs and 100 wickets and the 12th all-rounder to do the rare double of 2000 runs and 150 wickets in LOIs.

** The unbeaten partnership of 92 between Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann was Australia's best for the fourth wicket against Zimbabwe obliterating the previous best of between Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan at Ahmedabad on 3-4-1998.

** This was Australia's tenth consecutive win in LOIs since its defeat by Sri Lanka (by 79 runs) at Sydney on 9-1-2003.

** This was Zimbabwe's 19th loss in a row against the Aussies in all LOIs since its only win way back in the 1983 WC.

** This was Blignaut's maiden man of the match award of his career in 18 matches.

Mohandas Menon

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