It should come as no surprise that New Zealand's only victory in the one-day series against Zimbabwe should coincide with Nathan Astle's one big innings during the three matches. The fortunes of the New Zealand opener have had a marked effect on the eventual outcome of New Zealand's matches as the following table reveals:
Matches Runs Ave 100s
When NZ win 48 2142 49.81 7
When NZ lose 66 1672 25.33 1
(ties and no results not included)
Astle's career is also markedly different at home and overseas:
Matches Runs Ave 100s
Home 49 2101 50.02 4
Away 75 1972 26.64 4
Despite his away average being half his home figure, Astle's eight centuries are split evenly between New Zealand and abroad. Take away his four centuries and Astle averages just 21.71 outside New Zealand.
During his 89 not out at Wellington, Astle became the first player to total 2000 runs in One-Day Internationals in New Zealand. The leaders on this list are:
Runs Matches Ave
Nathan Astle 2101 49 50.02
Martin Crowe 1884 57 44.85
Ken Rutherford 1613 55 33.60
Stephen Fleming 1501 53 35.73
Andrew Jones 1378 45 36.26
Chris Harris 1362 74 34.92
Chris Cairns 1239 61 26.36
John Wright 1136 43 27.04
Mark Greatbatch 1101 45 26.21
Roger Twose 1015 32 42.29
Adam Parore 1015 65 23.60
The highest run-scorer from overseas is Mark Waugh with 891 at 46.89 in 20 matches
Astle has some way to be the best at Eden Park, however. The highest run-scorers at Auckland are:
Runs Matches Ave
Martin Crowe 719 17 79.88
Nathan Astle 578 14 48.16
Andrew Jones 446 16 34.30
Chris Harris 443 21 40.27
Mark Greatbatch 435 16 27.18
Chris Cairns 397 19 24.81
Ken Rutherford 394 18 24.62
Stephen Fleming 360 15 25.71
John Wright 313 14 24.07
Zimbabwe's epic run chase in the third One-Day International was the highest ever total - win or lose - by a team chasing at Eden Park. It erased Pakistan from top place gained after their memorable win in the semi-final of the 1992 World Cup.
The table which follows shows just how meritorious the Zimbabwe win was as, apart from the top four entries, the others are of distinctly modest proportions and support the oft repeated theory that Eden Park wickets tend to "die" as the day progresses and play lower and slower, making run scoring more difficult.
The highest totals by teams chasing in one-dayers at Eden Park are:
274-9 Zimbabwe v New Zealand 2000/01 (won)
264-6 Pakistan v New Zealand 1991/92 (won)
251-3 Pakistan v New Zealand 1988/89 (won)
250-7 New Zealand v West Indies 1999/00 (won)
229-8 New Zealand v Australia 1992/93 (lost)
229-9 Zimbabwe v New Zealand 1997/98 (lost)
227-9 New Zealand v Australia 1994/95 (lost)
217-4 West Indies v New Zealand 1986/87 (won)
217 England v New Zealand 1990/91 (lost)
215-3 New Zealand v South Africa 1998/99 (won)
Just for the record, here are the best chases overall in New Zealand. Zimbabwe again figure in top spot, but were on the receiving end on this occasion. Andy Flower made his debut in this game, by the way, scoring a century. Only three others (Desmond Haynes, Dennis Amiss and Salim Elahi) have reached three-figures in their first One-Day International.
313-7 Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe New Plymouth 1991/92 (won)
301-9 New Zealand v Australia Christchurch 1999/00 (lost)
282 West Indies v New Zealand Christchurch 1999/00 (lost)
274-9 Zimbabwe v New Zealand Auckland 2000/01 (won)
264-6 Pakistan v New Zealand Auckland 1991/92 (won)
260 New Zealand v Australia Dunedin 1999/00 (lost)
254-4 New Zealand v Pakistan Wellington 1988/89 (won)
252-5 India v Australia Dunedin 1994/95 (won)
251-3 Pakistan v New Zealand Auckland 1988/89 (won)
251 Pakistan v New Zealand Christchurch 1984/85 (lost)
250-7 New Zealand v Australia Hamilton 1992/93 (won)
250-7 New Zealand v West Indies Auckland 1999/00 (won)
Zimbabwe have become adept at chasing big targets in recent times as the following list of their best chases illustrates:
290-4 v West Indies Chester-le-Street 2000 (won)
284-9 v India Jodhpur 2000/01 (won)
278-9 v Australia Delhi 1997/98 (lost)
274-9 v New Zealand Auckland 2000/01 (won)
269 v India Cuttack 1997/98 (lost)
268-4 v New Zealand Bulawayo 2000/01 (won)
262 v India Rajkot 2000/01 (lost)
261-7 v Bangladesh Dhaka 1998/99 (won)
261 v India Vadodara 1997/98 (lost)
259-6 v Australia Lord's 1999 (lost)
252-6 v India Sharjah 2000/01 (lost)
New Zealand's defeat in the third one-dayer was just their fourth by the margin of one wicket. The games concerned are:
New Zealand (213-8) v Pakistan (214-9) Sialkot 1984/85
New Zealand (196-8) v Australia (197-9) Christchurch 1992/93
New Zealand (243) v West Indies (247-9) Kingston 1995/96
New Zealand (273-9) v Zimbabwe (274-9) Auckland 2000/01
The selection of some new and relatively inexperienced players in the New Zealand one-day side produced produced some unsual scenarios.
James Franklin, for instance, has now played in as many One-Day Internationals (three) as he has Shell Cup games and his two wickets for Wellington positively pale alongside the five he picked up for New Zealand.
Jacob Oram, used as first change bowler in his two games, has a useful record with the ball in first-class cricket but has been seen less often at Shell Cup level. In his 30 Shell Cup games he has just four wickets at 72 apiece and has bowled in only 14 of his appearances - and never the full ten overs.
Neither Franklin or Oram had ever played on the main ground at Eden Park before. Both had appeared on the Outer Oval where Oram hit a fine Shell Cup century for Central Districts in 1997/98. Chris Martin, who was in the squad but did not play, has played once on the number one ground.
© CricInfo
