ICC Knock-out dossier

** The first edition of the ICC Knock-out tournament at Dhaka in October-November 1998 was the first ever limited-over tournament, outside the World Cup that had nine participating teams.

** Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell (100) against New Zealand on 24-10-1998 who took only 43 balls to reach his first fifty, needed a further 99 balls for his next fifty. He reached his hundred in 142 balls.

** By winning off the last ball of the match against Zimbabwe on 24-10-1998, New Zealand recorded the closest ever victory in its ODI history while batting second. The Kiwis' had won with one ball to spare on seven other occasions.

** Adam Hollioake's bowling figures of 4.4-0-41-1 (8.79 runs per over) against South Africa on 25-10-1998 was one of the most expensive by an Englishman bowling at least 28 balls in an innings. Tony Greig had conceded 40 runs in 4.5 overs (29 balls) against Pakistan at Nottingham on 31-8-74.

** South Africa's win on 25-10-1998 was its tenth victory in the last 11 matches against England.

** Arjuna Ranatunga against New Zealand on 26-10-1998, set a new record by winning the toss for the 87th occasion in his 169th match as captain. He bettered Australian Allan Border who had won the toss 86 times in his 178 matches as captain.

** In his match against Australia on 28-10-1998, India's Mohammad Azharuddin was appearing in his 300th ODI match to become the first player to do so. Incidentally, Australia's Allan Border and Pakistan's Salim Malik with 273 matches each were a distant second behind Azhar in terms of most match appearances in ODI history.

** Azharuddin in the above match against Australia on 28-10-1998, lost the toss for the first time after winning it in the last nine matches. He thus had equalled the record of Australian Allan Border's record of winning most successive toss in ODIs.

** Sachin Tendulkar's 141 against Australia on 28-10-1998 was not only his 19th ODI hundred but it was his 35 international hundred of his career if his16 Test hundreds were also added to his career tally. He had thus equalled the record held by Sunil Gavaskar (34 Test & 1 ODI hundreds), Viv Richards (24 + 11) and Des Haynes (18 + 17).

** Tendulkar (141 & 4-38) against Australia on 28-10-1998 became the only third all-rounder in ODI history to score a hundred and capture 4 or more wickets in the same match. The others to do so were West Indian Viv Richards (119 & 5-41 v New Zealand at Dunedin on 18-3-87) and New Zealander Nathan Astle (117 & 4-43 v Pakistan at Mohali on 9-5-97). Tendulkar, incidentally also took a catch which neither Richards or Astle were able to achieve, to complete a superb all-round effort.

** Keith Arthurton's 4-31 against Pakistan on 29-10-1998 equalled the fifth best figures by a West Indian spinner in ODIs after Viv Richards (6-41 & 5-41), Jimmy Adams (5-37) and Rajindra Dhanraj (4-26). Larry Gomes also had similar figures as Arthurton.

** Jacques Kallis (113*) against Sri Lanka on 30-10-1998 scored the fastest hundred by a South African in ODIs. His hundredth run came in just 91 balls. The previous record was held by Jonty Rhodes (121) who took 97 balls to reach his hundred against Pakistan at Nairobi (Gym) on 29-9-96.

** During the above innings, Kallis also hit the maximum sixes (five) by a South African in ODIs. The others to hit four sixes in a match were Dave Callaghan (v New Zealand at Centurion on 11-12-94), Gary Kirsten (v UAE at Rawalipindi on 16-2-96) and Andrew Hudson (v Netherlands at Rawalpindi on 5-3-96).

** Reon King (10-2-26-0) against India on 31-10-1998, recorded the second most economical bowling figures by a West Indian debutant bowling a 10-over spell in ODIs. The best still remains with Franklyn Rose who had figures of 10-2-25-3 also against India at Port of Spain on 26-4-97.

** West Indian opener Philo Wallace had the unique distinction of hitting the very ball bowled in the second innings by India's Javagal Srinath for a six on 31-10-1998.

** West Indian opener Philo Wallace (103) in the final match against South Africa on 1-11-1998 scored his maiden hundred in his 23rd match. It had taken him nearly seven years to do so after making his ODI debut way back in November 1991.

** In the match against the West Indies on 1-11-1998, South African Jonty Rhodes only for the second time in his ODI career spanning 140 matches, had held three or more catches in a match. The only other occasion was when he held the record number of five catches, which incidentally was also against West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on 14-11-1993 in the Hero Cup tournament.

** By defeating the West Indies by four wickets, the South Africans became the first winners of the ICC Knock-out tournament at Dhaka on 1-11-1998.

Mail Cricket Editor