Specials – Best of the 1999 World Cup, Part 1

With the 2019 World Cup almost upon us, it is great time to rewind to two decades back, when England last hosted the showpiece event. Besides featuring some riveting contests and quality performances, the 1999 World Cup, played primarily in England with a few fixtures in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Netherlands, was also […]

Who Would Have Thought It – Auckland rout Pakistan for 48

Close on the heels of an insipid World Series Cup campaign in Australia in 1988-89, where they failed to reach the finals after having won only two out of eight league games, Pakistan hopped across the Tasman Sea for a full tour of New Zealand. After warming up against a National Second XI in a […]

Record Book – New Zealand’s biggest Test wins by runs

With Sri Lanka placed at 231/6 in pursuit of a gargantuan 660 after the fourth day of the ongoing Boxing Day Test at Christchurch, New Zealand are on the verge of registering their biggest ever Test win in terms of runs. The Black Caps need to take the remaining four wickets for less than […]

Specials – ODI cricket in Singapore, Part 3

India were due to play in their third consecutive ODI tournament in Singapore, but pulled out at the last minute, citing that it would not be appropriate to take part during the match-fixing crisis. Pakistan came in instead, joining New Zealand and South Africa for the Godrej Singapore Challenge held at the Kallang Ground […]

Record Book – The 100-ODI club

The second ODI between New Zealand and Pakistan at Nelson tomorrow will be the hundredth contested by the two teams against each other, in a span of nearly 45 years dating back to their first encounter at Christchurch in 1972-73. Thus, it will become the eleventh fixture to reach the milestone of a century […]

Specials – Best of the ODIs: Pakistan in New Zealand

Pakistan are set to begin their twelfth ODI series in New Zealand from Saturday. Since 1972-73, when they played each other in their first ever ODI at Christchurch, the two teams have clashed 44 times in New Zealand, with the hosts winning 26 ODIs to the visitors’ 15. This includes two games played at […]

Specials – The closest World Cup final

The 2017 Women’s World Cup final at Lord’s was unquestionably a nail-biter, but it lies second-best when it comes to the most exciting World Cup title matches. The final of the 2000 edition was the closest final of any World Cup, men’s or women’s, and was fittingly contested between Trans-Tasman rivals Australia, the defending […]

Record Book – Bermuda’s maiden first-class match

The first time Bermuda took on an international team was when they played the touring Australians, led by Syd Gregory, at Hamilton in 1912-13. However, it was not until 1971-72 that they contested a designated first-class fixture. The New Zealanders followed their five-Test series in the Caribbean with a visit to Hamilton’s National Stadium […]

Record Book – The best Test bowling figures for New Zealand

Neil Wagner’s brilliant return of 7/39 on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Basin Reserve propelled him to the fourth position in the list of New Zealanders with the best bowling figures in a Test innings. Here are the top five. 1) Richard Hadlee – 9/52 v […]

Record Book – Auckland’s unlucky 13

For a moment few days back, Auckland were in real danger of being bowled out for the lowest ever total in any first-class match played in New Zealand. Hosts Wellington had them on the mat at a precarious 12/7 in their opening Plunket Shield clash at the Basin Reserve, and there was every possibility […]