• Craig White was playing his 50th match since making his debut against Australia at Sydney in December 1994. He became the 26th Englishman and the 266th player overall to reach this landmark.
• Sachin Tendulkar was playing his 26th match against England. He has now joined Anil Kumble to become Indian player with most ODI appearances against England.
• The 62-run partnership between Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh was India’s best for the fifth wicket against England in the World Cup surpassing the 47 run stand between Mohammad Azharuddin and Kapil Dev at Mumbai in 1987.
• Andrew Flintoff’s 10-2-15-2 (RpO 1.50) was the second most economical by an Englishman bowling his full quota of overs against India in ODIs after John Emburey’s 11-2-15-0 (RpO 1.36) at the Oval in 1986.
• Andrew Caddick’s 10-0-69-3 (RpO: 6.90) was the most expensive of his career. He had conceded 66 runs in his 10 overs while picking up one wicket against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1994.
• Javagal Srinath was dismissed without scoring for the 18th time in his career. He has now achieved the dubious distinction of aggregating most ducks in a career for India. Srinath was earlier at level with Anil Kumble with 17 ducks. Interestingly 11 times out of these 18 Srinath has been dismissed off the first ball – most by any batsman in ODIs.
• Four wickets fell in the 50th over of Indian innings bowled by Andrew Caddick. Infact India lost four wickets off last four balls of the innings – three being dismissed by Caddick and one getting run-out. This was the third occasion in the 2003 World Cup when four wickets fell in one over. Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas had dismissed the first four Bangladeshi batsmen at Pietermaritzburg on February 14, while Canada lost their last four wickets (two to run-outs) off Vasbert Drakes’ bowling in the 43rd over against West Indies at Centurion on February 23.
• Rahul Dravid, when caught Michael Vaughan off the bowling of Nehra, completed his 50 dismissals as a keeper in 42 matches. He now has 51 dismissals (42 catches and 9 stumpings) to his name. He became third Indian (after Nayan Mongia 154 dismissals in 139 matches and Kiran More 90 dismissals in 94 matches) and 21st keeper overall to have effected 50 dismissals in ODIs -
• The figures of 6-23 by Ashish Nehra were the best by an Indian in the World Cup, third best by any bowler in the World Cup and the 13th joint best in all ODIs. Nehra’s previous best was the 3-30 against New Zealand at the Colombo SSC in 2001.
• This was the second time an Indian bowler captured six wickets in a match. The only other being Anil Kumble who took six for 12 against the West Indies at Kolkata in 1993.Overall this was the 30th six-plus wicket haul in an ODI match.
• Nehra’s performance is the fourth best by a left-arm bowler after Sri Lankan Chaminda Vaas (8-19), Australian Gary Gilmour (6-14) and Zimbabwean Bryan Strang (6-20).
• Nehra’s figures were the best by an Indian bowler in the World Cup obliterating Venkatesh Prasad’s five for 27 against Pakistan at Manchester in 1999.
• Nehra’s figures were also the best for India against England bettering Javagal Srinath’s 5-41 at Bangalore in 1993.
• The partnership of 55 runs between Flintoff and Caddick was England’s all time best for the ninth wicket against any country in ODIs. The pair obliterated the previous best of 47 runs between Allan Lamb and Neil Foster against West Indies at Manchester in 1984. Incidentally England’s previous highest ninth wicket stand was of 31 runs between Graham Thorpe and Darren Gough at Sharjah in 1999.
• This was also the best by any team against India for the ninth wicket obliterating the previous highest of 53 between Zimbabweans Paul Strang and Andy Whittall at Bulawayo in 1998.
• Virender Sehwag became the first fielder in World Cup history to take three catches in a match on two separate occasions. He has also taken three catches against Holland at Paarl on February 12. Incidentally, now 15 fielders have taken three catches in a World Cup match.
• This was India’s first win at this ground in five matches. Previously, India had lost three and one match was declared as no-result - all against the home team, South Africa.
• This was Nehra’ s maiden man of the match award of his career in 33 matches.

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Rajneesh Gupta)