• This was the 1661st Test match in cricket history.
• This was the second Test match between these two sides. Australia have won both.
• Australian total (735-6d) was the highest by any side against Zimbabwe and sixth highest in Test history. The previous highest total achieved against Zimbabwe was India’s 609-6d at Nagpur in 2000-01. The following table lists all totals of 700-plus in Test cricket :

  Total    For           Vs            Venue         Season
  952-6d   Sri Lanka     India         Colombo RPS   1997-98
  903-7d   England       Australia     The Oval      1938
  849      England       West Indies   Kingston      1929-30
  790-3d   West Indies   Pakistan      Kingston      1957-58
  758-8d   Australia     West Indies   Kingston      1954-55
  735-6d   Australia     Zimbabwe      Perth         2003-04
  729-6d   Australia     England       Lord's        1930
  708      Pakistan      England       The Oval      1987
  701      Australia     England       The Oval      1934
  

• Australia’s total was also the highest by a side put into bat after losing the toss. The previous highest was England’s 653-4d against India at Lord’s in 1990. The accompanying table has the details:

  Total    For            Put in by (country)  Venue        Season
  735-6d   Australia      HH Streak (Zim)      Perth        2003-04
  653-4d   England        M Azharuddin (Ind)   Lord's       1990
  621-5d   South Africa   DJ Nash (NZ)         Auckland     1998-99
  619      Australia      GS Sobers (WI)       Sydney       1968-69
  605-9d   Australia      BC Lara (WI)         Bridgetown   2002-03
  601-7d   Australia      DI Gower (Eng)       Leeds        1989
  601-8d   Australia      L Hutton (Eng)       Brisbane     1954-55
  

• Matthew Hayden (380) became the highest run-scorer in a Test innings obliterating Brian Lara’s 375 against England at St.John’s in 1993-94.This was also the sixth triple hundred by an Australian, first against Zimbabwe and 17th overall in Test cricket. Hayden established many new records during his epic innings, which are being given separately.
• The sixth wicket partnership of 233 runs between Hayden and Adam Gilchrist was the highest for any side for this wicket against Zimbabwe. This obliterated the unbroken 189 run-partnership between Sri Lankan pair of Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga at Colombo SSC in 1997-98.
• Between lunch and tea on day two, Hayden and Gilchrist each added over a hundred runs to his personal score. This was the first instance of two batsmen adding hundred runs during a session in a Test match
• All Zimbabwean bowlers conceded at least 100 runs in Australian innings. This provided the fourth such instance in Test cricket. The details :

  WI  (652-8d) v Eng  Lord's     1973
                      GG Arnold 0/111; RGD Willis 4/118; AW Greig 3/180;
                      DL Underwood 0/105; R Illingworth 1/114
   
  Aus (528)    v Ind  Adelaide    1980-81
                      Kapil Dev 2/112; KD Ghavri 0/106; DR Doshi 3/146;
                      NS Yadav 4/143
   
  Pak (500-7d) v SL   Lahore     1981-82
                      ALF de Mel 3/120; JR Ratnayeke 3/121;
                      DS de Silva 1/129; RGCE Wijesuriya 0/105
   
  Aus (735-6d) v Zim  Perth       2003-04
                      HH Streak 0/131; AM Blignaut 0/115;
                      SM Ervine 4/146; RW Price 0/187; TR Gripper 2/142
  

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Rajneesh Gupta)