• This match was the 2079th One-Day International in cricket history.
• This match was the 21st between these two sides. The record now reads : Australia 20, Zimbabwe one.
• Australia’s total of 225 for eight was their lowest against Zimbabwe in a completed innings. Their previous lowest total against Zimbabwe was 226 for seven in a 60 over game at Nottingham on 09-06-1983.
• The sixth wicket partnership of 66 runs between Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke was Australia’s best for this wicket against Zimbabwe obliterating the 50-run partnership between Michael Bevan and Darren Lehmann at Sydney on 28-01-2001.
• The three caught and bowled dismissals in Australia’s innings provided only the sixth such instance in ODI history when three or more batsmen got out in this fashion in a team’s innings. The record is of four caught and bowled dismissals that was made in England’s innings against Australia at Adelaide on 26-01-1999.
• Zimbabwe lost their first five wickets with only 17 runs on the board. It was their worst start in an ODI. Zimbabwe had lost first five wickets for 22 runs on two previous occasions – v Sri Lanka at Harare on 06-11-1994 and v West Indies also at Harare on 29-11-2003.
• Zimbabwe’s collapse also equalled the worst performance by any side against Australia. Kenya had also lost their first five wickets for 17 runs at Nairobi (Gym) on 02-09-2002. Incidentally the lowest total recorded by a side while losing five wickets is 12, made on two occasions – by Pakistan v West Indies at Brisbane on 09-01-1993 and by Canada v Sri Lanka at Paarl on 19-02-2003
• Grant Flower was dismissed for a first ball duck. It was sixth first ball duck of his career. He now heads the table of Zimbabwean batsmen who have been dismissed on most occasions for duck by the first legitimate ball they faced in an ODI innings. Grant Flower was earlier at level with brother Andy with five such instances.
• Zimbabwe’s total of 126 was their second lowest against Australia. Their lowest against Australia still remains 116 at Harare on 23-10-1999.
• Brad Williams (5-22) became first Australian to claim five wickets in a match against Zimbabwe. The previous best was 4 for 28 by Ian Harvey at Melbourne on 21-01-2001.
• Australia have now won 20 matches at a trot against Zimbabwe. Interestingly their first and only defeat came in the first ever encounter between the two sides at Nottingham in 1983 World Cup.
• Williams was winning his third Man-of-the-Match award in his 15th match.

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Rajneesh Gupta)