Hurricane Cairns
Kiwi posts fifth-fastest century in one-day history
Posted: Tuesday January 19, 1999 04:36 PM
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Cairns' hundred took 75 balls and 99 minutes and included five fours and six sixes Ross Kinnaird/Allsport |
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand -- New Zealand, paced by Chris Cairns and his rapid-fire century, beat India by 70 runs Tuesday in the fifth and final limited-overs cricket match at Lancaster Park.
The win leveled the series at 2-2 after the third match in the series was abandoned at Wellington due to heavy rain.
In reply to New Zealand's 300 for eight off 50 overs, India finished at 230 off 45.3 overs. After a bright opening partnership between Saurav Ganguly and Ajay Jadeja, India slipped behind the run rate of six an over and lost regular wickets.
Earlier, Cairns celebrated his 100th one-day international by slamming the fifth-fastest century in history.
Cairns went on a hitting frenzy after reaching his half century, his second 50 taking just 23 balls and 30 minutes. It was the fastest by a New Zealand batsman in limited-overs history.
His whirlwind innings of 115 and half-centuries by Bryan Young and Roger Twose helped New Zealand post a massive 300 for eight in its 50 overs.
"I got a great reception when I came to the wicket and it was great to repay them," Cairns said. "It was my day out there and I'm glad to have taken advantage of it. I got on a roll out and I got to 97 and I thought I would try and milk it and get the ton."
Cairns' hundred took 75 balls and 99 minutes and included five fours and six sixes. He hit seven fours and seven sixes in his 80-ball knock and was particularly severe on medium pacer Venkatesh Prasad and legspinner Anil Kumble.
When Cairns was at his rampaging best he and captain Dion Nash took just 12 minutes to improve the score from 200 to 250.
Cairns' mighty innings is still a long way off the fastest 100 in a one-day international. That honor belongs to Pakistan's Shahid Alfridi who took 37 balls against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996-97.
The other players ahead of Cairns are Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya with a 48-ball century against Pakistan in 1995-96, Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin's 62-ball effort against New Zealand at Baroda in 1988-89 and Basit Ali's 67-ball century for Pakistan against West Indies in Sharjah in 1993-94.
The Indian players did not join in the tremendous ovation Cairns was given by the 13,500-strong crowd.
They were upset Cairns was given not out on 51 in the 41st over to what appeared a clear edge behind to wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia off medium pacer Robin Singh Sr.
Azharuddin, who threw the ball into the ground in disgust at umpire Chris King's decision, said his side was not happy with the decision. After the match, he said he did not want to make any other comment, though he added he congratulated Cairns in the players' tunnel.
Cairns also had a life on 75 when Nikhil Chopra juggled the ball five times on the extra cover boundary before spilling the ball over the boundary for six off Kumble.
Cairns' heroics rescued New Zealand from a moderate position.
New Zealand was 179 for four off 40 overs but managed an incredible 121 runs off the final 10 overs of the innings.
New Zealand made a disastrous start when opener Matthew Horne was run out for a duck in the second over of the innings.
Indian pace spearhead Javagal Srinath was the only bowler to escape the massacre and he finished with the solid figures of three for 44 off 10 overs. Prasad conceded 61 off nine and Kumble 78 off 10.
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