World Cup Week That Was

Statistic of the week

Statistic of the week

Sri Lanka overwhelmed Canada in the time it takes to complete a football match, dismissing their opponents for 36 and then reaching the target in 22 balls. The 1996 world champions don't mess about. Out of the lowest five totals in one-day inter-nationals their name features three times, also skittling Zimbabwe for 38 and India for 54. Others on the list are Pakistan's 43 (v West Indies) and Canada's 45 (v England).

Delivery of the week

Picture the scene. The finest batsman alive, Sachin Tendulkar, is untroubled on 81, made from 90 balls. Grant Flower, bowling left-arm off-spin is given the task of stemming the flow. With his third delivery he has Dinesh Mongia caught and with his fifth, bowls the great one. The ball dips, bounces and turns, knocking back middle stump. Shot of the week? West Indian Ricardo Powell hitting one of his four sixes in a 30-ball fifty. The folk of Benoni are still looking for the ball.

Irony of the week

So, New Zealand decided not to go to Kenya for fears over player safety. Instead they took time off and headed for peaceful Durban where they went clubbing. And got clubbed, Chris Cairns, in particular, being on the receiving end of some early-morning South African thuggery. They don't like New Zealanders in the Republic. Last July members of the Kiwi Under-21 World Cup rugby squad were left battered and bruised after being assaulted outside a Johannesburg nightclub.

Spat of the week

The mayor of Harare, Elias Mudzuri, has boycotted matches because his invitation from the Zimbabwe Cricket Union made him feel "like a criminal". The Mayor took exception to a paragraph in the invite warning he could be searched for "alcohol, chairs, umbrellas, anything that can be classed as a weapon". He also snubbed the Indian and Namibian teams on their arrival at the airport. "First the ZCU write to me as if I am going to kill the cricketers, and then they ask me to go and meet them," said Mudzuri. "I told them no."

Quote of the week

"Just after the first drinks break England were a bit nervous and they were saying things to me. A few people were telling me I shouldn't be here." Jan-Berry Burger (pictured), domestic average last season of 17.40, after hitting a lifetime best 85 and giving minnows Namibia plenty of cheer.