An Australian capitulation

Statistical highlights, South Africa v Australia, 2nd ODI, Cape Town

04-Mar-2006

Australia's capitulation for 93 is not something we normally associate with the best side in the world. In fact, only three times have they been dismissed for a lower total, as the table below shows. This is also the first time they have collapsed for a score below 100 in over 19 years.

Australia's five lowest totals in ODIs
Total	Overs faced	Against	At
70	25.2	England	Edgbaston, 1977
70	26.3	New Zealand	Adelaide, 1985-86
91	35.4	West Indies	Perth, 1986-87
93	34.3	South Africa	Cape Town, 2005-06
101	33.5	England	Melbourne, 1978-79

Australia's previous lowest total against South Africa was 125 at Melbourne in 1997-98.

Australia's whopping defeat by 196 runs also escapes their worst defeat in ODIs when batting second, but it is their most comprehensive overseas.

Australia's five worst defeats in ODIs
Margin (runs)	Against	At	Season
206	New Zealand	Adelaide	1985-86
196	South Africa	Cape Town	2005-06
164	West Indies	Perth	1986-87
133	West Indies	Port-of-Spain	1994-95
128	West Indies	Melbourne	1981-82

Makhaya Ntini achieved his best bowling figures in ODIs (6 for 22) and claimed the South African record in the process, beating Allan Donald's 6 for 23 against Kenya at Nairobi in 1996-97. This was also the first time a South African bowler had taken six wickets in an ODI against Australia - the previous best was Nicky Boje's 5 for 21 in 2001-02, also at Cape Town.

South Africa Australia South Africa vs Australia Australia tour of South Africa

Kanishkaa Balachandran is editorial assistant of Cricinfo. For some stats he was helped by Arun Gopalakrishnan