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Land of the dibbly-dobblies
Wisden CricInfo staff - February 22, 2002
There have been 44 previous one-day internationals at Eden Park, Auckland, making it New Zealand's most popular ODI ground. All 44 matches have involved New Zealand: they have won and lost 21, with one tie and one no-result.
The tied match came against Pakistan in 1993-94, when New Zealand capitulated spectacularly from 142 for 4 to 161 all out. Waqar Younis topped-and-tailed the innings to finish with 6 for 30, the best-ever bowling figures on this ground.
The highest total at Christchurch is New Zealand's 304 for 5, in their massacre of Sri Lanka in 1982-83. Glenn Turner's 140 that day remains the highest individual score made on the ground.
The highest score to win batting second was Zimbabwe's 274 for 9 in 2000-01, when, inspired by Heath Streak's burly unbeaten 79, they recovered from 180 for 7 to win the match.
The lowest score on this ground is 110 all out by New Zealand in 1993-94, when a Wasim Akram-inspired Pakistan successfully defended their paltry 146.
As at most New Zealand grounds, the side batting second has held the advantage here, winning 23 of the 43 completed matches.
Nasser Hussain and Stephen Fleming should note that thetoss-winning captain has chosen to bat in 24 matches, but has only won on only nine such occasions.
Chris Harris has been the most successful bowler at Eden Park, taking 26 wickets at 27.65 with his slow-medium mystery.
Rod Latham, a jobbing batsman and bustling medium pacer, shares with the rather more glamourous pair of Waqar and Shoaib Akhtar the honour of taking a five-for in Auckland one-dayers. Latham cleaned up David Boon, Allan
Border, the Waugh brothers and Tony Dodemaide to finish with 5 for 32 in 1992-93.
Auckland has proved something of a haven for the line-and-length brigade. As well as Harris and Latham, Ewen Chatfield claimed 16 wickets at 15.87 and Willie Watson 15 at 21.80 on the traditionally pudding-like pitch. By contrast Richard Hadlee managed only 7 wickets at 45.43.
England have played New Zealand in seven one-dayers at Eden Gardens, winning twice and losing five times.
The highest total made between the two sides at Eden Gardens is New Zealand's 253 for 8 in 1996-97 when Chris Cairns (79 from 75 balls) pasted Darren Gough (1 for 65) all over the place.
The lowest total is England's 144 all out in 1996-97.
Martin Crowe made the highest score between the two sides at Auckland, his match-winning 105* in 1983-84 is also the only century. Allan Lamb's 97* in the same match is England's best on the ground.
The best bowling figures on the ground are 4 for 33 by England's Paul Jarvis in 1987-88.
Six of England's current squad played in the 1996-97 matches here: Nasser Hussain, Nick Knight, Graham Thorpe, Craig White, Darren Gough and Andy Caddick.
Tom Bowtell is a freelance journalist.
© Wisden CricInfo Ltd
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