Factfile of Bulawayo

By Mohandas Menon

Bulawayo is Zimbabwe's second largest city after Harare, and is the administrative and commercial centre of the district of Matabeleland in Western Zimbabwe. The city, which has a population of less than a million, was founded in 1893 when it was occupied as a mining settlement by the British South Africa Company.

It is now also an important manufacturing centre and has a railway junction. The city was originally known as GuBulawayo, which in the local language means 'place of slaughter'.

Bulawayo has the distinction of hosting international matches at two separate grounds - the Queens Club and the Athletic Club. The latter, does not host international matches any more, while the former the Queens Club has seen first-class matches since 1909.

Since October 1994, eight Test matches have been played at this ground, which has also hosted 13 limited-over international matches.

Summary of results for Zimbabwe (read as played, won, lost and drawn): Zimbabwe vs England 1-0-0-1; vs New Zealand 2-0-1-1; vs Pakistan2-0-1-1; vs Sri Lanka 2-0-0-2; vs Bangladesh 1-1-0-0. Overall record 8-1-2-5.

Highest team total: Zimbabwe's 462-9 decl. vs Sri Lanka in 1994- 95. Lowest team total: Zimbabwe's 119 vs New Zealand in 2000-01.

Highest individual score: 12 hundreds have been scored at this ground, with Dave Houghton's 266 for Zimbabwe against Sri Lankan in 1994-95 being the highest.

Highest partnerships for each wicket: 1st wkt: 144 - G.W. Flower & G.J. Rennie for Zim v NZ in 1997-98; 2nd wkt: 137 - N.V. Knight & A.J. Stewart for Eng v Zim in 1996-97; 3rd wkt: 84 - Javed Omer & Aminul Islam for Ban v Zim in 2000-01; 4th wkt: 149 - A. Flower & G.J. Whittall for Zim v Ban in 2000-01; 5th wkt: 277* - M.W. Goodwin & A. Flower for Zim v Pak in 1997-98; 6th wkt: 120 - G.W. Flower & H.H. Streak for Zim v Ban in 2000-01; 7th wkt: 109 - G.W. Flower & H.H. Streak for Zim v Pak in 1997-98; 8th wkt: 112 - C.Z. Harris & D.L. Vettori for NZ v Zim in 1997-98; 9th wkt: 78 - A.C. Parore & D.L. Vettori for NZ v Zim in 2000-01; 10th wkt: 40 - E.Z. Matambanadzo & G.J. Whittall for Zim v NZ in 1997-98.

Five or more wickets in an innings: 12 five-wicket hauls have been achieved at this ground, with leg- spinner

Paul Strang's 8-109 for Zimbabwe against New Zealand in 2000-01 being the best.

Ten or more wickets in a match: Two ten- wicket hauls have been achieved at this ground, with leg-spinner Adam Huckle's 11-257 for Zimbabwe against New Zealand in 1997-98 being the best.

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