Agarkar betters Kapil's record

By Mohandas Menon

** Ajit Agarkar's figures of four for 27 were the best performance by an Indian bowler on South African soil in the 18 LOI matches played by the team here.

The previous best was the three for 23 by Kapil Dev against the home team at Durban on 17-12-1992.

** Although the best bowling performance at this ground remains as five for 42 by South African Lance Klusener against India on 23-1-1997, Agarkar's figures were the best by a visiting bowler bettering the four for 29 by England's Darren

Gough against South Africa on 23-1-2000.

** Anil Kumble (10-4-14-3) recorded the second most economical figures by any bowler bowling his full quota of ten overs in a LOI match in South Africa. The best however remains with Australian pace bowler Glenn McGrath who had figures of 10-1-13-2 against the home team at Cape Town on 14-4-2000.

** Kenya's 90 was its lowest in LOIs. Its previous lowest was the 103 against South Africa at Nairobi on 3-10-1996. Kenya's lowest against India was the 162 it made at Nairobi on 29-9-1999. However the Kenyans managed to go past the lowest ever total by any team against India in LOIs. This record still remains as the 87 by Pakistan at Sharjah on 22-3-1985.

** India became the first team to beat the Kenyans by a margin of 10 wickets. Previously India (at Calcutta, 31-5-1998) and England (at Canterbury, 18-5-1999) had beaten Kenya by nine wickets.

** Incidentally this was India's fourth such win by this margin in LOIs. It had beaten East Africa at Leeds on 11-6- 1975; Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 8-4-1984 and Zimbabwe at Sharjah, 13- 11-1998.

** India became the first team to register a 10-wicket win on South African soil.

** India's margin of win with 38.3 overs (231 balls) to spare was the second best by any team in a 50-over match. The 39.5 overs (239 balls) to spare win by the West Indies against Scotland at Leicester on 27-5-1999, remains the best. However it should be noted that England beat Canada at Manchester on 14-6- 1979 by 46.1 overs (277 balls). However this was a 60-over match.

** Kenya meanwhile recorded its 15th consecutive loss since its last win against Bangladesh at Dhaka on 24-3-1999 - nearly 30 months ago. Now only Bangladesh (22 matches) and Zimbabwe (18) have lost more matches in a row.

** Agarkar playing in his 78th match won his fourth man of the match award of his career.

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