NEWS
OTHER SPORTS
DIARY
PEOPLE
MATCH REPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
ARCHIVES

South Africa versus New Zealand, first Test, Eden Park, Auckland, February 27-March 3, 1999

This match was South Africa's ninth Test in New Zealand since February, 1932. Interestingly, the last three matches in New Zealand between the two countries have now been played at the same venue (Auckland).

Dion Nash, playing in his 19th match, became New Zealand's 25th Test captain.

Gary Kirsten's 128 was his ninth Test hundred. He now equals the most number of individual Test centuries scored for South Africa with Dudley Nourse (Jr). Kirsten was playing in his 51st match and 92nd innings, while Nourse has played in just 24 matches and 62 innings.

Kirsten also becomes the first South African to score hundreds against six different countries.

Daryll Cullinan's unbeaten 275 was his 7th Test hundred in 46 matches and 78 innings. During the course of his innings he surpassed or nearly did, the following milestones:

1) It was his highest Test innings (previous best: 168 v West Indies at Cape Town in 1998-99).

2) It was his second highest first-class score after his unbeaten 337 for Transvaal against Northern Transvaal at Johannesburg in 1993-94.

3) It was the highest individual innings in Tests for South Africa against New Zealand (previous best: 255* by Jackie McGlew at Wellington in 1952-53).

4) It was the 10th double century in Tests scored by a South African, and Cullinan was the 8th South African to do so.

5) It was the highest individual innings in Tests for South Africa (previous best: 274 by Graeme Pollock v Australia at Durban in 1969-70).

6) It was the longest individual innings by a South African in Tests (in terms of minutes - 659 mins). The previous longest was by Gary Kirsten who took 650 mins to score 210 against England at Manchester, 1998.

7) It was also the longest individual first-class innings at Eden Park, Auckland.

8) It was the 5th Test double hundred and 2nd highest individual Test innings at this venue (best remains as : 336* by Walter Hammond for England v New Zealand in 1932-33) and the 3rd highest individual first-class innings at Auckland (best: Hammond above, 284 by Bill Woodfull for Australia v New Zealand in 1927-28 [in an unofficial Test match]. Bert Sutcliffe also scored 275 for Otago v Auckland in 1950- 51) at this venue.

9) It was the third highest Test score against New Zealand after Hammond's 336* (above) and John Edrich's 310* at Leeds in 1965.

The Kirsten-Cullinan partnership of 183 runs for the third wicket was a record for South Africa against New Zealand (previous best: 112 between Jackie McGlew and Roy McLean at Johannesburg in 1961-62).

The 141 runs partnership for the 5th wicket between Cullinan and Jonty Rhodes was a record for South Africa against New Zealand (previous best: 130 between Russell Endean and Jack Cheetham at Auckland in 1952-53).

The Cullinan-Shaun Pollock unbeaten 126 run partnership for the sixth wicket was a record for South Africa against New Zealand (previous best: 83 between Colin Bland and Dennis Lindsay at Auckland in 1963-64).

South Africa's 621 for 5 wickets declared was the highest innings total in Tests for South Africa against New Zealand (previous best: 524-8 dec at Wellington in 1952-53).

It was also its second highest ever innings total in Tests (best remains as: 622-9 dec v Australia at Durban in 1969-70).

It was the highest innings total in Tests at Eden Park, Auckland (previous best: 616-5 dec by Pakistan v New Zealand in 1988-89).

It was the second highest innings total in Tests against New Zealand (best remains as: 660-5 dec by West Indies at Wellington in 1994-95).

It was the 3rd highest Test, and 11th highest first-class innings total scored in New Zealand.

New Zealand tailend batsman Geoff Allott created a dubious record when he remained scoreless for 101 minutes (and 77 balls). He thus became the first batsman in first-class history to bat for more than 100 minutes without opening his account. The previous record was held by Englishman Godfrey Evans who remained scoreless for 97 minutes against Australia at Adelaide in 1946-47. Evans however went on score 10 not out in 133 minutes, while Allott was dismissed without opening his account.

The four catches by keeper Mark Boucher equals South Africa's best against New Zealand.

The second wicket partnership of 90 runs between Matt Horne and Nathan Astle in the first innings was a record for New Zealand against South Africa (previous best: 72 between Darrin Murray and Stephen Fleming at Johannesburg in 1994-95).

Matt Horne (93) became the third New Zealander to be dismissed in the nineties against South Africa. The others being John Beck (99 at Cape Town, 1953-54) and John Reid (92 at Cape Town, 1961-62).

This was South Africa's first drawn match since the third Test against England at Manchester in July, 1998. Since then it has lost two and won five in a row.