Date-stamped : 22 Dec96 - 02:15 14 December 1996 World Series Cricket Cup tournament at a glance By M. Shoaib Ahmed The tour of Australia is beginning to emerge as the most vital one in Pakistan`s recent history. Australia`s brave performances against West Indies and determination to avenge recent defeats in Sri Lanka and India suggest that Pakistan face a huge a task in trying to win the first WSC Down Under in the fifth attempt. Australia where the triangular world series cup competition has been regularly held since 1979-80, is the major centre of one-day Internationals played anywhere in the cricketing world. Until De- cember 10, 1996, a total of 308 such games had been played there at 14 different centres. These grounds are Adelaide Oval, Laving- ton Oval, Albury, Woolloongaba Brisbane, Eastern Bal- lart, Berri memorial Oval, Manuka Oval Canberra, Devon Port Oval Tasmania CA Ground, Hobart, Bellerive Oval Hobart, LCA Ground Launceston, MCG Melbourne, Harrup Park Mackay, WACA Perth and Sydney. Here under we list a few assorted feats pertaining to these games: (a) The first ever match of world series cup was played between Australia and West Indies at Sydney on November 27, 1979. (b) D.I. Gower (Eng) is the only player having scored three cen- turies in a single season. He scored 122, 158 and 109 all against New Zealand in the 1982-83 season. (c) The minimum number of extras in a high total were recorded by New Zealand bowlers against England with only 3 sundries in the total of 296-5 at Adelaide in 1982-83. (b) The most extras conceded by a single team are 37 by Australia against England at Brisbane in 1982-83 while most extras conceded in a match by both sides were recorded by the same teams at Syd- ney in 1982-83 with 56 (Eng 21, Aus 35). (e) J.G. Bracewell (NZ) holds a unique world record he held four catches against Australia at Adelaide in 1980-81, established a world record by holding these catches as a substitute fielder. (f) B.A. Reid (Aus) is the only bowler in WSC matches with a hat-trick. (g) M.B. Amarnath (Ind) is the first player in limited-over cricket to be dismissed "handled the ball" in the match v Aus- tralia at Melbourne 1985-86. (h) The largest attendance was recorded in the match between Aus- tralia and West Indies at Melbourne on January 22, 1984. Accord- ing to the MCG staff a record of 86,133 was the turnout to wit- ness that match. (i) A total of 46 centuries have been recorded so far (break-up: Australia 20, West Indies 10, England 6, Pakis- tan 5, Australia `A` 3, New Zealand and South Africa one each). (J) A total of 27 instances have been recorded of nervous nineties so far (break-up: Australia 18, West Indies 3, Pakistan 2, South Africa 2, England and India one). Source :: Dawn (http://xiber.com/dawn) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)