Runs came off almost every delivery as Wishart and Grant Flower flourished, with the Namibians helpless to prevent the flow of runs. Wishart stormed past Andy Flower’s one-day record of 145 - scored against India in the ICC Champions Trophy recently - with a pull for four, and then a six over midwicket took him past 150 as he cast all restraint to the winds.

The Namibian bowling became increasingly ragged under the onslaught, and Grant Flower’s fifty went almost unnoticed, although he too was scoring at a considerable rate. The next record to fall was Zimbabwe’s highest total in one-day cricket, beating their 325 for six against Kenya in 1998/99.

Wishart scored his runs off only 151 balls, and hit 18 fours and three sixes. Their third-wicket partnership had added an unbroken 166 off 117 balls, another record for Zimbabwe. Namibia thus faced an impossible target on their traumatic introduction to World Cup cricket.

Zimbabwe opened their account with the third ball of their innings, as Wishart cut Gerrie Snyman uppishly between slips and gully for four. In the second over, bowled by Louis Burger, Wishart hit three roasting boundaries through the covers as the onslaught began.

The Namibian bowling was medium-paced and steady, but no threat to experienced batsmen of Test quality. The less experienced Mark Vermeulen was content to play the role of sleeping partner as Wishart, with good discrimination, made hay in the sunshine.

Wishart had 30 before Vermeulen scored his first run and it was not until the 11th over that the latter finally found the confidence to hit his first boundary, a back-foot drive past cover that also brought up the fifty.

The Namibians tried their best but were clearly tense and too inexperienced and outclassed to provide much more than cannon fodder even for a struggling Test nation like Zimbabwe. They deserve tremendous credit for the progress they have made in such a short time, but realistically the World Cup appears to be a bridge too far at present.

Bjorn Kotze and 43-year-old left-arm spinner Lennie Louw slowed the scoring temporarily as Wishart approached his fifty, which finally came off 55 balls.

Vermeulen gradually shed his shackles, and at drinks ­ after 20 overs with the Namibians maintaining a good over rate ­ Zimbabwe were exactly 100 without loss.

Vermeulen fell soon afterwards, driving a neck-high catch back to Louw to depart for 39. The opening stand had put on 107 runs in just over 21 overs. Andy Flower came in next, wearing a black armband as a silent and signified protest at the ongoing situation in Zimbabwe. He was soon manoeuvring the ball around the field in his own inimitable style, cruising to 39 off 29 balls without breaking a sweat, before to the delight of the Namibians he slashed at leg-spinner JB Burger in the latter’s first over and edged a catch to keeper Morne Karg. Zimbabwe were 174 for two in the 31st over.

With Grant Flower as his new partner, Wishart reached his century with a handsome straight drive for four. It came off exactly 100 balls and he emulated Andy Flower with a century in his first World Cup match, although Andy’s (against Sri Lanka in 191/92) was also his official ODI debut.

Namibia will have dreams of emulating Zimbabwe, who beat Kim Hughes’s Australia in their first World Cup match back in 1983. But those Zimbabweans had far more experience in first-class cricket than the Namibians have, and despite the speed with which their team rose to the top 14 in the world it would be perhaps the biggest World Cup upset of all time were they able to defeat even a distracted Zimbabwe.

This season Zimbabwe’s strength has been in batting, with the Flower brothers pre-eminent as usual, while Namibia’s is in bowling. But Namibia cannot expect to test the Zimbabwean batsmen as the Pakistanis did, and even then the Zimbabweans did admirably.

Zimbabwe may well be a bit nervy in front of their home crowd with all that has gone on and is still going on in the background. They always face junior teams with much more confidence than senior Test-playing countries, though, and they will be aware that Namibia had a surprisingly good series of warm-up matches in South Africa. A good team performance now will certainly be an aid when facing stronger opposition in the near future.

It was a hot, sunny morning when the match began, although afternoon rain is always a possibility at this time of year. Namibia won the toss and put Zimbabwe in to bat. This is a decision the home side will probably be pleased with, as it should allow their batsmen a better opportunity at the crease, but this would be tempered by the possibility of rain.

The teams were as follows:

Zimbabwe: Craig Wishart, Mark Vermeulen, Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Dion Ebrahim, Guy Whittall, +Tatenda Taibu, *Heath Streak, Brian Murphy, Henry Olonga, Douglas Hondo.

Namibia: Riaan Walters, Stephan Swanepoel, J B Burger, Danie Keulder, Gavin Murgatroyd, *Deon Kotze, +Morne Karg, Louis Berger, Gerrie Snyman, Lennie Louw, Bjorn Kotze.