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Win the toss, bat second
Wisden CricInfo staff - February 19, 2002
There have been 19 previous one-day internationals at Napier. New Zealand have played in all of them, winning 12 and losing 5 (one was tied, with one no-result), making it one of their happiest one-day hunting grounds.
Batting first at Napier has been something of a lottery, and chasing teams have won 69% of the time (12 out of 19). The average score batting first is only 205.
In 19 matches here, the team batting first has exceeded 220 on only seven occasions.
Toss-winning captains have become wise to this statistic, choosing to field first on 13 occasions.
Aqib Javed became the first man to be banned from an international match by ICC after an incident on this ground, in the one-dayer between Pakistan and New Zealand in 1992-93. Aqib questioned the honesty of Brian Aldridge, and embroidered his observations with a flurry of agricultural language, for which he received a one-match suspension.
The highest total made on the ground is 277 for 6 by New Zealand, against Pakistan in 1984-85.
The lowest total is 135 by Pakistan, against New Zealand in 2000-01.
The highest score to win batting second is 245 for 5 by Australia in 1999-2000. That took a masterclass from Michael Bevan, who anchored the Aussie innings with a typical 102 not out.
The highest individual score at Napier is 111 not out, by Stephen Fleming against Australia in 1997-98.
Other Napier centurions are Nathan Astle (2), Chris Broad, John Wright and Bevan.
The best individual bowling figures are 5 for 30 by Muttiah Muralitharan in Sri Lanka's 61-run victory over the Kiwis in 2000-01.
Other five-fors have been claimed by Chris Cairns (5 for 42 against Australia in 1997-98), and Charlie Lock of Zimbabwe who took 5 for 44 as Zimbabwe beat New Zealand by 21 runs in 1996-97. Lock, a medium pacer, claimed only three other wickets in his eight-match career.
New Zealand's success on this ground is reflected by the impressive records of Fleming, who has scored 503 runs at an average of 62.31 Astle (454 at 50.44) and the ubiquitous Chris Harris, who has taken
16 wickets at 22.56.
England have played New Zealand twice at Napier, losing in 1987-88 and securing a dramatic tie when Dominic Cork and Darren Gough scrambled a bye to the wicketkeeper off the last ball in 1996-97.
Chris Broad's 106 and John Wright's 101 in 1987-88 are the only centuries between the sides at Napier. Martin Snedden, with 4 for 34 in the same match, has the best bowling figures.
Tom Bowtell is a freelance journalist.
© Wisden CricInfo Ltd
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