James Anderson produced the best World Cup bowling performance by an Englishman for 20 years as Nasser Hussain's team beat the Netherlands by six wickets in their Group A game in East London, South Africa today. The 20-year-old Anderson, bowling 10 overs on the reel, recorded career-best figures of four for 25 as the Dutch side were restricted to 142 for nine.
In another Group A game in Kimberley, Pakistan fast bowlers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar ripped out Namibia for just 84 to seal a crushing 171-run victory. Man-of-the-match Wasim captured five for 28 and Shoaib four for 46 as Namibia crumbled to the fourth lowest total in the tournament's history in reply to Pakistan's 255 for nine.
Meanwhile, in today's Group B match in Johannesburg, captain Stephen Fleming hit a sparkling 104 not out to put New Zealand on course for victory against South Africa when rain halted play. Chasing 307 to win, the Kiwis were ahead of the required rate on 182 for one after 30.3 overs in a game they need to win to have a realistic chance of advancing to the Super Six stage.
Filed by James Boylan.
