The Best of 2000 in One-Day International’s
By Vimal Kumar

The best of Batsmen............

In batting, the year belongs to the Indian Captain Sourav Ganguly. Ganguly scored 1579 in just 32 matches, with an astonishing average of 56.39. In the process, he authored 7 hundreds and 6 fifties. The overall performance in year 2000 helped Ganguly in enhancing his stature as a truly match winning player.

The South African Opener Gary Kirsten came close to Ganguly. In 36 matches, he scored 1467 runs at an average of 44.45. Thus, Kristen again underlined his importance in South-African top order, where he often provides a sound start for the Proteas.

The master-blaster SachinTendulkar comes third in the list of highest run getters in this year. Judging by Sachin’s stature, his performance was not as sparkling. However, he still scored 1328 runs at an average of 39.05 in 34 matches while Sachin scored 3 hundreds and 6 fifties, he must have been disappointed to see that his highest one day score 146, this year didn’t win the match for India.

Mr. Dependable of South African batting line up, Jacques Kallis scored exactly 1300 runs in 39 matches with an average of 44.82. Kallis couldn’t get a Century in the entire year, but made 11 fifties. Along with Kirsten, he was instrumental in winning 25 one-dayers for South Africa.

Among top batsman, Yusuf Yohana of Pakistan played maximum number of one dayers, 41 in the year 2000. He ended with the tally of 1162 at an average of 32.27. Yohana scored a century and 7 fifties during the year.

The pugnacious left handed in the New Zealand team did get chance only to play 24 one dayers, but his was an absolutely extra-ordinary year. Yes, we are talking about Roger Twose, who with a staggering average of 56.21 scored 1068 runs. His 9 half-centuries and lone hundred were the highlight of his excellent batting performance.

Inzamam- Ul Haq (1074 runs, 42.96 average), Rahul Dravid (980 runs, 35.00 average), Alister Campbell (960 runs, 38.40 average) and Andy Flower (943 runs, 31.43 average) were the other chief run getters of the year 2000.

The inclusion of the Big three of Indian Cricket in top 10 list of 2000, shows that Indian batting still revolves around, Sachin, Sourav and Rahul.

The best of Bowlers...........

If the year 2000 belongs to the Indian Captain in batting then in bowling it belongs to another captain, this time not an Indian, but a South African. Inspite of match fixing scandal and the pressure in captaincy, Shaun Pollock still performed exceedingly well. Pollock got 61 wickets in 38 matches with an average of 21.62. Pollock’s economy rate was miserly 3.97 per over. Pollock got a 5 Wicket haul, too.

And matching Pollock for wicket was the young and promising Abdul Razzaq from Pakistan. Like Pollock, Razzaq also got 61 wickets in 38 matches but his average (22.37) and economy rate (4.33 per over) were a bit less attractive, than that of Shaun Pollock. He, too, got a 5-wicket haul.

If Jack Kallis was no. 4 in batting list, he is no 3 in batting list ! Really, strange are the ways of cricket, because by his own admission, Kallis himself considers first as a batsman than as a bowler. However, Kallis grabbed 46 wickets in 39 matches at an average of 29.41 and an economy rate of 4.76 per over.

The fourth position is also held by another South African, Lance Klusener. Klusener is the lone bowler in the list to play more matches than the number of wickets he took. Klusener got 39 wickets in 41 matches with an average of 31.56 and with the economy rate of 4.44 per over.

The menacing McGrath occupies the fifth number. McGrath was at his parsimonious best while conceding runs per over. McGrath got 36 wickets in 21 matches at an average of 18.94 and economy rate 3.79 per over.

The evergreen left arm pacer Wasim Akram also took 36 wickets but played 9 more matches than Mc Grath.

Heath Streak (35 wickets, 34.71 average, 4.65 economy rate) Muralidharan (34 Wickets, 20 average, 3.39 economy rate), and Bret Lee (34 wickets, 2.26 average, 4.34 economy rate) were also among the top 10 bowler’s list. Murlidharan ended the year with an amazing economy rate of 3.39 per over.

While in batting, India has three representatives; in bowling it has only one. That, too is on the last of the top 10. Sad indeed. Ajit Agarkar was the most successful bowler from India. Ajit got 34 wickets in 28 matches with a poor average of 36.23 and an experience economy rate of 4.9 runs per over.