Ten terrific cameos in ODI cricket

Andy Blignaut v/s Australia (54 off 28 balls), 2003 WC

Australian left-arm chinaman bowler Brad Hogg hates the number 646. It reminds him of a time when a big-hitting Zimbabwean left-hander went after him in a game at the 2003 World Cup, though Hogg had the satisfaction of ending up on the winners’ podium.

Andy Blignaut, a fearsome hitter of the cricket ball, proceeded to churn out an explosive cameo off just 28 balls – and in those four and a half overs, he made the Aussies sweat for wickets. With Tatenda Taibu holding up one end, Blignaut tore into the bowling, hitting Hogg for two sixes and a four in a single over, before dishing out similar treatment to Jason Gillespie as he plundered runs in torrents.

The left-hander was finally dismissed by Brett Lee, but he had done enough to ensure that his side had a decent total on the board. Unfortunately, he ended up conceding exactly the same number of runs he scored in his ten-over spell as Australia wrapped up a comfortable win in a match that was dominated by politics and selection intrigues.