Top 5 individual performances from associate nations in World Cups

There have been many very good performances by several great cricketers in the ten editions of the ICC Cricket World Cup until now. While a number of these performances have come from players from the big teams, there have also been a few by players from associate nations, which is commendable considering the fact that these players are mostly coming up against teams blessed with superior quality.Here’s a look at the top five individual performances by players from the associate nations at World Cups:

#5 Ryan ten Doeschate vs England, 2011 World Cup

England took on Netherlands in the fifth match of the 2011 World Cup in Nagpur. Netherlands captain Peter Borren won the toss and elected to bat first on a flat pitch. After the openers were dismissed at the score of 58, Tom Cooper and Ryan ten Doeschate put on 78 for the third wicket before the former was dismissed for 47. But the Port Elizabeth-born batsman carried on, scoring at a good pace and sharing crucial partnerships with the middle order. He eventually fell for a fine 119 that came off just 110 balls and helped his side reach a more than competitive total of 292 for 6 in 50 overs.

However, England, led by half-centuries from Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott and lower-order cameos from Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara, reached the target with 8 deliveries remaining in their innings.

Ten Doeschate proved to be useful with the ball as well, picking up 2 wickets in 10 overs for just 47 runs.

Here’s a video of his hundred.

#4 Collins Obuya vs Sri Lanka, 2003 World Cup

Sri Lanka were playing Kenya in a Pool B fixture of the 2003 World Cup at the Gymkhana Club Ground in Nairobi. Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya won the toss and put the Kenyans into bat.

That move was justified by his bowlers as they reduced Kenya to 75 for 3 inside 16 overs. But thanks to opening batsman Kennedy Otieno’s 60 and useful contributions from the middle and lower order, the Kenyans reached a total of 210 for 9 in their 50 overs.

Kenya needed early wickets and they got just that, with Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu both falling cheaply. After the seamers had done their bit, it was the turn of Collins Obuya to join the party, and he ran through the Sri Lankan batting line-up. He picked up 5 for 24 in 10 overs and helped his side win a famous game by 53 runs.

#3 John Davison vs West Indies, 2003 World Cup

Minnows Canada squared off against the West Indies in a Pool B fixture of the 2003 World Cup at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Carl Hooper won the toss and opted to bowl, hoping to bowl the Canadians out for a paltry score.

But instead, he and everyone else watching the game across the globe were taken by complete surprise as Canadain opener John Davison smashed the West Indies attack consisting of Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes and Pedro Collins, scoring the then fastest hundred in World Cup history in the process, off just 67 balls.

It required a brilliant catch on the boundary by Vasbert Drakes to bring to an end to what was quite a special innings from Davison. He was eventually dismissed for 111 off 76 balls.

However, that innings couldn’t prevent his side from succumbing to defeat as the West Indies chased down the target of 203 in 20.3 overs.

Here’s the video of that innings.

#2 Asif Karim vs Australia, 2003 World Cup

Australia took on Kenya in a Super Six game at Kingsmead in Durban during the 2003 World Cup. Electing to field first after winning the toss, the Australians bowled the Kenyans out for a below-par total of 174 inside the 50 overs. Steve Tikolo was the top-scorer for them, scoring a half-century while Brett Lee was the pick of the bowlers for his side, picking up 3 for 14 in 8 overs.

In reply, Australia got off to an explosive start with Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist putting on a half-century stand in 5.5 overs before Hayden was dismissed by Peter Ongondo. Captain Ricky Ponting joined Gilchrist in the middle and the duo put on 48 before the wicket-keeper became Ongondo’s second victim.

However, it was in the 15th over when Asif Karim began his show in the middle. He first caught Ponting plumb in front of the wicket, and two overs later he got Darren Lehmann out for two. In the same over, picked up Brad Hogg for a duck, to leave Australia in trouble at 117 for 5.

However, that inspired spell couldn’t prevent the Kenyans from losing the game. Karim, though, was adjudged the man-of-the-match for his spell of 3 for 7 in 8.2 overs.

Here’s the video of that spell:

#1 Kevin O\'Brien vs England, 2011 World Cup

England were playing Ireland in a group game of the 2011 World Cup at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. Electing to bat first, England put up a score of 327 for 8 in their 50 overs, thanks to Jonathan Trott’s 92 and Ian Bell’s 86.

Coming out to chase the target, Ireland got off to a terrible start, losing captain William Porterfield for a golden duck. Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce then put on 62 runs for the second wicket before Stirling was dismissed by Tim Bresnan. Wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien joined Joyce and put on 41 for the third wicket before the former was bowled by Graeme Swann.

That led to a mini collapse and in walked Kevin O’ Brien at the fall of the fifth wicket with the score at 111.

What followed was an exceptional display of clean hitting as O’Brien made full use of the short boundaries at Bangalore and smashed all the England bowlers to all parts of the ground. He broke the record for the fastest hundred scored in a World Cup game, reaching the feat off just 50 balls, and shared a match-turning 162-run stand with Alex Cusack.

O’Brien was dismissed for a 63-ball 113, but his innings paved the way for the lower-order to finish off an incredible win for Ireland over England.

Here’s the video of the innings.