On March 17, 1996 at Gaddafi Stadium, Aravinda de Silva made an unbeaten 107 (and took 3 for 42) as Sri Lanka beat Australia by 7 wickets to win their first World Cup. He was Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament; Sri Lanka became the first host country to win a World Cup.
Sri Lanka had upended ODI cricket throughout the tournament with the Sanath Jayasuriya-Romesh Kaluwitharana pinch-hitting strategy and Aravinda's batting at No. 4. They had beaten India in the Eden Gardens semi-final by default after the crowd disturbance.
Australia, captained by Mark Taylor, had refused to travel to Sri Lanka in the group stage and were widely regarded as favourites. Taylor won the toss, batted, and Australia made 241 for 7 (Taylor 74, Ricky Ponting 45). De Silva took 3 for 42 with his off-spin. Sri Lanka began their chase poorly: Sanath Jayasuriya (9) and Romesh Kaluwitharana (6) both fell early to Glenn McGrath. At 23 for 2, Sri Lanka were on the ropes. De Silva walked in and produced a masterpiece — 107 not out off 124 balls with 13 fours, an innings of complete control against Warne, McGrath and Damien Fleming. He added 125 with Asanka Gurusinha (65) and an unbroken 97 with captain Arjuna Ranatunga (47 not out). Sri Lanka reached 245 for 3 with 22 balls to spare. Ranatunga hit the winning runs and lifted the trophy.
De Silva removes Mark Waugh, Ponting and Bevan with off-spin (3/42)
Sri Lanka 23/2 chasing 242 — both pinch-hitters out
De Silva-Gurusinha partnership of 125
De Silva reaches 100 with a flick to fine leg
Unbroken 97 with Ranatunga
Ranatunga hits the winning runs; Sri Lanka win by 7 wickets
March 17, 1996 — afternoon
Australia 241/7 in 50 overs (Taylor 74).
Sri Lanka chase: 23/2
Both pinch-hitters out; de Silva in at No. 4.
Mid-innings
De Silva-Gurusinha 125 partnership.
47th over
Ranatunga hits winning runs; SL 245/3 with 22 balls to spare.
“I just wanted to bat the way I knew. The pitch was good. Australia had given us a target we could chase.”
“He was the best player in the world that day. Period.”
Ranatunga lifted the trophy and gave a famously pointed speech referencing the security forfeits. De Silva's all-round performance is still ranked the greatest in any World Cup final. Sri Lanka returned home to a national holiday declared by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
An all-round masterclass — three top-order Australian wickets, two catches, and a serene chasing hundred — that ranks among the great World Cup final performances ever.
Sri Lanka were the first host nation to win the World Cup. The 1996 squad — De Silva, Jayasuriya, Mahanama, Ranatunga, Murali, Vaas — set the foundation for a decade of Sri Lankan world-class cricket. De Silva's 107* is still remembered as the touchstone of subcontinental ODI batting.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
Days after the 1934 Oval Test, Bradman fell seriously ill with appendicitis that progressed to peritonitis. With antibiotics not yet available, he was given little chance of survival; his wife Jessie left Adelaide on a sea voyage to England prepared for the worst. He recovered after weeks of intensive nursing in a London nursing home and returned to first-class cricket the following Australian summer.