McGrath has most World Cup records (Statistics, World Cup Countdown)
By IANSMonday, February 7, 2011
NEW DELHI - Fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath leads the pack of Australian cricketers who have records to their names in the World Cup.
Be it the maximum number of wickets, best figures in a match or the strike rate, McGrath has all in his kitty. In the four World Cups he played, Australia ended up being champions thrice - 1999, 2003 and 2007.
In 39 matches, McGrath is the highest wicket-taker with 71 scalps, at the best strike rate of 27.5. Of those 71, a record 26 wickets came from the last edition in the West Indies, where the Australians completed a hat-trick of world titles. He is also one of the four bowlers to take a five-wicket haul twice in the World Cup.
The best figures in a match also belong to McGrath. His seven for 15 came against Namibia at Potchefstroom during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.
McGrath, however, never got a hat-trick - his one-time new ball partner Brett Lee is the only Australian bowler to do so. Lee got his hat-trick against Kenya in Durban during the 2003 World Cup.
Former Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist also owns a few wicket-keeping records. With 52 dismissals from 31 matches, Gilchrist remains the most successful keepers in the World Cup.
During the 2003 and the 2007 editions, Gilchrist claimed 21 and 17 dismissals. The retired left-handed opening batsman also had a record six dismissals in a match. He achieved the feat against Namibia at Potchefstroom in 2003. Gilchrist also has the highest strike rate of 98.01 as a batsman. He has scored 1085 from 31 matches at an average of 36.16.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting has 25 catches, the most by any player in the quadrennial event. Ponting is also among the select group of four batsman to have four centuries in the World Cup. He is also the second highest run getter in the World Cup with 1537 from 39 matches at an average of 48.03.
