WORLD CUP MOMENTS NO.11: Houghton hundred gives Black Caps a scare

It was an extraordinary knock, only ended by the brilliance of Martin Crowe. There were just 22 runs to win when the stand between the centurion and Iain Butchart was finally broken

Zimbabwe were 104 for seven. Dave Houghton was at the crease. Andy Pycroft, who made 12, was the only other member of the then-associate side to have mustered double figures. New Zealand, sitting on a first innings total of 242 for seven, seemed just about home and dry.

And then something changed. More specifically, Dave Houghton changed. It was gladiatorial. The wicketkeeper-batsman had grabbed the proverbial bull by its enormous horns.

Hyderabad was the scene of this monumental assault both on the Black Caps’ bowling attack and on logic.

Six maximums were struck in Houghton’s 137-ball effort. A cricketing monologue, a one-man show, a solitary individual dragging his team kicking and screaming towards – and beyond – the realms of improbability.

At the other end, Iain Butchart was providing support well beyond that managed by the top order. Butchart, batting at nine, never surpassed the 54 he made on that day in the rest of his ODI career.

Earlier, the ever-graceful Martin Crowe had driven and clipped his way to 72 of the most sumptuous runs – a clinic in batsmanship from the late, great former captain. His brother, Jeff, was in charge on this occasion and he too had helped himself to 31 runs at a run-a-ball. Martin Snedden, who opened the batting for the Kiwis, had also passed fifty for the more established cricketing nation.

But then Houghton happened. Snedden – opening the bowling as well as the batting – came in for punishment; so too did the off-spinner, Dipak Patel, while John Bracewell’s seven overs cost his side 48 runs – the majority of which came flying off Houghton’s bat.

^{Houghton is now head of cricket at Derbyshire.}

It was an extraordinary knock, only ended by the brilliance of Crowe. There were just 22 runs to win when the stand between the centurion and Butchart was finally broken. Houghton, looking to launch Snedden for yet another six over mid-on, failed to connect as he would have liked. Still, it seemed safe enough. The man at deep midwicket was too square and was trotting round to prevent the boundary.

But then there was Crowe. And the great man was galloping back from the edge of the inner circle - one eye on his direction of travel, the other on the leather ball always half a step ahead of him. And then, as the ball dropped out of the sky and looked destined for the Hyderabad turf, so too did Crowe fling himself at it.

The ball stuck in his palms – no doubt sweating from this most unexpected onslaught. Houghton was gone – 142 wonderfully crafted and brutally bludgeoned runs. At the time, only Desmond Haynes, David Gower and Bill Athey had hit bigger ODI scores against New Zealand.

If proof was needed of the old adage, this was it. Catches win matches. New Zealand won by three runs. Butchart was run out with just two deliveries of the 50 overs remaining.

They say that only the winner is remembered. Not here. And not Dave Houghton. One of the great World Cup knocks.

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