Australia v Afghanistan: Cricket World Cup 2015 match sees records tumble

THE highest ever World Cup total and the biggest score in Australia were just some of the records to fall as the Aussies went berserk against Afghanistan.

Australia's David Warner celebrates after scoring a century during their Cricket World Cup Pool A match against Afghanistan in Perth, Australia, Wednesday, March 4, 2015. (AP Photo Theron Kirkman)

FORGET the calamity of Auckland.

Back in the comforts of home — and aided by a glorious WACA deck — the Aussies have helped themselves to any number of records against the Afghanistan attack.

Sans Shane Watson and led by the inimitable David Warner — and ably assisted by Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell — the Aussie batting line-up looks back in business.

Here are the records shattered in a whirl of willow.

David Warner has hit the highest score by an Australian in a World Cup game.

HIGHEST EVER WORLD CUP TOTAL

Somehow India’s total of 5-413 against Bermuda in 2007 had survived despite South Africa passing 400 twice in the past week.

But it was a case of third time lucky as Australia bettered India’s mark by four runs after hitting 6-417 against Afghanistan.

Throw in the Chris Gayle-inspired West Indies total of 2-372 against Zimbabwe in Canberra, and that’s four of the top eight World Cup totals that have been made at the current tournament.

BIGGEST WINNING MARGIN IN A WORLD CUP MATCH

The end result was a 275-run victory for Australia, making it the biggest ever winning margin in a World Cup match.

The previous mark was a 257-run thrashing India dished out to Bermuda at the 2007 World Cup, while Australia’s previous biggest winning margin in a one-dayer was 256 runs against Bermuda at the 2003 World Cup.

However the biggest win of all time remains New Zealand’s 290-run belting of Ireland in 2008.

HIGHEST WORLD CUP INNINGS BY AN AUSTRALIAN

Warner’s 178 may have fallen short of a double century, but he still created history.

His effort at the WACA Ground eclipsed the previous highest total by an Australian batsman at a World Cup — 158 from 143 balls scored by Matt Hayden against West Indies in 2007.

Warner’s innings was the third highest by an Australian in ODI history.

Shane Watson’s record of 185* from 95 balls, set against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2011, still stands. That effort bettered the previous high of 181* from 166 balls by Hayden against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2007.

FIFTH HIGHEST INNINGS AT A WORLD CUP

Warner looked set to overhaul the highest total ever scored at a World Cup — set a full eight days ago.

His innings fell short of Chris Gayle’s 215 from 147 balls against Zimbabwe at Manuka Oval last week, but was still enough to earn him a place in the top five all time World Cup innings.

His effort has been bettered only by Garry Kirsten’s 188* (in 1996), Sourav Ganguly’s 183 (in 1999) and Viv Richards’ 187 (in 1987)

Glenn Maxwell was at his audacious best.

SECOND HIGHEST AUSTRALIAN ODI TEAM TOTAL

Australia’s effort at the WACA Ground was their second highest ever total in ODI cricket and only the second time they have broken the 400-run barrier.

The Aussies became the first team in ODI history to surpass 400 when they totalled 4-434 against South Africa at the Wanderers in 2006.

Their celebrations were short-lived. The Proteas chased down the total with one ball to spare in what may very well have been the greatest ODI ever played.

Steve Smith fell five runs short of a century.

SEVENTH HIGHEST TOTAL IN ODI HISTORY

The 400-run barrier has only been eclipsed 15 times in the history of ODI cricket — and three times at this tournament already.

Australia’s total of 6-417 in Perth was 26-runs short of the world record of 9-443 set by Sri Lanka against the Netherlands in Amstelveen nine years ago.

This World Cup has seen two other 400-plus totals — South Africa’s 4-411 against Ireland in Canberra yesterday and 5-408 against the West Indies at the SCG last week.

HIGHEST AUSTRALIAN ODI PARTNERSHIP

Warner and Steve Smith put on a stand of 260 to eclipse the previous record of 252 set by Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting against England at the Champions Trophy at Centurion back in 2009.

Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh’s 246 against Scotland in 2013 has now been consigned to third.

Ponting, in fact, features in five of the top 10 Aussie partnerships of all time.

Originally published as Australia v Afghanistan: Cricket World Cup 2015 match sees records tumble