Sporting achievements: World one-day record broken

Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum celebrate their victory over Australia.

This year won't be remembered as one of the great ones for New Zealand's cricketers. Or even one of the middling ones.

A 0-5 one-day whitewash at the hands of Australia at the start of the year was followed by a 0-2 test series loss that would have been three were it not for Wellington's weather.

Then there was the hullabaloo should we, shouldn't we-ism surrounding the tour to Zimbabwe. Then there was that turgid tour followed by a 0-4 one-day drubbing in South Africa.

Then Australia gets here and takes the first two matches of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.

Then Australia smacks us around Jade Stadium to the tune of 331 runs. Then Stephen Fleming gets a duck on his comeback.

Then, what do you know, New Zealand puts on a world-record display to chase down the target with an over to spare, mainly thanks to a Scott Styris century and Brendon McCullum's magic.

Funny old game, cricket.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY