PORT ELIZABETH, March 11: New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said Shane Bond’s record-breaking six-wicket display against Australia on Tuesday should not be forgotten even in defeat.

“I feel delighted for him. On a losing day, you have got to keep it in perspective. It was a fine spell and it shouldn’t be pushed aside because we lost the game.”

The strike bowler’s figures of six for 23 from 10 overs were the best by a New Zealander in one-day history and equal fifth on the list of World Cup bowling performances. “I think we should celebrate it,” Fleming told a news conference.

New Zealand looked set for victory after reducing the world champions to 84 for seven but, with Bond bowled out, Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel then put 97 for the eighth wicket to lift Australia out of trouble.—Reuters