South African opener Herschelle Gibbs powered his way to his 12th century to set up an imposing target of 307 for New Zealand to chase in their Pool B cricket World Cup showdown against New Zealand at The Wanderers.
Gibbs bludgeoned 143 runs off 141 balls in a sensational innings which included 19 fours and three sixes to send the capacity 34,000 crowd into a frenzy and give the home side a good chance of victory against a desperate Kiwi side, who face an early dismissal from the tournament if they lose today.
The South African opener hit his way to the top of the World Cup run-scoring stakes and has now scored 254 runs in just three innings, with his half-century coming up off 51 balls and his century off 121.
But the Proteas required an unbeaten 33 off 21 balls from smash-master Lance Klusener, who took the score past the 300 mark for the home side.
Meanwhile James Anderson claimed England's best World Cup figures for 20 years as theymade an impressive but belated entry into the tournament against Holland today.
The 20-year-old, who was only called into England's one-day squad lastDecember, continued his remarkable progress by claiming a superb four for 25 tohelp restrict minnows Holland to 142 for nine in East London.
Anderson's superb World Cup debut gave England hope that they could quicklyfinish the Dutch off at Buffalo Park but Tim de Leede's superb 58 helped theminto three figures.
De Leede shared in a useful 36-run partnership with Jan Kloppenburg and anunbeaten 30-run stand with last man Jeroen Smits to at least give his sidesomething to bowl at.
Lifted by the return of Craig White who proved his fitness from a side strain,England sent out their strongest team and it was Anderson who caught the eye.
The Lancastrian's return represented his country's best in a World Cup sinceVic Marks claimed five for 39 against Sri Lanka in Taunton in 1983.
Holland started brightly with opener Luuk van Toost driving the fourth ball ofthe day through the covers for four off Andrew Caddick, but it was a rareattacking stroke as England used the new ball efficiently.
Anderson made the breakthrough in the sixth over of the innings when openerDaan van Bunge lashed out at a lifting delivery and found the safe hands ofWhite at gully.
At the other end however, left-arm spinner Ian Blackwell and White continuedto chip away at the rest of the order.White claimed an impressive two for 22 while Blackwell, preferred to the moreexperienced Ashley Giles, finished with two for 37.mfl