Only one of the top eight in an imposing West Indian batting order reached double figures in this 55-over match at Old Trafford. But he made it count. But from 102 for 7, Viv Richards conjured an amazing comeback. He added 59 with Eldine Baptiste, but when last man Michael Holding moseyed in it was still only 166 for 9, with England eyeing an early victory. But Viv tucked in to Neil Foster and Derek Pringle, and left even Ian Botham short of words with some of his hooks and pulls. The last wicket piled on 106, of which Holding made 12. Richards powered 21 fours and five sixes in his 170-ball epic, West Indies made 272, then Joel Garner (2 for 23) and Holding (3 for 18) demolished England for 168.

2 Viv Richards 138* West Indies v England, Lord's 1979 245.76

Another Viv masterclass, England again the sufferers. On the biggest stage of all, the second World Cup final at Lord's, Viv did as he pleased, sauntering to a century and finishing with 138 not out. He stroked 11 fours, but his best-remembered stroke came from the last ball of the innings. Mike Hendrick tried a yorker: Viv was already wandering over towards gully, swung the bat across, and propelled the ball high into the Mound Stand for his third six. Collis King's muscular 86 that day is the highest-rated non-century in the Wisden 100, at No.64. Richards and King crashed 139 in 77 minutes. West Indies' 286 proved far too much for England, who started solidly but fell away for 194.

3 Sanath Jayasuriya 189 Sri Lanka v India, Sharjah, 2000-01 (245.33)

When Sanath Jayasuriya's on song, bowlers would be well advised to develop a mystery injury. Venkatesh Prasad (7-0-73-0) obviously couldn't think one up quickly enough as Jayasuriya took India to the cleaners in the final of the Coca-Cola Champions' Trophy in Sharjah in October 2000. Jayasuriya's third fifty took him only 25 balls, and he blasted 21 fours and four sixes in all. It didn't much matter that he had little support until Russel Arnold made 52 from No.6. Sri Lanka reached a turbo charged 299 for 5, then Chaminda Vaas (whose 5 for 14 is fourth in the bowling 100) and Muttiah Muralitharan (3 for 6) hustled India out for an embarrassingly puny total of 54.

4 Kapil Dev 175* India v Zimbabwe, Tunbridge Wells, 1983 (241.87)

It could have been India's most humiliating day - they were 17 for 5, with openers Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth both gone for 0, and in danger of crashing out of the World Cup. All this against Zimbabwe's enthusiastic amateurs, captained by a combative allrounder called Duncan Fletcher but still ten years away from Test status. The Nevil Ground's rhododendrons had rarely seen anything like what happened next. Kapil Dev blasted India's first one-day ton in just 72 balls, and ended up with 175, with 16 fours and six petal-searing sixes. The next-highest was Syed Kirmani's 24, but 266 proved enough as Zimbabwe chugged to 235. India had survived.. And went on to win the third World Cup.

5 Saeed Anwar 194 Pakistan v India, Chennai, 1996-97 (225.62)

There are few more emotionally charged matches in cricket than India-Pakistan encounters. This one was the last qualifier of the Pepsi Cup to celebrate 50 years of Indian independence, and the winner could reach the final. Saeed Anwar put the match beyond India's grasp with a wickedly wristy 194, the highest ODI score, from 146 balls. He cuffed 22 fours and five sixes - three of them in succession in an Anil Kumble over that cost 26 - and didn't have to do too much work otherwise, as he was suffering from heat exhaustion, and whipped in Shahid Afridi as a runner from the 19th of the 50 overs. The next highest score was only 39, but it didn't matter - despite Rahul Dravid's 107 India fell 35 short.

6 David Gower 158 England v New Zealand, Brisbane, 1982-83 (219.84)

England's Golden Boy is best-remembered for his Test exploits, but David Gower charmed seven one-day hundreds too, three of them during the triangular World Series tournament in Australia in 1982-83. Two days after carting New Zealand all round Melbourne for 122, Gower did it again at Brisbane, clattering 158 from 118 balls, with 18 fours and four sixes. The Wisden Almanack called it "a brilliant exhibition of relaxed stroke play". The main sufferer was Martin Snedden, who went for 76- although he enjoyed the slight consolation of having Gower caught on the boundary from the last ball of the innings, seeking another six.

7 Brian Lara 169 West Indies v Sri Lanka, Sharjah, 1995-96 (215.21)

At the Singer Champions' Trophy in Sharjah West Indies needed to win the fifth match, their last qualifying game, to qualify for the final. Brian Lara saw to it that they did, rampaging to 169 from only 129 balls. He rocketed from 100 to 150 in just 21 balls. In all Lara clobbered 15 fours and four sixes, and contributed over 61% of the 276 runs added when he was at the crease. West Indies managed 333 for 7, but it was only just enough: Sri Lanka reached 329, whereupon a near-six from Hashan Tillekeratne (100) was caught at deep midwicket. The match aggregate (662 runs) was a record at the time, and has been surpassed only once since.

8 Aravinda de Silva 107* Sri Lanka v Australia, Lahore, 1995-96 (212.91)

Another World Cup-winning innings - this time to guide little Sri Lanka tot he pinnacle of one-day cricket. Aravinda de Silva, a delicious pocket battleship of a batsman who could cut or pull bowlers to distraction, dropped anchor in what was ultimately a comfortable victory over Australia, the pre-match favourites. Australia's 241 never looked enough, and once de Silva settled in there was only one winner. There were 13 silky boundaries, and a stand of 125 with Asanka Gurusinha before Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka' s roly-poly captain, applied the coup de grace. It was one of the easier Man of the Match decisions - de Silva had earlier taken three important wickets with his rolled offspin, and two catches.

9 Clive Lloyd 102 West Indies v Australia, Lord's, 1975 (209.84)

The knock that won the first World Cup. West Indies were 50 for 3 in that first final when the Big cat loped in. He consolidated with Rohan Kanhai (55), then stepped on the gas in the way Lancashire fans knew and loved. He reached 102 from only 85 balls, smacking 12 fours and two sixes. All the bowlers got the tap, but Max Walker 912-0-71-0) will wince when he recalls the savage Lloyd pull - back foot fidgeting, front foot planted, huge bat (four grips on the handle) whapping the ball into the spectators on the grass. West Indies climbed to 291, and Australia were always behind the required rate, despite Lillee and Thomson's last-wicket heroics. Oh, and Lloyd wheeled down 12 overs as well (1 for 38).

10 Brian Lara 153 West Indies v Pakistan, Sharjah, 1992-93 (204.46)