5 surprising ICC Cricket World Cup performers

The ICC Cricket World Cup, over the years, has seen many lesser-known cricketers coming up with outstanding performances, taking everyone by surprise in the process. While a number of distinguished internationals have stepped up to the plate and shown their big match temperament during these events, what adds to the tournament’s charm is when fringe players, about whom not a lot is known, make a name for themselves at the biggest stage of all. Here are 5 surprising performers in a Cricket World Cup:

#1 Collins Obuya stuns Sri Lanka

Any number of players from Kenya's wonderfully successful 2003 World Cup side could make the cut as surprise performers from cricket's premier global event, including 39 year-old left-arm spinner Aasif Karim, who returned astonishing figures of 8.2-6-7-3 against Australia, and who recently told ESPNcricinfo that cricket in his country was “dead and buried”.

However, Collins Obuya gets the nod after scripting Kenya's remarkable win over Sri Lanka, which helped them qualify for the Super Six stage of the tournament and then the semi-finals. After his side posted a modest 210 for nine from their 50 overs, Obuya tore through the Sri Lankan middle-order en route to figures of 5/24 as they were bowled out for 157.

The leg-spinner dismissed greats of the game of the ilk of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Aravinda de Silva, and was a star player during the tournament capturing 13 wickets at an average of 28.76 in all.

He earned a county contract with Warwickshire but failed to impress, and now, after suffering a bout of the yips, plays for his country, on the increasingly rare occasions that they do have a fixture, plays as a specialist batsman.

#2 Kevin O\'Brien blitzes England

Kevin O'Brien's onslaught against England in 2011 at Bangalore once again reinforced Ireland as cricket's premier associate nation after their stirring progress during the 2007 event. The red-haired Irishman smashed the fastest hundred in the tournament's history as Ireland shocked their near-neighbours by overhauling their total of 327/8 in the final over.

The result looked a foregone conclusion when O'Brien arrived at the crease in the 23rd over with the score on 106/4, and it soon got worse, with Gary Wilson's departure making it 111/5. O'Brien, though, launched into one of those innings that will stay etched into the memory. His fifty came up off just 30 balls, and his hundred followed just 20 deliveries – seemingly a mere blink of the eye – later.

#3 John Davison surprises the West Indies

Canada's John Davision had broken the record for the fastest hundred in 2003 when he clubbed the West Indies bowlers all around the Centurion. Described on commenatry by the legendary Tony Cozier, early in his knock, as “a no-nonsense sort of player”, he brought up 3 figures off 67 balls to bring up what was his first and only One-Day International (ODI) century.

Born in British Columbia, Davison had moved to Australia as a child and tried to forge a professional career there, for South Australia. However, he was recruited by the land of his birth as a player-coach and went onto represent them until 2011. A little after his astonishing knock in South Africa, he took 17 for 137 with his off-breaks in a first-class match against the USA - the best bowling figures since Jim Laker took 19 for 90 in 1956. He now works as a spin bowling coach for Cricket Australia.

#4 Duncan Fletcher gives Zimbabwe fairytale win

Making their ODI debut against the mighty Australia, few gave Zimbabwe a hope of causing a World Cup upset when the two sides met at Trent Bridge in 1983. However, an all-rounder by the name of Duncan Fletcher gifted them a memorable win.

Fletcher first lifted Zimbabwe from a perilous 94/5 to make 239/6 from their 60 overs. Against an attack containing Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, he hit 69 not out off 84 balls, adding useful partnerships with Kevin Curran (27) and Iain Butchart (34*).

Then, after the Australians had made a promising start in their run chase by recahing 61 for no loss, Fletcher dismissed Graeme Wood and skipper Kim Hughes in quick succession before following up with the wickets of David Hookes and Graham Yallop. Despite the best efforts of Rodney Marsh, who hit a pugnacious 50 not out off 42 balls, Australia wound up short of their target by 13 runs.

Fletcher, of course, would go on to enjoy a coaching career that is almost unrivalled in its level of achievement. He coached Glamorgan before being recruited by an England side that was languishing at the foot of the Test rankings. He coached them to a multitude of successes, most memorably the 2005 Ashes win over Australia, before moving onto coach India in 2011 – a position he still holds today.

#5 Gary Gilmour - the World Cup\'s first hero

Gary Gilmour was perhaps the World Cup's first hero. An extremely talented all-rounder, he was at the beginning of his career in 1975 when Australia played England in the inaugural event in the first semi-final. In an attack containing both Lillee and Thomson, he was not expected to play the starring role. However, in a devastating display of swing bowling, he soon had England reduced to 36 for six. He would take 6 for 14 from 12 overs as England were bowled out for 93.

Gilmour's game was not done there as Australia collapsed to 39 for six in their run chase, necessitating a late cameo from Gilmour of 28 not out to see them home by four wickets. Indeed, his tournament was not done there. A five-wicket haul followed in the final against the West Indies – making him the first bowler to take back-to-back five-fors in the fledgling ODI format – but that would be in a losing cause.

Amazingly, Gilmour would play only 5 ODIs in his career and finish with an incredible bowling average of 10.31. A combination of haphazard selection, poorly managed injuries and more general concerns over his fitness levels led to him being dropped from the Test side in 1977. He would then throw in his lot with Kerry Packer and World Series Cricket. His first-class career ended at the age of just 27.

Gilmour's bad luck, sadly, was not confined to his cricket career. He lost his son, Clint, to brain cancer at the age of 33, and suffered with liver problems following his retirement, leading Ian Chappell, upon his death earlier this year at the age of just 62, to remark to the Sydney Morning Herald: “He was at the front of the queue when they were handing out talent but, unfortunately, he was right at the back of the queue when they handed out health and good luck.”