The 2003 Cricket World Cup has shifted into overdrive with a series of record-breaking performances on the field and a positive report card from the organisers who are elated with the match attendance figures.
The first week of the World Cup drew a total of 182 000 spectators with the promise of more packed stadiums as the leading teams slug it out for the Super Six berths.
Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar made the record books with a 100,23 mile an hour (161,3 km/h) thunderbolt in the match against England on Saturday.
And on Sunday, little-known Canadian John Davison blasted the fastest World Cup century yet and the fourth-fastest of all time when he scored 100 off a mere 67 balls.
Brian Lara, the world record holder for the highest test and first-class scores, then stepped up to the crease and hit the quickest half-century of the tournament off only 23 deliveries en route to 73 off 40 balls.
Sachin Tendulkar hit a record-equalling fourth World Cup century as India hammered 311 for two in their clash against Namibia on Sunday.
He made a run-a-ball 152 to equal Australian Mark Waugh's tournament record as well as extending his world record for one-day centuries to 34.
After two weeks the 2003 World Cup is living up to predictions of its being the biggest and best in the 28-year history of the tournament.
There is a maximum attendance of about 800 000 for the 47 events taking place in South Africa and Ali Bacher, the tournament executive director, said World Cup organisers were confident they would reach their target of 700 000.
Bacher said: "The South African public and overseas visitors have been supporting the tournament exceptionally well."
South African hearts were lifted when the Proteas dismissed Bangladesh in Bloemfontein and kept alive their hopes for progressing to the knock-out stages.
On Saturday night, Newlands was awash with English cricket fans as the Barmy Army, England cricket's most loyal and loudest supporters, cheered and jeered as their team swept away the Pakistani batting line-up.
Akhtar saved Pakistan blushes when he smashed 43 runs off just 16 deliveries with three sixes and five fours to post the highest individual innings by a number 11 batsman in a World Cup tournament.
His brief flurry was also only the fifth time a number 11 batsman had top scored for his team in 1 962 one-day internationals.
The high-scoring and wicket-taking feats of the South African team are set to benefit a United Cricket Board-administered fund to pay the tuition fees of talented school-going cricketers.
World Cup global partner, LG Electronics has pledged R100 for every run scored and R1 000 for every wicket taken by a South African player during the World Cup.
So far, South Africa's four matches have seen them score 797 runs and take 24 wickets to boost the fund to over R103 000.