5 Highest match aggregates in ODI history
ODI Cricket has evolved in the last 10-15 years. Scores of 300 plus occur quite often in ODI. With the globalization of T20 cricket, the game has shifted more towards the batsmen's favour.
Likes of the powerplay, free hit have been introduced to enthral the cricket lovers. With that, the margin of error for the bowlers has diminished over the years. Also, the advent of two new balls in ODI Cricket, one being used from each end of the wicket has made the bowler's life more pathetic.
Batting has reached a different level altogether with some unorthodox shot being manipulated, which seemed to be intractable a few years ago. Batsmen do not hesitate to attack the bowlers from the word go. Preferences of the heavy bat and flat tracks nowadays, make the batting look easy.
An aggregate of 700 runs has been surpassed 17 times in ODI history with 16 of those coming in the last 10 years. Windies - England match being the latest to that addition.
Here we look at the top 5 match aggregates in ODI Cricket.
#1 South Africa vs Australia, 872 runs (Johannesburg, 2006)
Regarded as one of the greatest matches of ODI Cricket, South Africa prevailed the mammoth total of 434, which is still being the highest successful run chase of ODI history.
The cricketing world was awestruck by Australia's total of 434 in the first innings, which was a world record at that time. En-route 434, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting pulverized the South African bowlers with his magnificent 164 runs off just 105 balls, as he reprised his World Cup-winning innings at the same venue 3 years ago. Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich gave the start with scoring 55 and 79 respectively. With Mike Hussey's 51 balls 81 runs blitzkrieg, Australia posted the massive total.
As South Africa's uphill task began, skipper Graeme Smith was equal to the task as he blazed 90 from 55 balls. Herschelle Gibbs's 175 from 121 balls, was the defining innings of the match, as he took the bowlers to all parts of the ground with his effortless striking. Van der Wath's quickfire 35 and Mark Boucher's cool-headed 50* guided South Africa to engrave their name in the history with the world record chase of 434.