When the difference between a team's successive ODI totals exceeded 300 runs
England, the chart-leaders in the ICC ODI Team Rankings, were left in disbelief by a so-called weak Windies team after Gayle ran havoc against the English bowlers throughout the series. Before the series, England would have fancied their chances of clean-sweeping the Carribean team but after the series, it seemed as if their bowlers didn't set up an efficient plan for the Universal Boss, Chris Gayle. Finally, the favourites for the upcoming World Cup had to reconcile for a series draw with two wins each for the visitors and the hosts, in the five-match ODI series.
Ultimately, it had been the unpredictability of the Windies bowlers, who made a brilliant comeback in the fifth and final ODI by bowling out England 113 after conceding a substantial 418 runs in the previous one-dayer, that helped in setting a new record for the top-ranked side, an unwanted one though.
A difference of 305 runs between two consecutive ODI totals for a team is truly insane, something that doesn't happen every now and then. However, it's not the first time it has happened.
A decade ago, a similar feat had been scripted by the South African team, when they fell like a pack of cards and managed to score just 108 under lights, chasing a meagre total of 195 in the 2006 Champions Trophy. South Africa asked the Kiwis to bat first in the dry conditions at Brabourne's Stadium, Mumbai and did well to restrict them to just 195. New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming was sent back to the pavilion 11 runs short of his century by the phenomenal Kallis, who scalped three wickets in that match.
In reply, South Africa never stayed in the race for a win in the run-chase as no one rose up to the occasion after two of their three top-order batsmen returned back to the dug-out when the team total read a mere three runs. Speedsters Kyle Mills and Jacob Oram, and offie Jeetan Patel made sure that the match was in New Zealand's pouch, bagging three wickets each. Vettori, with figures of 1-15 (7) ended up being the most economical bowler of the match. South Africa couldn't go past 108 runs and suffered an 87-run defeat.
South Africa locked horns with Zimbabwe in an ODI before clashing against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy tournament. However, unlike their mediocre batting display versus New Zealand, South Africa posted a mammoth total of 418-5 against a weak Zimbabwean side. South Africa's Boucher teased the opposition bowling attack with a destructive century in just 44 balls, the second-fastest century of that time. However, it was openers Loots Bosman and Alviro Petersen who decided to mercilessly punish Zimbabwe; they put 160 runs on the board within the first twenty-one overs and pave way for Boucher to display his masterclass. Poor Zimbabwe could score just 247 runs at the cost of four wickets in reply, in that match.
418 in an ODI and 108 in the next meant that South Africa set a world record for the largest deviation in successive team totals in ODIs.