Target 500
Back in the old times, 250 runs used to be a safe total. Today, almost any target is attainable. 300, 350, 400... where is all this going to end? Is 500 still a bridge too far away? Or will that soon be conquered too? Jaideep Marar investigates
It can only get bigger than this. The willow wielders are pushing the run limits at break-neck speed. So much so that the once-impossible 500-mark is suddenly in danger of falling prey to the marauding batmen. Sounds highly unrealistic yet there is strong evidence to show the run-rates are fast climbing the 10 per-over peak.
Last March, on a pleasant Sunday afternoon at the ‘Bullring’ in Johannesburg a few barriers were broken, some physical and some mental. In the biggest slog-fest ever witnessed in the history of One-day Internationals a mindboggling 872 runs were scored and climaxed by a thrilling finish.
If the world champions Australia flexed their batting muscle on a flat deck to set a world record score of 434, the South Africans displayed exemplary conviction in standing up to the challenge resulting in a rivetting run chase. The hosts were rewarded for their guts as they eked out a one-wicket win. The Aussies, whose world mark lasted just three hours, were left shaking their heads in disbelief along with many followers of the game worldwide.
Even the South Africans were dazed. Captain Graeme Smith, who had laid the foundation by creaming 90 off 55 balls, described the success as “a bit sick really” while the lead protagonist Herschelle Gibbs (175 off 111 balls) said, “I don’t know where that innings came from.”
As many as 87 fours and 26 sixes were struck in that mayhem meaning 484 runs were scored in just 19 overs! The Ides of March had indeed affected cricket too.
There were two more instances when teams raked up 400-plus scores, making it amply clear 500 remained just a number. Interestingly, it was the South Africans, who did it again logging 418 against Zimbabwe last fortnight.
Smith, who didn’t play the match due to an ankle injury, highlighted the change that had taken place. “In years gone by we would have been happy with 320, but we need to take ourselves to new levels. We’re looking to be more aggressive up front in the conditions we’re going to be playing in when we get to the ICC Champions Trophy in India next month.
Hitting out at the death is not as easy here as it is in South Africa.” It was also a reflection of how the top teams had changed tact and gears. It was the Sri Lankans, who upped the ante further walloping a hapless Netherlands by logging 443. Thus, in a span of seven months the 400-mark was breached four times.
So what has brought about this run carnage. Flat tracks? Small grounds? Lethal bats? Or is it plain luck? Well, it’s a combination of all these (see box). With everything working in favour of the batsmen, they are breaking new grounds. But the biggest influence has been the advent of Twenty20 cricket. Agrees Tom Moody, former Australia all-rounder and current Sri Lankan coach. “Twenty20 had an influence on players learning more about explosive cricket, what they can achieve by playing aggressively in a short period.”
It is no coincidence that all the 400-plus scores have come since Twenty20 gained international status in February 2005. The world champions Australia set the tone in the first match itself by posting 214 with captain Ricky Ponting finishing on an unbeaten 98. Both scores remain the best in eight Twenty20 internationals played so far.
The Aussies crossed the 200-mark against the South Africans at Brisbane in January this year. The South Africans returned the compliment by posting 201 against the same opposition at the Wanderers a month later. Exactly after 15 days, the same venue became a burial ground for a host of ODI records.
Can such assaults be planned? No, says Moody. It happens. “You cannot plan for such totals. As a coach you are constantly planning for the perfect game of cricket, which includes scoring around 300 and on rare occasions around 400.” Cut to how Smith & Co went in their pursuit of Mt 434.
“The pitch was great but you can’t sit down and plan to chase 434. We said it was a freaky game at the halfway point, so who knows. Our initial target was 185 in 25 overs but we got way past that.”
Still, experts aren’t willing to hedge their bets on the regularity of such instances. “400 runs cannot happen on a regular basis. Agreed on flat wickets, with no assistance for the bowlers, they can hit through the line. But how long can you do that with that speed,” argues Dilip Vengsarkar, former Indian captain and newly appointed chairman of the selection committee.
Moody too is skeptical of the 500-barrier. “I wouldn’t like to go that extent (of saying 500 is achievable).”
Amidst all this spare a thought for the hapless bowlers. “Judging the way things are, there would be no place for a fast bowler. We are definitely going to eliminate him completely as all-rounders are in vogue. Teams are looking at what value every player brings from a batting point of view,” says former Indian fast bowler Javagal Srinath, who was a member of the Indian team that pounded New Zealand to amass their ODI best of 376 at Hyderabad seven years ago.
“There has to be some balance,” thunders Srinath raising the pitch for the fast bowlers. “Quality wickets are the only answer. Mabye, something like we saw in Malaysia,” he proffers. Moody and Vengsarkar feel the spectators rule in favour of the batsmen. “If you are a bowler there is an imbalance but if you’re wearing a spectator’s hat, then you would like to “bring it on”,” says Moody.
Concurs Vengsarkar. “Spectators rarely come to see a good McGrath spell, they would like to see a Tendulkar bat as long as possible.”
Simply put, there’s no stopping the batsmen. Lights, camera, run...
INCHING TOWARDS THE 500-MARK
443-9
(50 overs)
Sri Lanka Netherlands Amstelveen July 4, 2006
438-9
(49.5 overs)
South Africa v Australia Johannesburg March 12, 2006
434-4
(50 overs)
Australia v South Africa Johannesburg March 12, 2006
418-5
(50 overs)
South Africa v Zimbabwe Potchefstroom Sept 20, 2006
TOTAL RECALL
Ground realities
Smaller grounds excite the batsmen no end. Shorter the boundary, bigger the hits. The Wanderers, which witnessed the biggest run riot in ODIs provides an unique assistance to the batsmen in the air. Since the ground is situated at a high altitude, the air is thinner making the cricket ball fly further
Track notes
The flat decks are an open invitation for a batting assault. Such surfaces rarely provide any assistance to the bowlers leaving the batsmen to hit through the line. It’s mayhem from start to finish
Run machines
The modern crickets bats are the run-getters’ best ally. They come in various types and are all designed for that extra punch. The hitting area or the sweet spot too has expanded resulting in edges to fly to the boundary
Powerplays
Once upon a time, there used to be field restrictions only for 15 overs. All at the start of the innings. Now there are powerplays. Which means the batsmen can make merry for 20 overs. More boundaries, big hits, bigger totals.
Those sitters...
Fortune favours the ... Dropped catches, misfields all contribute to the big scores. In fact, if the stories from Amstelveen are to be believed, the Sri Lankans raked up the ODI best in anger. They Islanders vent their frustration as they were forced to play a twomatch ODI series against The Netherlands after an arduous England tour. In the Potchefstroom encounter between South Africa and Zimbabwe last month, Mark Boucher’s 147 off 68 balls was aided by no less than half-dozen dropped catches by the hapless Zimbabwean fielders.
Back in the old times, 250 runs used to be a safe total. Today, almost any target is attainable. 300, 350, 400... where is all this going to end? Is 500 still a bridge too far away? Or will that soon be conquered too? Jaideep Marar investigates
It can only get bigger than this. The willow wielders are pushing the run limits at break-neck speed. So much so that the once-impossible 500-mark is suddenly in danger of falling prey to the marauding batmen. Sounds highly unrealistic yet there is strong evidence to show the run-rates are fast climbing the 10 per-over peak.
Last March, on a pleasant Sunday afternoon at the ‘Bullring’ in Johannesburg a few barriers were broken, some physical and some mental. In the biggest slog-fest ever witnessed in the history of One-day Internationals a mindboggling 872 runs were scored and climaxed by a thrilling finish.
If the world champions Australia flexed their batting muscle on a flat deck to set a world record score of 434, the South Africans displayed exemplary conviction in standing up to the challenge resulting in a rivetting run chase. The hosts were rewarded for their guts as they eked out a one-wicket win. The Aussies, whose world mark lasted just three hours, were left shaking their heads in disbelief along with many followers of the game worldwide.
Even the South Africans were dazed. Captain Graeme Smith, who had laid the foundation by creaming 90 off 55 balls, described the success as “a bit sick really” while the lead protagonist Herschelle Gibbs (175 off 111 balls) said, “I don’t know where that innings came from.”
As many as 87 fours and 26 sixes were struck in that mayhem meaning 484 runs were scored in just 19 overs! The Ides of March had indeed affected cricket too.
There were two more instances when teams raked up 400-plus scores, making it amply clear 500 remained just a number. Interestingly, it was the South Africans, who did it again logging 418 against Zimbabwe last fortnight.
Smith, who didn’t play the match due to an ankle injury, highlighted the change that had taken place. “In years gone by we would have been happy with 320, but we need to take ourselves to new levels. We’re looking to be more aggressive up front in the conditions we’re going to be playing in when we get to the ICC Champions Trophy in India next month.
Hitting out at the death is not as easy here as it is in South Africa.” It was also a reflection of how the top teams had changed tact and gears. It was the Sri Lankans, who upped the ante further walloping a hapless Netherlands by logging 443. Thus, in a span of seven months the 400-mark was breached four times.
So what has brought about this run carnage. Flat tracks? Small grounds? Lethal bats? Or is it plain luck? Well, it’s a combination of all these (see box). With everything working in favour of the batsmen, they are breaking new grounds. But the biggest influence has been the advent of Twenty20 cricket. Agrees Tom Moody, former Australia all-rounder and current Sri Lankan coach. “Twenty20 had an influence on players learning more about explosive cricket, what they can achieve by playing aggressively in a short period.”
It is no coincidence that all the 400-plus scores have come since Twenty20 gained international status in February 2005. The world champions Australia set the tone in the first match itself by posting 214 with captain Ricky Ponting finishing on an unbeaten 98. Both scores remain the best in eight Twenty20 internationals played so far.
The Aussies crossed the 200-mark against the South Africans at Brisbane in January this year. The South Africans returned the compliment by posting 201 against the same opposition at the Wanderers a month later. Exactly after 15 days, the same venue became a burial ground for a host of ODI records.
Can such assaults be planned? No, says Moody. It happens. “You cannot plan for such totals. As a coach you are constantly planning for the perfect game of cricket, which includes scoring around 300 and on rare occasions around 400.” Cut to how Smith & Co went in their pursuit of Mt 434.
“The pitch was great but you can’t sit down and plan to chase 434. We said it was a freaky game at the halfway point, so who knows. Our initial target was 185 in 25 overs but we got way past that.”
Still, experts aren’t willing to hedge their bets on the regularity of such instances. “400 runs cannot happen on a regular basis. Agreed on flat wickets, with no assistance for the bowlers, they can hit through the line. But how long can you do that with that speed,” argues Dilip Vengsarkar, former Indian captain and newly appointed chairman of the selection committee.
Moody too is skeptical of the 500-barrier. “I wouldn’t like to go that extent (of saying 500 is achievable).”
Amidst all this spare a thought for the hapless bowlers. “Judging the way things are, there would be no place for a fast bowler. We are definitely going to eliminate him completely as all-rounders are in vogue. Teams are looking at what value every player brings from a batting point of view,” says former Indian fast bowler Javagal Srinath, who was a member of the Indian team that pounded New Zealand to amass their ODI best of 376 at Hyderabad seven years ago.
“There has to be some balance,” thunders Srinath raising the pitch for the fast bowlers. “Quality wickets are the only answer. Mabye, something like we saw in Malaysia,” he proffers. Moody and Vengsarkar feel the spectators rule in favour of the batsmen. “If you are a bowler there is an imbalance but if you’re wearing a spectator’s hat, then you would like to “bring it on”,” says Moody.
Concurs Vengsarkar. “Spectators rarely come to see a good McGrath spell, they would like to see a Tendulkar bat as long as possible.”
Simply put, there’s no stopping the batsmen. Lights, camera, run...
INCHING TOWARDS THE 500-MARK
443-9
(50 overs)
Sri Lanka Netherlands Amstelveen July 4, 2006
438-9
(49.5 overs)
South Africa v Australia Johannesburg March 12, 2006
434-4
(50 overs)
Australia v South Africa Johannesburg March 12, 2006
418-5
(50 overs)
South Africa v Zimbabwe Potchefstroom Sept 20, 2006
TOTAL RECALL
Ground realities
Smaller grounds excite the batsmen no end. Shorter the boundary, bigger the hits. The Wanderers, which witnessed the biggest run riot in ODIs provides an unique assistance to the batsmen in the air. Since the ground is situated at a high altitude, the air is thinner making the cricket ball fly further
Track notes
The flat decks are an open invitation for a batting assault. Such surfaces rarely provide any assistance to the bowlers leaving the batsmen to hit through the line. It’s mayhem from start to finish
Run machines
The modern crickets bats are the run-getters’ best ally. They come in various types and are all designed for that extra punch. The hitting area or the sweet spot too has expanded resulting in edges to fly to the boundary
Powerplays
Once upon a time, there used to be field restrictions only for 15 overs. All at the start of the innings. Now there are powerplays. Which means the batsmen can make merry for 20 overs. More boundaries, big hits, bigger totals.
Those sitters...
Fortune favours the ... Dropped catches, misfields all contribute to the big scores. In fact, if the stories from Amstelveen are to be believed, the Sri Lankans raked up the ODI best in anger. They Islanders vent their frustration as they were forced to play a twomatch ODI series against The Netherlands after an arduous England tour. In the Potchefstroom encounter between South Africa and Zimbabwe last month, Mark Boucher’s 147 off 68 balls was aided by no less than half-dozen dropped catches by the hapless Zimbabwean fielders.