There was a time when Test cricket dominated the scene with fans thronging the stadiums. It was a ''mela'' for fans and their families. But, as times changed, Test matches lost the glamour and sheen as crowd-pullers. The International Cricket Committee (ICC) then hit upon a novel idea tof the one-day format. The first One Day International (ODI) was played between arch-rivals Australia and England on January 5, 1971 at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). It was a Test match which was washed out for the first three days and it was decided to play a one-day game consisting of 40 eight-ball a side. Australia won the game by 5 runs. The ODIs then were played in white kits and a red ball.
With the success of the first game, the ICC brought in the ODI format with 60 overs a side, and eventually the 1975 Prudential World Cup was held in England.
Even with 60 over a side, the team batting first could not reach a target of 275 or 280. It was difficult for the batsmen to score runs without any fielding restrictions. In the 60-over format, a bowler can bowl 11 overs (maximum). A target of 260 was found wanting by the team batting second.
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That format was followed till the 1983 Prudential World Cup in England. One cannot forget the memorable finals between India and West Indies at Lords. India batted first and scored a meagre score of 183. Fans thought that with the likes of Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyed, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, West Indies would massacre the Indian bowling. But rest was history. With Mohinder Amarnath and co. bowling well, India restricted West Indies to 140 and lifted the World Cup. It was a stunning victory in the history of cricket.
In the 1987 World Cup, the ICC decided to reduce the overs from 60 to 50 and it was a huge success. Since then the ODIs are played in the 50 over format.
In the late 1970s, Kerry Packer introduced new features to ODI cricket, which included coloured uniforms, matches played under lights with a white ball and dark side screens. The first match was played in Melbourne on January 17, 1979. Coloured kits and the white ball fully replaced the white uniform and the red cherry in ODIs in 2001.
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The ICC further brought in several restrictions. Fielding restrictions were first introduced in the Australian 1980-81 season. In the 1992 World Cup, only two fieldsmen were allowed outside the circle in the first 15 overs. From the 16th over, five fieldsmen were allowed outside the circle. Once again, the ICC brought in a change, to make ODIs more challenging. Two fielders were allowed outside the circle in the first 10 overs and two five-over powerplays were introduced and the bowling team allowed to decide the timing. Again in 2008, it was further relaxed, with the batting team deciding the timing of one of the powerplays. One is bowling powerplay and other batting powerplay.
The ICC introduced more innovation in 2011. The teams were restricted to completing the powerplays between the 16th and 40th overs. Previously, powerplays could take place at any time between the 11th and 50th overs. In 2012, the bowling powerplay was abandoned and the number of fielders allowed the 30-yard circle was reduced from five to four.
Earlier, the ODIs were equally matched. Now it has become a batsmen dominated one. In the era where ODIs were gaining ground, when a team batting first reaches a score of 300+, they heave a sigh of relief. The batting second were under extreme pressure to chase the target. Now even a score of 400+ looks achievable.
When such a score was set, the bowling team has to tighten the screws by taking wickets at regular intervals. The game has changed as a batsmen paradise with bowlers toiling hard. Taking wickets, around the world now, has become a tough task for the bowling team.
Following are examples of 400+ that looked threatening:
5th ODI: South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg, March 12, 2006: Australia won the toss and scored a mammoth 434 for 4 riding on Ricky Ponting's 164 and Mike Hussey's 51-ball 81. Simon Katich and Adam Gilchrist gave their team a good start. Losing their opener Dippenaar for 1 didn't deter Gibbs and Smith from thrashing the Australian bowlers to all corners of the ground. Gibbs and Smith stitched together a 187-run partnership in just 21.3 overs. Gibbs scored a scintillating 175 off just 111 balls with 21 fours and 7 sixes. After the dimissal of Gibbs at 299, Australians felt they were in for a chance but Mark Boucher had other ideas. He rotated among the tail-enders and South Africa reached the target of 434 with 1 ball and 1 wicket to spare. Boucher was unbeaten on 50 off 43 balls. This was the first time that even a target of 400+ looked threatening.
1st ODI: India v Sri Lanka at Rajkot, December 15, 2009: Sri Lanka won the toss and asked India to bat first. Riding on Sehwag (146), Sachin Tendulkar (69) and Dhoni (72), India put on a huge total of 414 for 7 in their allotted 50 overs. Indians were confident that they can win easily but Dilshan had other ideas. He just thrashed the Indian bowlers and there was a spirited chase by the Sri Lankan batsmen. Dilshan (160), Sangakkara (90) and Tharanga (67) gave the crowd at Rajkot a treat of batsmanship. Eventually India won the match by just 3 runs.
So far there are 18 instances of 400+ totals.
England scored a total of 444 for 3 in 50 overs against Pakistan on August 30, 2016. It remains the highest total in ODIs. South Africa has scored 400+ runs 6 times, India 5, Sri Lanka 2, Australia 2, England 2 and New Zealand 1. In all 16 times, the team batting first had scored 400+. Only 2 times, i.e. South Africa vs Australia and India vs Sri Lanka, had the teams batting second scored 400+. Only on one occasion a team has won chasing the target of 400+.
Team | Score | Run-rate | Opponent | Venue |
England | 444 for 3 | 8.88 | Pakistan | Nottingham |
Sri Lanka | 443 for 9 | 8.86 | Netherlands | Amstelveen |
South Africa | 439/2 | 8.78 | West Indies | Johannesburg |
South Africa* | 438/9 | 8.78 | Australia | Johannesburg |
South Africa | 438/4 | 8.76 | India | Mumbai |
Australia | 434/4 | 8.68 | South Africa | Johannesburg |
South Africa | 418/5 | 8.36 | Zimbabwe | Potchefstroomn |
India | 418/5 | 8.36 | West Indies | Indore |
Australia | 417/6 | 8.34 | Afghanistan | Perth |
India | 414/7 | 8.28 | Sri Lanka | Rajkot |
India | 413/5 | 8.26 | Bermuda | Port of Spain |
Sri Lanka | 411/8 | 8.22 | India | Rajkot |
South Africa | 411/4 | 8.22 | Ireland | Canberra |
South Africa | 408/5 | 8.16 | West Indies | Sydney |
England | 408/9 | 8.16 | New Zealand | Birmingham |
India | 404/5 | 8.08 | Sri Lanka | Kolkata |
New Zealand | 402/2 | 8.04 | Ireland | Aberdeen |
India ** | 401/3 | 8.02 | South Africa | Gwalior |
* denotes: South Africa won the match by chasing down the target
** Sachin Tendulkar's 200 not out and the first man in ODI to hit double century.