The first time that 400 was scored in an ODI Match was also the same match where 400 was made for the second time in an ODI Match. It is considered one of the greatest ODI Matches of all time. This is the match with the highest aggregate In the history of ODI Cricket even after almost 19 years. In total 26 times a team has crossed the mark of 400 in an ODI Match with South Africa being the most with 8 scores over 400. The highest team score in an ODI Match is 498 runs when England destroyed Netherlands in 2022.
Let’s talk about the first time that a team made 400 in an ODI Match
Australia created history only for South Africa to better it
This was an ODI Match in Johannesburg 19 years ago and it was between Australia and South Africa. This match is among the 3 greatest ODI Matches ever played in the almost 50 year history of this format. It had been more than 32 years since ODI Cricket has been played and a team had not made 400 In an ODI Match. Then in this match Australia were batting first and they got off to the best possible start as the openers added 97 runs for the first wicket in 15.2 overs. Adam Gilchrist made 55 runs and then at number 3 came out Ricky Ponting and he and Simon Katich had a great partnership and in 30 overs , Australia were 216 for 2. 20 overs were still left and then the partnership that changed everything between Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey took place and they took the Australian score to 374 in 46.1 overs. Then in the last 4 overs , Australia made close to 60 runs.
And as a result they created history as they made 434 runs in 50 overs and they became the first ever team in the history of ODI Cricket to make 400+ runs in an ODI innings. Ricky Ponting was the star performer with 164 runs and he made it out of 105 balls with 13 fours and 9 sixes meaning 106 runs in boundaries. He ensured that Australia got to an invincible total and nobody even thought that South Africa would get close. However the determined South Africa batting line-up was not ready to give up. The entire batting order of South Africa contributed in what has become the greatest chase in the history of ODI Cricket. Graeme Smith hit 90 runs from just 55 balls with 13 fours and 2 sixes meaning 64 runs in boundaries.
Mark Boucher and JJ Van Der Wath made very good 50 and 35 runs respectively. However the one man who made sure that South Africa will get to the seemingly invincible total was Herschelle Gibbs. There is a famous story that he was so drunk last night that the Australian team thought that they had one less batter to worry about. He was the one who was the hero for South Africa as he smashed 175 runs in just 111 balls and he hit 21 fours and 7 sixes meaning 126 runs in boundaries alone. He was there till the score of 300 and from there the lower Order batters took South Africa home and they made 438 runs in 49.5 overs with just 1 wicket left. Australia made the first ever 400+ score in ODI Cricket but South Africa bettered it in the next innings.
