Throwback: When South Africa Chased 435 at the Bull Ring

It was way back in 1992 that the first ever One Day International (ODI) match was played at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, which is very fondly referred to as the Bull Ring. And over the years, the home team South Africa has had a very good win ratio at this this, winning 27 of their 37 ODIs played here so far (updated as of 12th March 2022).

But whenever we think of the Bull Ring and cricket, our thoughts go into flashback mode and we’re reminded of one very special ODI that took place on 12th March 2006, as many as sixteen years to this date. And what happened that day may never be repeated in ODI cricket, with countless personal as well as team milestones being met that day, as both teams scored 400+ and created a match to remember.

When South Africa chased 435 runs in an ODI

Nearly two decades later since that match took place, 400 is still considered a really massive score in any ODI. Not many teams have got to that kind of a score and usually when they do get there, it tends to end up being a one-sided affair. However, this night in Johannesburg had something else lined up for us. Australia won the toss and batted first, only to put up a record total of 434/4 on the scoreboard.

The charge was led by a career best ODI score of 164(105) by the then Aussie captain Ricky Ponting, while it was supported by fifties from everyone else in the top four, including Simon Katich, Adam Gilchrist and Michael Hussey. And when they ended at this score, it was not just the highest total in the history of ODI cricket, but it was also the first time any team had scored 400+ in an ODI innings.

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However, their joy was going to be short-lived as South Africa wasn’t planning on giving up easily and disappointing the home fans. What followed was a quickfire 90(55) from captain Graeme Smith and then a career-best ODI score of 175 from Herschelle Gibbs as well. That innings included 21 fours and 7 sixes and set up the foundation for a close game that could take the hosts to victory.

And even while he got more than half the job done, there was Australia’s left-arm pacer Nathan Bracken chipping away with the wickets. He picked a 5-fer in a batter-dominated game and eventually, the game moved to needing 7 runs off the final over with just 2 wickets in hand. Brett Lee went for 5 runs in the first couple of deliveries and was left with 2 to defend, and picked up the wicket of Andrew Hall.

A very nervous Makhaya Ntini took guard and scored a single on the fourth ball off the over, passing the strike over to mark Boucher, who was set. He hit a boundary and went to fifty, as the stadium erupted in joy. The first 400+ score and the highest ODI total of that time was a record which only last for a few hours, as South Africa went to 438/9 and created a new best ODI total.

Among the many records to fall that night were the most runs conceded in a single ODI spell, as Mick Lewis conceded 0/113 and he never played an ODI again. Till date, this remains the most expensive spell in ODI history. Gibbs’ 175 remained the highest individual score at this ground for 15 years, until Fakhar Zaman scored 193 here in 2021 against South Africa. In this match of 2006, Ponting and Gibbs shared the man of the match award!