On This Day In 2006: South Africa Stuns Australia In Record-Breaking 434 Run Chase
On March 12, 2006, South Africa chased a 435-run target set by Australia in a historic ODI at Wanderers Stadium. Herschelle Gibbs scored 175, leading to a record win.
On This Day In 2006: On March 12, 2006, South Africa and Australia played out a high-scoring ODI where 872 runs were registered across the two innings. With Herschelle Gibbs going all guns blazing, the Proteas chased down a 435-run target to win the historic match which took place at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg 19 years ago on this day.
Australia toured South Africa to play five ODIs and the series was level after the first four matches.
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On this day during the fifth ODI, the visiting captain, Ricky Ponting, won the toss in Johannesburg and elected to bat first.
Thanks to a brilliant performance by the top-order, Australia achieved a monumental feat by becoming the first-ever team to breach the 400-run mark in the 50-over format. While Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich stitched an opening partnership of 97 in 15.2 overs, Ponting emerged as the top scorer with 164 runs.
Coming to bat at No. 3, the Australian skipper struck 13 boundaries and nine sixes during his 105-ball innings. Gilchrist smashed a quickfire 55 off 44 balls while Katich made 79.
Michael Hussey also enjoyed a good outing and contributed 81, hitting nine fours and three maximums. Andrew Symonds chipped in with an unbeaten 27-run cameo that helped Australia produce 434 in 50 overs.
South Africa didn’t have the best start but looked confident about chasing the mammoth target. After opener Boeta Dippenaar returned to the pavilion in the second over, Herschelle Gibbs took the charge, joining hands with captain Greame Smith. The duo combined for a 190-run stand that built the foundation for a successful chase.
Smith was dismissed at 90 by Michael Clarke and the next two South African batters – AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis– failed to survive long. Gibbs, however, had held the wicket at one end and registered 175 before falling victim to Andrew Symonds.
Mark Boucher and Johan van der Wath got the job done for the hosts. Wath made 35 at a strike rate of over 190 while Boucher contributed with an unbeaten fifty. The wicketkeeper-batter also scored the winning boundary off Brett Lee as South Africa reached the target in the penultimate delivery of the innings to record the highest-ever chase in ODI cricket.
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