Wanderers 2006: The game that changed the art of chasing in ODIs

Date: 12th March, 2006. Location: New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. It’s the deciding match of the series, Australia have won the toss and elected to bat. Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich provide a brisk start before the former departs in the 16th over. In comes Ricky Ponting. He starts off cautiously but a thumping pull over mid-wicket off Jacques Kallis in the 27th over sets the tone. Another one off the next delivery and the skipper is in World Cup 2003 final mode. He goes berserk, he is unstoppable, 13 hits to the boundary and 9 over it and the South African bowling is completely destroyed. Australia create history by posting the highest total in ODIs: 434. The locals in the stadium are stunned. The Proteas trudge off the field in shock and disappointment. [caption id=“attachment_1431011” align=“alignleft” width=“300”]  Gibbs and Ntini celebrate after the record chase. GETTY IMAGES[/caption] Never in the history of ODI cricket had a team chased down a total in excess of 332. It’s a foregone conclusion, a damp end to a competitive series. The early departure of Boeta Dippenaar, in just the second over, strengthens that feeling. In walks Herschelle Gibbs and along with the skipper, Graeme Smith, starts the assault. There is positivity but wait - you can’t truly believe - the target is freaking 435! Gibbs has the belief though. He goes bonkers. It’s maddening - 21 fours, 7 sixes - he plays an innings of a lifetime. His 175 sets the platform. Mark Boucher holds his nerve, lofts one over mid-on off the penultimate delivery of the match and the entire Wanderers Stadium erupts. There is disbelief, there are tears all around, South Africa has just done the unthinkable. In the 1990s, when 270-280 was considered a winning total, chasing down something over 350 was simply unimaginable. Before this historic chase of 434, there were only 17 instances of a 300-plus target being chased down. But after it, that number has almost doubled. There have been 33 instances of 300-plus totals been chased down. Staggeringly, the list includes three instances where a team has chased down 350 or more. Chasing down a target of over 350 or even 400 is no longer considered impossible, perhaps even less than improbable. The arrival of T20 cricket and the change in rules have definitely played a huge role in bringing about a revolution but the tone was set by that miracle chase on that windy night in Johannesburg. That chase instilled the belief that any sort of target can be chased down and it was just the watershed moment required to pump life into ODI cricket.