South Africa vs Australia: The 438 Game, 2006
The series was level at 2-2. Australia made the first 400 score in one-day international history, and South Africa chased it.
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Match facts
| Competition | One-day international, fifth match of the series |
|---|---|
| Date | 12 March 2006 |
| Venue | Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
| Result | South Africa won by 1 wicket |
The story of the match
Ricky Ponting hit 164 off 105 balls and Australia finished on 434 for 4. Most people thought the game was over at the break, and the South Africa dressing room is said to have joked that the bowlers had done their job and been 15 runs short.
Graeme Smith set the tone with 90, and Herschelle Gibbs played the innings of his life, 175 off 111 balls. Wickets fell late on, but Mark Boucher held his nerve and hit the winning boundary off Brett Lee with one ball to spare.
Key moments to watch for
- Ponting’s 164
- Australia become the first team to score 400 in an ODI
- Gibbs’s 175 off 111 balls
- Boucher’s winning boundary with a ball to spare
Why it’s one of the greatest cricket matches ever
It was the first time 400 had been scored in an ODI, and it was beaten the same day. Many players and fans still call it the greatest one-day match ever played.
More classic cricket matches
- Australia vs South Africa: The 1999 World Cup Semi-Final Tie
- Ben Stokes 135*: The Headingley Miracle, 2019 Ashes
- Australia vs India: India Breach the Gabba, 2021
See all 40 on our list of the greatest matches ever, or catch up on this season on the latest highlights page.
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