As the year 2018 comes to a close, it is time to rewind to some of the best innings in the 50-over format at the international stage. Here's MyNation with a list of top-five ODI innings of 2018. Take a look.
The domination of bat over ball continued this year too and there were several memorable batting knocks across the globe. As the year 2018 comes to a close, it is time to rewind to some of the best innings in the 50-over format at the international stage.
Here's MyNation with a list of top-five ODI innings of 2018. Take a look.
This innings stands out as probably Taylor's career-best performance. England entered the match as favourites having won the last two games against the home side. Chasing a total of 336, Kiwis lost the first three wickets in quick succession and this brought Taylor to the crease. Taylor started off well and was steadily supported by Tom Latham. They built a 187-run partnership to ensure New Zealand won the match in the last over and levelled the series. This innings marked his 19th ODI century.
With both England and Australia being highly competitive, it was expected to be a good contest in the first game of the series. Chasing a mammoth total of 305, the top order stood up to the cause. Jason Roy played against a good bowling attack comprising of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. His intent was clear and he would not excuse loose deliveries pitched outside off. While Aussies managed to get away with two early wickets, Roy ensured that he, along with Joe Root (91 not out), took England past the winning mark. From 60/2, they had a match-winning partnership of 221 runs dominating the Australian bowling attack at ease. Roy was adjudged LBW on 91 by on-field umpire Simon Fry but the decision was over-turned after a review. Roy achieved the record for the highest ODI score at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), beating Mark Waugh's 173 against West Indies in 2001.
The Indian skipper has been in enviable form all throughout the year and he could be seen taking on a fiercely combative South African bowling attack with subtle ease. South Africa decided to field after winning the toss in Cape Town. Opener Rohit Sharma was sent back to the pavilion in the very first over. Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan managed to build a partnership but after latter’s dismissal, wickets kept falling at the other end. Kohli seemed to be running the show single-handedly with no support from the middle order. India went on to register 303 at the end of 50 overs. South Africa were bundled out for 179 and India won the match by 124 runs. Virat Kohli was declared the Man-of-the-match. The visitors led the six-match series 3-0 and later took the series 5-1.
This was the deciding match of the three-match series in Hobart. The match started off with Australia picking early wickets leaving South Africans at 55/3. At this point, David Miller and Faf du Plessis came together and rescued their side. Miller composed the innings with a humble beginning before he wrecked havoc. The score was 213/3 at the end of 42 overs and by the time Du Plessis got out, they had taken the total to 307. Their partnership of 252 surpassed the previous record of 222 between Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan, at Docklands in 2000, as the biggest ever stand in Australia-South Africa ODIs. South Africa won the match by 40 runs and David Miller was adjudged the Man-of-the-match.
The fifth and final match of the bilateral series meant that the Australians could face a humiliating whitewash. Having lost the rubber 4-0, this was the closest they came to a win in this series. While chasing a total of 206, English players were startled by the Aussie comeback. The hosts were reduced to 114/8 and Australia sensed an opportunity to wrap the match soon. But, there was Jos Buttler, who upset all the plans. Buttler stayed till the end to ensure they went past the winning score. When the ninth wicket fell, England were 11 short of the target. Buttler played the next ball with ease, back over the bowler's head and into the crowd to bring up his century from 117 balls. This innings was played under immense pressure. Besides Buttler, no other English batsman scored more than 20 in the match. England won with nine balls to spare to complete a 5-0 whitewash.
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