Top 5 ODI centuries for a losing cause

2. Ponting 164 vs South Africa (Australia in South Africa, Johannesburg, 2006)

This was a match that will find a mention every time great team batting displays will be talked about. This game, in fact, had two of them – the two highest team scores in an ODI ever were both crafted in this single game played at the Wanderers stadium.

Ponting, the captain, led the scoring after coming in to bat at 97/1, when the Aussies were going at almost 6 an over. He was definitely not satisfied with it.

Along with Katich who was playing a steady hand, he built a 2nd wicket stand worth 119 off 93 balls, and proceeded to further accelerate in the next partnership with Hussey that added 150 in almost as many balls.

Even after he got out, Symonds partnered with Brett Lee, and together the Australians put up the highest one day score by any team ever, a total of 434.

The last 10 overs yielded 133 runs, with 72 off them coming off the last 5. No bowler had an economy of below 7. Ponting hit Ntini for 3 and Kallis for 4 sixes, with a majority of them coming over mid-wicket and deep square leg.

He favoured the on-side for scoring his runs, getting more than 100 of them in that region in an innings that lasted just 105 balls.

Nothing could have prepared the world for what was about to happen. Australia would have definitely felt their score was defendable, having scored at more than 8 an over.

Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs had other ideas. Gibbs bettered Ponting’s effort, scoring a thunderous 175 (111 balls, 21×4, 7×6) that really left no options to Australia.

South Africa won with 1 wicket remaining and 1 ball remaining in the innings. Gibbs and Ponting were jointly given man of the match award.