Limited-overs world record score by Rohan Chandran

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Scorecard:

United I v Bay Area I

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DateLine: 30th August 2006

 

In first-class cricket, a triple century is scored about once every 350 games. In ListA cricket, one has never been scored. The highest ever score in a ListA game is 443-9 (Sri Lanka against The Netherlands a few months ago). A score in excess of 600 in first-class cricket is only a little more common than the individual triple hundred.

 

All of this just goes to show just how remarkable the match between the 1st XIs of United Cricket Club and Bay Area Cricket Club in the Northern California league this weekend really was. In a 45-over game, United blasted their way to a quite unbelievable 630-5, with opener Shabbir Mohammad carrying his bat for 353, and recorded a victory margin of 449 runs. Just for good measure, their opening bowler, Ashok Kumar, took a hat-trick to destroy the Bay Area middle order in their reply.

 

The total is almost certainly a record for any form of limited overs cricket, anywhere. Mohammad's 353 is believed to be the 5th triple century on record in such games. As if that wasn't enough, the 3rd such triple century was recorded just 7 years ago - on the very same ground!

 

There was just one chance in Mohammad's innings, which while dominated by his trademark sweeps and slog-sweeps, was also littered with drives through the offside. In a team renowned for it's ferocious hitting ability, Mohammad has always been a purveyor of quick runs, and while the scores are quite unfathomable, if there was any team in Northern California capable of such a feat, it was always going to be United.

 

The irony in all of this is that United, who were relegated from the top division last year, will continue in the second flight next season, having failed to stay in the hunt for the two promotion places. Bay Area on the other hand, will be moving down a level, having won just one game in the current campaign, but before they do that, they have one more match left to play - you guessed it, it's the return fixture against United.

 

Highlights and relevant facts:

• Mohammad's record for the season prior to this innings - about 200 runs at an average below 20
• United CC's progression: 130-0 in 10, 259-1 in 20, 378-3 in 30, 529-5 in 40, 630-5 in 45 overs
• Mohammad's milestones: 100 in 46 deliveries, 200 in 94 deliveries, 300 in 140 deliveries
• Breakdown of the 353: 25x6, 38x4, 1x3, 4x2, 40x1, 48x0
• Most expensive over: 28 runs, 9 overs conceding > 20 runs, cheapest over: 2 runs
• Typical score on this ground in 45 overs: 250

 

The scorecard tells the rest of the story.