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South Africa players celebrating after heroic chase (Source: AFP Photos)
Australia vs South Africa in ODIs has always carried an extra bit of spice and the ongoing series is proving no different. With South Africa already 2-0 up, the Aussies have come out swinging in the third ODI, racing to 327/2 in just 42 overs thanks to Travis Head’s 142 and Mitchell Marsh’s century.
A 400-plus total looks very much on the cards. And it’s hard not to be reminded of that unforgettable night in Johannesburg in 2006 when Australia smashed 434/4, only to watch South Africa chase it down in what many still call the greatest ODI of all time.
Let’s rewind and revisit the classic SA vs AUS ODI.
Ricky Point Scores A Magnificent Hundred
Batting first, Australia came out like a freight train. Adam Gilchrist cracked a quickfire 55, Simon Katich held the innings with 79 but the showstopper was Ricky Ponting.
The skipper played an innings for the ages, smashing 164 off just 105 balls with 13 fours and 9 sixes. Michael Hussey added the finishing touch with a 51-ball 81. By the end of 50 overs, the scoreboard read 434/4, the highest ODI total at the time.
Fans and experts thought the game was done and dusted. “No one chases 400-plus,” they said. Well, Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs didn’t get that memo.
Gibbs Goes Berserk
Chasing 435, South Africa lost Boeta Dippenaar early but Smith and Gibbs turned the Wanderers into a carnival. The skipper smashed 90 off 55, setting the tone. Gibbs, though, was in another universe.
He tore into the Aussie bowlers as he hammered 175 off 111 deliveries with 21 fours and 7 sixes. Every time Australia thought they had a grip, Gibbs broke the shackles with another thunderous stroke. By the time Gibbs fell, the Proteas had belief. The game was alive.
Nervy Finish At The Bullring
Even after Gibbs’ heroics, the chase wasn’t smooth sailing. Wickets kept tumbling but cameos from Johan van der Wath (35 off 18) and Roger Telemachus (12 off 6) pushed the Proteas closer. With the crowd on the edge of their seats, Mark Boucher held his nerve, finishing unbeaten on 50. South Africa got to 438/9 in 49.5 overs and history was made.
Mick Lewis, unfortunately, went into the record books for the wrong reasons, conceding 113 in his 10 overs. Nathan Bracken’s 5/67 was the lone bright spot for the Aussies.
Why The SA vs AUS 438 ODI Is Still Remembered?
That night in Johannesburg wasn’t just about runs. It was about belief, guts and refusing to back down. For years, 300 was considered a safe ODI score. Australia shattered that with 434, only for South Africa to shatter it further with the greatest chase ever.
Even today, whenever Australia and South Africa cross paths, fans can’t help but whisper about “that 438 game” as it was pure theatre.
