Cricket as a game has evolved over the years. From the time when staying on the pitch and spending time in the middle was considered to be the key to now, where aggressive intent has been the man of the hour, cricket has come a long way. With the introduction of shorter formats it has become imperative for players to play quick and smart at the same time. So in today’s article we will discuss five of the greatest counter attacking innings in ODI cricket.
The first inning in contention is by the Indian veteran from Baroda, Yusuf Pathan. The India-South Africa series decider at Centurion in 2011 turned out to be a humdinger. Aided by Hashim Amla’s hundred and Morne Van Wyk’s half-century, South Africa posted 250, batting first. Morne Morkel was on fire with the ball and India lost six wickets by the time the score was 74.
Yusuf walked in with the score at 60/5 and played a brilliant cameo, taking India mightily close, with some huge hits down the ground. Along with a bit of support by Zaheer Khan, he put a 100 run stand in which he himself contributed 76. Such was the brilliance of the innings that the scored rushed from 119/8 to 219/8 and suddenly India looked very much in victories sight. Unfortunately for Pathan, Morne Morkel was brought back for his last spell and he got Yusuf with a peach delivery thus ending any and every Indian chance of winning the game but this innings is remembered as one of the best counter attacking innings ever played.
The second innings in contention is by James Faulkner, the Aussie all rounder during the 2012-13 series between India and Australia. The 7th ODI of the India-Australia series in India is famous for Rohit Sharma’s landmark double hundred, a brilliant 209 that included 16 sixes. He had helped India to a huge score of 383 but the series had proved that 300+ scores were not impossible to chase down. Australia, however, started poorly as they slumped to 132/5, when James Faulkner walked to the wicket.
Maxwell was already on fire but he fell soon after for a 22-ball-60 that included seven sixes. Faulkner, however, held his nerve and continued to smash the Indian bowlers. Such was the carnage that even with wickets falling continuously at the other end the runs kept flowing from Faulkner’s end who got some support from Shane Watson who walked in at number 8. Post Watson’s dismissal it was all Faulkner who was single handedly carrying the team towards a victory when he top edged a delivery which was taken brilliantly by Dhawan on the boundary rope thus bringing a stellar innings to an end.
The third innings in contention is by Australian all rounder Marcus Stoinis. The first ODI of the 2017 Australia tour of New Zealand turned out to be a close encounter courtesy a certain Marcus Stoinis, who was playing in just his second ODI. The all-rounder took three wickets as New Zealand set a target of 287 for the visitors at Auckland. Boult and Lockie Ferguson wrecked the Aussie top order as they crumbled to 67/6. Stoinis walked in with the score at 54/5 and watched as debutant Heazlett threw his wicket away.
He found some company from Faulkner and the duo put on 81 runs together. Stoinis had got into his groove by then and started an onslaught on the Kiwi bowlers. Neesham was taken for three maximums in an over and Southee for two sixes and a four. After Faulkner’s dismissal, Cummins gave the all-rounder some company but Stoinis barely needed it. Batting along with Hazlewood at the other end he brought Australia inch close to victory when unfortunately for them, Hazlewood was run out and Stoinis was left stranded on 146 not out.
The fourth innings in contention is by ex Kiwi player Scott Styris. Scott Styris played one of the best innings of the 2003 World Cup in a pool encounter between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Bloemfontein. Jayasuriya’s century took Sri Lanka to 272, a fighting total on a decent pitch. New Zealand lost three in quick succession in the chase and were reeling at 15/3. Styris joined Cairns at the crease and the duo put on a 78-run stand.
However, Cairns’ wicket was followed by a quite a few more as New Zealand stuttered to 94/5. Styris, however, had other ideas and slammed the bowlers all around the park. He smashed a hundred and went on a six-hitting spree, smacking six maximums. He was the last man dismissed on 141 with New Zealand still 47 runs short. Although he failed to win the match for the Kiwis, his innings is remembered as one of the best ones ever played in One Day cricket.
The fifth and the last innings in contention is of the aggressive English wicket keeper batsman, Jos Buttler. It was the 4th ODI of Sri Lanka’s tour of England at Lord’s and a hundred by Kumar Sangakkara had put Lanka in the driving seat. He took them to 300 in the allotted 50 overs. England lost their way in the chase after Root and Ballance were dismissed in the 40s.
However, Bopara and Buttler combined with the score at 111/5 and put on 133 runs. Buttler was in a rampant mood as he carted the Lankan bowlers around for a splendid century. Bopara fell with the score at 244 but Buttler carried on as he made 121 from just 74 balls with 11 fours and four sixes and was the eighth man out, in the last over, with England 9 short. Although he failed to win England the match, this innings is regarded one of the best he’s played for his international side and it proved his calibre on the biggest stage.
