Top five expensive spells in One-Day cricket

1. Mick Lewis (0/113 in 10 overs, Aus vs SA, Johannesburg, 2006)

The game was nothing more than a slugfest as runs cascaded from the blades of the batsmen like waterfalls. Unfortunately for one bowler, it turned out to be the worst hiding he would ever get, quashing his hopes of cementing a place in the limited-overs squad for his nation.

Mick Lewis was called up to replace the absent Glenn McGrath, who had returned to be by his ailing wife’s bedside. He had sealed the second game of the recent Chappell-Hadlee series with a brilliant last over, and was known in domestic circles as a death-overs specialist; it was this ability that prompted skipper Ricky Ponting to ask for his services in McGrath’s place.

It would turn out to be the most incorrect decision of his career.

Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith and Johannes van der Wath had different plans that day. Chasing a 400-plus target, they had to take the attack to the opposition and raise it by several notches. And for that, one bowler had to suffer the most. They chose Mick.

He was subjected to a lot of boundaries and sixes, losing his line and running out of options at times. For once, his famed death-bowling skills seemed to have deserted him, although he really didn’t bowl all that badly. The batsmen were just too good.

However, figures are all that matter in a game of cricket, and Lewis’ final tally did no justice to his immense talent. He ended up giving away 113 runs – the most expensive in ODI history – as South Africa went on to complete a record-breaking win to take the series.

Lewis eventually lost his central contract, and retired from cricket two years after the pasting at the Wanderers. He made it to the record books all right – but not in the way he expected.