For the first time in 4671 completed ODIs, fast bowlers did not bowl a single ball in the game
Left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige took 5 for 11 in 7.3 overs against Oman • ICC/Getty Images
The previous lowest total successfully defended in a full ODI (not reduced) was India’s 125 against Pakistan in the Rothmans Four-Nations Cup in 1985. They won that match by 38 runs in Sharjah.
USA’s fixture against Oman was dominated by spin. All nine bowlers used in the game were spinners, making it the first completed men’s ODI ever – after 4671 matches – without a single ball bowled by a fast bowler.
The 19 wickets that fell also equalled the record for most wickets taken in an ODI by spinners, level with a Bangladesh-Pakistan ODI in Chattogram in 2011. Nosthush Kenjige took a career-best of 5 for 11 as Oman were dismissed for 65 in 25.3 overs.
USA and Oman scored a total of only 187 runs in 61 overs, the second-lowest aggregate in an ODI where both teams were dismissed. The 41-over game between India and Bangladesh in 2014 had an aggregate of 163 runs.
The dominance of spinners and low totals have been a trend at Al Amerat in this tournament, especially in games involving the hosts Oman. Teams batting first have been dismissed for fewer than 170 in all eight of Oman’s matches , while the other four games had 240-plus totals.
In the previous match at Al Amerat on Sunday, Oman lost eight wickets in their chase of 96 against Namibia. JJ Smit was the only fast bowler in that game who bowled an over. Three of the four men’s ODIs where spinners took 17 or more wickets have been at Al Amerat.
Sampath Bandarupalli is a statistician at ESPNcricinfo
