USA and Oman’s Unprecedented Cricket Feat: Breaking Records with Spin Bowling in ODIs

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Nosthush Kenjige took a career-best 5-11.

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The USA and Oman made history by not bowling a single ball of pace during their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Al Amerat on Tuesday. All 61 overs were bowled by spinners, making it the first time in 4,671 men’s one-day internationals that no pace or seam was bowled.

The USA beat hosts Oman by 57 runs after being bowled out for 122 in just 35.3 oversmaking it the lowest total successfully defended in a full mens ODI. The previous record in an unaffected match was India’s score of 125 against Pakistan back in 1985, when they won by 38 runs.

USA bowler Nosthush Kenjige took a career-best 5-11 as Oman were dismissed for just 65 runs in their first innings, with all the wickets falling to spin. The total of 19 wickets taken also matched the record set during a Bangladesh-Pakistan match in 2011, for the highest number of wickets claimed by spinners in an ODI.

The combined score from both teams was 187 runs, which is only second-lowest aggregate in full mens ODIs behind a 163-run total between India and Bangladesh back in 2014. This achievement follows Paarl Royals becoming the first side to bowl an entire over of spin bowling during their SA20 victory over Pretoria Capitals just last January.

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