What is the highest ODI score by a batsman in a losing cause? (02 July 2001)

It's not often that a batsman makes 146 in a One-Day International but still ends up on the losing side. At the Barkatullah Khan Stadium in Jodhpur last December, Sachin Tendulkar struck his 27th ODI century in the third of the five match ODI series against Zimbabwe. Tendulkar raced to his fifty off just 37 balls upon which he dropped anchor slightly, advancing to his hundred in 93 balls, and proceeding to 146 off 153 balls before Heath Streak had him caught as he tried to improvise a boundary over short fine leg. India reached a healthy 283/8 thanks to a late blitz by Zaheer Khan which fetched 26 runs off the final over bowled by Henry Olonga. But they still contrived to lose by one wicket off the game's penultimate delivery. The Flower brothers made seventies apiece although it was Mluleki Nkala who actually landed Zimbabwe on the threshold of victory with a rapid 36.

Indeed only one other batsman in ODI history has made more than Tendulkar and finished on the losing side. That dubious distiction belongs to Robin Smith who smote an unbeaten 167 off 163 balls against Australia in a Texaco Trophy game at Birmingham in 1993. It was - and still is - the highest score for England in One-Day Internationals. Smith led a carnage that yielded 102 runs in the last seven overs as England surged to 277/5 in 55 overs. But a classy 113 from Mark Waugh and a masterly unbeaten 86 from skipper Allan Border saw the Aussies home and dry by six wickets with nine balls to spare, securing the Texaco Trophy for the visitors, 2-0, with one game left.

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