SA club cricketer slams record 490 in 50-over match

A South African club cricketer has broken the record for the highest individual score in a minor limited-overs match when he smashed an astonishing 490 runs from 151 balls. Opening batsman Shane Dadswell, who plays for NWU Pukke Cricket Club, beat the previous record, held by Indian batsman S Sankruth Sriram, who made 486 for JSS International School in the 2014-15 season.

Dadswell, who also celebrated his 20th birthday on the day of his record-breaking feat last Saturday, described it as “the best day of my life,” and admitted to having an “attacking nature,” after also scoring 126 off 38 balls the previous weekend. His 490 included 57 sixes and 27 fours.

“Honestly, it’s not even something you dream about. You dream about a double hundred, so to get 400-odd is a really special moment on a special day. It’s phenomenal, the best day of my life,” Dadswell said. “It’s been an amazing two weeks. There’s certainly an attacking nature inside me.”

Dadswell was the major contributor in his team’s total of 677-3, also a record in minor cricket. The previous highest was 629-5 and belonged to University of Warwick 2nd XI, against Newman College in 2007. NWU Pukke had another centurion in their ranks, Ruan Haasbroek, who scored 104 not out. Potch Dorp’s bowlers were all severely punished, with Dawis Crowther conceding 131 runs in his 10 overs, although he did have a wicket as consolation.

As if his batting effort was not enough, Dadswell also took 2-32 in seven overs, as Potch Dorp finished on 290-9 and lost by 387 runs.

A former pupil of King Edward VII School, the alma mater of Graeme Smith and Quinton de Kock, among others, Dadswell has played in all the Cricket South Africa age-group weeks and is currently in his second year as a Business Psychology student. He has yet to decide if he will pursue cricket professionally, but has been in talks with provincial side North West, one of two teams that feed into the Johannesburg-based Lions’ franchise. 

“It would be amazing to play cricket for a living. I guess the first steps have already been taken because it was in the pipeline for me to start training with the North West Dragons from this week,” he said. “So, that’s the direction I’m looking in for now. I have been part of a few things with them this season. I’ve played a warm-up game and stuff like that. I don’t really think I would have had an opportunity up until next year, but hopefully this innings will change that.” (ESPNCricinfo)