USA & Oman make history with first all-spin men’s ODI

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 35.3 overs – making it the lowest total successfully defended in a full men’s ODI.

The previous record in a full unaffected match was India’s 125 against Pakistan in 1985, when they won by 38 runs.

USA bowler Nosthush Kenjige took a career-best 5-11 as Oman were bowled out for 65 in 25.3 overs.

The total of 19 wickets that fell to spin also matched the record, set in a Bangladesh-Pakistan match in 2011, for the most wickets claimed by spinners in an ODI. The other wicket was a run out.

The combined 187 runs is the second-lowest aggregate score in a full men’s ODI, behind the 163-run match between India and Bangladesh in 2014.

It follows Paarl Royals becoming the first side to bowl 20 overs of spin, external in a T20 during their SA20 win over Pretoria Capitals in January.