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June 8, 2018 remains one of the most extraordinary days in the history of women’s One-Day International cricket. At the YMCA Cricket Club in Dublin, New Zealand amassed 491 for 4 against Ireland, the highest team total ever recorded in women’s ODIs and, at the time, the highest score in any ODI, men’s or women’s. Eight years on, the innings still stands as the benchmark for batting dominance in the format.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, New Zealand’s approach was aggressive from the outset. Captain Suzie Bates led the charge with a breathtaking 151 from just 94 deliveries. Her innings contained 24 fours and two sixes, and it set the tone for a relentless assault that never allowed Ireland’s bowlers a moment of respite. Bates and ODI debutant Jess Watkin added 172 for the opening wicket in less than 19 overs, immediately placing the record books in sight.
Watkin contributed a polished 62 from 59 balls before Maddy Green produced the innings of her life. Green hammered 121 from only 77 deliveries, striking 15 boundaries and a six. By the time she departed, New Zealand had already surged past 350 and were threatening scores that had previously seemed unimaginable in international cricket. The acceleration at the death came from a teenage Amelia Kerr, who blasted an unbeaten 81 from 45 balls, and Bernadine Bezuidenhout, who finished with a rapid 23 not out.
The final tally of 491 for 4 was remarkable for both its scale and consistency. Five batters crossed fifty, two scored centuries, and New Zealand maintained a scoring rate of nearly ten runs an over across the full 50 overs. Their previous women’s ODI record of 455 for 5, set against Pakistan in 1997, was surpassed comfortably. No side before them had come close to the 500-run mark in international one-day cricket.
Ireland faced an unenviable task in response. Their young attack endured one of the toughest days any bowling unit has experienced at international level. Leg-spinner Cara Murray claimed two wickets but conceded 119 runs from her ten overs, a figure that was then the most expensive bowling analysis in ODI history. Ireland never recovered from the magnitude of the target and were restricted to 144 for 9, handing New Zealand a crushing 347-run victory.
What makes the achievement even more significant is the context of the series. New Zealand’s batting dominance did not end with this match. Across the three ODIs in Dublin, they posted scores of 491 for 4, 418 and 440 for 3. Five days after the record total, Amelia Kerr would produce her own piece of history at the same venue, scoring an unbeaten 232, the highest individual score in women’s ODI cricket.
The 491 for 4 remains one of the defining landmarks in the evolution of women’s cricket. It showcased the growing depth, power and professionalism of the international game. While batting standards have continued to rise, no team has yet managed to surpass the mountain of runs New Zealand piled up in Dublin on that memorable June afternoon.
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