Keep your eyes glued to the Cricket World Cup or you could miss out on the first 500 total.
There has been some big hitting in the game in recent times and we are getting closer and closer to that milestone.
We’ve come a long way since the very first time teams crossed the 400-mark.
That was back on March 12, 2006, when Australia scored 434/4 against South Africa at the Wanderers.
Everyone knows what happened next, as the Proteas chased down that impossible score.
Since then, the 400-mark has been surpassed 19 times, with the most recent instance coming on Tuesday when the West Indies scored 421 in a warm-up match against New Zealand.
EXCITING: South Africa’s Quinton de Kock. Photo: Nigel French/PA
It was the third time this year that the Windies posted their best ODI total - setting a record 381 before improving on that with 389.
Now islanders batsman Shai Hope reckons that the
Caribbeans have the firepower to smash the 500-mark.
It’s not that big a stretch of the imagination. Last year, World Cup hosts England moered 481.
And with the influence of T20 cricket growing on how teams bat, an aggressive approach can bring huge scores.
Also, with a ball at each end, the white ball stays harder for longer in the 50-over game.
HEAVY HITTER: England opener Jason Roy. Photo: Nigel French/PA
While a shiny ball can help seamers up front, if batsmen make hay and weather the initial danger period, a hard ball in the middle overs will travel to the boundary more often.
It’s going to make for some explosive action and a great spectacle for fans of big runs and huge hits.
With the likes of Chris Gayle, Quinton de Kock, Dave
Warner, Virat Kohli and Jason Roy around, expect the sixes to rain down and that 500 come up.
While it would be fun to see that much carnage with the bat, the tournament is in England. And the one thing the English summer is notorious for is rain.
Apart from many games expected to be interrupted and shortened by the weather, the conditions could also play into the hands of the speedsters.
Green grass on pitches and clouds overhead are not good omens for batsmen...
BOWLING THREAT: Proteas star Kagiso Rabada. Photo: Andrew Boyers/Reuters
Any seamer worth his World Cup ticket should be able to use these tracks to make a batter sukkel at the crease.
There should be skiddy pace off the surface and lateral movement through the air and off the bounce. So merry England could be a happy hunting ground for the pace men.
The battle of bat and ball will be wild. On Tuesday, the Windies posted 421, but not they were also bowled out in under 50 overs. It could get crazy out there.