Most expensive bowling spells in ODI cricket: de Leede leads, Lewis and Zampa share second

Bas de Leede’s 10-0-115-2 is the most expensive spell in ODI history. Mick Lewis and Adam Zampa share second on 113. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the only India bowler on the list.

Bas de Leede holds the most expensive bowling spell in one-day international cricket. The Netherlands all-rounder finished with 10-0-115-2 against Australia in Delhi on 25 October 2023, and no bowler has conceded more in an ODI innings since.

Two men share second place on 113, and one of them is missing from most versions of this list because his spell came six weeks before de Leede’s and in a bilateral series rather than a World Cup. Here is the full order, with the matches that produced each spell.

Bas de Leede, 10-0-115-2 v Australia, Delhi, 2023

Australia won the toss in the 24th match of the 2023 World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and batted. Glenn Maxwell hit 106 off 44 balls with nine fours and eight sixes, David Warner made 104, and Australia posted 399/8. De Leede was the bowler who suffered most, and his ten overs went for 115 with two wickets. The Netherlands were then bowled out for 90 in 21 overs and lost by 309 runs.

Joint second: Mick Lewis and Adam Zampa, both 113

Mick Lewis conceded his 113 in the fifth ODI between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on 12 March 2006. Ricky Ponting’s 164 off 105 balls and Michael Hussey’s 81 off 51 took Australia to 434/4. South Africa chased it in 49.5 overs, Herschelle Gibbs making 175 off 111 and Graeme Smith 90 off 55, and Lewis finished 10-0-113-0. He was dropped afterwards, his central contract was not renewed, and he never played for Australia again.

Adam Zampa matched the figure 17 years later, and this is the entry that most lists leave out. At SuperSport Park in Centurion on 15 September 2023, Heinrich Klaasen hit 174 off 83 balls with 13 fours and 13 sixes and David Miller made 82 not out off 45 as South Africa reached 416/5. Zampa’s ten overs went for 113 without a wicket. Australia were bowled out for 252 and lost by 164 runs.

Joint fourth: Wahab Riaz and Rashid Khan, both 110

Wahab Riaz went for 110 in ten wicketless overs against England at Nottingham on 30 August 2016. Alex Hales made 171 off 122 balls and Jos Buttler 90 not out off 51 as England posted 444/3. Pakistan were bowled out for 275 and lost by 169 runs.

Rashid Khan gave away the same 110, in nine overs and again without a wicket, against England at Old Trafford on 18 June 2019. Eoin Morgan’s 148 off 71 balls — with 17 sixes — plus Jonny Bairstow’s 90 and Joe Root’s 88 carried England to 397/6. Afghanistan replied with 247/8 and lost by 150 runs.

Philippe Boissevain, 10-0-108-0 v England, Amstelveen, 2022

Boissevain’s ten overs went for 108 in the first ODI of England’s tour of the Netherlands on 17 June 2022. Phil Salt (122), Dawid Malan (125), Jos Buttler (162 not out off 70 balls) and Liam Livingstone (66 not out off 22) took England to 498/4, which remains the highest total in ODI cricket. The Netherlands were bowled out for 266 and lost by 232 runs.

Logan van Beek, 10-0-107-0 v India, Bengaluru, 2023

The Netherlands own two of the top seven spells, and the second came three weeks after de Leede’s. In the last group game of the 2023 World Cup at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on 12 November, Shreyas Iyer made 128 not out off 94 balls and KL Rahul 102 off 64 as India reached 410/4. Van Beek’s ten overs cost 107 without a wicket. The Netherlands were bowled out for 250 and lost by 160 runs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the only India bowler on the list

Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 106 in the fifth ODI of South Africa’s tour of India at the Wankhede Stadium on 25 October 2015, though he did at least dismiss AB de Villiers. Quinton de Kock (109), Faf du Plessis (133 not out) and de Villiers (119 off 61 balls) took South Africa to 438/4. India were bowled out for 224 and lost by 214 runs, and South Africa took the series 3-2 — their first bilateral series win in India.

He is the only India bowler inside the top 13. The next one is R Vinay Kumar, who went for 102 in nine overs against Australia at Bengaluru in November 2013.