SOUTH AFRICAN BATSMAN SAYS SCORING 490 WAS 'BEST DAY' OF HIS LIFE

Shane Dadswell clubbed the incredible knock in a 50-over game

Club cricketer Shane Dadswell says making 490 in just 151 balls was the best day of his life.

The NWU Pukke opener blitzed the remarkable score in a clash with Potch Dorp 1 in Potchefstroom on Saturday, rewriting history in the process.

Dadswell, who celebrated his 20th birthday on the day of his incredible innings, recorded the highest known individual score in minor, limited-overs cricket.

And the size of the achievement is still sinking in.

“Honestly it’s not even something you dream about,” Dadswell said.

“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.”

The previous weekend Dadswell, who describes himself as ‘a bit of an attacking batsman’ also turned in a remarkable performance, though it went unnoticed.

“It’s been an amazing two weeks because last week I got 126 off 38 balls,” he said.

“So, there’s certainly an attacking nature inside me.”

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 Now Dadswell is starting to consider what a life in professional cricket might look like.

“It would be amazing to play cricket for a living,” he said.

“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.

“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.”

Pukke’s total of 677 for three is the highest recorded in 50-over minor cricket,  beating the previous highest total of 629 for five, made by University of Warwick 2nd XI against Newman College in 2007.

Dorp did make a fist of the game by responding with 290 for nine, but they lost by 387 runs.

Dadswell capped a fine all-round contribution with the ball by finishing with two for 32 in seven overs.

^{Shane Dadswell hit 490 in 151 balls}