Best Test innings you can remember

[Hellgood]

Kusal's from this year was a good call.

Ponting in Manchester another amazing effort. To bat incredibly well for so long and then to get out gloving one down the leg side with four overs left was pretty harsh!

Whilst the attack was awful, AB and Amla's destruction of the Australian bowlers in Perth for the deciding test a few years back was just outrageous.

 

[74561347]

Mark Waugh, second test in Port Elizabeth, south Africa 97.

Made 116 in the 4th innings chasing down 270 to win after we'd been rolled for 100 and no one could make more than 30.

Very tough conditions and he just made it look easy

 

[Blue1980]

Matt renshaw 34*


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[t_94]

Wasn't around for it but Kim Hughes 100 no vs the West Indies in 81-82 would have to be up there.

 

[The Passenger]

Mark Waugh, second test in Port Elizabeth, south Africa 97.

His career average of 41 understates how many important innings he played for Australia.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I've seen so many great Test 100s over the years it's really hard to discriminate. Certainly the most entertaining was Gilchrist's 100 in Perth in the 2006-07 Ashes series was amazing, possibly the best and most consistent hitting I've seen.

For pure guts and quality, Kim Hughes' 100* against the West Indies in Melbourne in the 1981-82 series rates very highly. Batting in bowling friendly conditions against a ferocious attack in Roberts, Holding, Garner and Croft was an amazing innings.

Ian Chappell's 156 against the West Indies in Perth in 1975-76 is also one that ranks highly with me.

For just pure quality, Lara's 277 in Sydney easily comes to mind, but here have been just too many to pick one.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I can't remember much before 2000 - it must be age wiping my brain clean.

Damien Martyn 104 2nd test 2004 India. I may never see an Aus player play spin that well again!

Punter 2005 Ashes Manchester innings as well.

Michael Clarke's brilliant 151 in SA in the 2 match drawn series - in the test the Aussies lost because of that 47 all out.

Alan Border shepherding Thomson at the MCG during that nail-biting fourth innings last wicket partnership.

That's for the Aussies. I've watched a lot of cricket involving England as I live in the UK over the past few years and have seen some great innings.

Ian Bell on the last day of 3rd test against SA in SA 2010 - he only scored 78 but faced over 200 balls and Steyn was bowling like a man possessed.

Shiv Chanderpaul 4th test Chester Le-Street 2007 - the ball was swinging round corners at Durham and he scored an outstanding ton. He was batting in his bubble that tour as no-one else in his team could do anything else at all but he kept scoring runs. I've never seen a player so head and shoulders above anyone else he was playing alongside.

 

[Roysforever]

The Dean Jones double ton where he was as sick as a dog by the end of it.

I'm glad someone mentioned Deano. Such a pity there is a lack of footage. Nonetheless here is some commentary:

 

[PhatBoy]

Doesn't often get mentioned because his name is almost taboo us Salim Malik's 237 against Australia when they followed on something like 350 behind, helped them earn a draw and forced Australia to bowl 10 different players. also a significant match because Mark Taylor took a wicket.

Malik was in the same company as Lara, Sidhu and Tendulkar in that he was one of the few players who had general mastery over Shane Warne.

 

[SwampCreature]

I thought long and hard about this.

Steve Waugh, SCG, 2003

I don't care what anyone says, this post is the correct answer to OP's question.

Even if he has a s**t username.

 

[Vic Johnston]

Kevin OBrien distroying England's bowlers at the 2011 world cup does it for me !

 

[MisterMarcus]

6. Kumar Sangakkara v. Australia - Hobart - 2008?

From memory, wasn't Sangakarra sawn off on 190-odd when he was trying to lead SL to an improbable victory?

They needed another 80-90 odd IIRC, but Sanga was farming the strike and belting the Aussies to all parts of the ground...then got given out to a very bad decision.

 

[PhatBoy]

From memory, wasn't Sangakarra sawn off on 190-odd when he was trying to lead SL to an improbable victory?

They needed another 80-90 odd IIRC, but Sanga was farming the strike and belting the Aussies to all parts of the ground...then got given out to a very bad decision.

Couldn't have possibly missed it by more


It was Rudi Koertzen from memory - at the time I used to frequent another sports forum and within literally minutes of that dismissal, a fellow poster had a new avatar - Koertzen with a massive erect utensil on his forehead haha

 

[SwampCreature]

Kevin OBrien distroying England's bowlers at the 2011 world cup does it for me !

If we are including ODIs, then Symonds in the 2003 WC opener is better

 

[t_94]

I thought long and hard about this.

Steve Waugh, SCG, 2003

I don't care what anyone says, this post is the correct answer to OP's question.

Even if he has a s**t username.

Too many sweep shots

 

[iluvparis]

If we are including ODIs, then Symonds in the 2003 WC opener is better

"And as Ricky Ponting passed him coming onto the ground he said to Symonds - 'you just make sure you are there at the end of the innings'"

Used to be an annual Richie anecdote for years after #vale

 

[STFU Donnie]

7. Ganguly vs Australia in Brisbane (2003) - bit of a left field one, but I remember the Indians were expected to be belted that series... Ganguly entered in Brisbane with Tendulkar and Dravid out early and just creamed us to all parts. Helped draw the game and set the tone for a classic series (ended up 1-1 with Steve Waugh saving the day in his last Test innings)

You mean going for personal glory once again, and then getting out and putting the side in potential jeopardy of losing the test. That's the innings you mean?

 

[PhatBoy]

You mean going for personal glory once again, and then getting out and putting the side in potential jeopardy of losing the test. That's the innings you mean?

With 4 overs to play and 5 wickets in hand.

Yeah try again mate.

 

[PhatBoy]

By the way, I fail to see what personal glory he was going for.

India had one bowling threat in that series - Kumble - and Waugh took 18 runs from 77 balls he faced from him.

Gee if I didn't know better, I'd almost think Waugh's 80 helped his team to a draw.

 

[Tiff]

Clarke's 151*

Got belted by Morne Morkel several times. Struggled to score.

Suddenly 151 out of what, 280?

All of the usual knocks make this list and I've never been a huge fan of Clarke and he will never be remembered as a soldier type alongside Waugh and co. but this knock is as good and tough as any that's been played.

Got absolutely pummelled by Morkel, hit in the head, arm, ribs, elbow. Had a completely stuffed back, I heard he nearly didn't even make it out of bed the next day. Hits 161 not out.

Pure captains knock. Yes it was 161 not 151

 

[SwampCreature]

The 'Steve Waugh was selfish' train of thought comes from a pretty stupid place and continues to be carried by pretty stupid people.

It's a pretty good way to gauge folk not worth talking about cricket with.

The game he is talking about - the shot he is talking about, more accurately - was the signature Waugh slog-sweep, caught on the boundary (by Tendulker, incidently). Looks bad if you only see it on replay on YouTube.

The context - a concept often disregarded by fools - was the game was headed for a draw, there was 20 mins to go, it was his last test match of 160, the man was on 80-odd and was trying to reach 100, with the best wishes to do so from his teamates, the crowd and everyone in Australia.

 

[MisterMarcus]

The 'Steve Waugh was selfish' train of thought comes from a pretty stupid place and continues to be carried by pretty stupid people.

It's a pretty good way to gauge folk not worth talking about cricket with.

The game he is talking about - the shot he is talking about, more accurately - was the signature Waugh slog-sweep, caught on the boundary (by Tendulker, incidently). Looks bad if you only see it on replay on YouTube.

The context - a concept often disregarded by fools - was the game was headed for a draw, there was 20 mins to go, it was his last test match of 160, the man was on 80-odd and was trying to reach 100, with the best wishes to do so from his teamates, the crowd and everyone in Australia.

In hindsight, it looked a little "selfish" because IIRC Gilchrist went out a couple of balls later, and then India were into the tail with a few overs still left. It worked out fine, but Waugh would have been absolutely crucified (with some justification) if his slog-sweep left the door open for India to run through the last couple of wickets.

 

[SwampCreature]

I see what you mean but I think that's a perception that's grown after the event. It wasn't exactly a Martyn-RSA-93-type situation.

The Waugh-as-selfish thing really started with the average-hog accusations levelled at him because of the way he batted with the tail (never mind the fact that the reason he often batted with the tail was he put such a high price on his wicket, almost the most unselfish thing you can do in cricket).

Again though, that was about placing trust and belief in his teamates, which helped them grow in confidence at the other end. Not very selfish.

 

[SwampCreature]

TL;DR - I will fight people who say bad stuff about Steve Waugh with my hands

 

[iluvparis]

TL;DR - I will fight people who say bad stuff about Steve Waugh with my hands

I'd rather watch Mark Waugh make 20 than Steve make a 100