Best Test innings you can remember

[Natho]

Gilly in 2006 Ashes at the Wacca. Explosive

That innings had some of the best cricket shots you could ever imagine.

 

[footyfan1978]

Mark Waugh first Test century I saw live at Adelaide Oval in early 1990's. Was just sublime craftmanship to watch unfold. Best batting I seen in person.

I can never forget staying up late in 1980 watching the Centenary Test from Lord's.
Kim Hughes batting in the match is one of the most memorable batting displays I seen.

Michael Clarke first triple hundred about 5 years back was some of best batting I seen for a long innings.

Gilchrist first double ton against South Africa in South Africa was awesome too.

Both innings by the Waugh brothers when they finally broke the West Indies spirit in 1995 in their partnership is hard to top.

Gordon Greenidge four years earlier in West Indies against us most stunning innings I seen against us.

 

[Hellgood]

Kevin Pietersen's 186 v India in Mumbai.

Another very worthy candidate. Was obscene how easy he was making it look.

 

[iluvparis]

Have we won a test in India since then?

EFA

 

[SwampCreature]

Have we won a series in India since then?

[Nor test]

No we have not. And in the previous 40+ years before that series, we won just 2 (97(8?) & 01).

That winter we won 3 - although there were much more visible victories, that series probably stands in the golden era's top 3 achievements.

 

[Sando22]

That innings had some of the best cricket shots you could ever imagine.

Yep. Pure hitting without looking like he's trying to smash the cover off it.

 

[PhatBoy]

No we have not. And in the previous 40+ years before that series, we won just 2 (97(8?) & 01).

That winter we won 3 - although there were much more visible victories, that series probably stands in the golden era's top 3 achievements.

Yeah we won the 3rd test in 98 and the first, thanks to Gilchrist and Hayden, in 01.

 

[Power Raid]

Steve Waugh on his last legs in his career. He squeezed out a century against England in the final few balls of the day.

It wasn't pretty but the determination was enough

 

[SwampCreature]

Steve Waugh on his last legs in his career. He squeezed out a century against England in the final few balls of the day.

It wasn't pretty but the determination was enough

GOOD DONE WELL POST

 

[Cursed Cat]

I'll always be a fan of some of Alan Border's backs-to-the-wall efforts in the mid-80's; he was the only world-class batsman in the Australian test side for a long time and some of the runs he scored against quality opposition with zero support remain in my mind to this day.

I'll nominate his 2nd innings 163 against India at the MCG in 1985 as one of his better efforts - he came in at #3 and gutsed it out despite wickets falling all around him - the next highest score was Extras with 28.
He and Dave Gilbert put on 77 for the last wicket, and I still remember Border's grim satisfaction at helping his country avoid the follow-on in that game. Australia escaped with a draw despite being outclassed by India all game long, all thanks to Border's determination.

I never saw his 98* +100 against the Windies in Trinidad back in 1984, but I do remember Jeffrey Dujon saying he couldn't remember better batting and that one of his (Dujon's) greatest regrets in cricket was Border being stranded on 98 and not getting a chance to reach a century in the first innings (he got an even ton in the 2nd innings though). And again, Australia limped away with a draw thanks to AB's heroics.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Rick McCosker's knock with a broken jaw in the centenary Test probably deserves a mention.

 

[Smoooothy]

Shane George & Peter McIntyre facing the last 20 odd overs in the 95/96 shield final

Jamie Siddons also, 4 from about 200 balls

edit - I can't read....

 

[SwampCreature]

Shane George & Peter McIntyre facing the last 20 odd overs in the 95/96 shield final

Jamie Siddons also, 4 from about 200 balls

edit - I can't read....

Still a worthy entry despite not tests.

Hadn't thought of these kind of innings but see your point. Faf's debut Adelaide blockathon comes to mind as one in a similar vein.

I wish Aus had someone atm with that much heart and determination

Instead we have a HERP DERP DANCE SWING culture.

 

[Gough]

Still a worthy entry despite not tests.

Hadn't thought of these kind of innings but see your point. Faf's debut Adelaide blockathon comes to mind as one in a similar vein.

I wish Aus had someone atm with that much heart and determination

Instead we have a HERP DERP DANCE SWING culture.

Whit, and Billy against Hadlee in Melbourne was pretty good.

 

[PhatBoy]

The three standout soak up time innings of my lifetime are Greatbatch making 130 odd at Perth over 2 days, Atherton batting for 15 hours at the Wanderers and making 180, and Faf. I think I'm correct in saying each of them succeeded in getting the job done.

 

[Zach Package]

Pup's 329 is up there for the sheer pisstakeidge.

Looked like he was using the cricket 2004 superbat cheat against an attack of 9 year olds

 

[Natho]

Yep. Pure hitting without looking like he's trying to smash the cover off it.

Those sixes he hit over mid on were glorious.

 

[Gough]

Two innings that were memorable for me because I was lucky enough to see both of them, although other may not remember them as well, were Gower's hundred in the boxing day Test 1990, and Azhars hundred in Adelaide in 1992. Both were just so elegant, the Adelaide Test was also notable for Tubby Taylor being bowled by Tendulkar. +1 for M.R Waugh's debut hundred too.

 

[The Passenger]

Two innings that were memorable for me because I was lucky enough to see both of them, although other may not remember them as well, were Gower's hundred in the boxing day Test 1990, and Azhars hundred in Adelaide in 1992. Both were just so elegant, the Adelaide Test was also notable for Tubby Taylor being bowled by Tendulkar. +1 for M.R Waugh's debut hundred too.

We talk about changing the schedules, but that summer schedule is ridiculous when you look back at it.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/62295.html

1 test, 6 ODIs, 2 tests, 6 ODI's, 3 WSC finals, 2 tests, world cup

 

[Gough]

Didn't have to buy separate tickets for the World Cup either, your members pass got you in. I watched a s**t load of cricket that summer, Sydney, and Adelaide Tests plus the all the ODIs at the oval. My old man, and one of his old Zim mates flew to Albury to watch them beat the English as well, said it was one of the more enjoyable days at the cricket he's ever had.

 

[Sando22]

Those sixes he hit over mid on were glorious.

Some of the greats.
Didn't just clear the rope either!

 

[saj_21]

I know its not a test innings, but Bevan's hundred against NZ at the G in 2002.

We were done at 6 - 82 chasing 245, he put together partnerships with Warne, Lee and Bichel to get us over the line in the last over. I remember listening to it on the radio as channel 9 didn't show the game live all day like they do now. I remember this over;

Australia 230/8 MG Bevan 92* (89b 7x4)
48.1 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.2 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.3 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.4 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.5 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.6 Adams to Bevan, no run

He just keep hitting the ball two different parts of the field.

 

[PhatBoy]

I know its not a test innings, but Bevan's hundred against NZ at the G in 2002.

We were done at 6 - 82 chasing 245, he put together partnerships with Warne, Lee and Bichel to get us over the line in the last over. I remember listening to it on the radio as channel 9 didn't show the game live all day like they do now. I remember this over;

Australia 230/8 MG Bevan 92* (89b 7x4)
48.1 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.2 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.3 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.4 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.5 Adams to Bevan, 2 runs

48.6 Adams to Bevan, no run

He just keep hitting the ball two different parts of the field.

That was a great knock.

The same summer I'm fairly certain, Chris Cairns (got him on the brain after talking about him in another thread) made a brilliant hundred batting mostly with, from memory, Adam parore at 8, to chase down a big score against SA.Made 102 not out and won them.the game on the first ball of the last over.

It was the perfect mix of clobber and control.

 

[kickazz]

Adam Gilchrist WACA 2006.

The thing that made it great for me was not so much the sixes, but the fours.

Such was his dominance, England more or less put everyone on the boundary (no limit of 5 like in ODIs!).

Yet Gilly still managed to strike the ball with such force AND precision that it would race into the fence between two fielders who simply could not get to it in time.

 

[kickazz]

If that's the case I apologise. I thought there was a variant on the playing a shot rule in the early 1990s.

Don't knopw if it led to an interpretation change or not, but the nature of "offering a genuine shot" was discussed after Rackemann's innings.

I recall him playing a "forward defence" to many balls outside the line, but with the bat almost completely behind the pad, making it very questionable as to if he was genuinely attempting to hit the ball with his bat.