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Which innings reversed the course of a match the most in history of Test cricket?

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Harsh Thakor

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My list of innings that most turned or reversed the course of test match in order of merit.

1.Ian Botham's 149 n.o.at Leeds v Australia in 1981



2.Inzamam Ul Haq 138 n.o.v Bangladesh in 2003 at Multan



3.V.V.S Laxman 281 v Australia at Kolkata



4.Kamran Akmal 113 at Karachi v India in 2nd test in 2006.




5.Brian Lara's 153 n.o at Barbados v Australia in 1999.




5.Graham Gooch's 154 n.o at Leeds in 1991 v West Indies




7.Mike Hussey 134 n.o at Sydney v Pakistan in the 2nd test in 2010-11.




8.Neil Harvey 151 n.o v South Africa in 1951-52.



9.Dinesh Chandimal's 162 n.o at Galle in 1st test v India in 2015



10.Adam Gilchrist 149 n.o v Pakistan in 1999 in 2nd test at Hobart



11.Gundappa Vishwanath 97 n.o at Madras in 1974-7.v West Indies



12.Kim Hughes 100 n.o v West Indies at Melbourne in 1981-82.





Placed Ian Botham's 149 n.o at Leeds at the top because he literally created the impact of a Hurricane performing cricket's ultimate houdini act.with England at 133-7,trailing by 227 runs in the 1st innings .Not technically majestic but resurrected a team from the grave to rise like a phoenix from the ashes with cavalier hitting all around the wicket with agression rarely seen in Sport.Virtually instilled a new spirit in the English team when they came out to field,defending a meagre target of 130 Above all on wicket that was not fit for test cricket.Can never forget his imperious pull and hook shots and majestic drives.Never witnessed a knock that so much revived a nation's spirit.

Inzamam's majestic revived a sinking ship to take Pakistan to a glorious win displaying the nerves of a tiger,exhibiting phenomenal skill in batting with the tail.Pakistan were literally dead and buried before Inzy's majestic assault.


V..V.S Laxman wast he ultimate epitome of batting artistry when literally re-incarnating Botham's feat at Leeds .Not rated at 1st or 2nd place because Rahul Dravid aslo played an invaluable role scoring 180 in an epic 376 run stand.

Kamran Akmal's 113 v India was simply masterpiece like a sensational twist in the plot of an epic novel.

Brian Lara was majestic on a broken wicket at Barbados in a 308 winning run chase when everything looked lost.Took batting genius to regions of divinity bissecting the most impregnable gaps.


Graham Gooch displayed cricketing skill at it's greatest height when carving out a classic unbeaten 154 in a low scoring match


Neil Harvey's unbeaten 151 was classic in bad wicket in a4th innings run chase enabling his team to chase a target of 336.

Mike Hussey robbed Pakistan of almost a certain win displaying mastery in maneuvering the strike with the tail.

Although Dinesh Chandimal was lucky in getting a reprieve from an umpiring decision his knock created abase for one of test cricket's famous turn arounds.
 
I'm Pakistani but would probably go for Laxman's 281.
 
Great list, but I probably will go for that 214 at Kingston (Lara) as top pick. As an innings, 153* indeed was better, but that 214 was made after WI got bundled for 47 and lost the toss to bat 2nd on a cracking at Sabina Park wicket. I watched almost every ball and even WI commies were actually convinced that unless it rains significantly, 0-4 was very much possibility- from there on, one guy beat twice what has to one of the very best ever team of all time.

Hervey’s one (1949-50) was an outstanding innings, one of my top few of ever great innings - he chased an impossible target against Tayfield after SAF didn’t enforce the follow on in a series saver - but, it wasn't a series defining innings. Aussies were already dominating in 1st 2 Tests & went on to take 3-0 lead, and a 4-1 series win.
 
VVS Laxman - 281 vs Australia, Eden Gardens 2001

The knock that defied an unstoppable force.

The knock that redefined Indian cricket in the new milenium.

It was not an inning. It was an event that should be written in golden letters in the history book of cricket.
 
Of the ones I watched live I remember Chandimal's Galle inning making match changing impact. What a daredevil inning that was.
 
freelance_cricketer said:
VVS Laxman - 281 vs Australia, Eden Gardens 2001

The knock that defied an unstoppable force.

The knock that redefined Indian cricket in the new milenium.

It was not an inning. It was an event that should be written in golden letters in the history book of cricket.
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That was indeed a history making inning. So sad that at that time I was bowling with tennis ball in my backyard ground instead of watching VVS and Dravid.
 
Moin Khan at Eden Garden comes to mind.

Azhar Mahmood vs South Africa at Durban, one of the best innings I ever saw. Against a top bowling attack on a bowlers paradise.

Stuard Broad in the infamous Lords test.
 
ridiculous thread topic

At no point was the whole storied history of the Test game was not changed by one series let alone one inning
 
VVS's 281 ended follow-on culture almost... rarely captains ask opposition teams to follow-on even with high lead.

Safe option to bat again, give rest to bowlers and win the match by bowling on day 4/5 pitch :salute
 
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IndianFan2018 said:
VVS's 281 ended follow-on culture almost... rarely captains ask opposition teams to follow-on even with high lead.

Safe option to bat again, give rest to bowlers and win the match on last innings on day 4/5 :salute
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Funny how people believe myths.

Four Tests and five months later at The Oval, Waugh had another chance to enforce the follow-on.

He did and Australia won by an innings and 25 runs.

Before his captaincy reign ended he had another six opportunities to enforce the follow-on and he did it each time and each time his side won.

So, the man who led Australia to that famous loss at Kolkata enforced the follow-on on each of the seven occasions he had the chance after that fateful Test and won every time.
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Gilly said:
Funny how people believe myths.
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Steve Waugh didn't changed his captaincy style fair enough .. lot of other captains did changed after that innings. If u don't agree fine brother!

Certainly it's a not myth, it's a fact ! #InMyOpinion
 
Harsh Thakor said:
2.Inzamam Ul Haq 138 n.o.v Bangladesh in 2003 at Multan
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While a fantastic knock under the circumstances; he was up against a village cricket level bowling attack with a combined bowling average of 55 so no way can it be at #2.

Azhar Mahmood's 132 vs an ATG South African lineup with Donald, Pollock, Fannie de Villiers and Klusener was a far better knock.

In recent times, Kusal Mendis 176 vs Australia deserves to be up there.
 
IndianFan2018 said:
Steve Waugh didn't changed his captaincy style fair enough .. lot of other captains did changed after that innings. If u don't agree fine brother!

Certainly it's a not myth, it's a fact ! #InMyOpinion
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If it is a fact then name the captains that changed after that innings otherwise it just a myth. If there were lots of them then naming three or four should be easy.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
May be you misunderstood the "myth". It was not just in Australia matches. Overall. Almost everywhere when there was scenario of enforcing follow on Eden Gardens test was being referenced.

One such match i recall is this. They bowled only 42 overs yet they chose to bat again. They had guys like Shane bond, vettori, Tuffey.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...1st-test-new-zealand-tour-of-west-indies-2002
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In 1999 before the Kolkata test NZ could have made England follow on after bowling them out for 126 (46 overs) but chose to bat again. Fleming did the same thing before and after the Kolkata test.
 
Don't know about Tests but in ODIs most of Azhars, Shehzads and Misbahs innings have reversed the course of a match in the oppositions favour.
 
Gilly said:
If it is a fact then name the captains that changed after that innings otherwise it just a myth. If there were lots of them then naming three or four should be easy.
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You made up your mind, no point giving examples. Let's agree to disagree.


It's a perception change in captains towards follow-ons after that innings, there will be some exceptions.

Can some one dig up stats on number of follow-ons enforced pre and post VVS's 281 miracle innings please !
 
IndianFan2018 said:
You made up your mind, no point giving examples. Let's agree to disagree.


It's a perception change in captains towards follow-ons after that innings, there will be some exceptions.

Can some one dig up stats on number of follow-ons enforced pre and post VVS's 281 miracle innings please !
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Actually there is a point of giving examples, the reason is because I have read several articles that point out that it is a myth that the follow on changed because of that innings and give stats to explain why it is a myth.

I have yet to read an article where they claim that innings did change things and give stats to prove the point.

What I think makes no difference, its what the facts are that makes the difference, give me facts on how and who and then I can see why its not a myth.
 
Gilly said:
In 1999 before the Kolkata test NZ could have made England follow on after bowling them out for 126 (46 overs) but chose to bat again. Fleming did the same thing before and after the Kolkata test.
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Probably you have to dig a little more to find out. I used to follow all the cricket in the early 2000. So it was certainly not one off. It is not a myth since your article refers only to Australia's decisions. Probably some overzealous fan wanted to prove something that is not entirely false. I purely go by memory listening to the commentary ,post match discussions about the matches.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
Probably you have to dig a little more to find out. I used to follow all the cricket in the early 2000. So it was certainly not one off. It is not a myth since your article refers only to Australia's decisions. Probably some overzealous fan wanted to prove something that is not entirely false. I purely go by memory listening to the commentary ,post match discussions about the matches.
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Can't change few minds, fans who followed from long clearly know the shift of captains approach towards follow-on in tests after VVS's 281 coming from back innings !

Of course few exceptions like Michael Clark, Brendon McCullum did enforce follow-on.
 
Do people here realise that there is cricket outside India and Pakistan and every thread shouldn't have to be about these two countries?

As for the topic, it has to be Botham's 149. It literally changed the entire series. Just the audacity to come out and score at a 100+ strike rate when you are 0-1 in an Ashes series at home and the team is effectively at (-)187/4. Ridiculous. Next best was almost 1/3rd his score.

Laxman probably a close second but he had greater support in Dravid and Kolkata heat.
 
Princejain191 said:
Do people here realise that there is cricket outside India and Pakistan and every thread shouldn't have to be about these two countries?

As for the topic, it has to be Botham's 149. It literally changed the entire series. Just the audacity to come out and score at a 100+ strike rate when you are 0-1 in an Ashes series at home and the team is effectively at (-)187/4. Ridiculous. Next best was almost 1/3rd his score.

Laxman probably a close second but he had greater support in Dravid and Kolkata heat.
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This is bigger because India was up against ATG Australian side not the Australian side from the 80s. They were on rampage winning 16 tests in a row with 2 ATG bowler and 1 great inform bowler Gillespie. I watched every second of 3rd day and 4th day. Feeling was amazing when Laxman was playing different shots to the same length of shane warne. 344/0 day 4.. what a feeling for a fan. I did not sleep a wink as i was in Central America
 
Princejain191 said:
Do people here realise that there is cricket outside India and Pakistan and every thread shouldn't have to be about these two countries?
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Kinda hard to watch every test match from history. And highlights and match coverage doesn't count when rating performance. Tests for me have rhythm and those only became apparent when followed live. We will obviously know more about recent matches/India & Pakistan matches.
 
JattMaula said:
Kinda hard to watch every test match from history. And highlights and match coverage doesn't count when rating performance. Tests for me have rhythm and those only became apparent when followed live. We will obviously know more about recent matches/India & Pakistan matches.
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Fair enough. I have learned a lot of the innings I haven't watched based on tons of articles, scorecards and some highlights. But in a question that is so broad, only those innings that we have watched should not make up for the answer. And even if they do, important to acknowledge that our knowledge of most brilliant test innings is severely limited, which no one does.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
This is bigger because India was up against ATG Australian side not the Australian side from the 80s. They were on rampage winning 16 tests in a row with 2 ATG bowler and 1 great inform bowler Gillespie. I watched every second of 3rd day and 4th day. Feeling was amazing when Laxman was playing different shots to the same length of shane warne. 344/0 day 4.. what a feeling for a fan. I did not sleep a wink as i was in Central America
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But the fact that it wasn't an ATG australian side makes for more pressure when you are losing to them at home, especially in the most revered series for most Englishmen. And that 80s attack was pretty decent too. You would rather want to face McGrath, Warne and Gilespie in India than a Lillee, Alderman and Lawson in England.
 
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Princejain191 said:
Fair enough. I have learned a lot of the innings I haven't watched based on tons of articles, scorecards and some highlights. But in a question that is so broad, only those innings that we have watched should not make up for the answer. And even if they do, important to acknowledge that our knowledge of most brilliant test innings is severely limited, which no one does.
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Knowledge is limited. Mine and everyone else's. So its quite logical to rate what we see rather that what some romantics write. And I expressed opinion not fact. In fact there maybe some better inning that none of us have watched/read about.
 
Princejain191 said:
But the fact that it wasn't an ATG australian side makes for more pressure when you are losing to them at home, especially in the most revered series for most Englishmen. And that 80s attack was pretty decent too. You would rather want to face McGrath, Warne and Gilespie in India than a Lillee, Alderman and Lawson in England.
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That is a subjective take. Willis made his innings more meaningful defending 130 runs.IN India's case Laxman's innings already put India in an unlosable position. Sure he had Dravid. But Botham had Dilley.
It was so much so that if India had just lost one wicket Australia would have run through them. He made a chanceless 281. If you look at Laxmans innings it was not a traditional counter attackign innings where you make use of most of aggressive field sets . Botham made 149 in 148 balls. That was like half a day worth batting? Laxman had to bat flawlessly for more than a day without offering semblance of chance.
 
JattMaula said:
Knowledge is limited. Mine and everyone else's. So its quite logical to rate what we see rather that what some romantics write. And I expressed opinion not fact. In fact there maybe some better inning that none of us have watched/read about.
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Exactly English are known for hyping anything more than it deserves the hype lol They wrote pages and pages about Atherton's 10 hour marathon.
 
Princejain191 said:
Do people here realise that there is cricket outside India and Pakistan and every thread shouldn't have to be about these two countries?

As for the topic, it has to be Botham's 149. It literally changed the entire series. Just the audacity to come out and score at a 100+ strike rate when you are 0-1 in an Ashes series at home and the team is effectively at (-)187/4. Ridiculous. Next best was almost 1/3rd his score.

Laxman probably a close second but he had greater support in Dravid and Kolkata heat.
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Did you watch that Botham and Laxman inning live?
 
JattMaula said:
Knowledge is limited. Mine and everyone else's. So its quite logical to rate what we see rather that what some romantics write. And I expressed opinion not fact. In fact there maybe some better inning that none of us have watched/read about.
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True, but reading I have learned helps a lot in understanding the little little things in the game and you are better able to appreciate the game tbf.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
That is a subjective take. Willis made his innings more meaningful defending 130 runs.IN India's case Laxman's innings already put India in an unlosable position. Sure he had Dravid. But Botham had Dilley.
It was so much so that if India had just lost one wicket Australia would have run through them. He made a chanceless 281. If you look at Laxmans innings it was not a traditional counter attackign innings where you make use of most of aggressive field sets . Botham made 149 in 148 balls. That was like half a day worth batting? Laxman had to bat flawlessly for more than a day without offering semblance of chance.
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England were (-102)/7 at a point in the second inning too. And both type of innings have their charm. Attrition and counter-attack are both impressive. It is ok that you find Laxman's inning better. I have a soft spot for the audacious.
 
Among the ones I saw,

VVS 281 definitely the standout performance.
 
Princejain191 said:
England were (-102)/7 at a point in the second inning too. And both type of innings have their charm. Attrition and counter-attack are both impressive. It is ok that you find Laxman's inning better. I have a soft spot for the audacious.
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Laxman's innings was far from attritional. They made 344 runs in a single day. He was batting like a surgeon that day. Out of the world innings. Mcgrath pulled out all the tricks from his bag. Gillespie was exceptional too.

On a side note Laxman himself played an audacious innings like Botham's at Sydney where he made 167 runs 160 balls i think. He ripped Brett Lee to shreds. Though India lost that innings was an amazing innings.
 
If you look at the field set for his 149 you will laugh. Sehwag would thoroughly enjoyed a field set like this lol He would have 300s for fun in the 80s.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oG7oRGEh9KM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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freelance_cricketer said:
VVS Laxman - 281 vs Australia, Eden Gardens 2001

The knock that defied an unstoppable force.

The knock that redefined Indian cricket in the new milenium.

It was not an inning. It was an event that should be written in golden letters in the history book of cricket.
Click to expand...

Nothing to add.
 
Laxman's 281.

Helped us craft a wonderful decade with players who helped us reach #1, leaving the match-fixing crisis far behind. Of course, we won the test match and series as well.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
Laxman's innings was far from attritional. They made 344 runs in a single day. He was batting like a surgeon that day. Out of the world innings. Mcgrath pulled out all the tricks from his bag. Gillespie was exceptional too.

On a side note Laxman himself played an audacious innings like Botham's at Sydney where he made 167 runs 160 balls i think. He ripped Brett Lee to shreds. Though India lost that innings was an amazing innings.
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Attrition defines Laxman's inning for me. Google says attrition is "the process of reducing something's strength or effectiveness through sustained attack or pressure"

And that Sydney inning must have been amazing, but the circumstances in Botham's 149 were completely different. No point in demeaning the 149. Both 281 and 149 were brilliant. You have a different opinion on which one fits the question asked in the post better and that is OK.
 
Gilly said:
What I think makes no difference, its what the facts are that makes the difference, give me facts on how and who and then I can see why its not a myth.
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Here's a fact for you. Laxman obliterated the myth that Australia would win a 17th consecutive test :)
 
Princejain191 said:
Attrition defines Laxman's inning for me. Google says attrition is "the process of reducing something's strength or effectiveness through sustained attack or pressure"

And that Sydney inning must have been amazing, but the circumstances in Botham's 149 were completely different. No point in demeaning the 149. Both 281 and 149 were brilliant. You have a different opinion on which one fits the question asked in the post better and that is OK.
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23525235.jpg
 
jnaveen1980 said:
If you look at the field set for his 149 you will laugh. Sehwag would thoroughly enjoyed a field set like this lol He would have 300s for fun in the 80s.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oG7oRGEh9KM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Good observation - it all started from there for me as well. About 3 decades back, as a kid I also first thought, why they are making it so complicated? Whole field is open, 4 slips, 2 gullies, short leg, and may be only player in front is a short cover - still why these batsmen are blocking/leaving whole day like a coward? This game must be much more simple than this.

However, I had to cross examine as well - All these so called Test batting greats might not be as intelligent as me, but it can't be a mass scale dumbness that everyone from Gary Sobers to Sunil Gavaskar, is doing same coward thing and openers are happy to go to 1st lunch at 45/0 ...... So, I became devil's advocate for myself ..... am I seeing what all needs to be seen? By any chance, am I missing some tricks? May be, with all my intelligence, I might be missing some tricks here - so let's listen to what they say when batsmen are shoulder arming, when there is no one to protect boundary, why bouncers are allowed to fly pass when there is only two man in leg side, why good length staffs are blocked on front foot with no one in front ..... then started to read a bit as well.

May be, you should start something in that line - after that, you start to rethink - 1-0 down, sacked as Captain in previous Test, on the verge of being dropped, 3rd day Headingley track under cloud with easterly breeze blowing from the north sea (you have to read Cardus, to know what it means at Headingley, for easterly wind blowing from north sea with moisture - particularly the day Lancs are batting in the Rose's game), 7 down after following on and with still 50+ to make Aussies bat again, DK Lillee, Terry Alderman, Geoff Lawson charging with 2nd new ball, and bookies set 1-500 odd .............. and then someone hitting 300 for fun .............
 
VVS 281 .... because I saw that “ LIVE “ ..... both him and Dravid were removing their shirts and squzzing the perspiration out in the heat of Calcutta !!!!! This went on for a day and a half .... a sight to see !!!!!
 
Laxman's knock for me as well. I thought the series was gone by day 3. Australia absolutely thrashed India in Mumbai and were more than 240 runs ahead after first innings of the second test. People forget that Laxman also scored an important fifty in the first innings as well. We reached 170 odd only because if that innings. The other thing is that Laxman was playing in the middle order and was pushed to number 3 in the second innings. Masterstroke by Ganguly as Dravid was struggling at number 3 and Laxman was in brilliant form, helped both the players to get back in form.
 
hadi123 said:
I'm Pakistani but would probably go for Laxman's 281.
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I am surprised many people missed McCullum's 302 at Wellington in 2014.

Although he did not win NZ the game - he saved them from the abyss and certain defeat after trailing by 250 runs and being 94/5 in the 3rd innings! Stuff of legends!

It was a microcosm of the Indian team from 2010 up until the present where they could not find a way to win away from home (other than the hapless SL and WI). One of the main reason why Dhoni was a good captain but not a great one like Ganguly.
 
Princejain191 said:
England were (-102)/7 at a point in the second inning too. And both type of innings have their charm. Attrition and counter-attack are both impressive. It is ok that you find Laxman's inning better. I have a soft spot for the audacious.
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Remember the wet conditions and wicket at Leeds when Botham played and the 222 runs scored by the last 3 wickets because of Botham's monumental knock.England was in a more precarious position at 135-7 still needing 92 to avoid an innings defeat tahn when laxman came in against Australia..I feel in terms of impact Botham overshadowed Laxman.In addition Rahul Dravid too had a big role to play in Kolkata .Botham totally reversed the plot like a sensational twist in a Hollywood thriller.Botham's scoring rate was also phenomenal.
 
MMHS said:
Great list, but I probably will go for that 214 at Kingston (Lara) as top pick. As an innings, 153* indeed was better, but that 214 was made after WI got bundled for 47 and lost the toss to bat 2nd on a cracking at Sabina Park wicket. I watched almost every ball and even WI commies were actually convinced that unless it rains significantly, 0-4 was very much possibility- from there on, one guy beat twice what has to one of the very best ever team of all time.

Hervey’s one (1949-50) was an outstanding innings, one of my top few of ever great innings - he chased an impossible target against Tayfield after SAF didn’t enforce the follow on in a series saver - but, it wasn't a series defining innings. Aussies were already dominating in 1st 2 Tests & went on to take 3-0 lead, and a 4-1 series win.
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Technically agree with you ,infact I placed Lara's 213 knock first around 9th place.I felt Lara reversed the game more at Barbados after half the team was dismissed in a run chase unlike at Kingston.Nevertheless right up there.More precarious wicket at Barbados .What about comparison between Botham and Laxman's knocks?Agree with my placing ?
 
Princejain191 said:
Do people here realise that there is cricket outside India and Pakistan and every thread shouldn't have to be about these two countries?

As for the topic, it has to be Botham's 149. It literally changed the entire series. Just the audacity to come out and score at a 100+ strike rate when you are 0-1 in an Ashes series at home and the team is effectively at (-)187/4. Ridiculous. Next best was almost 1/3rd his score.

Laxman probably a close second but he had greater support in Dravid and Kolkata heat.
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totally agree.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
If you look at the field set for his 149 you will laugh. Sehwag would thoroughly enjoyed a field set like this lol He would have 300s for fun in the 80s.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oG7oRGEh9KM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Not a test standard pitch.Responsible for creating the greatest turnaround ever in the history of test cricket .Never in the history of the game has a side looking so dead and bried ressurected itself from the grave to attain glory like here.Imagine a century of 87 balls facing likes of Lillee,Alderman and Lawson.Like the script of a Hollywod epic.
 
VVS laxman for me, that knock not only changed the course of that test and series but was also the catalyst to a great turn-around in Indian cricket. Absolutely epic innings!
 
For me has to be inzi, from a selfish fan point of view, i still remember watching this game early morning in the UK. Bangladesh were on course for their first ever test win, but Inzi and Shabbir Ahmed if i am not mistaken took us home. first ever time i cried tears of joy watching Pakistan.
 
Harsh Thakor said:
Not a test standard pitch.Responsible for creating the greatest turnaround ever in the history of test cricket .Never in the history of the game has a side looking so dead and bried ressurected itself from the grave to attain glory like here.Imagine a century of 87 balls facing likes of Lillee,Alderman and Lawson.Like the script of a Hollywod epic.
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How are you going to factually prove that Lillee well past prime was better than McGrath at his peak ? Which spinner in that 81 match came remotely close to Warne? And Gillespie , Kasprowicz - both at peak - were far better than Alderman and Lawson.

Aus were one wkt away from shutting out India and winning the series.
 
Harsh Thakor said:
Placed Ian Botham's 149 n.o at Leeds at the top because he literally created the impact of a Hurricane performing cricket's ultimate houdini act.with England at 133-7,trailing by 227 runs in the 1st innings .Not technically majestic but resurrected a team from the grave to rise like a phoenix from the ashes with cavalier hitting all around the wicket with agression rarely seen in Sport.Virtually instilled a new spirit in the English team when they came out to field,defending a meagre target of 130 Above all on wicket that was not fit for test cricket.Can never forget his imperious pull and hook shots and majestic drives.Never witnessed a knock that so much revived a nation's spirit.
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Fast bowler Graeme Dilley's role should not be overlooked. He outscored Botham to fifty, square-driving Lillee for four after four.
 
MMHS said:
Good observation - it all started from there for me as well. About 3 decades back, as a kid I also first thought, why they are making it so complicated? Whole field is open, 4 slips, 2 gullies, short leg, and may be only player in front is a short cover - still why these batsmen are blocking/leaving whole day like a coward? This game must be much more simple than this.

However, I had to cross examine as well - All these so called Test batting greats might not be as intelligent as me, but it can't be a mass scale dumbness that everyone from Gary Sobers to Sunil Gavaskar, is doing same coward thing and openers are happy to go to 1st lunch at 45/0 ...... So, I became devil's advocate for myself ..... am I seeing what all needs to be seen? By any chance, am I missing some tricks? May be, with all my intelligence, I might be missing some tricks here - so let's listen to what they say when batsmen are shoulder arming, when there is no one to protect boundary, why bouncers are allowed to fly pass when there is only two man in leg side, why good length staffs are blocked on front foot with no one in front ..... then started to read a bit as well.

May be, you should start something in that line - after that, you start to rethink - 1-0 down, sacked as Captain in previous Test, on the verge of being dropped, 3rd day Headingley track under cloud with easterly breeze blowing from the north sea (you have to read Cardus, to know what it means at Headingley, for easterly wind blowing from north sea with moisture - particularly the day Lancs are batting in the Rose's game), 7 down after following on and with still 50+ to make Aussies bat again, DK Lillee, Terry Alderman, Geoff Lawson charging with 2nd new ball, and bookies set 1-500 odd .............. and then someone hitting 300 for fun .............
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More emphasis was placed on holding onto your wicket in those days. There were a lot of draws. Not many tests are drawn now.

Also, Headingley was a horror track. Seam movement, variable bounce, and in addition is usually swung there.
 
Princejain191 said:
But the fact that it wasn't an ATG australian side makes for more pressure when you are losing to them at home, especially in the most revered series for most Englishmen. And that 80s attack was pretty decent too. You would rather want to face McGrath, Warne and Gilespie in India than a Lillee, Alderman and Lawson in England.
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Not sure as I'd agree, but IIRC Lillee finished that series with 39 wickets and Alderman got 40. Lawson was a tyro in 1981 but the quickest of the three. Incredibly, England won the series comfortably.
 
Most peoples top 3 will be Laxman, Akmal and Botham.

I honestly believe Akmal is top. All the circumstances. Away from home unlike the other 2, the pressure, the fact he wasn't a top order batsmen, the fact he had to bat with Razzaq and the tail. Absolutely ridiculous innings.
 
Princejain191 said:
Do people here realise that there is cricket outside India and Pakistan and every thread shouldn't have to be about these two countries?

As for the topic, it has to be Botham's 149. It literally changed the entire series. Just the audacity to come out and score at a 100+ strike rate when you are 0-1 in an Ashes series at home and the team is effectively at (-)187/4. Ridiculous. Next best was almost 1/3rd his score.

Laxman probably a close second but he had greater support in Dravid and Kolkata heat.
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few months ago Ananth Narayan did a stats article on this topic go thru the comments and see how he got owned brutally for rating Headingly over Kolkatta link : http://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/1127859#comments

Botham had great support from Graham Dilley.


But the fact that it wasn't an ATG australian side makes for more pressure when you are losing to them at home, especially in the most revered series for most Englishmen.
Click to expand...

Actually it is quite the opposite ... the English have a really pathetic record against the Aussies at Home and are immune to repeated pastings by the Aussies. Unlike India they are much more easier to beat at home. Whereas just losing one single Testmatch to the Aussies evoked such strong reactions last year amongst Indian Cricket fans. Not for nothing that Steve Waugh considered India the final frontier.

And that 80s attack was pretty decent too. You would rather want to face McGrath, Warne and Gilespie in India than a Lillee, Alderman and Lawson in England.
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This is not true at all considering that McGrath and Warne are giants in the bowling world. DKL is the only distinguished bowler in the 1981 side and he was well past his prime by then.

Dont go by written accounts which are hilariously biased against Modern players. There is plenty of Video footage of these players on youtube.
 
Harsh Thakor said:
Not a test standard pitch.Responsible for creating the greatest turnaround ever in the history of test cricket .Never in the history of the game has a side looking so dead and bried ressurected itself from the grave to attain glory like here.Imagine a century of 87 balls facing likes of Lillee,Alderman and Lawson.Like the script of a Hollywod epic.
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Yes. Same match Dilley made 56 as well. And victory was made possible mainly by Willis. Probably Botham helped them save innings defeat.
 
freelance_cricketer said:
VVS Laxman - 281 vs Australia, Eden Gardens 2001

The knock that defied an unstoppable force.

The knock that redefined Indian cricket in the new milenium.

It was not an inning. It was an event that should be written in golden letters in the history book of cricket.
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Agreed on all points. But if Laxman's innings deserves a place so does Dravid's. If The Wall hadn't been there on the other end Laxman's heroics might have been for nought.
 
The Bald Eagle said:
Ollie Pope 196 yesterday vs India and Kamran Akmal's special knock of 113 runs in 2006 also against India are the ones that certainly turned the match upside down.

On this day in 2006, Kamran Akmal caused havoc against the Indian team.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1751893501829132733
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In common both match winning innings came against India but I will rate Pope's inning a bit higher because he played against India on their home ground with a better bowling attack.
 
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