Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
- Runs
- 3,519
- Post of the Week
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This is my list of best innings when the condition sand state of the pitch were close to unplayable.Batsmen displayed wizardry of a kind reminiscent of magician s or musical composers.Sorry if order controversial.Also considered technical correctness of batting
1.Sunil Gavaskar's 96 at Bangalore in 1987 v Pakistan
-displayed concentration of a Buddhist monk meditating,the resistance of a boulder withstanding a gale and the skill of a medical surgeon performing an operation.On a treacherous track with the ball turning square Gavaskar dropped his bat down to negotiate unplayable deliveries shooting up or keeping low.Don Bradman would not surpass that.
2.Victor Trumper's 101 at Old Trafford in 1902
The ultimate pinnacle of genius in batting scoring 104 out of 173.
3.Brian Lara's 153 n.o. v Australia at Bridgetown
Displayed flair of a musical composer in combating the uneven bounce.
4.Neil Harvey's 151 n.o v South Africa in 1950 at Durban
Mastery in precarious batting condition steering his team home to a target of 336 in the 4th innings.
5.Kim Hughes 100 n.o v West Indies at Melbourne in 1981-82
Against the greatest ever pace attack on a tricky pitch Hughes displayed mastery at it's highest zenith hooking,cutting and driving .Above all he won the game for Australia scoring more than 50% of the team's total in the 1st innings.
6.Sachin Tendulkar's 136 v Pakistan at Madras in 1999
Had he won the game it would have been written as close to the best test innings of all time.Supreme technical mastery resembling a surgeon,artist and soldier moulded into one.His knock really deserved to win the game for India.
7.Len Hutton's 37 at Sydney in 1946-47
The ultimate epitome of batting perfection in treacherous conditions.
8.Gary Sobers 113 at Kingston v England in 1968-68
A Sober's masterpiece revealing cricketing genius at it's superlative depth on a wicket with huge cracks.
9.Ian Botham's 149 not out v Australia at Leeds in 1981
Strangely not rated at the top as it had many blemishes or technical errors .However it ressurected team from the grave to the glory of victory like no test innings ever.Botham tore apart an attack of Lillee,Alderman and Lawson with the vengeance of a lion.On a wicket that was not a true test one Botham launched a blistering attack executing a huge array of strokes.
10.Jack Hobb's 142 at Melbourne in 1928-29
Won England the Ashes in the most alien of batting conditions.
11.Mark Waugh's 124 at Durban in 1996-97 v South Africa
Technical mastery in hard run chase in difficult conditions against a great bowling attack.Flourishing exhibition of strokeplay all around the wicket.
12.Salim Malik's 84 and 82n.o at Leeds in 1992
Apologize to Javed,Majid ,Inzy and Zaheer but I have never seen a better innings by a Pakistani batsmen in bad conditions.Batting skill at it's supreme zenith in seaming conditions with the ball moving everywhere .Carried the torch in both innings fighting like a lone crusader.
13.Virendra Sehwag's 83 at Kolkata v England in 2008
Created the launching pad for India to attain the pinnacle of glory chasing down a 4th innings target of 387 with a glorious counter-attack .
14.Rohan Kanhai's 115 v Australia in 1971-72 at Perth
Unofficial test but still morally more competitive than the Orthodox version.Kanhai batted in manner even Bradman would have been proud of executing a barge of stroke all around the wicket with Lillee at his fastest.Kanhai rattled the likesof Lille like an army batalion launching a counter-attck on the enemy championing his team's cause like a lone crusader
15.George Headley's 102 not out at Brisbane in 1931
Literally a one man army or a lone crusader
16.Saed Anwar's 188 n.o at Kolkata in 1999
Supreme batting exhibition in most adverse conditions.Carried the torch single-handedly.
17.Gundappa Vishwanath's 83 at Christchurch in 1975-76
Mastery with the ball moving all over the place.Brilliant blending of attack and defence merging technical skill with artistry and determination.Half his run s executed in boundaries.
18.Javed Miandad's 129 n.o at Perth
Mastered a bouncy track with the ball doing everything in the 1st innings.
19.Javed Miandad's 104 and 106 n.o v New Zealand at Hyderabad
Won a game in a run chase playing the role of a lone crusader in both innings.epitome of discipline.
20.Viv Richard's 79 v Australia in the 2nd supertest in 1977-78
Batting flair and skill at it's supreme zenith on a wet track.
1.Sunil Gavaskar's 96 at Bangalore in 1987 v Pakistan
-displayed concentration of a Buddhist monk meditating,the resistance of a boulder withstanding a gale and the skill of a medical surgeon performing an operation.On a treacherous track with the ball turning square Gavaskar dropped his bat down to negotiate unplayable deliveries shooting up or keeping low.Don Bradman would not surpass that.
2.Victor Trumper's 101 at Old Trafford in 1902
The ultimate pinnacle of genius in batting scoring 104 out of 173.
3.Brian Lara's 153 n.o. v Australia at Bridgetown
Displayed flair of a musical composer in combating the uneven bounce.
4.Neil Harvey's 151 n.o v South Africa in 1950 at Durban
Mastery in precarious batting condition steering his team home to a target of 336 in the 4th innings.
5.Kim Hughes 100 n.o v West Indies at Melbourne in 1981-82
Against the greatest ever pace attack on a tricky pitch Hughes displayed mastery at it's highest zenith hooking,cutting and driving .Above all he won the game for Australia scoring more than 50% of the team's total in the 1st innings.
6.Sachin Tendulkar's 136 v Pakistan at Madras in 1999
Had he won the game it would have been written as close to the best test innings of all time.Supreme technical mastery resembling a surgeon,artist and soldier moulded into one.His knock really deserved to win the game for India.
7.Len Hutton's 37 at Sydney in 1946-47
The ultimate epitome of batting perfection in treacherous conditions.
8.Gary Sobers 113 at Kingston v England in 1968-68
A Sober's masterpiece revealing cricketing genius at it's superlative depth on a wicket with huge cracks.
9.Ian Botham's 149 not out v Australia at Leeds in 1981
Strangely not rated at the top as it had many blemishes or technical errors .However it ressurected team from the grave to the glory of victory like no test innings ever.Botham tore apart an attack of Lillee,Alderman and Lawson with the vengeance of a lion.On a wicket that was not a true test one Botham launched a blistering attack executing a huge array of strokes.
10.Jack Hobb's 142 at Melbourne in 1928-29
Won England the Ashes in the most alien of batting conditions.
11.Mark Waugh's 124 at Durban in 1996-97 v South Africa
Technical mastery in hard run chase in difficult conditions against a great bowling attack.Flourishing exhibition of strokeplay all around the wicket.
12.Salim Malik's 84 and 82n.o at Leeds in 1992
Apologize to Javed,Majid ,Inzy and Zaheer but I have never seen a better innings by a Pakistani batsmen in bad conditions.Batting skill at it's supreme zenith in seaming conditions with the ball moving everywhere .Carried the torch in both innings fighting like a lone crusader.
13.Virendra Sehwag's 83 at Kolkata v England in 2008
Created the launching pad for India to attain the pinnacle of glory chasing down a 4th innings target of 387 with a glorious counter-attack .
14.Rohan Kanhai's 115 v Australia in 1971-72 at Perth
Unofficial test but still morally more competitive than the Orthodox version.Kanhai batted in manner even Bradman would have been proud of executing a barge of stroke all around the wicket with Lillee at his fastest.Kanhai rattled the likesof Lille like an army batalion launching a counter-attck on the enemy championing his team's cause like a lone crusader
15.George Headley's 102 not out at Brisbane in 1931
Literally a one man army or a lone crusader
16.Saed Anwar's 188 n.o at Kolkata in 1999
Supreme batting exhibition in most adverse conditions.Carried the torch single-handedly.
17.Gundappa Vishwanath's 83 at Christchurch in 1975-76
Mastery with the ball moving all over the place.Brilliant blending of attack and defence merging technical skill with artistry and determination.Half his run s executed in boundaries.
18.Javed Miandad's 129 n.o at Perth
Mastered a bouncy track with the ball doing everything in the 1st innings.
19.Javed Miandad's 104 and 106 n.o v New Zealand at Hyderabad
Won a game in a run chase playing the role of a lone crusader in both innings.epitome of discipline.
20.Viv Richard's 79 v Australia in the 2nd supertest in 1977-78
Batting flair and skill at it's supreme zenith on a wet track.
