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New Cricket Web Feature In the Works...

James

Cricket Web Owner
The Cricket Web team are planning on putting together a section on the site for the Top 5 ODIs and Top 5 Test Matches for each nation since ODI and Test cricket began and we'd like everyones help in putting this together.

Often your suggestions on what you believe are the Top 5 Tests and/or ODIs for your country or another country that you follow.

Once decided, the CW team will have the final say on the list and the section will be put together :)
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Off the top of my head, WI v Aus 3rd Test in 1999 would have to be up there. Haven't put much thought into it yet, but the other recent classic I remember is the WI v Aus 4th Test in 2003.
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
I'll have a go. I'm sticking entirely to series I've seen myself, and picking them based purely on the Australian perspective and not on the overall quality of the games from a neutral view. In other words, there's no India 2001, because that will be in India's section. I'll do tests now, and try for ODIs later.

Most of these are of the "great moment/achievement" or "significant match" mould rather than the "entertaining contest" mould. Really depends on your critera, as only some games will meet both.


vs West Indies, 4th Test, Sabina Park, 29/04/1995
1-1 in the de facto world championship series, and with the game in the balance Steve and Mark Waugh put on 231 and Steve went on to his only test 200 to set up a big win and a series victory in the West Indies. Huge moment for Australian cricket.

vs South Africa, 1st test, Wanderers, 22/02/2002
Not a close match, but probably the pinnacle of Australia's domination of world cricket. Up against the second best team in the world after a home whitewash, the first test of the away leg, and the result really drove home the gulf between the sides. Gilchrist made a double century, Warne and McGrath shared 15 wickets, and Australia won by an innings and 360 runs.

vs Pakistan, 2nd Test, Hobart, 18/11/1999
Had to pick one with a great chase, and part of the record winning streak, so this one makes it. 5/126 chasing 369 against a good attack on the final morning, and Adam Gilchrist in his second test and Justin Langer fighting for his place in the side put on 238 and carry Australia home. Had a large part in creating the Gilchrist legend, and was probably the toughest win of all those in the 16 consecutive wins.

vs South Africa, 2nd Test, Durban (?), 14/03/1997
No team had beaten South Africa at home in a series since they were re-admitted to cricket, but Australia led this series 1-0 coming into the second test on a greentop. Australia were ripped out for 108 in their first innings and gave up a significant lead, and when South Africa cruised to 0/80 odd in their second innings it looked like they'd set an impossible target. Warne and Bevan took 5 on the third day and along with Gillespie kept the target in check, and then with Pollock injured Mark Waugh defied the rest of the home attack to make 116 in the fourth innings. Clearly the best innings of his career, and it helped to successfully chase down 290 and win the series, sealed with a Healy six.

vs India, 3rd Test, Nagpur, 26/10/2004
Australia conquer the final fronteir. Martyn and Clarke score big in both innings to make it hard for India on an unusual home pitch, and Gillespie bowls brilliantly with 9 for the match. Even Warne rises to the occasion in India, bowling reasonably well, and Australia win by almost 350 runs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series and complete the last leg of their sweep of world cricket between '95 and '05.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
For India:

The Laxman Match (2001) - Obvious, India forced to follow on, post a huge second innings total, Laxman plays massively, and the rest is history

Port of Spain (1971) - Gavaskar and co. chase down 400+ fourth innings total to set a world record and beat the west indies

1952 (Madras): First ever Indian test victory

2003 (Adelaide): Victory in Australia!

2004 (Pakistan): Overseas series victory against Pak


ODI:

NatWest Final against England
World Cup Final against West Indies

[Can't think of any other truly memorable ones]
 

age_master

Hall of Fame Member
FaaipDeOiad said:
I'll have a go. I'm sticking entirely to series I've seen myself, and picking them based purely on the Australian perspective and not on the overall quality of the games from a neutral view. In other words, there's no India 2001, because that will be in India's section. I'll do tests now, and try for ODIs later.

Most of these are of the "great moment/achievement" or "significant match" mould rather than the "entertaining contest" mould. Really depends on your critera, as only some games will meet both.


vs West Indies, 4th Test, Sabina Park, 29/04/1995
1-1 in the de facto world championship series, and with the game in the balance Steve and Mark Waugh put on 231 and Steve went on to his only test 200 to set up a big win and a series victory in the West Indies. Huge moment for Australian cricket.

vs South Africa, 1st test, Wanderers, 22/02/2002
Not a close match, but probably the pinnacle of Australia's domination of world cricket. Up against the second best team in the world after a home whitewash, the first test of the away leg, and the result really drove home the gulf between the sides. Gilchrist made a double century, Warne and McGrath shared 15 wickets, and Australia won by an innings and 360 runs.

vs Pakistan, 2nd Test, Hobart, 18/11/1999
Had to pick one with a great chase, and part of the record winning streak, so this one makes it. 5/126 chasing 369 against a good attack on the final morning, and Adam Gilchrist in his second test and Justin Langer fighting for his place in the side put on 238 and carry Australia home. Had a large part in creating the Gilchrist legend, and was probably the toughest win of all those in the 16 consecutive wins.

vs South Africa, 2nd Test, Durban (?), 14/03/1997
No team had beaten South Africa at home in a series since they were re-admitted to cricket, but Australia led this series 1-0 coming into the second test on a greentop. Australia were ripped out for 108 in their first innings and gave up a significant lead, and when South Africa cruised to 0/80 odd in their second innings it looked like they'd set an impossible target. Warne and Bevan took 5 on the third day and along with Gillespie kept the target in check, and then with Pollock injured Mark Waugh defied the rest of the home attack to make 116 in the fourth innings. Clearly the best innings of his career, and it helped to successfully chase down 290 and win the series, sealed with a Healy six.

vs India, 3rd Test, Nagpur, 26/10/2004
Australia conquer the final fronteir. Martyn and Clarke score big in both innings to make it hard for India on an unusual home pitch, and Gillespie bowls brilliantly with 9 for the match. Even Warne rises to the occasion in India, bowling reasonably well, and Australia win by almost 350 runs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series and complete the last leg of their sweep of world cricket between '95 and '05.

yep some great matches there, that Hobart test is my favourite out of all the matches i have seen
 

Magrat Garlick

Global Moderator
Heh, Bangladesh will be a challenge. This match, Pakistan, both Zimbabwe Tests in 2005, maybe the first one where they made 400?
 

Jungle Jumbo

International Vice-Captain
Samuel_Vimes said:
Heh, Bangladesh will be a challenge. This match, Pakistan, both Zimbabwe Tests in 2005, maybe the first one where they made 400?
Seeing as I'll probably end up writing them...

Inaugural Test vs India
One-wicket loss vs Pakistan
Draw vs West Indies
First win vs Zimbabwe
Current Test vs Australia
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
My personal favourites as an Englishman are all from my own era only, so I don't expect to see them in the Top 5 at all. Just off the top of my head here are some I personally enjoyed

V Australia, Edgbaston 97
V Australia, Edgbaston 05
V Australia, Trent Bridge 05
in West Indies, Barbados 04
V South Africa, Headingley 98

I'd probably change that if I thought about it more, in fact I know I would, they were just matches that sprung to mind quickly.I have to go to work now but next time I am on I shall explain my choices.
 

Xuhaib

International Coach
For Pakistan

In Tests.
1.England 1954 Oval
2.Aus 1976 Sydney
3.WI 1986 Faislabad
4.Wi 1988 Guyana
5.Ind 1999 Chennai
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
GeraintIsMyHero said:
My personal favourites as an Englishman are all from my own era only, so I don't expect to see them in the Top 5 at all. Just off the top of my head here are some I personally enjoyed

V Australia, Edgbaston 97
V Australia, Edgbaston 05
V Australia, Trent Bridge 05
in West Indies, Barbados 04
V South Africa, Headingley 98

I'd probably change that if I thought about it more, in fact I know I would, they were just matches that sprung to mind quickly.I have to go to work now but next time I am on I shall explain my choices.
Edgbaston is in the top five Tests of all time, full stop. That much is given...
 

Blaze

Banned
Neil Pickup said:
Edgbaston is in the top five Tests of all time, full stop. That much is given...
I think there are others that could challenge it. Probably is in the Top 6-7.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire

V Australia, Edgbaston 97


Okay, the first match of the 97 Ashes, it was the first time Cricket really got me interested, and we battered them, Nasser got 207 and Thorpe 138, and in the end we won by nine wickets. Unfortunately we didn't win again until the 6th Test, which was a dead rubber, but 3-2 was as close as we got til last year lol

V Australia, Edgbaston 05

Do I need to say anything?

V Australia, Trent Bridge 05

Another dull match, cricket is boring. All that happened here was, England romped to 477 all out with Flintoff scoring 102, then bowled the Aussies out for 218, and forced them to follow-on. i think most agree in retrospect maybe we shouldn't have chosen the follow-on, but how were we to know that Jones would only bowl 4 overs in the second innings? They set us a measly target of 129, Trescothick and Strauss could get that on their own, couldn't they? Er....:blink:

in West Indies, Barbados 04

England wrapped up their first series win in the Carribean in 35 years (I think) here, it was a match posied to be close after the first innings, only for England to bowl out the Windies for 94 in the second innings , which included a Matthew Hoggard hat-trick, as he removed Sarwan, Chanderpaul and Hinds. A monumental victory for England, even if West Indies were nowhere near as strong as they have been in the past, it was an hsitoric victory nonetheless, and an ultimately memorable one.

Oh and it was also the first time Flintoff got a 5 wicket haul in Tests

V South Africa, Headingley 98

A very tense and close match, I think it was the first time I watched England win a series, and againt a Saffies side including Kallis, Cronje, Donald etc. Butcher century in the first innings, but England trailed by 20 runs or thereabouts, yet when play ended on Sunday England needed 2 wickets for victory, but South Afirca needed only 35 runs. I was only 14, and spent the night biting my nails and the like, and could not wait. While it wasn't quite Edgbaston close, it was too close for comfort, though with play ending at 11.30, I was left a bit bummed about what to do with the rest of my day LOL.. Notable for a pair from Flintoff and Gough's 100th test wicket.

They are my personal choices. You may find them strange, you may not but hopefully you now understand my reasons :)
 

Slats4ever

International Vice-Captain
age_master said:
yep some great matches there, that Hobart test is my favourite out of all the matches i have seen
Mate... you didn't see the final day. we were in design and technology class together watching the commentary on the computers... With Mr Pratt... remember?
 

quick4mindia

School Boy/Girl Captain
age_master said:
yep some great matches there, that Hobart test is my favourite out of all the matches i have seen
The hobart victory was not without some major umpiring goof ups that led AUS to finish the match.
 

Xuhaib

International Coach
The Hobart match along with that Windies game at Antigua are probably the two defeats that hurts me the most.The umpires robbed Pak in both games:@ .
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Xuhaib said:
The Hobart match along with that Windies game at Antigua are probably the two defeats that hurts me the most.The umpires robbed Pak in both games:@ .
Spoken like a one-eyed Pakistan fan. Pakistan lost the game in Antigue due to inadequacy. They had two of the simplest run out chances the game is seen and messed up both of them. At least one of those chances would have taken the 10th wicket. Take a look with two eyes next time.
 

Francis

State Vice-Captain
I might do a list later, but right now what I'll say is that there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the 1999 World Cup Semi Final between Australia and South Africa is the single greatest one day match ever. When I started a thread months ago asking what the greatest ODI match ever was, that match made nearly everybodies list, while other matches were in many different lists.

That match was the only single match to make C4's top 100 sporting moments of the 20the century and its legend still remains today. When South Africa won that great ODI a few months ago, Mark Boucher said that ODI was still in his head during the game. And the backstory is just incredible...

It's starts off with an Australian team that underachieved in the West Indies with many people writing them off. The the group stages they lost easily to Pakistan and New Zealand. They had a terrible game against Wales and only just made it into the super six off of some Tom Moody hitting. However, since Pakistan and New Zealand made it into the super six and they beat Australia, Australia took no bonus points into the super six. Pakistan took 4 and New Zealand two. Meaning one thing, Australia had to win every single game from here on in to win.

South Africa were just amazing and had absolutely no reason to lose. They were flogging teams left and right and that was down to two things. (1) They had a great team. (2) They had, at his peak, the best ODI player I'd ever seen in Lance Klusener. He'd take South Africa home comfortably in some of the most tight moments that his presence became enormous. Amazingly, South Africa had a fluke loss to Zimbabwe, which all great teams have every once in a while. The problem was that since Zimbabwe made it into the super six, South Africa could only take two points, insted of four, since they only had one win over the teams that made the super six from his group. People remember Herchelle Gibbs dropped catch, but I tell you this, had South Africa taken that extra bonus point, they would have made it into the final after that infamous draw.

Australia did well finally once they made the super six, but to make the semi finals they had to beat South Africa, who they weren't fancied against. South Africa made 270 odd on a pretty lame-duck pitch for batting. Australia were in trouble before Steve Waugh puts on one of the best one day innings ever. You can talk about hitting the ball over the park with luck and making runs fast, but Waugh came in under pressure and made an amazing century. Gibbs dropped him and that remains famous. Remember, had South Africa won against Zimbabwe, it wouldn't matter if they drew Australia.

The semi final comes around and South Africa put on an amazing bowling performance and Australia were lucky to even make it past 200 thanks to Michael Bevan. What separates this from other games where teams defend low scores was that this was the only time I saw a team defend a low score without taking early wickets. It was almost the equivelant of Botham's Ashes for ODI's because when Warne came in South Africa only needed 160 with plenty 10 in hand. Warne got immediate wickets and his figures of 4-29 don't tell the story. After nine over he was 4-20. So basicly in the middle of a game with the field spread, he kept South Africa to around 2 an over. A sloppy last over covers that up. The pressure Warne put them under was amazing and more importantly inspirational.

Warne was screaming after every wicket "C'Mon"! Urging his team to perk up. They responded and got themselves into a great position before Klusener came out. I knew watching this game, after all Klusener had done throughout the tournament, that no matter the scenario, if he got going it would be over. I remember in the last few overs, South Africa were nine down and desperate for runs, Klusener hit the ball long, Paul Riefel was under the ball, and dropped it. People thought he dropped the world cup. What was mroe amazing was the Klusener hit the ball so hard it hit his hand and went for six, which it wouldn't have done if it didn't hit his hand. Klusener kept the strike for the last over needing nine. He hit two fours and you just knew it was over and SA were home, I'd seen so many games where Klusener so easily took South Africa home.

What people forget about the ending is that there was more to it than choking. Klusener, with four balls left, hit a ball to Darren Lehman than Allan Donald wanted to run on. Lehman was like 5 metres away from the stumps with an underarm throw and had he hit, Donald would have been run out. I think Klusener knew that had they taken the run, they would have won since Lehman missed. Donald also put pressure on Klusener to run with that move because Donald was walking down the pitch as the ball was bowled. The next ball Fleming did good to get in a yorker and Donald, knowing he screwed up the ball before, stayed tight in his crease, whereas Klusener was a mad man running down the pitch.

You know the rest, a drawn game in the highest of drama, with dropped catches, poor running, big match performances. EVERYTHING! Great backstory too because had SA beaten Zimbabwe, or had Gibbs held that catch, or had there not been that weird understanding, they would almost certainly be the 1999 world cup champions. The thing is their team was so awesome and my favorite to watch. Pollock and Donald were at the height of their powers. Klusener stole games all the time. Kirstin was a great batsman and a big match performers... I could go on and on.

I'll never forget Hanse Cronje's look in the dressing room. No expression at all, he just could not believe it. Allan Donald said in his book he just can't figure out why a team so powerful just couldn't get past Australia.

That games impact on England remains today. Like I said it was the only cricket match to make C4's top 100 sporting moments of the 20th century. Tim de Lisle called it the model ODI match in that it had everything that made ODI cricket great. You wouldn't change a thing about it. You had the story of an Aussie team that were the laughing stock of the world cup when they nearly lost to Wales and guys like Steve Waugh and Shane Warne who were going to be dropped as soon as the world cup was over and what...? Waugh made that awesome century and Warne took 4-29 and both saved Australia. Then you had the team that were favorites by an absolute mile with talent top to bottom and how everything went wrong. It's a sad part of the best sporting moments... you always have to feel for the person/team that loses.
 
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