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The great paper innings

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
Innings that historically initially look great in Wisden but have controversy behind the figures.

For example Geoff Boycott's highest Test score of 246 not out v India in 1967 helped to set up an innings victory. He was then dropped from the next Test for scoring too slowly.

Brian Lara's unique achievement of scoring 400 in an innings will probably stand atop the highest score in Test Cricket column for several years to come. But opinion will always be divided as to whether it was a great achievement or an act of selfishness that was detrimental to the team's chances of winning.

There's obviously quite a few so stick your own favourites into the pot.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Whichever innings wins, you know that Kallis will be the batsman responsible.
 

harsh.ag

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Though I dislike saying this, but Sachin's 100th hundred comes to mind. Great on paper for being what it was.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Kenny Barrington was also dropped after a ton in 1965 for slow scoring - again it set up a victory

But Matthew Hayden's 380 against Zim must come pretty high in any list of this sort
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
The thing with Lara's 400* is that I don't actually think many people, even the more stats oriented amongst us, really rate it that highly.

That said, one can almost forgive him his selfishness, an early declaration would possibly have forced a result but the Windies were already 3-0 down in a 4 test series.

Another example of an innings that looks good on paper but possibly wasn't in reality is Hayden's ton in Australia's reply at The Oval in 2005. In a way it was admirable a bloke who could barely buy a run all series final made something substantial, but he scored his runs so slowly and un-Haydenlike it ate into valuable time and, when his vigil finally ended, Australia actually conceded a first innings deficit when the middle and lower order belatedly had to force the pace.
 

Andre

International Regular
Actually reckon his 380 was the most pointless innings I can remember. Looked great on paper, but popgun attack on a flat deck for him to move past Bradman and Taylor I don't think left us with the fuzzy feeling it should have.
 

Arachnodouche

International Captain
I thought of book cricket when I first read this. Thing we used to play in school to while away boring lectures. Randomly flip pages, note the last digit of the page number, if it lay between 1-6 you got a run, if you hit a 0, you were out. Used to rack up some obscene scores then.
 

Arachnodouche

International Captain
Actually reckon his 380 was the most pointless innings I can remember. Looked great on paper, but popgun attack on a flat deck for him to move past Bradman and Taylor I don't think left us with the fuzzy feeling it should have.
He just made a ton of runs at a rapid clip, helped his side win the game, and broke a record in the process. Doubt you can blame him for that.
 

Crazy Sam

International 12th Man
Actually I think the 380 looks worse on paper than it did in reality because when you look over to the opposition on paper it's clear it was a very average bowling unit he played against. But in reality it was still an enjoyable innings to watch and it's not every day that someone scores nearly 400 in a game.
 

doesitmatter

U19 Cricketer
Srilanka's 950 to break the run scoring record..Some of the innings were great on paper..I am big fan of Arjuna but in this instance he just allowed SL to play on..
 

LongHopCassidy

International Captain
Another example of an innings that looks good on paper but possibly wasn't in reality is Hayden's ton in Australia's reply at The Oval in 2005. In a way it was admirable a bloke who could barely buy a run all series final made something substantial, but he scored his runs so slowly and un-Haydenlike it ate into valuable time and, when his vigil finally ended, Australia actually conceded a first innings deficit when the middle and lower order belatedly had to force the pace.
I'll interrupt my parochialism here: Flintoff was electrifying. When Langer got out, Hayden shut up shop completely and Ponting, Martyn, Katich et al. simply couldn't keep them out even without trying to force the pace; they weren't set. Only some serious jolts of wicket-taking adrenaline could make a 90mph bowler go for a 17 over spell.

If Langer and Hayden had been allowed to prattle on for two days, they would had set a platform that would have ended in either an Australian innings win or a draw (more likely). Freddie put paid to that.
 

Top_Cat

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Thank goodness for Flintoff's electricity because it was also really dark.
 
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wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
I'm with Brumby on this one. On the Saturday, Hayden really should have at least tried to move things along a bit once he was set and he & Langer had put on a substantial first wicket stand.. We all knew what the weather forecast was and that time would be an issue of Aus were going to win the game. On Sunday, the ball was swinging a lot more and Hoggard was able to take advantage, but Aus should have been much closer to England's score before then. My comment at the time was along the lines of whether Hayden was playing for his side or playing for his place in the side. Possibly harsh, but it was my honest take on his performance.
 

the big bambino

International Captain
Hussey's 121 v Eng at the oval in 2009. Worst possible outcome. Lost the game and the ashes but Hussey saved his spot with that knock. The quintessential rat of an innings. Saved himself while the ship went down.
 

Spikey

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People talk about Lara's 400 perhaps being selfish, but on paper...I mean, I'm not entirely sure declaring at 300*/when the team was on 600-650 odd was the best path to victory.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Hussey's 121 v Eng at the oval in 2009. Worst possible outcome. Lost the game and the ashes but Hussey saved his spot with that knock. The quintessential rat of an innings. Saved himself while the ship went down.
In that circumstance, what should he have done? Should he have got out for 20, conceded his spot in the side and lost the Ashes anyway? That defeat was brought about by the entire batting line-up spontaneously combusting in the first dig.
 

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