The great paper innings

[Lillian Thomson]

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]

Whichever innings wins, you know that Kallis will be the batsman responsible.

[harsh.skm]

Though I dislike saying this, but Sachin's 100th hundred comes to mind. Great on paper for being what it was.

[fredfertang]

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

[Howe_zat]

Cook's 293 was just unnecessary

[fredfertang]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

Cook's 293 was just unnecessary

Big scores against minnows will always attract that sort of criticism

[BoyBrumby]

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by Andre

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

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]

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

[sledger]

Tendulkar - 241 not out - Australia v India, 2004

Rubbish