Cataloguing the best innings of X runs in test history

[OverratedSanity]

Warning: This is going to be really stupid, boring and pointless but in this thread I shall be picking the best test innings of 0 runs, 1 run, 2 runs, 3 runs, etc in test history all the way up to whatever score until I get bored. I've gone through every single scorecard on Cricinfo to research the best possible candidates. Well no I might just be picking the ones I remember and maybe do some googling here and there from old scorecards. Nominations/suggestions welcome although none of them will count as its my list so **** off.

Without further ado:

0/0* (The Greatest Ducks)

Honourable mentions:
-Walsh's epic 5 ball vigil to almost singlehandedly pull off a 300+ runchase against Australia with Lara providing some decent support (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...rd-test-australia-tour-of-west-indies-1998-99)

-Graham Onions earning a draw against Morkel and Steyn on the last day. Survived some excellent short deliveries, dug out a yorker or two, teased the fielders by tactically making the ball agonisingly drop between two fielders, even survived a last gasp DRS review. (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...3rd-test-england-tour-of-south-africa-2009-10)

-Jeff Jones vs WI 1968: surviving 12 balls in the highest pressure situation imaginable, preserving not just a draw for England but sealing a series win(https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...-5th-test-england-tour-of-west-indies-1967-68)

-Geoff Allott 0(77): Longest one in the list but doesnt have the clutch factor of the others (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...vs-south-africa-1st-test-63834/full-scorecard)

-Sehwag's second duck in the king pair vs England 2011 : If this was most predictable duck, this would win with a bullet. Proof that even if you see the punchline from a mile off,a joke can still be funny if its delivered well. (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...gland-vs-india-3rd-test-474474/full-scorecard)

Winner:
James Anderson 0(55) vs SL 2014: Stuart Broad also a decent candidate from the same game, but Anderson's 55 ball duck had everything... survived some quality bowling from Fatteh and the SL quicks, got Moeen to his ton, and got England to within two balls of an undeserved draw before hilariously popping a bouncer up for a dolly. Bonus points for the tears at the press conference, which shows what a little crybaby he is what a wonderful emotional thing sporting triumph/loss can be(https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...st-sri-lanka-tour-of-england-and-ireland-2014)

 

[OverratedSanity]

1 run: Jack Leach at Headingley 2019. (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...-vs-australia-3rd-test-1152848/full-scorecard)

2 runs : Lance Klusener vs Pakistan, 1998 . Genuinely didnt have one to pick so I just picked the one that makes the least sense. In a close loss to Pakistan, Klusener somehow batted 77 minutes for only 2 runs, while at theother end fanie de villiers smashed 46 to almost drag Lance's dumb behind to a win. (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...ica-vs-pakistan-2nd-test-63790/full-scorecard)

3 runs: Graeme Smith vs Australia , 2009. Broken hand, Mitchell Johnson steaming in, treacherous pitch, almost saves the game. (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...s-south-africa-3rd-test-351683/full-scorecard)

4 runs: Courtney Walsh 4 runs in 72 minutes vs Pak, 2000. WI survived some really close umpriing calls and some classic was-it-fixing level fielding from Pakistan but Walsh surviving more than an hour against Wasim Waqr and the two mushtaqs is ridiculous (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...ies-vs-pakistan-3rd-test-63882/full-scorecard)

5 runs: Pragyan Ojha vs Australia, Mohali, 2010. Survived a close lbw call when the cheating australians appealed trying to intimidate the poor umpire into giving it out. Goaded Steve Smith into taking an unccessary shy at the stumps even though he was miles in and gloriously flicked away the winning runs to guide India to a win. To accomplish all this while being under the threat of having a bat shoved up his backside by VVS laxman was a miracle. (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...a-vs-australia-1st-test-464526/full-scorecard)

 

[Daemon]

The 4 run award should go to Shannon Gabriel imo

Pakistan farewell Misbah, Younis with last-minute win thanks to tail-ender brain fade

A valiant, unbeaten century by Roston Chase almost staved off defeat for the hosts, who were all out for 202 in their second innings with only one over remaining at Windsor Park in Roseau.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Bijed]

Haha, I did wonder what score Gabriel was on when he played The Hoick!

Also, was Vishwa Fernando on 4* when Kusal Perera did that epic run chase against South Africa in 2019?

 

[OverratedSanity]

6 runs: Three way tie between:

Stuart Broad 6(77) against NZ, 2013 to get NZ a draw with some help from Prior (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...and-vs-england-3rd-test-569245/full-scorecard)

and Vishwa Fernando vs SA 2019 (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...-vs-sri-lanka-1st-test-1144164/full-scorecard). Anyone who watched this test live can attest to the fact that watching him somehow survive Steyn and rabada was as entertaining as witnessing kusal perera channeling Lara'99

and of course Steyn bopping Shami (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...frica-vs-india-1st-test-648665/full-scorecard)

7 runs: Neil Wagner vs England. Trolling of the highest quality with able assistance from Sodhi (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...nd-vs-england-2nd-test-1115781/full-scorecard)

8 runs: Ravindra Jadeja 8(4) vs SA, 2014. This innings stuck out vividly in my memory as one of the all time great/awful meme innings. Back when sir jadeja was actually a hackfraud, he did his reputation no favours by walking in when India were trying to save the game, almost gets himself out by advancing down the pitch, succeeds next ball at actually hitting a six, and finally succeeds in getting himself out by trying to hit another six.

(https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...frica-vs-india-2nd-test-648667/full-scorecard)

I'll let the members of CW describe it in its full glory:

Imagine if Jadeja saves the match with the bat.

hahaha omg wtf was that

Jadeja didn't even give himself time to struggle.

Its not about struggling with the bat. Its about being a ****ing idiot.

That's it for me, officially done with Jadeja. Feels good to finally be able to lose any hope for him as a test cricketer.

if you told me at the start of the game that Jadeja took six wickets but got 0 and 8 with the bat I'd say he justified his selection, but it wasn't just that he failed with the bat; he batted so very poorly in two innings that you'd not have confidence in him to average much more than 10 going forward.

How far we've come

 

[Daemon]

Hehe will OS go for the meme or something legit for 9

 

[sunilz]

Great thread. Great memory @OverratedSanity

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Hehe will OS go for the meme or something legit for 9

9 is surely the easiest score in the whole countdown. I'd think longer about best 400 than best 9.

 

[honestbharani]

How many did Steyn score in the innings where he bopped Shami for 6?

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yeah @Daemon 9's an obvious one

9 runs: Andy Roberts vs Pakistan 1977. Batted out 95 minutes on the final day against Imran and Sarfraz to save the game.

(https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...ies-vs-pakistan-1st-test-63184/full-scorecard)

Clearly this is the 9 we're all thinking of. Nothing else comes to mind really. No meme innings I can think of. None at all.

 

[OverratedSanity]

How many did Steyn score in the innings where he bopped Shami for 6?

6. This is a fair point and I will add it to the catalog to make it a 3 way tie.

 

[Gob]

No mention of Robby Quiney 9 yet

 

[Bijed]

I'll throw Panesar's 7* at Cardiff into the mix. It's not as good as Wagners', only about 1/3 of the balls faced, but it might be better relative to the quality of batsman.

 

[Athlai]

Chris Martin scored a scintillating 12* once

 

[Chewie]

Chris Martin scored a scintillating 12* once

I was going to make the same comment

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

How many did Steyn score in the innings where he bopped Shami for 6?

3 if I recall correctly.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

The lack of love for Mike Whitney's 2* in the 1987 Boxing Day test is an absolute travesty

 

[TheJediBrah]

Thought this thread was just an elaborate excuse to talk about Quiney 9 but then skipped right past it. What a misdirect.

2 runs : Lance Klusener vs Pakistan, 1998 . Genuinely didnt have one to pick so I just picked the one that makes the least sense. In a close loss to Pakistan, Klusener somehow batted 77 minutes for only 2 runs, while at theother end fanie de villiers smashed 46 to almost drag Lance's dumb behind to a win. (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...ica-vs-pakistan-2nd-test-63790/full-scorecard)

This is a strange one. How did he only face 20 balls in 77 minutes? Looks like he didn't actually bat with de Villiers it was Boucher at the other end. I can only assume Boucher farmed the strike excessively while batting with Klusener but then trusted Fanie more . . .

 

[Immenso]

That description of the Klusener innings sounds mighty suspicious.

 

[OverratedSanity]

10 runs:
I'll pick an innings I hadnt heard of before. Pakistani batsman Ijaz faqih survived for an hour against a pace battery of Marshall Ambrose Benjamin and Walsh to save the game with 1 wicket left.

He gave them no Faqing chance

(https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...ies-vs-pakistan-2nd-test-63482/full-scorecard)