Cricket's Biggest Rivalry?

[zaremba]

On the subject Richard, buy yourself a copy of The Rule of Law by Tom Bingham. A great little book by a great man

 

[L Trumper]

Historically i'd say West Indies vs Australia's rivalry was the best.

Surely. Most considered it as the holy grail of the cricketing championships. So many great series between them. But really took back seat during the last decade especially because of series in played aus, they are way one sided.

 

[Richard]

Aus vs. WI was a really interesting contest in 1975/76, then again in 1981/82, then again between 1991 and 1999, and it also had been in 1960/61 and 1965.

Aside from that though there've been some humdrum encounters same as any other historical rivalry.

 

[Faisal1985]

To me it was, is, and will be Ind vs Pak.....................

 

[aussie]

Aus vs. WI was a really interesting contest in 1975/76, then again in 1981/82, then again between 1991 and 1999, and it also had been in 1960/61 and 1965.

Aside from that though there've been some humdrum encounters same as any other historical rivalry.

I dont think any other rivalry in history had so many close eno****eres though. Most other rivalries had more one sided series than close ones IIRC.

 

[pskov]

All of England and Scotland are bound to abide by rules made by UK Parliament (Common Law traditions have some small differences), though the Scottish Parliament can make Scottish-only applicable law.

England and Wales is a single legal entity. Northern Ireland and Scotland are their own separate legal entities in UK law. Westminster does have sovereignty over all three constituent parts, but almost every non-international facing law mentions each constituent part it applies in explicitly. There are lots of laws that passed in Westminster that only apply to England and Wales (three examples being anything relating to the NHS, higher education and prisons) that require separate legislation to enact in Scotland - and this was the case even before devolution and the creation of the Scottish Parliament.

But anyway this is quite some tangent to be led down in a cricket forum...

 

[aussie]

To me it was, is, and will be Ind vs Pak.....................

When it comes to series the only IND vs PAK test series that i know of that was really hot was 1987 & 1982/83. While you could argue the 2004 series was very hyped too given it was the first series between the two sides since 1989/90.

Otherwise most IND vs PAK series where boring draws.

 

[L Trumper]

I dont think any other rivalry in history had so many close eno****eres though. Most other rivalries had more one sided series than close ones IIRC.

My point exactly. 7 closely fought, high intense series in 40 years from 1960 to 1999 that is lot more than any other series since war. Add the fact that both teams competing for the top place in all the 7 series and quality of cricket is always high.

 

[Uppercut]

close eno****eres

 

[GIMH]

what is it supposed to say?

 

[aussie]

Encounters...i'm not sure what happened their, since i didn't put in the asterisks.

 

[pskov]

Encounters...i'm not sure what happened their, since i didn't put in the asterisks.

If you accidentally swap the c and the o around it spells a naughty word.

 

[Cruxdude]

When it comes to series the only IND vs PAK test series that i know of that was really hot was 1987 & 1982/83. While you could argue the 2004 series was very hyped too given it was the first series between the two sides since 1989/90.

Otherwise most IND vs PAK series where boring draws.

While what you say about the results is true(though one should add 1999 to that list of great series), India Pakistan goes beyond results at least till we started playing every other day.

Also one shouldn't forget ODIs when talking about India Pakistan. Both countries loved it and there were some great ODI matches between India Pakistan.

 

[Streetwise]

Currently you cant beat Australia v South Africa for hard fought quality cricket.

 

[Faisal1985]

While what you say about the results is true(though one should add 1999 to that list of great series), India Pakistan goes beyond results at least till we started playing every other day.

Also one shouldn't forget ODIs when talking about India Pakistan. Both countries loved it and there were some great ODI matches between India Pakistan.

The Karachi ODI in '04 still stuck in my mind......India piled up 349 or something and Pak went short by 4 or 5 runs....incredible stuff......and obviously the T20 final in SA in 2007.......i agree that the oldest rivalry may have been Australia vs. Eng....but like Cruxdude said....Indo Pak games are beyond sheer cricketing rivalry......for most of the fans on both sides anyways..

 

[Sir Alex]

Currently you cant beat Australia v South Africa for hard fought quality cricket.

Closest 2nd and 3rds ever perhaps?

 

[Richard]

I dont think any other rivalry in history had so many close eno****eres though. Most other rivalries had more one sided series than close ones IIRC.

So has Australia-vs.-WI. Most match-ups have featured more one-sided than closely-fought encounters.

And at "enocunters".

 

[aussie]

While what you say about the results is true(though one should add 1999 to that list of great series), India Pakistan goes beyond results at least till we started playing every other day.

Also one shouldn't forget ODIs when talking about India Pakistan. Both countries loved it and there were some great ODI matches between India Pakistan.

Oh yes 99 is definately one them, plus that test in Kolkatta 2000 when Akthar bowled Dravid & Tendy in consecutive balls. How could i forget that

 

[L Trumper]

So has Australia-vs.-WI. Most match-ups have featured more one-sided than closely-fought encounters.

But all close fought series are mostly decided who is the best side in the world albeit the 99 series. So quality of cricket in close series from 60-61, 65, .... 96/97 always been very high. We can't say the same for any other rivalry because there may be lot of close series but cricket surely is not high quality all the time.

 

[Richard]

Not sure I'd describe the quality in 1995 as all that high, and it was possibly the highest-stakes series in history... but by-the-by, yes, you're right that it's uncannily often been the World Championship of cricket. Then again, the same applied to Ashes series' in the 1930s and, often, 1950s. And, clearly, up to the 1920s there basically was just England and Australia, plus a South Africa who were mostly notably lesser than those two.