What is the greatest batsmen/bowler duel of all-time?

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Not a test and not live but an old Sobers vs Lillee in the match he scored 254. From the highlights looked amazing.

Sobers and Lillee talk about facing each other

 

[Silver Silva]

Sobers and Lillee talk about facing each other

"He's got the ball, I've got the bat ..We'll see !"

Great commentary from Sir Sobers

 

[Slifer]

Another gem for me was Lara vs Gillespie/McGrath at Adelaide I believe in the 3rd test 2000. Lara scored 182 after a string of sorry scores (fwiw Lara wasn't at 100%)

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

 

[subshakerz]

Michael Clarke vs Dale Steyn

Extremely underrated contest that had numerous back and forth duels between the two and a good bit of sledging aswell.
Clarke never won a test series vs SA at home ,
Steyn never won a test series vs Australia at home.Both faced each other near the peak of their powers , Clarke vs 2008 Steyn , Steyn vs 2012 Clarke .
Steyn got Clarke 9 times , but Clarke averaged 67 against South Africa
Steyn MCG 2008 10fer , Clarke was in that game ..
Clarke back to back double hundreds , Steyn bowled a lot in that performance..
There was the 49 all out Test in Newlands which Clarke made a memorable 100 ..
Dale Steyn's reverse swinging masterclass in 2014 ..
My favorite outswinger of all time in 2012 that got Clarke out ..

Just a quality, quality contest with a lot of great performances for each player ..

Oh here's that delivery again ..

I love that you bring this up. Yes it was an awesome contest and they also had their angry moments between them too.

Look at the Clarke-Steyn confrontation during his 151 innings.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

McGrath vs Atherton

 

[Bolo.]

McGrath vs Atherton

That was a curbstomping, not a duel.

 

[subshakerz]

McGrath vs Atherton

That's the saddest one.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Not a test and not live but an old Sobers vs Lillee in the match he scored 254. From the highlights looked amazing.

This.

And it was not just Batsman vs Bowler.. It was an All-round duel. ( Wish Lillee was more capable with bat )

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Greatest Bowler Destroying Legendary Opponent.

Another Mcgrath video

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Gavaskar Revenge

Equalling cricket's Mega Greats Don ( Most century ) and Sobers ( 2nd highest run scorer )
While scoring a run a ball century against Marshall and Holding after the humiliation in the previous match.

 

[Line and Length]

The Sobers v Lillee duel, mentioned above, took place during the 1971/72 Australia v Rest of World 'Tests' scheduled to replace the cancelled South African tour.

I recall listening to Sobers' magnificent 254 runs in the third of these five matches. Don Bradman rated the knock "probably the greatest exhibition of batting ever seen in Australia". Australian captain Ian Chappell also rates the innings as the best innings he ever saw.
Despite this magnificent knock Sobers other 7 innings yielded just 113 runs in the series with Rohan Kanhai heading the RoW averages at 69.78 compared with Sobers' 48.71
Playing just 3 of the 'Tests', Greg Chappell scored 425 @ 106.25 while brother Ian scored 634 @ 79.25
Other solid performances came from Keith Stackpole (490 @ 54.44) and Hilton Ackerman (323 @ 46.14)

Lillee was by far the best bowler in this series. Against a line-up that included Sober, Kanhai, Lloyd, Gavaskar, G.Pollock and Greig he took 24 wickets @ 20.08
The best bowling performances for the RoW in the series were Tony Greig's 16 @ 27.00 and Intikhab Alam's 19 @ 33.67. After Lillee, the leading Australian wicket takers were Bob Massie (11 @ 27.27) and Terry Jenner (10 @ 34.10).
Sobers described Lillee's bowling in the first 'Test' as the fastest he had ever faced. Lillee's figures in the first innings were 8-27 and he was instrumental in Australia's only win (they lost the series 1-2).
Sobers's innings and Lillee's spell were the highlights of the series.