Which cricket match do you think is the saddest,most emotional match of all time? I think it is new zealand vs pakistan 1992 semi final

[Line and Length]

The Third Test between West Indies and England in Barbados in 1981. Ken Barrington had been appointed assistant manager for the tour but sadly died of a heart attack during this match.

The England captain, Ian Botham, was told of his passing and he and team manager Alan Smith informed each member of the team in the morning. They had a minute's silence at the team meeting before returning to the Kensington Oval, where Barrington had made his maiden Test century 21 years before. The news was announced at the ground and there was another one minute's silence at the beginning of play. The England team were distraught, and Robin Jackman said he couldn't bowl properly as he had tears in his eyes. Unsurprisingly they lost the Test by 298 runs, though Graham Gooch made a fighting 116 in their second innings. He later said:
"I had watched Ken Barrington – a great Test batsman – as a boy and when I broke into the England side in the late Seventies he became a father figure. In fact, he was a mentor to a lot of us then – myself, David Gower. Ian Botham, Mike Gatting. Ken was an England selector and assistant manager on the West Indies tour of 1981. There were no official coach in those days but it was to Ken that most of us turned. Unlike many retired pros, he never used the words, 'In my day...'... Kenny was a counsellor, a friend and an inspiration."

 

[Skyliner]

The 2019 WC Final is my ‘Alesia’. I don’t know who played in the match, or where it was played.

 

[jcas0167]

That whole match being held in new zealand made the match very emotional

As a 13 year old NZ fan at the time that is on a par with the 2019 final. The fact that Martin Crowe, who had been inspirational throughout with his batting and captaincy, couldn't take the field in the second innings and had to watch it slip away from the sidelines was particularly heartbreaking (he actually commented on this forum about 12 years ago about it under 'Hogan).

The Spinoff had a great piece about that tournament too from the perspective of NZ fans. https://thespinoff.co.nz/cricket-wo...ld-cup-grabbed-me-and-it-still-wont-let-me-go

The other semi-final was probably just as heartbreaking for SA fans.

 

[mr_mister]

First bodyline test.

The death of fair play, sporting behaviour and the spirit of cricket

 

[Fuller Pilch]

The underarm

The death of fair play, sporting behaviour and the spirit of cricket

Agree. Good call.

 

[Adders]

First bodyline test.

The death of fair play, sporting behaviour and the spirit of cricket

Waaaaaahhhhhhhhh

 

[Two short legs]

No contest.

South Africa v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Johannesburg, 1953/54. Bob Blair.

Beyond the call of duty | ESPNcricinfo

"The New Zealand squad spent Christmas Day at their team hotel, but woke on Boxing Day to the news that there had been a train crash back home in which 151 people had been killed. Among the victims was the fiancée of fast bowler Bob Blair. The team headed to the ground, anxious as the full list of casualties had not been released. Blair remained behind to grieve. It was announced that he had withdrawn from the match, and flags at the ground were lowered to half mast."

"... Blair had heard of his team's position and headed to the ground to help. Sutcliffe walked to meet him and Blair said: "I'd like to feel I can help." They returned to the middle arm in arm. Eyewitnesses recall that the full house stood in virtual silence. Noted New Zealand writer Dick Brittenden said: "Looking down on the scene from the glass windows of the pavilion, the New Zealanders wept openly and without shame; the South Africans were in little better state, and Sutcliffe was just as obviously distressed."

 

[Two short legs]

Graham Williams in the first Victory Test at Lord's in 1945.

Rewind: The return of top-level cricket to England after the Second World War | ESPNcricinfo

"The most remarkable inclusion was South Australia opening bowler Graham Williams, who had only been released from a German POW camp in April. He was 31kg (68lbs) below his pre-war weight after four years in captivity and had to drink glucose and water between overs to keep his strength up. He had spent his confinement teaching Braille to blind POWs, and when he found out that repatriation was on the cards, he had tried to get fit by chopping down trees."

"... The most memorable moment came when Williams came out to bat at the fall of the seventh wicket. In an interview with David Frith, Keith Miller recalled the scene. "He was given a great ovation that compares with anything ever given Bradman, Lillee or Richards. But it was not the sort of clapping and cheering that greets a hundred. This is different. Everyone stood up. They all knew about Graham's captivity. He was a big fella, but he was gaunt from his experience, and he just walked round for a while as if in a trance." Williams scored 53 off 56 balls."

 

[mr_mister]

Agree. Good call.

Mate Anzacs are meant to stick together. Our ancestors got wholesale slaughtered on the cliffs of Gallipoli while Adders' ancestors enjoyed tea and crumpets

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Mate Anzacs are meant to stick together. Our ancestors got wholesale slaughtered on the cliffs of Gallipoli while Adders' ancestors enjoyed tea and crumpets

Yeah fair call. Aussies might have funny accents, but they're decent blokes and we have each other's backs. The underarm was still a dog act though.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

That whole match being held in new zealand made the match very emotional

We hold whole matches in NZ reasonably often. The one that brings a tear to my eye is when Hurricane refused to stand for Voges’ double ton. A classic moment fuelled with emotion.

 

[Ali TT]

I was at Lords for the year between England and New Zealand in 2022. It was held the same day as the queen's 70th jubilee but also one of the first test matches held after Shane Warne's death. There was a fly past over London for the former and a tribute and standing ovation for the latter. Nearly 30,000 Poms and Kiwis showing their adoration for a cricketer who'd terrorised their teams for so long was quite the moment.

 

[Adders]

I honestly always fealt that Shane Warne was more loved by the English than he was by Australian fans.......its just one of those very different relationships that transcends the typical rivalries.

Edit: I was at the MCG when Warnie took his 700th........there wasnt a single English supporter that wasnt on his feet applauding the moment. And it wasnt just going through the motions......it was genuine warmth and respect/admiration for a once in a lifetime cricketer.

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

No contest.

South Africa v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Johannesburg, 1953/54. Bob Blair.

Beyond the call of duty | ESPNcricinfo

"The New Zealand squad spent Christmas Day at their team hotel, but woke on Boxing Day to the news that there had been a train crash back home in which 151 people had been killed. Among the victims was the fiancée of fast bowler Bob Blair. The team headed to the ground, anxious as the full list of casualties had not been released. Blair remained behind to grieve. It was announced that he had withdrawn from the match, and flags at the ground were lowered to half mast."

"... Blair had heard of his team's position and headed to the ground to help. Sutcliffe walked to meet him and Blair said: "I'd like to feel I can help." They returned to the middle arm in arm. Eyewitnesses recall that the full house stood in virtual silence. Noted New Zealand writer Dick Brittenden said: "Looking down on the scene from the glass windows of the pavilion, the New Zealanders wept openly and without shame; the South Africans were in little better state, and Sutcliffe was just as obviously distressed."

Yeah this must have been so sad and surreal. They made a tasteful re-enacted movie about it too. Whole thing's on the tube.

 

[HimeshChaturvedi]

I want to say an IPL match but people get all high and mighty here, so probably 2023 final.

 

[honestbharani]

I want to say an IPL match but people get all high and mighty here, so probably 2023 final.

You feel what you feel bro. Why worry about groupthink? Just state what you felt was the saddest match. Its a completely personal perspective anyways.

 

[Burgey]

I honestly always fealt that Shane Warne was more loved by the English than he was by Australian fans.......its just one of those very different relationships that transcends the typical rivalries.

Edit: I was at the MCG when Warnie took his 700th........there wasnt a single English supporter that wasnt on his feet applauding the moment. And it wasnt just going through the motions......it was genuine warmth and respect/admiration for a once in a lifetime cricketer.

Warne's actual superhero power was he was teflon coated. If anyone else did or spoke half the **** he did, their career would have been curtailed years earlier. Everytime some new indiscretion arose, it was always "That's just Warnie" and pretty much everyone moved on. Those who kept the flames of criticism burning were almost always either ignored or themselves looked down on by most supporters. And it continued into his post-cricket commentary and utterances generally.

On the OT, probably only this match could compare to the Bob Blair test referred to earlier.