Greatest individual performance ever

[zaremba]

Yeah, when he gets it right, which is increasingly frequently these days, Jimmy is right up there with the best in the world. I still don't fully trust him not to bowl a pile of cack in the Ashes but there's an outside chance that he could give us an, er, outside chance.

 

[honestbharani]

The player who doesn't get too much credit for that match, but should, is Courtney Walsh.

After a massive Aussie 1st innings total, he came back with 5/39.

Completely set up the game for Lara to do the biz (without any support from his fellow batsmen).

Lara always batted better when his team needed it. In America they call players like that- "clutch" performers and Lara was definitely clutch.

Also forgotten is that Ponting and Campbell made gr8 centuries in the same game...


Campbell esp played a brilliant knock without which Windies will have been trailing by plenty in the first dig..

 

[Richard]

Sherwin Campbell may not have been a World-beater but he played a number of very fine innings', virtually none of which ever seem to get any real recall. It's a crying shame.

 

[Noble One]

Sherwin Campbell may not have been a World-beater but he played a number of very fine innings', virtually none of which ever seem to get any real recall. It's a crying shame.

Strange career for Sherwin Campbell. Mixed some fantastic innings with prolonged periods of terrible form. Never felt a career average of 32.38 did him any justice considering his talent. No world beater, but a cricketer capable of averaging high 30's.

Came to Australia in 1996 rated very highly. Had only just scored a double century against New Zealand, believe he was averaging around 50 in Test cricket. Then scored one of the grittiest centuries in the 2nd innings in Brisbane attempting to salvage a draw. Played Shane Warne really well. As became the pattern for the rest of his career, struck a half century the next game, and then couldn't buy a run for the rest of the tour.

Possibly had his career ended a season or two early. Still one of the few West Indian batsmen who served a purpose during the mid to late 90's.

 

[Xuhaib]

Strange career for Sherwin Campbell. Mixed some fantastic innings with prolonged periods of terrible form. Never felt a career average of 32.38 did him any justice considering his talent. No world beater, but a cricketer capable of averaging high 30's.

Came to Australia in 1996 rated very highly. Had only just scored a double century against New Zealand, believe he was averaging around 50 in Test cricket. Then scored one of the grittiest centuries in the 2nd innings in Brisbane attempting to salvage a draw. Played Shane Warne really well. As became the pattern for the rest of his career, struck a half century the next game, and then couldn't buy a run for the rest of the tour.

Possibly had his career ended a season or two early. Still one of the few West Indian batsmen who served a purpose during the mid to late 90's.

Yeah loved his cut imitated his batting style during my school as I always wanted to be that guy that was hard to dislodge.

 

[Richard]

Possibly had his career ended a season or two early.

Still makes me shudder, the thought that Wavell Hinds, that noted number-three or middle-order batsman, was preferred opening to him in 2002 and afterwards. Not to mention, earlier, the likes of Daren Ganga (another who wasn't even really an opener) and Stuart Williams.

Crazy how he was pensioned-off for nothing openers or manufactured middle-order batsmen whose talent was wasted at the top.

 

[Days of Grace]

I remember watching Sherwin Campbell scoring a big ton against NZ in 1999/2000, the windies were 200/1 or something and the rest of the batting fell away for **** all.

 

[Naumaan]

Inzamam's Century against Bangladesh to avoaid embaressing Defeat
Ponting's century against same side to avoid defeat

 

[Richard]

I remember watching Sherwin Campbell scoring a big ton against NZ in 1999/2000, the windies were 200/1 or something and the rest of the batting fell away for **** all.

'Twas a first-innings opening stand of 276 between Campbell and Adrian Griffith, then the 20 wickets went down for 186. I still have trouble believing that happened today.

Only managed 413 in the Second Test as well.

 

[slugger]

Stephen Fleming's century against RSA at the 2003 world cup. his innings was interrupted 3 times by weather and he constantly had to keep the team total ahead DL system.. knocked RSA out of the rest of the comp as well also became the first time nz had one a odi in RSA

 

[Naumaan]

Stephen Fleming's century against RSA at the 2003 world cup. his innings was interrupted 3 times by weather and he constantly had to keep the team total ahead DL system.. knocked RSA out of the rest of the comp as well also became the first time nz had one a odi in RSA

But i guess this is for the greatest ever TEST innings

 

[Top_Cat]

Sherwin Campbell may not have been a World-beater but he played a number of very fine innings', virtually none of which ever seem to get any real recall. It's a crying shame.

Probably because most people were asleep when he was making them.

Seriously, his knock in Brisbane to almost save the Test was a great knock and he copped some good deliveries in the other games of that series. But he was dumped basically because, when not in top form, his lack of footwork got him caught on the crease and bogged down before inevitably getting caught behind/bowled/LBW. Occupied the crease a lot for not much of a return. Was 30 when they dropped him so I guess the selectors figured it was time to give someone else a crack. As it turned out, they had to try a lot of someones but there's no way they could have known, for example, that Daren Ganga was going to flatter to deceive as much as he did. When he first came along, looked a million bucks.

 

[Noble One]

Probably because most people were asleep when he was making them.

Seriously, his knock in Brisbane to almost save the Test was a great knock and he copped some good deliveries in the other games of that series. But he was dumped basically because, when not in top form, his lack of footwork got him caught on the crease and bogged down before inevitably getting caught behind/bowled/LBW. Occupied the crease a lot for not much of a return. Was 30 when they dropped him so I guess the selectors figured it was time to give someone else a crack. As it turned out, they had to try a lot of someones but there's no way they could have known, for example, that Daren Ganga was going to flatter to deceive as much as he did. When he first came along, looked a million bucks.

Whereas his partner in crime for much of the mid to late 90's Stuart Williams would strike two sublime boundaries through the covers for four, then be out next delivery fishing outside off-stump.

Shame that Campbell and Williams couldn't lead the West Indies to more success up the top. Campbell had the grittiness to play the long, tough innings, whereas Williams never fully harnessed his Michael Slater esque counter-attack-iveness.

 

[Trumpers_Ghost]

Haven't read through all the posts, so don't know if it's been mentioned but Stan Macabe's 180 odd against England's Bodyline scum would have to rate very highly.
In my lifetime Dean Jones in Madras and Laxman.

 

[slugger]

But i guess this is for the greatest ever TEST innings

my bad.

 

[Naumaan]

my bad.

I was also going to write about too many ODI great innings, but sadly just read it's just for test innings lol

 

[Richard]

Stephen Fleming's century against RSA at the 2003 world cup. his innings was interrupted 3 times by weather and he constantly had to keep the team total ahead DL system.. knocked RSA out of the rest of the comp as well also became the first time nz had one a odi in RSA

And he was also dropped by Mark Boucher off a straightforward chance. He played well either side of that, without doubt, but that innings is not remotely close to being the best ODI knock ever.

And it wasn't that match that knocked SA out but the combination of it, the previous loss to West Indies and the subsequent tie with Sri Lanka.

 

[Richard]

Probably because most people were asleep when he was making them.

Seriously, his knock in Brisbane to almost save the Test was a great knock and he copped some good deliveries in the other games of that series. But he was dumped basically because, when not in top form, his lack of footwork got him caught on the crease and bogged down before inevitably getting caught behind/bowled/LBW. Occupied the crease a lot for not much of a return. Was 30 when they dropped him so I guess the selectors figured it was time to give someone else a crack. As it turned out, they had to try a lot of someones but there's no way they could have known, for example, that Daren Ganga was going to flatter to deceive as much as he did. When he first came along, looked a million bucks.

Ganga, like Wavell Hinds, might well have been a successful Test player (though clearly no more than a good one) if he'd batted in his favoured position. Seriously, the fact that they mucked around with the likes of Marlon Samuels in the middle, pushing Ganga and Hinds (who could've done a job there) up to the top and dropping Campbell was just stupid. You're quite right that he tended to struggle badly when not on top form - it's why he had such sustained spells of wretchedness several times, as well as short ones of utter brilliance. But when he was going well (which certainly happened often enough) he was a very quick scorer and blasted attacks all over. One of the best examples was his 82 at Lord's in 2000 - good bowling attack (Gough, Caddick, Cork, White - plus Hoggard who wasn't very good at that point) and a very helpful deck, and he flayed it all over everywhere. Some would claim he was dropped a couple of times, but in reality neither were ever really going to be caught.

 

[Noble One]

Regardless of poor selections after Sherwin Campbell's dropping from the Test side in 2002; the West Indian selectors where perfectly justified to seek a replacement for Campbell.

The occasional flashes of brilliance displayed by Campbell had long disappeared into a sustained period of terrible form. Over two years and 17 Tests had passed since Campbell's last century. Offset only by a couple decent innings (82 at Lords, and dual half-centuries in Sydney). West Indies had two very promising young batsman in Hinds and Ganga ready for selection, and in hindsight, yes a poor move forcing them to open, but at the time you can understand why they passed on Campbell.

Never any guarantee that Campbell would have produced one of his fine innings again. Went back to Barbados and produced a couple of decent seasons, but I don't think the selectors would ever have gone back to him.

Still a tribute to Campbell that we can recall a number of fine innings he played despite averaging only in the low 30's.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I remember reading of this innings as being of one of the finest.