The best at their best

[SeamUp]

Herschelle Gibbs' 175 at the Wanderers in the 438 game.

Shaun Pollock's 7-87 on a flat Adelaide Oval pitch.

Jacques Kallis' first test century at the cauldron that is the MCG.

Allan Donald's HUGE in-swinger to bowl Tendulkar in the test series in the late nineties.

Lance Klusener's exploits in WC 99

Barry Richards and Grame Pollock's partnership in Durban 69.

Denis Lindsay's 170 vs Australia at the Wanderers in 66.

Theres so many more SA moments.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I don't think Spinsky was being entirely serious tbf.

Yeah, that's why I only made a comment on the innings and didn't call him a nob.

 

[bagapath]

I do. I'm talking about the best he's ever batted, and his 199 in 1999 was a far better knock than his 200 in 1995, even if the outcome wasn't anywhere near so tumultuous.

Richard. It is possible that Steve waugh's 199 was a technically superior knock. But when Waugh's career is seen retrospectively his 200 is the innings that would define his legend. Actually before you brought this up, I was thinking of his career saving Ashes hundred in 2002-03 series, his one-legged effort in England in 2001, his first ashes hundred in '89 and the twin centuries in the '97 ashes as his other top 5 performances. This 199, even if it were the best he batted technically, has not played a big role in building his legend, IMO. Since it is very difficult to come to a concurrence on which one is the most technically perfect knock in a batsman's career, I prefer to talk about the performances players are remembered for.

For that matter, Tendulkar's most technically perfect innings could be the 60 odd (IIRC) he scored against australia in mumbai on a minefield. But there are many other knocks of his that are better remembered. Similarly the best Ambrose bowled could very well be the 22 overs in which he conceded only 22 runs and picked up one wicket. But he will be remembered better for the 7 for 1 in perth.

I still maintain waugh's 200 was the most important knock of his career (even if there were more technically perfect knocks, out of which the 199 could be one) and I have a hunch even he would agree with me on this.

 

[bagapath]

The Indian bowling attack was pretty dire mind, Kumble aside. I reckon some of his innings against the Saffers are pretty underrated.

AWTA. If there is a precise moment that made Ponting make the giant leap from the waugh - border league to the sachin - lara league then that innings should be given the honors here. may be his twin centuries on his 100th test?

 

[MrIncredible]

Some interesting choices. Murali's 16-wicket haul was fantastic, but I might pick his ten-fer last year against India or the 7-fer in India in 2005, given the opposition. Tendulkar and Warne are tough calls. But I must disagree with Waugh's and Lara's. Waugh's knock of 200 in 1995 when the series was in the balance against a peak Ambrose and Walsh was by far his finest. And Lara's 277, terrific knock though it was, was scored in a dull draw on a batting paradise. The 153*, dropped catch and all, won WI the match.

Oz had 503 on the board and were 1 nil up with 3 to play. WI were 31 for 2 on a Sydney wicket where they'd lost like 3 tests in a row. In steps Lara a veteran of a mere 5 tests and the rest is history. Dull draw my behind!!

 

[MrIncredible]

Lara: 153* vs Oz
S Waugh : 200 vs WI
Tendulkar: 155 or 136 for me
Bradman: 232
Gooch: 154 vs WI
Viv: fastest test hundred??
Sobers: 254* vs ROW (was considered a test at that time)
Ponting: 156
Ambrose: 7 for 22 vs Oz
Marshall: 10 for with one arm

etc etc etc

 

[The Sean]

Test purist though I may be, I reckon it's hard to go past Viv's 189* in ODI against England in 1984 as his finest performance.

 

[aussie]

Glenn McGrath - Lord's '05 maybe? A pretty awesome spell of fast bowling that. Probably the best I've ever seen live. It just induced complete hopelessness because he looked as though he was never going to concede a run, but the wickets were going to keep on coming. The conditions were quite helpful but he used them expertly, the Lord's slope in particular.

Personally i'd rate his Lord's 97 performance ahead of it as well vs PAK @ Perth 04.

 

[zaremba]

Personally i'd rate his Lord's 97 performance ahead of it as well vs PAK @ Perth 04.

Yeah I thought of Lord's '97 but I can't remember it very clearly and I'm not sure I saw it live (and given that we got humiliated, I may have avoided the highlights ).

What was his '04 Perth spell like?

 

[Richard]

Glenn McGrath - Lord's '05 maybe? A pretty awesome spell of fast bowling that. Probably the best I've ever seen live. It just induced complete hopelessness because he looked as though he was never going to concede a run, but the wickets were going to keep on coming. The conditions were quite helpful but he used them expertly, the Lord's slope in particular.

Would go for either that or his second-innings spell against Pakistan at The WACA a few months previously. Both just cases of a master seam bowler utilising friendly conditions to be realistically completely impossible to play, regardless of how good the batting might be.

I said at the time that I doubt I'd see a spell much better than that one on the opening afternoon, but I might be a bit biased towards that one given that it occurred when I was fully awake and watching with about as much attention as I ever have rather than half-asleep with the door wide open.

 

[Richard]

Richard. It is possible that Steve waugh's 199 was a technically superior knock. But when Waugh's career is seen retrospectively his 200 is the innings that would define his legend. Actually before you brought this up, I was thinking of his career saving Ashes hundred in 2002-03 series, his one-legged effort in England in 2001, his first ashes hundred in '89 and the twin centuries in the '97 ashes as his top 5 performances. This 199, even if it were the best he batted technically, has not played a big role in building his legend, IMO.

Maybe not, but only because it was pretty much completely made by then and didn't demonstrate anything new. Nor did the one-legged century at The Oval in 2001; nor, in fact, did the one at the SCG in 2002/03, but that was just such an incredible example of apparent destiny that it was sporting theatre at its best.

If that 199 had occurred in, say, 1992/93 instead of 1999, I've little doubt it'd be regarded as his definitive innings.

 

[Richard]

What was his '04 Perth spell like?

Pretty much the same as his Lord's '05 first-day one TBH. Just, as I say, gave the impression that no matter what the batsmen did, they just didn't have a prayer of lasting very long.

There, too, he finished the job - the Lord's first-day one is to some small degree compromised by the fact that he was thoroughly anodyne the next day and was slammed around by Pietersen.

 

[subshakerz]

Oz had 503 on the board and were 1 nil up with 3 to play. WI were 31 for 2 on a Sydney wicket where they'd lost like 3 tests in a row. In steps Lara a veteran of a mere 5 tests and the rest is history. Dull draw my behind!!

I stand corrected, Lara's knock truly was genius. But his 153* was better.

 

[subshakerz]

For Warne, there is just too many to chose from, and I know many would select a performance from his Ashes 2005, but to be honest, he didnt win a match on his own in the series. My selection would be his 10 wickets in Galle in 2004, he had just returned from a year's ban for doping and ended up winning the test against a decent batting side against spin in their own court. In fact, I would consider that series effort superior to his Ashes 2005 given the result and the opposition. That summed up Warne, you could never keep him down, unless you were India.

 

[subshakerz]

Pretty much the same as his Lord's '05 first-day one TBH. Just, as I say, gave the impression that no matter what the batsmen did, they just didn't have a prayer of lasting very long.

There, too, he finished the job - the Lord's first-day one is to some small degree compromised by the fact that he was thoroughly anodyne the next day and was slammed around by Pietersen.

The Lord's test had the extra pressure of being the first Ashes test and Australia were in a tough spot after having been bowled out for 190. In Perth in 04', Australia were pretty much on top against an ordinary Pakistan side and it was McGrath's homeground. But fair enough, both performances were superlative for either to be considered his best.

 

[vic_orthdox]

The Lord's test had the extra pressure of being the first Ashes test and Australia were in a tough spot after having been bowled out for 190. In Perth in 04', Australia were pretty much on top against an ordinary Pakistan side and it was McGrath's homeground. But fair enough, both performances were superlative for either to be considered his best.

Wasn't it in Perth?

The thing about McGrath's spell at Lords was how he was bundling them out, hitting the stumps with what seemed like unplayables. Even the wicket to get Strauss caught behind was a ripper. It was, in some ways, rather "Un-McGrath"-like. At Perth, it was a more traditional, circumspect McGrath, where he was getting just enough movement to get the edges.

 

[bagapath]

I agree, even if it wasn't his best figures, it was the first time I actually found McGrath intimidating to watch.

I am quite surprised by that statement. By 2005 Mcgrath had been the best paceman in the world for close to a decade. I would say his first intimidating performance in my opinion was in an ODI game against India in the '99 WC. It was brain numbing seam bowling!

1st Super: Australia v India at The Oval, Jun 4, 1999 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com

There must quite a few instances in test cricket around that time when he made the leap from very good to great.

Also Lara making use of a dropped catch to make 153 n.o. doesnt make it any lesser innings. it is a top 5 knock of all time and certainly his most significant. the 277 was a masterpiece, no doubt. but this 153 reaffirmed his position as an all-time great after two-three seasons of mediocre performances.

 

[bagapath]

=

If that 199 had occurred in, say, 1992/93 instead of 1999, I've little doubt it'd be regarded as his definitive innings.

Possible. But he scored that 199 in a match in which it was not even the best knock of the game. whereas his 200 happened in 1995 and was immediately hailed as a masterpiece. he had to do something extra special to better that knock later in his career. and he never did. waugh scored some cracking centuries later but the 200 remained his "citizen kane"

whereas lara's 153 n.o. pushed his 277 down the list which even the 375 could not achieve. when he scored the monumental 400 n.o. five years later people applauded him till their hands ached but went back to the 153 as his greatest knock.

 

[bagapath]

Lara: 153* vs Oz
S Waugh : 200 vs WI
Tendulkar: 155 or 136 for me
Bradman: 232
Gooch: 154 vs WI
Viv: fastest test hundred??
Sobers: 254* vs ROW (was considered a test at that time)
Ponting: 156
Ambrose: 7 for 22 vs Oz
Marshall: 10 for with one arm

etc etc etc

awesome list!

 

[Burgey]

Possible. But he scored that 199 in a match in which it was not even the best knock of the game. whereas his 200 happened in 1995 and was immediately hailed as a masterpiece. he had to do something extra special to better that knock later in his career. and he never did. waugh scored some cracking centuries later but the 200 remained his "citizen kane"

whereas lara's 153 n.o. pushed his 277 down the list which even the 375 could not achieve. when he scored the monumental 400 n.o. five years later people applauded him till their hands ached but went back to the 153 as his greatest knock.

For sheer theatre, as opposed to pure quality or match-turningness, Waugh's last ball four to bring up his hundred v England in Sydney, after batting like a 'tard most of the summer, takes some beating.