I tend to remember stuff in cricket matches for long time too. For example, for the sheer impression left on my mind, I still rate Tendulkar's 90 against AUS in WC96 as one of his best 5 ODI knocks. Very controlled and dominating innings that when wickets were falling all around. It was a heartbreak (as it always used to be in 1990's) when he got out to wide ball by Mark Waugh.
Let's see how many people remember that innings
I would be impressed if you remember an innings with such enthu when your country or your country's favourite player was not involved in any way (just for the sheer joy of watching the game of cricket at the highest level, with an open mind). Most of the arguments/comparisons break out just for the reason that people watch their favourite player (most of the time, a player from their country) and judge his contemporaries/rivals by stats. People find it blasphemous to question Tendulkar's greatness against truly great fast bowlers at their peak in Test cricket, although stats do reflect that in a certain way, and yet they inadvertently try to rate (rival) batsmen not from their country or someone from the past using stats (like the bloke who did that with Viv Richards).
I am not saying that one shouldn't watch or enjoy their favourite team or player or that stats are irrelevant, but if only cricket fans broadened their vision beyond their country, they would be able to watch and enjoy many such classy innings, and this feverishness about rating other players through stats/records would decrease. Comparisons then would have more insight rather than choosing stats according to one's convenience.
Robelinda is a good example of a person with a broad vision
.
90s was a great time for cricket because several teams - Australia (from McGrath & Gillespie's debut in the mid-90s), Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies (till mid-90s), possessed great fast bowling attacks, in combination with the fact that there were quite a few attacking batsmen. Test cricket also became a lot more result oriented than it was earlier.
Some of the best innings that I remember during the time are :
- Gilchrist's 4th innings 149* against the 2Ws, Akhtar etc. at Hobart (this is by far the best Test innings I have followed live, never seen a batsman make an ATG bowling attack look like club-level bowling in Test match cricket, all the more incredible considering the match situation and the bowling conditions).
- Salim Malik's 74 & 71 at Faisalabad against the Windies in 90-91. A classy knock. Bowling attack of Ambrose, Bishop, Walsh (in their prime) and Marshall. Simply no respite for the batsmen. No weak bowler to target. Malik scored nearly 50% of his Team's runs in the match (at a very good SR). No other Pakistani batsman crossed 50 in either of the innings. Hooper & Richardson were also great in that series.
- Mark Waugh's classy 100 at Brisbane against Akram and Akhtar (in the same series as Gilchrist's knock noted above). Someone posted a video of this innings. It is a must-watch. Actually several of Mark Waugh's innings against great bowling attacks were classy in the 90s. Despite his stats, the comparison of him with Tendulkar, Lara during the 90s, was not an exaggeration. Anwar's knock in that match also was good.
- Gooch's 154* against the Windies at Headingley in 90-91.
- Aravinda De Silva's knocks against the Windies in the 97. He murdered poor Bishop
. A classy, under-rated batsman, with the attack attitude of Richards.
- Saeed Anwar's 118 against South Africa at Durban in 98. Another beautiful knock. He was looking very good in the entire series, was getting out to his own mistakes. Had so much time to play the ball and made batting (under very tough conditions) look so easy. Azhar Mehmood's brave centuries are remembered more in that series. Am very happy that knocks of both the players in that series made it to the Top-20 in Wisden's list of greatest Test innings.
- Lara's 132 against McGrath & co. in Perth in 96-97. One of his most under-rated Test knocks.
- Laxman's famous 281 (and Dravid's 180?) against McGrath & co. at Eden Gardens. A phenomenal innings. All Mark Waugh (or David Gower) fans should watch this innings. I remember McGrath was so frustrated at the end of a day's play (they could not take a wicket during the entire day) that he bowled a series of wide deliveries. Although not played in the 90s, I might as well include it
.
- Lara's famous 213 against McGrath & co. When the Windies were tottering at 30+ runs for 4 wickets at the end of the first day's play, I was thinking "Here we go again..." (they had been bowled out for less than 100 in the previous innings). Fairytale stuff.
- Azhar's 100+ off 78 balls against South Africa in Eden Gardens in 1996. I remember Kumble scoring a brave 80+ in that match, although India lost it by a huge margin. That innings marked Azhar's 180 degree change in attitude when batting against ferocious bowling.
These are just some of what I remember off the top of my head right now. There are several others that I don't recall right now. Most of the above innings were attacking batsmanship against great fast bowling attacks.
