Most competitive Test Rivalry in last 50 years ?

[Sunil1z]

Another fierce contest this time .

 

[Burgey]

Aus-WI from 75/76 til about 2000 or so was pretty fierce. Played each other a lot

 

[GIMH]

You probably need to limit it to series in England for this to be taken seriously tbh. The Ashes here since 86/87 have all been pretty one-sided.

Still you never know. Maybe in 2025 someone will be able to do a TikTok about an England test win in Australia.

Unlikely, but you just never know.

It’s weird isn’t it. Our sides in the 21st century have mainly been better than those from the 90s but back then we always used to at least win a token test.

 

[Zinzan]

New Zealand Vs. Bangladesh surely.

 

[Burgey]

It’s weird isn’t it. Our sides in the 21st century have mainly been better than those from the 90s but back then we always used to at least win a token test.

Yeah it is an odd thing. Steve Waugh tried to get Aus to focus a lot more on dead rubbers but never quite got them to sweep a series. I think in 06/07 Aus was always going to win comfortably but a sweep was nigh unheard of then, but they just had the shits after being cheated out of 05 so showed zero mercy.

I also don’t think the past three home Aus sides have been especially vintage outfits. Bowling has been good but plenty of batting frailty. England has massively under performed here for the players they’ve had since 10/11

 

[Sunil1z]

Aus-WI from 75/76 til about 2000 or so was pretty fierce. Played each other a lot

Would you really call it rivalry in 80s ?
I would say in 90s all the series were closely fought.

92 WI 2-1
95 AUS 2-1
97 AUS 3-2
99 Draw 2-2

 

[Burgey]

Yeah WI dominated most of the 80s for sure, fair call that. 81/82 was a good series - they had to win in Adelaide to draw it after Aus won in Melbourne off the back of that famous Kim Hughes ton. Rest of the 80s was mostly one way traffic though

 

[Victor Ian]

Which 2 Teams according to you have/had fiercest Test rivalry ?

IND- Pak not in option because most of the matches used to end in Draw
Ashes not in option because it is mostly one-sided
Aus-Wi not in option because rivalry is of mainly 10 years (90s) otherwise they are mostly one sided.

If Ashes is not an option because it is mostly one sided, then why is Australia v India there. Apart from the last 2 series in Australia, it has pretty much been India smash us there and we smash them here. It is only competitive on a series count front, and for that the Ashes is just as competitive for the whole 50 years, barring the memorable domination by Australia from 89-05

 

[Victor Ian]

Yeah WI dominated most of the 80s for sure, fair call that. 81/82 was a good series - they had to win in Adelaide to draw it after Aus won in Melbourne off the back of that famous Kim Hughes ton. Rest of the 80s was mostly one way traffic though

It was still a fierce rivalry though. We took everything they had - in the face, in the chest, etc and on the scoreboard, but we still kept on inviting them back what seemed every year. We always pulled out a win even though we were hopelessly outclassed. The rivalry from the 70's carried it through the 80's so that it meant something more in the 90's

 

[Sunil1z]

If Ashes is not an option because it is mostly one sided, then why is Australia v India there. Apart from the last 2 series in Australia, it has pretty much been India smash us there and we smash them here. It is only competitive on a series count front, and for that the Ashes is just as competitive for the whole 50 years, barring the memorable domination by Australia from 89-05

Really ? Let’s count.

1998 competetive
2001 competetive
2003 competitive
2004 competetive
2007 competetive
2010 competetive
2017 competetive
2018 competetive
2020 competetive
2023 competetive

Name me another rivalry having 10 competitive series

 

[Victor Ian]

Really ? Let’s count.

1998 competetive
2001 competetive
2003 competitive
2004 competetive
2007 competetive
2010 competetive
2017 competetive
2018 competetive
2020 competetive
2023 competetive

Name me another rivalry having 10 competitive series

Yeah - some of them I don't count. Some of those, the series tally belies reality. It's the opposite of the Ashes 3-0 in 2013. That was much closer than the number. Anyways, India v Australia is definitely a good option, but leaving the ashes out is just...

Nah, you're right. England are a joke except when they get a home pitch to doctor to their favour.

 

[Shri]

How come the title says 50 years but all the listed options are from 1993 onwards?

sunil1z is not my multi ftr

 

[Coronis]

sunil1z is not my multi ftr

Thats what they all say.

 

[Ali TT]

Despite the Windows being trash for some time, the series against England have generally been highly competitive in the past decade or so. England v New Zealand have also been pretty closely matched over the past two decades and I would say have a genuine rivalry now, albeit a friendly one.

 

[honestbharani]

Despite the Windows being trash for some time

Well, take it up with Bill Gates then.

 

[NZTailender]

New Zealand Vs. Bangladesh surely.

I feel like NZ vs England since Matt Prior denied us a series win has always given us some good contests.

I know Sri Lanka tours here every year it seems but we always seem to have crackers when we tour there, and the most recent 1 run win and some other great performances in recent tours have made them a more interesting prospect then one might assume in NZ conditions.

 

[Zinzan]

I feel like NZ vs England since Matt Prior denied us a series win has always given us some good contests.

I know Sri Lanka tours here every year it seems but we always seem to have crackers when we tour there, and the most recent 1 run win and some other great performances in recent tours have made them a more interesting prospect then one might assume in NZ conditions.

I was kind of tongue in cheek about NZ and Bangers, but NZ & England being competitive in the last 20-25 years is very true, even the series last year or the 3-0 scorelines in 2008 and 2004 were all very close matches, where NZ was on top for large periods... I'd need have a good look through the scorecards but I intuitively feel they've generally been even tests/series, unlike when we've played the likes of SA & Aust by comparison.

 

[Molehill]

I also don’t think the past three home Aus sides have been especially vintage outfits. Bowling has been good but plenty of batting frailty. England has massively under performed here for the players they’ve had since 10/11

I'd certainly agree with that, but you could also look at it the other way. Why can Australia be so dominant at home yet cannot win an Ashes series away? Yes, England have underperformed, but a number of Aussies seem to have significantly better averages at home (Warner, Head being obvious examples). They are not frail in home conditions.

One reason for the home dominance I'd add is that both teams always seem to right royally **** up selection at some point during a Tour.

 

[Burgey]

Probably because they haven't had vintage sides? It gets exposed more away than at home.

You can look at the comparison however you like, but you're wanting to compare one team which owing to Joel Wilson drew a series away in 2019 to retain the Ashes with basically one batsman against another which hasn't won a test here in 12 years and counting. Even in 2016 Aus won two tests.

The current Aus middle order is probably stronger than anything that's gone to England since 2009, form-wise and Ponting was on the way out by then. It's certainly stronger than the 2019 line up which featured Wade and Paine in the top seven along with Marcus Harris at some point too.

They need to work out Warner's replacement, but that aside they're pretty settled and they'll win this Ashes series in an absolute hand canter. Been saying for months, it won't even be close.

 

[Molehill]

It wasn't just Wilson, it was Paine, Cummins and Lyon too. Also worth remembering that rain saved the Aussies at Lord's. Wade got a key ton in the First Test and the smart money says Smith doesn't average 110 this time around!

But the reason England even got close at Leeds was because the Aussie bowlers couldn't contain a batsman coming at them, well they'll have to cope with a lot more now. Australia will need to be better than 2019 because England are much improved.

I've also been saying for months, the Aussies don't have a prayer. ....should be fun. I'm just gutted I'm on hols for the 2nd and 3rd Tests!!