Battle of the Test Innings

[marc71178]

Butcher.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Dravid got his runs against a better attack than Waughs

I'm sorry, but Walsh and Ambrose on an absolute minefield of a pitch with good support from the two Benjamin's is a much better attack than Gillespie, Bichel, Brad Williams and Stuart MacGill on a pretty flat pitch.

 

[Burpey]

Butcher

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Voting closed. Butcher runs away with it 11-3.

Next up:

Andrew Flintoff 73 v Australia, Edgbaston, 2005
http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/AUS_IN_ENG/SCORECARDS/AUS_ENG_T2_04-08AUG2005.html

vs.

Stan McCabe 187* v England, SCG, 1932
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1930S/1932-33/ENG_IN_AUS/ENG_AUS_T1_02-07DEC1932.html

 

[Burpey]

Neither strike me as all that great, but McCabe for a greater volume of runs and the fact he really held the innings together more than Flintoff.

 

[honestbharani]

yeah, I will go with McCabe as well, both of them did not have much support, but McCabe's volume of runs tilts it in his favour.

 

[_Ed_]

McCabe.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Neither strike me as all that great, but McCabe for a greater volume of runs and the fact he really held the innings together more than Flintoff.

Neither all that great? You do realise that McCabe's innings is during the Bodyline series, right?

McCabe's 187 is one of the great innings in test history, in circumstances in which everyone struggled (even Bradman, relatively speaking), he simply destroyed the bowling. Should win this one easily.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

McCabe.

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

Mccabe.

 

[adharcric]

umm i have absolutely no idea about cricket in the 1930s. Flintoff.

 

[sirjeremy11]

McCabe

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Flintoff's innings was great if only because it turned a "here we go again" series into one of the best of all time and gave England a genuine shot in the match and series, both of which they went on to win. He faced a magnificent legspinner at the top of his game, and also had a hurting shoulder in the initial stages.

I know nothing of McCabe's innings, so I won't vote.

 

[Jono]

I don't know enough of McCabe's innings as I haven't read anything about it and obviously didn't see the innings, and I'm not going to vote for it based on a scorecard despite it looking like a top knock. Whilst I witnessed Flintoff's innings and it was simply amazing to watch. His partnership with Simon Jones was amazing, as every run they added was vital to England's cause. I still remember that massive straight six he hit, and the look of Jones' face standing at the non-striker's end.

Freddy it is.

 

[Sudeep]

Stan McCabe, despite having not watched it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I'd just like to add that Roy Fredericks 169 at Perth against Australia should probably be on this list, and I actually can't believe I forgot to mention it. I've heard thousands of stories from my grandfather about this innnings, and have read from quite a few sources (one being Z-Score's Cricket Stats Blog) of cricket knowledge that it rates as one of the best innings ever. Not sure how Wisden rates it, though.

 

[marc71178]

Flintoff - match-winning in effect.

 

[howardj]

Stan da man

 

[open365]

I'm going to go with stan.

Flintoff's innings was good but i don't think it would be on this list if it wasn't played during the 05 ashes,i know that the series/time/match should still count towards the greatness of the innings,but i don't think it gets Flintoff over Mccabe

 

[BoyBrumby]

McCabe by some little distance. Unfortunately v little film of his bravest of innings actually survives, on my DVD of "Story of The Ashes" (Green Umbrella, 2003) it shows him making a couple of splendid hooks literally off his nose & a rather hurried backward defensive shot to one from Larwood that climbed off just short of a length. The ball spoons in the air & drops just short of the diving leg-slipman. In his seminal "Bodyline Autopsy" David Frith notes this is more or less the only extant footage.

Freddie was facing Warne in absolutely prime form, but BLee was clearly tired after his exertions earlier in the day &, I think it's fair to say, neither Dizzy or Kaspa were having their finest hours. McCabe, conversely, was facing Larwood & Voce bowling potentially lethal short pitched balls of genuine pace to a leg-theory field, supplemented by Gubby Allen, Hedley Verity & Wally Hammond's mediums.

I think if further proof were needed of the superiority of McCabe's innings I'd suggest the fact that he almost out-Freddie Flintoff during his last wicket stand with Tim Wall. They put on 55 runs in only 33 minutes, of which McCabe added 51 (including 26 off two Voce overs).