Gutsiest Innings

[Western Warrior]

Now and then, when I have a BBQ at home and the beer starts the flow, the conversation ultimately turns to cricket. At a recent beef and beer feast we began to discuss the gutsiest innings we had seen. Ultimately we decided (after much debate) that Dean Jones should get the nod for his monumental 210 against India in Madras in 1986.

This was an innings to quite literally almost killed Dean Jones. He is quoted as saying

"By the time I reached 130 - 140, I was starting to vomit and the dehydration was setting in badly. I had pins and neddles all over my body, I couldn't bend to sweep and I was struggling even to get down the pitch, as I couldn't move my legs. And then I started to urinate involuntarily."

Jones said that when he reached 170 he wanted to quit but talked him into continuing and he staggered into the rooms at tea on 202.

By the time he was dismissed by Yadav, clean bowled, he had faced 330 balls, hit 27 fours, and 2 sixes and also lost 7kg. Photo's of him show a gaunt, pale man who in a day and a half had lost 7 kilograms. An amazing amount for a player who was whip thin at the time.

All in all one hell of an innings.

 

[marc71178]

When I saw the title I thought back to Steve Waugh on the last Aussie tour here.

 

[Joao_Quinto]

When I saw the title I thought back to Steve Waugh on the last Aussie tour here.

Me too, but Deano did all right that match didn't he? Nah. I like SR Waugh better especially after hearing Deano commentate.

 

[deeps]

Steve Waugh's innings was a gem, and his 63 was also a very very good innings as was his 200... The 200 and the 63 were against the fastest and most hostile bowling ever seen. It was dangerous to even face a delivery, so to hang around and play the way waugh did was very gutsy indeed. deano's innings was marvelous too

 

[Sudeep]

Tendulkar's 136 against Pakistan in the first Test of the 1998-99 series @ Chennai.

 

[shaka]

Mark Richardson's inninigs when he pulled a muscle or something and still made the century mark.

 

[Waughney]

Mark Richardson's inninigs when he pulled a muscle or something and still made the century mark.

But that doesn't compare to Jones' innings!

 

[Simon]

hayden's innings in sharjah for mine...

 

[nikhil1772]

Brian Lara almost single-handedly winning atest for Windies against Australia...

 

[Simon]

Brian Lara almost single-handedly winning atest for Windies against Australia...

hes done that more than once!

 

[Pinkline Jones]

Gutsy Innings

I don't think any of Waugh's innings would compare favourably with the efforts of Colin Cowdrey and the great Geoff Boycott - I think the cricket players are too pampered these days.

 

[Deja moo]

I agree with Dean Jones' innings being the gutsiest .

One could also mention Adam Gilchrists double hundred in South Africa . He mentioned something about crying through most of the innings being troubled by rumours of Slater being linked to his wife . Must have been emotionally draining.

 

[tooextracool]

not too many people seem to remember andy flowers innings, 142 and 199 not out in the same test against SA in 02 or his 232* and 183* in india in 00/01

 

[PAKMAN]

saeed anwar's 194 the man was sick with a high fever
n yet he mae the world record

 

[Deja moo]

^ erm....he didnt have any fever , he got the cramps midway and used a runner for more than 100 of those runs......hardly the gutsiest innings ever IMO.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I didn't get the opportunity to watch the Jones innings, so I'd probably have to vote for Waugh's 200.

 

[honestbharani]

not too many people seem to remember andy flowers innings, 142 and 199 not out in the same test against SA in 02 or his 232* and 183* in india in 00/01

I think those were great. But as far as overcoming injury is concerned, there is this folklore about Viv getting hit by Lillee on the head once (he wore no helmet, obviously) and he just shook it off and went on to get a 100. Don't have any official confirmation, though. Would be nice if someone can tell me if it was true or not.

 

[PAKMAN]

^ erm....he didnt have any fever , he got the cramps midway and used a runner for more than 100 of those runs......hardly the gutsiest innings ever IMO.

lol thot u would say that
but thats what we heard in pakistan bout his fever

 

[twctopcat]

That was one mental test match when Dean Jones got his score, india were all out for 347 in second test chasing 348 for the win, talk about bottling it!

 

[vic_orthdox]

stan mccabe's ton in the bodyline series. he took them on and won...well, the first time, i think he failed every time after that