Top 10 match-saving innings of all time
Drawn Test matches are one of the reasons for fans to lose their interest in the longest format of the game. However, over the years, we have witnessed drawn matches which are by no means less interesting than the ones that yield a result.
Here we are presenting to you 10 instances when batsmen saved the Test against all the odds:
10. Bruce Mitchell:
Down by 3-0 in the series against a strong English side, Bruce Mitchell played one of the best innings in the Test cricket to help South Africa avoid the embarrassment of losing by 4-0.
A draw looked very unlikely as the South African team needed to see off 140 overs to save the match. However, Bruce Mitchell scored a brilliant 189* to not only save the Test but also took South Africa agonizingly close to causing an upset. Chasing 451, they finished on 423 for the loss of seven wickets. Mitchell had scored 120 in the first innings, too, and was only off the field for eight minutes during the entire match.
9. Ricky Ponting:
The 2005 Ashes series was one of the best Test series ever played. After a nail biting the second Test, where England defeated Australia by 2 runs, the third Test served up another tense finish. After being set 423 to win, Ponting waged a lone battle to salvage a draw for the visitors. Batting almost throughout the final day, the former Australian skipper made a gallant 156. He was the ninth Australian wicket to fall with still four overs to left but the last pair – Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath – made sure his efforts weren’t wasted.
During the first Test of 2010-11 Ashes series, England were trailing Australia by 221 runs in their first innings. England were looking down the barrel but a masterpiece from Alastair Cook helped them not only to salvage a draw but also set the tone for the remainder of the series which they went on to win. Cook scored 235 runs as England declared for a mammoth 517. Sharing a partnership of 188 runs with skipper Andrew Strauss, then 329 with Jonathan Trott, Cook batted for an unbelievable 625 minutes to save the game.
7. Dennis Amiss:
England were trailing West Indies by 230 runs in their first innings. They lost five wickets in the second innings clearing that deficit. West Indies were looking the favourites to take the match away only to see Amiss deny them with a monumental innings. Amiss batted till the end and scored 262 not out after 570 minutes. When the draw was agreed, England had 432 for 9.
6. Faf du Plessis:
Chasing an improbable 414 runs for victory on a wearing Adelaide Oval pitch, South Africa had to see off four and a half sessions to save the game. Debutant Faf du Plessis played a gem of an innings to help his team salvage a draw. Du Plessis survived at the crease for more than seven and a half hours to post one of the great hundreds by a debutant and lead South Africa to a famous draw. The right-handed batsman scored 110*. He was ably supported by AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis. De Villiers played against his normal style to score 33 from 220 balls without a boundary while Kallis played a 110-ball innings of 46.
5. Andy Flower:
One of the greatest batsmen from Zimbabwe, Andy Flower has played many memorable innings for his National team but this innings is arguably the best played by him. Playing against India in Nagpur in November 2000 Zimbabwe had followed on 227 behind, and were 61 for 3 when Flower came in halfway through the fourth day. The wicketkeeper batsman remained unbeaten after 544 minutes and 444 balls and scored 232 runs. His 232 not out remains the highest Test score by a wicketkeeper.
4. Mike Atherton:
Chasing 479 runs, England were up against the wall as they had to either chase down the huge total or had to bat over 160 overs to salvage a draw. But England opener Mike Atherton was not ready to throw in the towel as he dished out a masterpiece to save the Test. The former English captain scored 185 not out off 492 balls. The monumental innings lasted 643 minutes.
3. Gautam Gamhir:
Replying to New Zealand’s mammoth total of 619 runs, India were asked to follow on after being dismissed for only 305 runs in their first innings. The Indian team was looking down the barrel on a swinging pitch only to see Gautam Gambhir play one of the best innings of his career to earn India a memorable draw. Apart from Gambhir, there were valuable contributions from the trio of Dravid (62 off 220) Tendulkar (64 off 131) and Laxman (124 of 212).
Opening the innings, the southpaw occupied the crease for nearly 160 overs and scored 137 runs in 643 minutes.
2. Brendon McCullum:
After taking a huge lead of 246 runs in the first innings, India were looking all set to win the match after reducing New Zealand to 94 for 5 in the second innings. However, Brendon McCullum thwarted their hopes with one of the best Test innings ever played. From 94/5, McCullum crafted a brilliant fight back to leave the Indian team shell-shocked. Coming out to bat in the first session of day three with an innings defeat and a squandered series lead imminent, McCullum became the first Kiwi batsman to score a triple century in Test cricket. The former New Zealand skipper reached the landmark in 557 balls and his innings included 32 fours and 4 sixes.
1. Hanif Mohammad:
Arguably the greatest match-saving knock of all time. Pakistani opener batted for a mammoth 970 minutes to save the Test against West Indies. After being enforced to follow on facing a first-innings deficit of 473 runs, Pakistan were looking well out of the contest.
However, Hanif Mohammad played the longest match-saving innings of all time to salvage a draw. The legendary opener scored 337 runs.
There is an famous story regarding this monumental innings. A West Indian was watching the match from atop a tree. However, he collapsed, and was rushed to the hospital, and when he regained consciousness, he asked “Is Hanif still batting?” Unfortunately, the answer to that question was a yes, and he collapsed again!
