Best Test Performances of the last 50 years

[Arthur Crabtree]

I think the resonance of that innings is that Lara, as an aging sportsman at the end of his career was willing to rescale a peak that he had first assayed as a young man. And having once scored more runs than anyone ever had, he went back and he did it again, with all the demands of skill and ambition and obsession that involved.

[Aidan11]

Botham at Headingley 81 will always be my favourite. The way he and Dilley set about having a bit of fun and it all came off. Sadly Bob Willis doesn't get as much credit as he deserves. After all, we still had to bowl the Aussies out and on paper they didn't have many to get.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Botham at OT
Botham at Headingley
Botham in Indian centenary
Gooch at Headingley
KP at Mumbai
Gower at the WACA
Atherton at The Wanderers

Are the ones picked. I'd leave out Gower, and Botham at OT for Freddie and Thorpey. The others are must picks. You could leave out KP I guess.

Yes, Bob instead of KP and that's my seven.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I think when that book came out which picked the best 100 innings, based on stats, KP's Mumbai ton scored very high. Hard to leave it out. He's very much a player of great innings. But his last gasp knock at the Oval in 05 is the one to have. Nothing else I can leave out. Botham in India?

[Gingerfinch]

Devon Malcolm at the Oval? That was pretty spectacular.

[Aidan11]

Has Laker's Test been mentioned?

[Gingerfinch]

Has Laker's Test been mentioned?

To long ago.

[Aidan11]

Has Laker's Test been mentioned?

To long ago.

Ah yes I can't count. I was thinking 1956 was just in the 50 years. I'm ten years out.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Devon of course.

[Red Devil]

I think when that book came out which picked the best 100 innings, based on stats, KP's Mumbai ton scored very high. Hard to leave it out. He's very much a player of great innings. But his last gasp knock at the Oval in 05 is the one to have. Nothing else I can leave out. Botham in India?

even in terms of significance, that innings was huge for that series - if KP had gone cheaply I think Eng would have struggled for the rest of the series, that innings changed the mindset and momentum of the series iirc

[meninblue]

No Sachin.

[shankycricket]

Jayasuriya's 340 and Lara's 400 are absolutely disgraceful inclusions in this list.

[greyblazer]

There are lots of performances that can find a place in the list. However, can't believe Jayasuriya's 340 is in that list. I watched that stand between M'namma and Sanath. It was the flattest track I have ever seen. I don't know how I went through that torture. Just can't believe Border's twin knocks at Trinidad maybe in 1984 did not get a mention.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Just can't believe Border's twin knocks at Trinidad maybe in 1984 did not get a mention.

That's number 12.

[greyblazer]

Tendulkar? Hmm, his tons at the WACA, Chennai against PAK and AUS, Cape Town against SA (both 1996-97 and 2010-11), Edgbaston against England are some of the best that I have seen (listened on radio) Tendulkar play. One of them can get in there.