Thrilling Finishes

[The Professor]

Inspired by Sri Lanka's stunning comeback today, what would you consider to be the most thrilling finish to a Test?

My vote goes to New Zealand's 1 wicket ein against the West Indies at Dunedin in 1980.

[sussexpob]

Lara...153* in 1999, Barbados

[Durhamfootman]

somewhat predictably..........

Kaspa gloving Harmison at Edgbaston 2005

and equally predictably.............

Willis taking 8fer at Headingley in 1981 with only 129 runs to play with

[bigfluffylemon]

That Lara one was a cracker, but I don't think anything will ever surpass 2005 Edgbaston for me.

[bigfluffylemon]

DFM got in seconds before me...

[yuppie]

93 Adelaide test. Australia vs West Indies.

West Indies win by one run. McDermett given out caught behind when it came of his thigh bad.....

With Perth following this was Australia's best chance to beat the Windies in a test series. The umpire got it wrong twice from memory. McDermotts dismissal was a shocker....but in fairness May was LBW about 40 runs earlier.....

Notable also because it was the test debut of Langer, who seemed to get blamed for Australia loosing even though he was the only Australian to score a 50 in the test.

From memory this was the series of Ambrose at his best. What a bowler.

[Durhamfootman]

less predictably, given that it wasn't a test.... but hey........

Durham -v- Somerset in the P40 at CLS 2008

Somerset scored 286 and then reduced Durham to 9 down with a hundred still to get.... and yet Plunkett and Harmison very nearly did it.

With 2 overs to go, Durham needed 19 to win.The crowd had been chanting out the runs required for some time, and with the number getting smaller and smaller, the Somerset players started running around like headless chickens, with lots of Jonny Fartpants clouds coming out of the backs of their trousers. Sadly the innings ended with a desperately unlucky and slightly farcical run out. I still believe that, but for that run out, Durham would have won that match. Plunkett was magnificent and biffed umpteen fours and sixes to the boundary. Harmison clung on for dear life and kept feeding the strike back.
After winning, the Somerset players were so jelly legged that they practically had to carry each other off the pitch. It was a day/nighter too, so with the lights on and the atmosphere from the crowd, it was all a bit special

Plunkett and Harmison deserved to win that game. If it had been a film or a novel, they would have done

[yuppie]

1982 test Australia vs England at the MCG

England win by 3 runs, Border and Thommo put on 70 runs for the last wicket until Botham takes the wicket of Thommo.

So close and yet so far.

[Durhamfootman]

some of the best cricket i ever saw live was under lights in the Pro 40

one of the poorer decisions the ECB made, imo

[Arthur Crabtree]

Edgbaston or Headingley 81 of course.

But this is the game where it was reported that the crowd was so excited that one died when his heart gave up and another chewed through the handle of his umbrella. And the Ashes was born.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1771 ... gland-1882

Only lasted two days.

[Durhamfootman]

An honourable mention for the CLS ashes test in 2013, which was heading inexorably towards an Australian victory until the final session of day 4 and a tall blond English medium pacer decided to have one of 'those' days

[GarlicJam]

1982 test Australia vs England at the MCG

England win by 3 runs, Border and Thommo put on 70 runs for the last wicket until Botham takes the wicket of Thommo.

So close and yet so far.

off a relayed (dropped) catch nonetheless.

I still have a sense of the disappointment from that day.Same with Edgbaston.

[Gingerfinch]

Monty and Jimmy holding out in 2009 against the Aussies.

[Durhamfootman]

Monty and Jimmy holding out in 2009 against the Aussies.

didn't Onions do it twice in SA?

[bigfluffylemon]

Yup.

2013 Ashes test at Trent Bridge. It should never have got as close as it did, but the final wicket stand between I think it was Haddin and Agar had Australia on the brink of an unlikely win.