Best match ever ?
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The game you've mentioned was a great game, however I feel the batsmen were too dominant for it to be the best match ever.
When bowlers dominate in the same way, & we see only 200-odd runs scored in a whole match, nobody says "Wow, how great was that!", so I don't quite understand why people see it so differently when batsmen do it. For me, a great game has two sides that desperately need to win, a tide of constantly turning fortune, plenty of action, & a finish that couldn't be any closer if a script was written.
But each to their own
The best games I can remember are:
Zimbabwe v Ireland at the 2007 World Cup. Both teams needed to win, because they were expecting to lose to Pakistan & the West Indies. None of the neutral spectators wanted either team to lose, & the game swung back & forth almost over by over. It was a tight, tough contest fought on the biggest stage possible, & had a great finish. The quality of some of the play is the only question mark over it.
Australia V West Indies at the SCG in 1996. Micheal Bevan slapped a four of Roger Harper on the very last ball of the innings to win the game for Australia. It truly was the defining moment for a batsmen unparalleled (until recently) on the ODI stage.
The best by far, for me, is still South Africa v Australia in the semi-final of the 1999 World Cup.
The match finished in a tie, which allowed Australia to go on to meet Pakistan in the final... however anyone that saw that semi-final knows that it was the 'real' final!
When bowlers dominate in the same way, & we see only 200-odd runs scored in a whole match, nobody says "Wow, how great was that!", so I don't quite understand why people see it so differently when batsmen do it. For me, a great game has two sides that desperately need to win, a tide of constantly turning fortune, plenty of action, & a finish that couldn't be any closer if a script was written.
But each to their own
The best games I can remember are:
Zimbabwe v Ireland at the 2007 World Cup. Both teams needed to win, because they were expecting to lose to Pakistan & the West Indies. None of the neutral spectators wanted either team to lose, & the game swung back & forth almost over by over. It was a tight, tough contest fought on the biggest stage possible, & had a great finish. The quality of some of the play is the only question mark over it.
Australia V West Indies at the SCG in 1996. Micheal Bevan slapped a four of Roger Harper on the very last ball of the innings to win the game for Australia. It truly was the defining moment for a batsmen unparalleled (until recently) on the ODI stage.
The best by far, for me, is still South Africa v Australia in the semi-final of the 1999 World Cup.
The match finished in a tie, which allowed Australia to go on to meet Pakistan in the final... however anyone that saw that semi-final knows that it was the 'real' final!
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What about the MIANDAD Last ball six matchincubi said:
PAK Vs IND, the AustralAsia Cup,
FIRST India's Chetan Sharma made a brave Hattrick
Good India side kept on taking wickets & in their strategy probably weekening Pakistan
BUT MORE GOOD MIANDAD held his wicket till the vert end
The match kept on going untill the very last ball
Last ball of the match, four runs required, MIANDAD facing, so when MIANDAD's facing then its NEVER OVER
ITS A SIX, A DAMN LAST BALL SIX, For get the Hat trick Maindad has done a miracle, AN UNBELIEVALE WIN FOR PAKISTAN
This match was against 2 arch rival teams, what enormous pressure on the players AND this match was HISTORY, this match was ONE REAL QUALITY MATCH & A REAL CRICKET FAN CAN NEVER FORGET IT
THIS MATCH SURELY NEEDS A MENTION HERE cause this match actually then changed the psychy of the WHOLE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM ause PAK did the unbelievable
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The 438 runs chase was another miracle win in history, probably the most miraculous ever victory in an ODIincubi said:
when AUS made that HELL HELL BIF total, every 1 BELIEVED SA has lost & theres NO CHANCE WHAT SO EVER SA can make a COME BACK
Even the way match progressed, the match equation always appeard TOO HARD for SA, & then the wickets fall too, BUT THE SA TailEnders were as gr8 as their Perfect batsmen
AN UNBELIEVEABLE PERFORMANCE from SA, simply UNBELIEVABLE performance,
Yes when AUS made the biggi score, surely so many people would have left their seats believing NO CHANCE for SA, but its THEN when the new story begins, the DRAMA actually starts
I would say throughout the match, the teams were levelled, in fact, it appeard after AUS innings that AUS has all the chance, but THE FIGHT BACK FACTOR IS THE KEY IN THIS MATCH,
THIS MATCH WILL NEVER HAVE ITS SECOND ACTUALLY
Indeed - all matches worthy of note. I couldn't agree more!
The point I was trying to make, however, is that a great game doesn't need 800+ (or even 700+) runs scored. In my opinion, what's needed is a great contest between bat & ball.
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The point I was trying to make, however, is that a great game doesn't need 800+ (or even 700+) runs scored. In my opinion, what's needed is a great contest between bat & ball.
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madAfridiFan said:
MAF, if you're stating that you don't think we'll see a total that big chased down ever again, I'll have to disagree with you.
I can't say where, when, or between which teams, but I've seen (& experienced) too many strange things in cricket to readily or completely discount history repeating itself.
Of course, I respect your opinion - mine is just different.
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I can't say where, when, or between which teams, but I've seen (& experienced) too many strange things in cricket to readily or completely discount history repeating itself.
Of course, I respect your opinion - mine is just different.
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madAfridiFan said:
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i agree on ur point, & fullStop & commas LoL heheheincubi said:Indeed - all matches worthy of note. I couldn't agree more!
The point I was trying to make, however, is that a great game doesn't need 800+ (or even 700+) runs scored. In my opinion, what's needed is a great contest between bat & ball.
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tks for agreeng
My favourite match would be a one-dayer between Australia and the West Indies a few years back when Michael Bevan hit a four off the last ball to win the game for Australia.
Another that comes to mind was a one day match many many years ago where Alan Lamb, I think, scored 17 runs of the final over to win the game for England.
Another that comes to mind was a one day match many many years ago where Alan Lamb, I think, scored 17 runs of the final over to win the game for England.
18 runs off one Bruce Reid over, at the SCG, in (about) 1987... if my memory serves me correctly.
I was devestated. It was the first time I'd ever sat down with a score book & scored the whole game while listening to it on the radio. Needless to say that I've never done it again.
Back then, scoring that many runs off one over was extremely rare...
however I remember thinking to myself at the time "This is a sign of things to come - once people realise that consistently scoring more than 6 runs an over is really possible, the sky's the limit!"
I was devestated. It was the first time I'd ever sat down with a score book & scored the whole game while listening to it on the radio. Needless to say that I've never done it again.
Back then, scoring that many runs off one over was extremely rare...
however I remember thinking to myself at the time "This is a sign of things to come - once people realise that consistently scoring more than 6 runs an over is really possible, the sky's the limit!"
Rajah said:
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