10 Famous match saving innings in Test cricket

10 Famous match saving innings in Test cricket: The beauty of Test cricket is that even without a result the match can be of great significance, and carries an impact on the result of the series. It takes application and tremendous temperament for a batsman to bat for long periods of time and save a Test match for their team.

Here’s a look at team-wise 10 Famous match saving innings in Test cricket:

1. South Africa v England, Durban – Gary Kirsten 275:

The Boxing Day Test match at Kingsmead in 1999 was the 3rd of the 5-match series between the Proteas and a well balanced visiting English side. The home side won the first Test which was followed by a hard-earned draw by England. The visitors looked set to level the series at Durban, bundling out the home team for just 156. England enforced the follow-on being 210 runs ahead in the 1st innings. Facing an uphill task the Proteas managed to salvage a draw thanks to the classy left-hander who typified the South African grit with a memorable 275 facing 642 balls. He battled it out for 878 minutes and ensured South Africa stayed ahead in the series. The Proteas eventually went on to win the series 2-1 and Kirsten’s astonishing knock in Durban was one of the high points of the series.

2. England v Australia at Old Trafford – Ricky Ponting 156: 

The Ashes Test match, after the humdinger at Edgbaston in 2005, was the 3rd of arguably the greatest Ashes series ever played. With the series tied at 1-1 the Aussies who had a target of 423, would have lost the match but for a brilliant effort from their captain. Batting almost throughout the day he made 156 facing 275 balls and stayed composed for 411 minutes. His was the 9th wicket to fall with 4 overs left and the last pair of Brett Lee and Glen McGrath ensured that their captain’s valiant effort did not go in vain. With 2 Tests to go this knock ensured the series was still in balance and gave the Aussies a glimmer of hope.

3. England v India at The Oval, London – Sunil Gavaskar 221:

Considered one the greatest innings by an Indian, Sunil Gavaskar’s 221 against England at the Oval remains a bench mark of batting master class. Set an unlikely target of 438 in the 4th and final Test, India almost pulled off a miracle thanks largely to the great batsman who batted for 490 minutes facing 443 balls. India ended the last day with 429/8 and fell tantalizingly short by just 9 runs. The legendary Indian collected 21 fours in a chanceless innings, one of the finest ever to be played on English soil. The home side won the 4 match series 1-0 however not before some anxious moments at the Oval.

4. South Africa v England at Johannesburg – Mike Atherton 185*:

Set 479 to win the 2nd Test in December 1995, England escaped with a draw, thanks to an epic innings from their captain, Mike Atherton, who defied the likes of Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Meyrick Pringle and Brian McMillan for 643 minutes, finishing 185 not out off 492 balls, the highest score of his Test career. Jack Russell also contributed scoring 29 not out battling for more than 4 and a half hours himself. England scored 351 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 165 overs. The 5-match series thus remained in the balance with 0-0.

5. West Indies v Pakistan at Barbados, Hanif Mohammad 337:

This epic knock is arguably the greatest and certainly the longest match-saving innings of all time. Hanif Mohammad opened Pakistan’s follow-on innings in Bridgetown in January 1958 with Pakistan under a 1st innings deficit of 473. His team being bowled out for 106 in the 1st innings, he started the Pakistani second innings near the end of the 2nd of the game’s 6 days, in a seemingly hopeless situation but defied a West Indian attack spearheaded by the fearsome Roy Gilchrist. In the heat of the Caribbean sun, which burned layers of skin off his face, he batted deep into the final day, surviving for 970 minutes in all and scored 337, with that Pakistan escaped with a draw scoring 657/8 facing a remarkable 319 overs. Fellow opener Imtiaz Ahmed’s 91 had a valuable contribution which laid the foundation of this great escape.

6. West Indies v England at Jamaica, George Headley 223:

One of the most unique matches ever to be played was between the home side West Indies and England in Kingston in April 1930. The Windies needed 836 to win and reached 408 for 5, of which the great Headley contributed 223. His superb effort was enough to earn his side a draw, even though the match was supposed to be timeless and played out to a finish. Rain washed out the scheduled 8th and 9th days, after which the England team had to leave to catch their boat home. This was the 4th and final Test and thanks to the great man the series ended 1-1. He faced 385 balls and spent 390 minutes. George Headley, considered one of the game’s most iconic players, set the standards for generations of West Indian players to follow.

7. New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Wellington, Martin Crowe 299:

The 3-match Test series between the home side New Zealand and Sri Lanka in 1991 began with the hosts struggling in the 1st Test at the picturesque Basin Reserve. Being bowled out for 174 in the first innings the Kiwis couldn’t stop the visitors from scoring a mammoth 497. Faced with an uphill task their talismanic captain Martin Crowe scored a career best 299 from 454 balls and batted for 610 minutes. Andrew Jones provided solid support with a brilliant 186. The hosts batted for 3 days and faced 220.3 overs scoring 671/4. The series eventually ended 0-0. Crowe’s 299 is the second highest individual Test score for a New Zealand batsman.

8. India v Zimbabwe at Nagpur, Andy Flower 232 not out:  

Among his many great knocks, this one at Nagpur in November 2000 stands out. Zimbabwe had followed-on being 227 behind and were struggling at 61 for 3 when Andy Flower came in, halfway through the 4th day. He dug in against a handy Indian attack including Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Sunil Joshi and was still there till the end of the Test match, after 544 minutes and 444 balls. His 232 not out remains the highest Test score by a wicketkeeper. India won the 2-match series 1-0 however this knock ensured the visitors avoid a clean sweep.

9. Sri Lanka v India at Kandy, Duleep Mendis 124:

A captain’s knock from one of Sri Lanka’s all-time greats remains etched in the memory of all Sri Lankan fans. Mendis spent 318 minutes for a match-saving 124 from 228 balls. This was the 3rd and last Test match of the series which the home side won 1-0; their first ever Test series win. The 2nd Test of this series was Islanders’ first ever Test win. Set a target of 377 runs the home side ended day 5 surviving 102 overs scoring 307/7. The skipper had company of Roy Dias, who scored a brilliant 106, defied an Indian attack which included the likes of Kapil Dev, Chetan Sharma, Maninder Singh and Ravi Shastri.

10. Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Dhaka, Nafees Iqbal 121:

A nephew of Bangladesh’s former captain Akram Khan, Nafees Iqbal’s 121 against the visiting Zimbabweans in 2005 in the 2nd and final Test is one of the most significant knocks in the history of Bangladesh cricket. It enabled the home side to register its first ever Test series win. Set a target of 374 Bangladesh needed a huge knock from one of their top order batsmen to save the Test let alone win it. Nafees, who was just 19 then, came in as a right-handed opening batsman; he showed maturity well beyond his years and batted with great determination. A 470-minute long vigil facing 355 balls ensured Bangladesh safely negotiated the 142 overs to secure a draw. The home side ended their 2nd innings at the score of 285 for the loss of only 5 wickets. The 1st Test match of this series was Bangladesh’s first ever Test victory hence this draw enabled them to win the series 1-0.