Top 10 Highest individual scores in losing cause in Tests

Top 10 Highest individual scores in losing cause in Tests: Cricket is a team game, that is more often than not, decided by individual brilliance. Ironical, right? However, this gentleman’s game is also full of uncertainties and sometimes, even an individual brilliance is not enough to save his team from an imminent loss. That’s how it has always been, and that’s how it is, even to this date. Test Matches have always been the pinnacle of Cricket. In this article, we bring you the Top 10 Highest individual scores in losing cause in Tests: 10. Matthew Hayden – 203: Matthew Hayden. (Photo Source: PA Photos) The big Aussie opener always had a liking for the Indian attack. On Australian tour of India in 2000-01 marked the time that changed Indian cricket. Aussies, who came here with a record 17 consecutive Test wins, crumbled against the Indian bowling and lost the last two Tests of the three Test series. However, Matthew Hayden remained a constant thorn for Harbhajan & Co. Scoring 203 in the third Test at Chennai, as India beat the World Champion to claim the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Also Read – Top 10 Teams with most Test losses 9. Dennis Amiss – 203: Dennis Amiss. (Photo Source: PA Photos) Dennis Amiss, the Englishman, who had just made a return to the English Test squad in 1976, scored a double hundred at Oval against the fiery West Indian attack. West Indies used to be a formidable almost invincible side during that time and even a double Century from Amiss couldn’t save the Pommies from an eventual defeat. The game is now better remembered for Michael Holding’s brutal bowling who accounted 14 wickets in that Test match. 8. Aubrey Faulkner – 204: Aubrey Faulkner. (Photo Source: PA Photos) Well, this is a pretty old one! Aubrey Faulkner, one of the best all-rounder’s from South Africa, scored the first double hundred in the Test Match history for his side at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia in 1910/11. The Aussies still managed to clinch the game by a margin of 90 runs as Faulkner’s incredulous effort went in vain. 7. Neil Harvey – 205: Neil Harvey (Photo Source: Getty Images) Another Australian enters this list at the 7th position. Neil Harvey is widely regarded by his team-mates as one of the best batsmen Australia ever produced. Harvey scored 205 runs at the MCG against South Africa in the 1952-53 Test series. The southpaw’s mammoth contribution helped Aussies amass a total of 520 in the first innings although, they eventually succumbed to defeat by the hand of Proteas. 6. Paul Collingwood – 206: Paul Collingwood. (© Getty Images) Ah! Finally a player that played in our time. Who can forget Paul Collingwood’s 206 against Australia in the 2006-07 Ashes Test in Adelaide, that eventually ended in a losing cause? It was one of the finest Test Matches you would ever see as England piled up 551 in their first innings, thanks to the historical knock by Collingwood, but still, somehow, England managed to lose the game by 6 wickets. Another brilliant knock goes in vain. 5. Graeme Pollock – 209: Graeme Pollock. (Photo Source: PA Photos) South Africa’s cricketer of the century, Graeme Pollock was one of the best batsmen ever produced by the Proteas. It was the second Test Match at Capetown in the summer of 1967 which saw the Aussies tour, South Africa. After putting up a mammoth score of 542 in the first innings, the Kangaroos left the Proteas hanging at 85-5. Pollock was still at the crease but handicapped with one leg as he pulled a hamstring muscle. The brilliant batsman that he was, Pollock still managed to rile up an individual score of 209 with a lion-hearted effort that eventually ended in a losing cause. Nevertheless, the legacy had been established. 4. Victor Trumper – 214*: Victor Trumper. (© Getty Images) The oldest of all in this list, Victor Trumper enters our list at the 4th position. Yet another Aussie, Victor Trumper’s 214 not out against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval in 1910-11 was another great innings that eventually ended in a losing cause. Not the most prolific of batsmen, Trumper averaged 39 in the red ball cricket, but it was the style and flair of his batting that gets him regarded so highly among cricket lovers. 3. Nathan Astle – 222: Nathan Astle. (© DEAN TREML/AFP/Getty Images) Well, now, this is the most prolific of double centuries you will ever see. Nathan Astle, the Kiwi batsman, wasn’t really known for his aggressive batting during his time. However, the perception changed on 16th March 2002 when Nathan Astle smashed a double century in just 153 balls. Chasing an incredible total of 550 in the fourth innings, the Kiwis, as expected crumbled to the pressure, but the man, Nathan Astle, did give some scare to the Pommies as he smashed 222 runs in just 168 balls. Perhaps, one of the best innings ever played in the losing cause? The Kiwis will surely agree! 2. Brian Lara – 226: Brian Lara. (Photo Source: Getty Images) One of the greatest ever batsman and perhaps the best southpaw to ever grace the Cricket pitch, Brain Lara enters the list at no.2. Lara is usually known for his marathon innings and triple hundreds. This innings of 226, he scored against Australia at Adelaide Oval in 2005. It was the third Test match of the series between the two teams as West Indies piled up 428 runs in the first innings, thanks to Brian Lara’s 226, but the Caribbean side eventually managed to lose the game by 7 wickets. It’s a funny game after all. 1. Ricky Ponting – 242: Ricky Ponting. (© Getty Images) It had to be another Australian, didn’t it? And who else than one of the best player of our generation, Ricky Ponting. The 242 runs feat by Ricky Ponting came against India at Adelaide Oval in 2003. This game, for all-purpose, should have been won and remembered for Ponting’s glorious innings, instead Rahul Dravid played one of his masterclass innings of 233 to help India win the Test by 3 wickets. Unfortunate for Ponting, but brilliant for the game of cricket as this Test match went down in the history as one of the best games ever played. Also Read – Highest Individual score in Test Cricket for each team (All Stats Updated Till 22nd September, 2015)