For the purists, Test cricket is still the ultimate format of the game and can be far more entertaining than its slam-bang cousins, the ODI and T20I formats. While everyone wants to see result-oriented matches in the longest version of cricket, there are occasions when drawn Tests can be equally exciting.
This happens when the team which is due to bat on the final day of the 5-day affair is under the burden of trying to avoid suffering a loss. Many teams tend to succumb to this pressure and end up losing the game but there have been a number of instances when sides have played out the entire day and secured a draw.
Let’s take a look at 5 final day performances which helped save Test matches:
#5 Australia against England at Manchester, 2005 Ashes
The 2005 Ashes series is considered to be one of the greatest to have been played between the two arch-rivals, Australia and England. With the series level at 1-1 after the first 2 Tests, the 3rd match of the series at Old Trafford was a crucial one as none of the teams wanted to lose it.
The English batted first and gained early momentum in the Test by scoring 444 in their first innings. In response, the Australians were struggling at 201 for 7 at one stage, but a fine 90 from Shane Warne helped them reach a score of 302 as the home side took a lead of 142 runs.
England batted superbly in their second innings, too, and declared at 280 for 6, giving the Aussies a little over a day to chase down 423 to win the game. The visitors ended Day 4 at 24 for no loss and required 399 more for a victory on Day 5 of the Test.
Justin Langer fell early on the final day and that brought skipper Ricky Ponting to the crease. Ponting showed great determination and kept going despite losing partners at regular intervals.
By the time he was dismissed by Andrew Flintoff for a score of 156, Australia needed to play out just 4 overs and the last wicket pair of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath managed to complete the job.
#4 South Africa against West Indies at Guyana, 2005 Sir Vivian Richards Trophy
South Africa’s tour to the West Indies in 2005 witnessed a great escape act by the visitors, fashioned by their greatest ever cricketer, Jacques Kallis. In the 1st Test of the 4-match series at Guyana, the West Indians rode on double centuries from Wavell Hinds and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to declare their first innings at 543 for 5.
The South African first innings, though, turned out to be a disaster as they were blown away for just 188, courtesy of a special effort by the home side’s pacers. West Indies enforced the follow on and the Proteas ended Day 4 at 85 for 2 with Kallis and Jacques Rudolph at the crease.
Rudolph hung around with Jacques Kallis for almost the entire 1st session of play on Day 5 but finally got out for 24 off 152 balls. His dismissal brought Herschelle Gibbs to the crease, who put together a match-saving partnership of 139 runs in 67.2 overs with Kallis.
With just about 7 overs left for South Africa to negotiate, Gibbs fell after scoring 49 off 206 balls. However, Jacques Kallis’ unbeaten 109 ensured that the tourists pulled off a fighting draw.
#3 South Africa against Australia at Adelaide, 2012
One of the most outstanding final day efforts to save a Test match in recent times came during South Africa’s tour to Australia in the 2012/13 season. It was the 2nd Test of a 3-match series which was level at 0-0 after the 1st Test at Brisbane.
A double century by skipper Michael Clarke and a century each from David Warner and Mike Hussey put the Australians in the driving seat as they amassed 550 runs in their first innings. The Proteas came up with a strong reply led by Graeme Smith’s 122 but still fell short of the hosts’ total by 162 runs.
Australia batted at a brisk pace in their second innings and gave the visitors a challenging target of 430 runs to win the match. South Africa were pushed on the back foot by the home team’s bowlers and found themselves reeling at 77 for 4 at the end of the 4th day.
With his team under immense pressure to enforce a draw with just 6 wickets in hand, debutant Faf du Plessis brought out his best defensive game to the fore as did AB de Villiers, who scored an uncharacteristically slow 33 off 220 balls.
In 2 partnerships of 89 and 99 with de Villiers and Jacques Kallis respectively, du Plessis took the game away from Australia’s grasp. Although there were a flurry of wickets towards the end, the young batsman was resolute at one end and helped the Proteas achieve a draw with his unbeaten 110.
#2 New Zealand against Australia at Perth, 1989
In November 1989, New Zealand faced off against Australia in a one-off Test match at Perth and it turned out to be one of the most hard-fought draws of all time. The hosts were asked to bat first and put themselves in a commanding position thanks to David Boon, whose 200 saw them get to a score of 521 for 9 in their first innings.
When the Kiwis came in to bat in their 1st innings, they were skittled out for 231 as Australian paceman Merv Hughes picked up four wickets. The follow-on was enforced and New Zealand were once again in early trouble at 11 for 2.
Left-hander Mark Greatbatch, meanwhile, held fort at one end, even as the visitors lost more wickets and were in a precarious position at 168 for 4 when day 4 ended. On Day 5, Greatbatch carried on with his business in a similar vein as the previous day, but the New Zealanders were jolted by the dismissals of Jeff Crowe and Ian Smith in quick succession.
Chris Cairns joined the set batsman out in the middle and the duo added crucial 45 runs for the 7th wicket. After Cairns got out, Martin Snedden came in and batted with grit to stitch an unbeaten 88-run partnership with Mark Greatbatch which ensured that the match ended in a draw.
Greatbatch picked up the Man of the Match award for his resolute 146 off 485 balls.
#1 England against South Africa at Johannesburg, 1995
The 2nd Test of a 5-match series during England’s 1995/96 tour to South Africa saw one of the most iconic efforts by a team to enforce a draw. It was the South Africans who were put in to bat first and they posted a healthy total of 332 on the board, helped by a Gary Kirsten century.
The Proteas bowlers ran through the English batting line-up and ensured that the visitors were dismissed for just 200 runs in their first innings. In their 2nd innings, the hosts produced another supreme batting performance and left their opponents with 479 runs to score in the 4th innings for a victory.
England began their chase on Day 4 and finished on 167 for 4 with Mike Atherton still at the crease on 82 not out. It was still going to be a daunting task for them on the final day with just 6 wickets in hand and Donald-Pollock & Co. breathing down their necks.
Atherton’s overnight partner Robin Smith, gave him company for quite some time on Day 5 before getting out for 44. With still a lot of overs left to negotiate in the day, the English were under the threat of losing the match and needed some magic to come out of this situation.
Out walked wicket-keeper Jack Russell to join Mike Atherton in the centre and what followed was a marathon partnership of 119 which helped England pull off an epic draw. Both batsmen were named Man of the Match for their special final day effort.
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