Top 5 cricketing moments of 2019

#4. Smith's run-filled Ashes comeback

England v Australia - 4th Specsavers Ashes Test: Day Four

Following the ban handed to him over his role in the ball-tampering scandal, Steve Smith returned to Test cricket during Ashes 2019. And, he batted in such incredible fashion, it was as if he had never gone away.

In his first Test on return, he cracked 144 and 142 at Birmingham to put the Aussies 1-0 up. Smith looked set for another hundred at Lord’s when a blow to the neck from Jofra Archer forced him to retire hurt. He returned, but was clearly unsettled, and was dismissed for 92. Marnus Labuschagne famously replaced him as the concussion substitute in the second innings.

Having missed the Headingley Test, which England won on the back of Ben Stokes’ heroics, Smith returned to put the Aussies 2-1 up at Manchester. He smashed 211 in the first innings and added a brisk 82 in the second as England went down by 185 runs. Smith rounded off the Ashes with 80 and 23 at The Oval for a total tally of 774 runs. England squared the series with a 135-run win in the final Test, but Aussies retained the urn.

#3. Kusal Perera’s epic 153 not out

Kusal Perera and Vishwa Fernando celebrate Durban triumph

Amidst Ben Stokes and Smith’s brilliance, and the World Cup hoopla, Kusal Perera’s heroic 153 not out at Durban back in February has pretty much been forgotten. Chasing 304 for victory, the game seemed all but over for the visitors at 226 for 9. Perera was on 86 when the last man Vishwa Fernando joined him. And his innings, it seemed, was just delaying the inevitable.

However, Perera produced a marvellous counter-attack while also keeping Fernando away from strike in what will go down as one of the greatest Test knocks ever. Perera hit five sixes and 12 fours in an incredible 153 not out, and before the Proteas could figure out what had hit them, the game was over. Fernando faced just 27 balls and contributed a valuable six in the unbroken last-wicket stand of 78. Buoyed by the miraculous triumph, Sri Lanka went on to register a historic 2-0 win over South Africa.