Second tied Test in the history of cricket
Premasara Epasinghe
Cricket is a fascinating game. Some unbelievable fantastic incidents
happen in cricket. In 1960-1961 Australia-West Indies Test series, the
first ever Tied Test was recorded. After five days of entertaining
cricket (December 9, 10, 12, 13, 14) played at Woolloongabba, Brisbane,
Australia, West-Indian Joe Soloman's sharp-eyed throw hit the stumps.
When Meckiff came charging in like Rugby Wing Three Quarter for the
winning run.
Before he creased it, Solomon's direct hit on the stumps. It was at
astonishingly accurate throw considering he had only a stump's with on
which to aim. It took 498 matches to produce the first Tie Test history.
Today, let us discuss the Memorable Second Tie Test, played on
1986-1987 series on September 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 played at Chidambaram
Stadium Chennai, between India and Australia. Apparently, it was another
554 matches before this Test delivered Tie Number Two. Winning the toss
on a batting paradise, Australia batted for two days and 37 minutes on
the third day, when Alan Border declared with a massive total of 574 for
7 wickets. There were three centurions D C Boon (122), D M Jones (210)
and skipper Border (106).
In reply India scored 397 with skipper Kapil Dev scoring 119. Greg
Matthews returned the figures of 28.2-3-103-5.
In the second essay, Australia declared their innings 170 for 5
wickets and gave them a victory target of 348. India scored 347, when
the last man Maninder Singh was ruled out for nought, when the total
scores were level.
At lunch on the final day, Sunil Gavaskar scored 90.
The other opener Krishnamachari Sriskanth collected 39. Mohinder
Amaranath (51), Mohamad Azharuddin (42), Ravi Shastri (48 not out) and C
S Pandit (39) top scored. They gave a bold reply. The turning point was
first inning centurion skipper Kapil Dev's dismissal for 01 run. The
first innings wrecker Matthew dismissed Kapil when the total was 331.
Victory target was 348. Wickets tumbled, at 334, 334 and the last wicket
at 347, when the totals were equal.
It was Greg Matthews who did the damage in the second innings too. He
returned the magnificent spell 39.5 7 146 5.
Both team scored 1488 in five days for the fall of 32 wickets.
In the final session, there were 30 overs to go, India picked up
their run rate.
They needed 155 runs. Azaruddin and Shastri started to pepper the
boundary against Australian spin twins Matthews and Ray Bright.
It was so close, but so far. Tempers began to fray between batsmen
and fielders. Pandit (39) sixth to get out. Still India needed 17 runs
to victory. There was tension all over.
Australian, Bright, hit a purple patch, when he removed. Kiran More
(0), Chetan Sharma (23) and N S Yadev (8).
The excited last man joined Ravi Shastri who was unbeaten with 48. He
batted extremely well.
Skipper Border, gave the ball to Matthews to bowl the final over.
This was his 40th over. India now needed four (4) runs to win. Ravi
Shastri scrambled for two (2) runs. Then, he took a single, leaving
Maninder Singh, facing Matthews. Now the scores were level. Three balls
left.
On the final day more than 30,000-40,000 spectators were holding
their breath. Maninder failed to score of the Matthews fourth ball.
Scores were level. For the penultimate ball of the match, Maninder Singh
played back. He failed to make contact and it rapped on the pads. There
was a chorus of appeals from Australian fieldsmen. The umpire raised his
dreaded finger to signal Maninder Singh leg before wicket LBW.
Australian fielders were on cloud nine. They descended on Matthews,
carried him around in triumph. Greg Matthews final analysis in the
match read 68.1 10 249 10. |
