Test cricket has had its reasonable share of nail-biting and tense wraps up, the kind of diversions where teams are so closely coordinated and the result is so inconceivably close.
They are matches that live long within the memory, with those who observed recollecting brave endeavours with the bat or ball from people who ventured up when required most. Today we are going to talk about the top 5 most unbelievable draws played by the teams.
1. Zimbabwe v England – Bulawayo – 1996/97
The English cricket team toured Zimbabwe for a two-match Test series and a three-match One Day International (ODI) series between 15 December 1996 and 3 January 1997. The Test series was drawn 0–0 and Zimbabwe won the ODI series 3–0. It was England's first senior tour of Zimbabwe.
In this match, Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat first. Zimbabwe scored a total of 376 with the help of Andy Flower’s marvellous century inning of 112 runs. In reply England’s Nasser Hussain’s century helped England to take a lead of 30 runs in the first inning. In second inning Zimbabwe gave England the target of 205 runs in 37 over. But England managed to score only 204 in 37 overs with the help of Nick Knight, who scored 96 (117 balls). This was the first Test in history to finish in a draw with the scores level. England needed three runs to win off the final ball of the match, but Nick Knight was run out attempting the third run.
2. India vs West Indies – Mumbai – 2011
For only the second time in history, a Test finished in a draw with the scores level, after a day of exceptional show at the Wankhede Stadium.
The draw was the anticipated result at the begin of the final day at the Wankhede. It was a draw, okay, but rather than the broadly anticipated bore, India and West Indies served up one of the foremost exceptional days of Test cricket, with the match finishing with the scores level for as it were the second time in history.
3. India vs West Indies – Mumbai – 1949
On February 8, 1949, India was set 361 in their fourth innings for what would have been their first Test triumph. A target of 361 is never easy to chase. It was almost unthinkable in 1948-49, more so because India had never won a Test before that.
When only 6 runs needed from7 balls (Ghulam Ahmed & Dattu Phadkar were on crease) Ghulam now needed to survive one more ball, and with a-minute-and-a-half left, Phadkar should surely pull it off for India in the final over.
Then, all of a sudden, umpire Bapu Joshi came into play. He had miscalculated the number of balls, and had called “over”. And, to create things more regrettable, he was conceivably carried absent by the energy and evacuated the bails to call it stumps! It was an anticlimax of the worst possible sort. A bemused Phadkar strolled back with Ghulam Ahmed, and India was denied their first-ever Test win, much obliged to the negative strategies of the West Indians and an extraordinary show of unreliability by umpire Joshi.
4. England vs West Indies – Lord’s – 1963
Lord's saw one of the most noteworthy days of cricket ever on June 25, 1963. Let us look back at a topsy-turvy match that finished in one of the most noteworthy gallant acts cricket has known.
England was chasing a total of 234 and the Drama started in the final over of the match. England needed to score 8 off the last over and Wes Hall was bowling. England lost their 9th wicket on the 4th ball and with two balls left, Cowdrey, his left arm in plaster, walked slowly out. In the dressing-room he had been practicing batting one-hand – left-handed, so as not to have to offer his broken arm to Hall. On the last ball England needed 6 runs with only 1ball left. Despite hitting a six on the last ball England chose to defend as they were happy with a draw than losing.
5. Australia vs England – Melbourne – 1974
The 1974–75 Ashes series consisted of six cricket Test matches, each match lasted five days with six hours of play each day and eight ball overs. It formed part of the MCC tour of Australia in 1974–75 and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name of the Marylebone Cricket Club. Ian Chappell's Australians won the series 4–1 and "brutally and unceremoniously wrenched the Ashes" from Mike Denness's England team. It was Australia's first series victory over England for ten years and the experience proved popular as 777,563 spectators came through the gates and paid nearly a million Australian dollars for the privilege.
For the first time the first day of the Third Test at Melbourne was held on Boxing Day in an Ashes series, now a cricketing tradition. Australia and England drew the Third Test, leaving Australia with its 2–0 lead in the series. With three balls left and 9 runs needed Australia was 8 wicket down and they played the remaining balls easily which ensured a draw and. Australia ended on 238/8, 8 runs short of victory.
