Throughout Test cricket history, there have been some matches played which force you to love this ultimate format of cricket. These matches have gone down to the wire and ended with unpredictable results.
Let’s have a look at top 5 closest matches of all time in terms of runs.
1. West Indies beat Australia by 1 run, Adelaide, 1993
In the 4th match of the series, West Indies, after batting first, might post only 252 on board. However, Tersely Ambrose spits fire on an enthusiastic pitch and with a spell of 6-74 crushed Australia’s batting and confined them to 213. With a convenient lead, West Indies had the certainty of setting a great target but off-spinner Tim May’s extraordinary 6-9 bundled them out for a fair 146, making Australia require 186 for triumph. Be that as it may, the West Indies bowlers combined to put up a spirited appear and Australia fell brief by a fair 1 run – the littlest edge of triumph in Test cricket by runs.
2. England beat Australia by 2 runs, Birmingham, 2005
This was maybe one of the foremost exciting Test matches of this era. Leading 1-0 within the 2005 Ashes, Australia required 279 runs for victory within the 2nd Test at Birmingham to create it 2-0. They were battling at 175-8 and 220-9 at one point. But energetic shows by Shane Warne, Brett Lee, and Michael Kasprowicz brought them inside 3 runs of triumph. In any case, Steve Harmison snuffed out Kasprowicz with a burning bouncer, and Britain in this way won the match by 2 runs beneath uncommon circumstances.
3. Australia beat England by 3 runs, Manchester, 1902
In the 4th Ashes Test of 1902 in Manchester, Britain required 124 runs for triumph after Stanley Jackson’s 128 and Charge Lockwood’s 5-28 and 6-48 had set the tone for them earlier. Looking all set to chase the target on a pitch that helped seamers, Britain disintegrated as Australia’s Hugh Trumble (6-53) and Jack Saunders (4-52) ran through them, and in the long run, the home team collapsed for 120 to lose the diversion by 3 runs.
4. England beat Australia by 3 runs, Melbourne, 1982
Leading the series 2-0, Greg Chappell’s Australia was certain going into the 4th Ashes Test of 1982 in Melbourne. Not much isolated the two sides after Britain, led by Bounce Willis, had overseen 284 within the 1st innings and Australia’s answer had been confined to 287. On a sporting and bouncy track, England, much appreciated to a fine 65 by opener Graeme Fowler and crucial commitments from the lower middle-order, posted 294 and set Australia a target of 292 for triumph.
Australia was well on its way to create the series 3-0, comfortably on track at 171/3 at one stage. But with the takeoff of Kim Hughes (48) and David Hookes (68), Australia bumbled, and quick bowler Norman Cowans’ amazing spell of 6/77 kept scratching them. And whereas Alan Border (62*) played a strong hand, the others couldn’t back him, and the home team was inevitably bowled out for 280. England hence won this important and difficult battled game by fair 3 runs.
5. New Zealand beat Pakistan by 4 runs, Abu Dhabi, 2018
At Abu Dhabi, in the first Test of the 3-match series between Pakistan, led by Sarfraz Ahmed, and New Zealand, captained by Kane Williamson, Pakistan however once more gave a see of their unsteady ways.
Chasing a humble target of 176 for triumph against the guests, Pakistan was cruising along pleasantly at 130/3. In any case, after debutant left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel removed Asad Shafiq for 45, the conduits all of a sudden opened. Bowling tight lines and changing the ball quietly, Patel’s extraordinary spell before long had Pakistan reeling at 171/9. With Pakistan requiring 5 runs for triumph and one wicket cleared out, Patel caught Pakistan’s final recognized batsman, Azhar Ali, in front for 65 and clinched a surprising triumph for New Zealand by 4 runs. Patel finished with 5/59 and Pakistan was cleared out shell stunned, having to lick their wounds after this marvellous collapse.
