Test cricket is all about winning sessions and thus dominating the respective innings. If asked to rank the four innings in the order of their difficulty, the fourth and the deciding innings has to occupy the top spot. Considering that the pitch deteriorates further and poses all sorts of problems to the batsmen, batting appears to be one heck of a task in the fourth innings. The batsmen need to be technically sound and temperamentally strong to negotiate the testing spells from the bowlers and make use of the loose balls on offer. This is how they would build their innings and get the team closer towards chasing a daunting total on the board. The history of the sport has seen several such knocks in the last innings, some of which resulted in a victory for the side while others ended on the other side of the line. In this piece, we look at 5 highest individual scores in the fourth innings in the history of Test cricket:
1. George Headley – 223
One of the best batsmen to represent the West Indies in its long cricketing history, Headley achieved the feat against England during the 4th Test at Kingston in 1930. Batting first, England posted a gargantuan total of 849 in the first innings on the back of fabulous knocks of 325 by Sandham and 149 by Ames.
Windies, in reply, were bowled out for 286, handing England a huge first-innings lead. Riding high on the same, England declared their second innings at 272-9 and set the hosts a target of 836 runs. The home team batted with authority this time around, managing 408-5 to draw the Test match. Headley, undoubtedly, stole the limelight during the innings, hammering 223 and was ably supported by Nunes at the other end, who scored 92.
2. Nathan Astle – 222
A flamboyant opening batsman from New Zealand, Astle smashed this knock against England during the 1st Test at Christchurch in 2002. Put into bat first, England managed a paltry total of 228 in their first innings, owing to a wonderful century by Hussain. Drum picked 3-36 for the Kiwis and exerted his impact.
The home team, too, batted poorly, getting all-out for an even lower score, 147 to be precise and bestowed England an invaluable advantage in the Test. The visitors, having procured such a convincing lead, put their impeccable self on the front in the second innings, posting 468-6 and setting the hosts a target of 550 runs in the fourth innings
Plundering one of the best knocks of his cricketing career, Astle, who scored 222 off just 168 balls, assisted New Zealand in reaching 451 and putting up a fight. Inspite of the valiant effort, the Kiwis fell short by 98 runs and handed England a memorable win on away shores. Caddick was highly impressive with his medium-pace, scalping 6-122.
3. Sunil Gavaskar – 221
A legend of Indian cricket, Gavaskar pulled off this knock against England during the 4th Test at Kennington Oval, London in 1979. Electing to bat first, England posted 305 in their first innings, owing to Gooch’s 79 and Willey’s 52. Venkataraghavan picked 3-59 for the visitors.
Having done a decent job with the bat, England bowled out India for 202 in the visitor’s first innings and procured a lead in excess of 100. The hosts further extended the lead and the advantage by scoring 334-8 in their second innings and setting India a target of 438 in the fourth innings.
Nobody knew what lied ahead for either team but what panned out, left the world awestruck. Showcasing his class and temperament in the opposition’s backyard, Gavaskar struck an unbelievable knock of 221 to take India to 429-8, missing out on the target by just 9 runs. The game was drawn and marked a fitting end to one rollercoaster of a Test match.
4. Bill Edrich – 219
One of the pillars of the English batting line-up then, Edrich mustered this famous knock against South Africa during the 5th Test at Durban in 1939. Batting first, South Africa piled up a mountain of runs on the board, scoring 530 in the first innings on the back of centuries by van der Bijl and Bourse. Perks picked a five-wicket haul while giving away 100 runs for England.
The visitors, in response, were bundled out for 316 and had the huge responsibility of shifting the momentum in their favour then. The Proteas yet again put up a batting masterclass, scoring 481 in their second innings and setting a massive target of 696 for England to chase in the fourth innings.
While all expected the South Africans to press home the advantage, England came out all guns blazing, managing 654-5 in their second innings and drawing the Test match. Edrich was the premier reason for the same, who led the England fightback with the bat, slaughtering 219 and leaving them only a few runs away from an emphatic victory.
5. Gordon Greenidge – 214
The mainstay for the Windies at the top of the order, Greenidge carted this victorious knock against England during the 2nd Test at Lord’s, London in 1984. Put into bat first, England managed 286 in their first innings, courtesy century by Fowler while Marshall was the pick of the bowler for the Windies with figures of 6-85.
In reply, the visitors were bowled out for 245 and did away with an opportunity of taking a stranglehold over the encounter. England, then, put up 300-9 in their second innings and set Windies a target of 342.
Putting their aggressive self to the fore, the Windies chased the total down by an emphatic 9 wickets and displayed their enviable credentials to the cricketing world. Greenidge and Gomes were the chief destroyers for the Windies with the bat in hand, powering knocks of 214 and 92 to help the visitors sail through.
