Aggers' Greatest Tests

With England playing India at Lord's this week in what will be the 2,000th Test, the TMS team will be picking what they believe to be the greatest Test played in two special BBC Radio 5 live programmes.

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew looks at five that could make the shortlist.

1. Headingley 1981, England v Australia

For sheer outrageousness it is the Headingley Test, which makes Test cricket the unique sport it is and the superior variety of cricket, when games turn on their heads.

It was all over, everyone knew it, the bookies knew it, England were still 92 behind with only three wickets left but then came an awesome innings by Ian Botham (149 not out from 148 balls with 27 fours and a six), aided by a fine fifty from Graham Dilley which often gets overlooked and astonishing spell of 8-43 by Bob Willis which is certainly often forgotten.

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It was a remarkable turnaround and the most amazing Test match from that perspective.

I remember watching it on TV, I had been playing cricket myself I think, but it gripped the country and did a huge amount for cricket all over the world.


England celebrated winning the Ashes in 2005 with a victory parade in London. Photo: PA

2. Edgbaston 2005, England v Australia

In terms of a nailbiting finish it is Birmingham in that amazing 2005 series. We thought Australia were going to do it on that Sunday morning, led by Shane Warne's impish, annoying innings.

There was Simon Jones trying to come in from third man to take a catch, not quite getting there, and the Australian team's last pair putting on 59 and almost inching their way to victory, just three runs short of their target.

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My main memory of that match is the crowd noise, the huge belly roar that shook Edgbaston and came through the commentary box window.

You don't often get that at a cricket match but the sheer force of the ground when Billy Bowden put his finger up for that final wicket was unforgettable.

Poor old Mike Kasprowicz probably would have got away with it nowadays if he had a review left, because his hand was not on his bat when he gloved through to the keeper but thank goodness for the series.

England had been spanked in the first match but it set up probably the greatest series of all time.

3. Lord's 1963, England v West Indies

For sheer romance it was Colin Cowdrey walking back out to bat, having earlier had his arm broken by Wes Hall.

It was all rather misty-eyed, as things were rather more then. Someone had to be there at the other end and Colin helped David Allen play out the last two balls of the match.

There was huge amount of admiration and respect for Colin, who talked about Christianity and was more than just a cricketer to the nation.

It added to the whole event and he was rightly hailed as a hero.

4. Old Trafford 1956, England v Australia

I remember when I joined a thing called the Cricketer Club as a child and one of the items in my presentation pack was a reprint of the newspaper report of the match, "Laker's Test", which I read and read over and over again.

That was another Test which had so many strands to it, the Australians being furious with what they thought was a rogue pitch, specially prepared for the England spinners, Jim Laker and Tony Lock.

I loved Laker's reaction every time he took a wicket, it was just a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders and a smile, maybe the occasional shaking of hands, he was such a lovely man.

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There was that lovely story of him driving home and he stopped off, in Derbyshire I think it was, or perhaps somewhere in the Midlands, for a pie and a pint in a pub.

Those were the days when sportsmen simply weren't seen or known. The locals were all in there watching the highlights in black and white, there was the man himself in there with them and they had no idea.

It was a remarkable achievement and I wonder if we will ever see anyone take 19 wickets in a Test match again.

5. Brisbane 1960, Australia v West Indies

The tied Test. I remember the great photographs of the jubilant West Indians after the last man was run out.

Australia had seemed certain to lose at 92-6 needing 233 but came so close to victory. Alan McGilvray the radio commentator, had given the game up and gone back to Sydney, I think he had to re-do his commentary from there!

Test cricket throws up these wonderful dramatic moments. There have been other great matches, and of course people will have their own favourites, but you need drama, unpredictability and brilliant individual performances.

The TMS panel will comprise a shortlist of the greatest Tests in a special programme on BBC Radio 5 live on Wednesday 20 July between 1930 and 2100 BST with their final choice being made during the lunch interval of the first day of the first Test on Thursday.

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:With England playing India at Lord's this week in what will be the 2,000th Test, the TMS team will be picking what they believe to be the greatest Test played in two special BBC Radio 5 live programmes................

I'm glad they found space for one Test that did not feature an English team.

Or they didn't mention the Centenary Test.

furriner wrote:

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:With England playing India at Lord's this week in what will be the 2,000th Test, the TMS team will be picking what they believe to be the greatest Test played in two special BBC Radio 5 live programmes................

I'm glad they found space for one Test that did not feature an English team.

They?



© Google Images, search = "kleenex".

Given that Aggers is English it is fair enough that a fair chunk of his faves are famous english victories

The second Tied Test should have had a mention over the 2005 Edgbaston game ... didn't someone make a 200? I might have heard about it ...

The Indian follow on test against Aus.

SA/Aus in Perth on the last tour.

And yes the centenary test.

I misunderstood the thread title. Couldn't work out how someone could have any "greatest tests" when they took 4 wkts @ 93.25 & scored a total of 10 runs in their 3 tests.

WideWally wrote:I misunderstood the thread title. Couldn't work out how someone could have any "greatest tests" when they took 4 wkts @ 93.25 & scored a total of 10 runs in their 3 tests.

Snap. I almost didn't open the thread.

Incredulity drew me in.

I've just read Agger's tribute to Brian Johnston (Thanks Johnners).
Fact.

I predict his literary career will be as spectacular as his test one.

An alternative view.

1. India v England, 5th Test at Madras: 6-10 Feb 1952 (Captain: Vijay Hazare).

India's maiden victory in Test cricket after 20 years of trying. Left-arm spinner Vinoo Mankad, batsmen Pankaj Roy and Polly Umirgar were the heroes for India.

2. India v England, 3rd Test at the Oval: 19-24 August 1971 (Captain: Ajit Wadekar).

After 39 years, India recorded their first win on English soil to cap a famous year for Indian cricket. Leg spinner Chandrasekhar destroyed England's batting in the second innings to set up the victory and seal the series against the unofficial 'world champions' of Test cricket.

3. India v Australia, 2nd Test at Kolkata: 11-15 March 2001 (Captain: Sourav Ganguly).

For only the third time in Test cricket history, a team came back to win after being forced to follow on. Laxman's epic innings was the highest Test score by an Indian at the time and he and Dravid batted out the whole of the fourth day. The great Harbhajan Singh made it even more memorable by becoming the first Indian bowler to capture a Test hat-cricket.

4. India v England, 3rd Test at Leeds: 22-26 August 2002 (Captain: Sourav Ganguly).

A bold decision to bat first after winning the toss paid off as India piled up a huge first innings total and then recorded an innings victory for the first time in England. It remains the only occasion in which the three batting stalwarts of the Indian team -- Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly -- all scored centuries in the same innings.

5. India v South Africa, 1st Test at Johannesburg: 15-18 December 2006 (Captain: Rahul Dravid).

With Ganguly making a successful comeback and mercurial genius of an opening bowler Sreesanth picking up eight wickets, India recorded their first victory in South Africa. It meant they had now won a Test match in each of the Test-playing nations. But - through a series of terrible umpiring decisions, unfortunate weather, bullying partisan crowds and probably under-the-counter tricks by the opposition - India were able to win the series only morally.

That is virtually all of India's test wins.

Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo

An Englishman elaborates on some English Tests. Waaah waaah waaah........

PeterCS wrote:An alternative view.

1. India v England, 5th Test at Madras: 6-10 Feb 1952 (Captain: Vijay Hazare).

India's maiden victory in Test cricket after 20 years of trying. Left-arm spinner Vinoo Mankad, batsmen Pankaj Roy and Polly Umirgar were the heroes for India.

2. India v England, 3rd Test at the Oval: 19-24 August 1971 (Captain: Ajit Wadekar).

After 39 years, India recorded their first win on English soil to cap a famous year for Indian cricket. Leg spinner Chandrasekhar destroyed England's batting in the second innings to set up the victory and seal the series against the unofficial 'world champions' of Test cricket.

3. India v Australia, 2nd Test at Kolkata: 11-15 March 2001 (Captain: Sourav Ganguly).

For only the third time in Test cricket history, a team came back to win after being forced to follow on. Laxman's epic innings was the highest Test score by an Indian at the time and he and Dravid batted out the whole of the fourth day. The great Harbhajan Singh made it even more memorable by becoming the first Indian bowler to capture a Test hat-cricket.

4. India v England, 3rd Test at Leeds: 22-26 August 2002 (Captain: Sourav Ganguly).

A bold decision to bat first after winning the toss paid off as India piled up a huge first innings total and then recorded an innings victory for the first time in England. It remains the only occasion in which the three batting stalwarts of the Indian team -- Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly -- all scored centuries in the same innings.

5. India v South Africa, 1st Test at Johannesburg: 15-18 December 2006 (Captain: Rahul Dravid).

With Ganguly making a successful comeback and mercurial genius of an opening bowler Sreesanth picking up eight wickets, India recorded their first victory in South Africa. It meant they had now won a Test match in each of the Test-playing nations. But - through a series of terrible umpiring decisions, unfortunate weather, bullying partisan crowds and probably under-the-counter tricks by the opposition - India were able to win the series only morally.

I endorse this post as fair and balanced. Beside being full of sexology.

The first tied test is without doubt the greatest ever test.

The original Ashes test is probably No 2.

lardbucket wrote:The second Tied Test should have had a mention over the 2005 Edgbaston game ... didn't someone make a 200? I might have heard about it ...

How can any test that Greg Matthews played in be described as great?

Basil wrote:

lardbucket wrote:The second Tied Test should have had a mention over the 2005 Edgbaston game ... didn't someone make a 200? I might have heard about it ...

How can any test that Ashley Giles played in be described as great?

Fixed.

This is getting VERRY SILLLY.