September 18, 1986 - not a day a lot of us will remember or recollect at the drop of a hat . I certainly don't, not until the last few weeks when in one of the many hours on you tube I came across a few clips recollecting the tale of only the second tied test in cricketing history.
September 18 is when the test match started at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chepauk. When I viewed the documentary and when I think back to my memories of the ground, not much changed when I visited the ground in 1998 and 1999. The stadium though has now undergone a shift. That though isn't the point of this post.
My cricket viewing had started the same year. My first ever cricketing memory is this match, which as I see it now was also on the 18'th. School holidays and that day happened to be at some birthday party, and the match was on. Quite a painful memory. Here you lot jog down memory lane as well and relive that moment.
I don't remember much from the tied test. Truth be told, I remember Matthews bowling in a cap but wouldn't associated it with this match. Talk to anyone who follows cricket though, and if you ask them about the match, the first thing most folks remember/recollect is Dean Jones's double century made in that oppressive heat. Many would also recollect the famous line or some might even call it a sledge from Allan Border to Jones when he wanted to retire hurt. The keen fan would remember Kapil Dev's 100 in the first innings. I vaguely remember watching the final lbw which resulted in the tie, and ensuring the names of the two umpires who officiated - V Vikram Raju and DN Dotiwala are forever remembered.
Come to think of it, it was a stupendous effort from India to chase down 347 on the final day. This mind you was 25 years ago. How many teams would attempt it now ? A lot has been said about India chasing down 387 at Chennai against England in 2008 and how it was Sehwag's innings on the fourth evening that set up the chase on the final day. This target was just 40 runs lesser. It was chased down with about 30 overs lesser than the 08 Chennai test. The Indian team didn't have a Sehwag, some might say Kris Srikkanth comes close to it but look at the scorecard and no one played a Sehwag type innings.
Yet they managed a run rate of 4 rpo on the final day. In fact, look at the run rate maintained through out the test match by both teams. From memory, scoring at 3 rpo then constituted fast scoring. India had run rate of over 4 in the first innings, and pretty much 4 in the second. Australia scored at over 3 rpo in both their innings. It was that kind of a test match.
You can argue for the fielding not being the standards now, but that's counteracted with the general pace of test cricket back then. Also why didn't Border get his bowlers to bowl a negative line post tea session ? This was an Australian team not renowned for winning much back then (opposite of what Maninder Singh states in the documentary). They would rather have not lost another match. It didn't happen though, and fair credit to him for not resorting to that.
That's enough rambling from my side on a match I can't recollect too much about. Many thanks to Niharmaniyar for linking this up on you tube.
It has a few players involved in the test talking and they are - Allan Border, Dean Jones, David Boon, Kapil Dev, Kris Srikkanth, Sunil Gavaskar, Steve Waugh and Ravi Shastri. It also has views from the Australian coach Bob Simpson, umpires DN Dotivala, Vikram Raju, and reporter Mike Coward. Talking of coaches - who was India's coach then ? Anyone knows ?
Part 1 and Part 2 sets up the test match and general talk around the match and Australia's first innings.
Part 3 - Border explains the line/sledge at the beginning here. Watch Srikkanth here at over the 6 minute mark. Hilarious.
Part 4 - Border on the final day declaration.
Part 5 - Can you imagine the outrage, fines or even bans after that Tim Zoehrer / Chetan Sharma incident ( starts at 3:20) ? Didn't know of the incident until I had seen it in this clip.
Part 6 - begins with the lbw.
It must have been some test match to view, let alone play or be involved in. This documentary for me made for fascinating viewing. Listening to the players talk about the test. How I wish another of these tied tests happen sooner than later. The first tied test in 1960 between Australia and West Indies at Brisbane is only known through written pieces and grainy footage. Then it was this test in 1986. Imagine the excitement going into the final day, final over and all four results possible. We fans surely need one of these.
For obvious reasons, this test comes close in terms of the final margin of defeat. Distinctly remember following this match on ABC radio back home. This was before the days of 24 *7 cricket coverage. Another close one is of course the second Ashes test in the 2005 series. Besides these two, can't recollect too many other close matches. India's win in Mohali last year should be added to the list, but apart from it ?
Interested in folks who read this post .What do you remember from the tied test match ?
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