Test cricket is full of acts of heroism, the never-say-die spirit of players.
As the South African cricketers are due to tour Australia this summer, I remember the Sydney thriller of January 2009 – especially the gallantry of Proteas captain Graeme Smith.
His gutsy innings painted the pink Sydney Test red in the final session.
It was the third and final Test of a series the visitors had already won 2-0 a week ago.
Although a dead rubber, Australia had to win in Sydney to retain their No.1 Test ranking. With Michael Clarke hitting 138, Australia totalled 445. South Africa trailed by 118 runs, and a fast delivery from Mitchell Johnson had put the visiting skipper in hospital with a broken hand.
Ricky Ponting declared Australia’s innings at 4-257, setting South Africa 376 to win.
The home side thought they had won the match when the opponents were 9-257, as Smith was so badly injured that he could not tie his shoe lace, let alone don the pads.
But as only 36 minutes were remaining to salvage a draw, the Smith struggled to the crease in borrowed clothes and his left hand in plaster. The crowd stood and roared.
The show of grit and leadership lasted 26 minutes, Smith scoring three and adding 15 runs with Makhaya Ntini.
Australia won by 103 runs, but the cheers were for the gallant Graeme.
Steve O’Keefe
In this July’s Kandy Test against Sri Lanka, Australia’s left-arm orthodox bowler Steve O’Keefe was the injured hero.
It was Test cricket at its best; fast scoring at times, with screeching brakes applied in the final two hours.
It was gripping how Australia’s Peter Nevill and the injured O’Keefe stayed together for 105 minutes, scoring only four runs.
It appeared impossible for numbers seven and ten batsmen to survive the last session and a half, especially as the latter had pulled a hamstring the previous day and was to be sent home after the match.
O’Keefe could barely walk, and running was out of the question. Still, he faced 98 balls, and survived 105 agonising minutes against quality bowlers, including Rangana Herath who took 9-103 on a spinner’s paradise.
Yes, only four runs were added by the gallant pair off 178 balls. Still, I could not move from my seat as Nevill and O’Keefe defended ball after ball as if their lives depended on it.
The score remained steady on 161 for almost 100 cliff-hanging minutes.
In the end, Australia lost by 106 runs, but O’Keefe’s determination should never be forgotten.
Rick McCosker
The Centenary Test between Australia and England on the MCG in March 1977 saw Rick McCosker come out to bat with his jaw wired, face swollen and bandaged.
In the first innings a Bob Willis snorter broke McCosker’s jaw. Despite this, the opener came out to bat in the second innings at No.10, looking like an astronaut walking in space. He batted for an hour, adding 54 runs with Rod Marsh, in a match Australia won by 45.
Dean Jones
The Chennai classic of September 1986 against India was only the second tied Test in history, and will be remembered as Dean Jones’ magnum opus.
In intense heat, Jones hit 210 runs, having looked a spent force after reaching his ton. He was dehydrated and had lost control of his bodily functions, but skipper Allan Border urged him to continue.
Exhausted after his marathon innings in high humidity, Jones needed a saline drip.
Steve Waugh
In July 1997, Steve Waugh excelled himself in the third Ashes Test in Manchester. On a green-top on the opening day, and with Australia trailing 0-1, ‘Tugga’ reached 108 despite an injury to his right hand.
And when Australia was in disarray at 3-39 in the second innings, he carried on bravely, registering another pugnacious ton.
He could hardly hold the bat, but Australia won to level the series.
Bert Sutcliffe
In the Johannesburg Test against South Africa in December 1953, New Zealand left-hander Bert Sutcliffe was hit on the head by a bouncer from Neil Adcock, the Transvaal terror.
The crack was heard all over the ground, and the Kiwi lay motionless. Many thought he was dead. He fainted on his way to the hospital, bleeding profusely.
With New Zealand at 6-82, he insisted on returning to the match. He smacked a heroic 80 out of 106 in 112 minutes, belting 7 sixes, his second six saved a follow-on.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
That was very inspirational, Paul D. Thanks.
Paul D
Roar Guru
There was a great writeup on cricinfo about that day - http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/380889.html
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thanx Pope Paul VII. What a tragedy for Bob Blair.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Great stuff KMH. You'll of course remember Sutcliffe was partner by Bob Blair, who had just learnt his fiancée, Nerissa, had died in the Tangiwai train disaster. Brett Lee was courageous. Dished it out and took it. Stan McCabe's 187 in the bodyline series must have been as courageous they come. Clarke certainly put his body on the line. Anyone who got runs against the might of the fearsome West Indies get's my vote. Steve Waugh's back to back 90s at Brissie and Perth in 1988 were outstanding. Boon and Border also from that period. Timmy May 42* Adelaide 92/93 series. From earlier times for England vs WI Dennis Amiss 202 - The Oval 1976 Gooch - 154 ? Can't remember where, think he got a couple actually and most unexpectedly, Graeme Fowler got 106 vs WI at their peak of terror. Dennis Lillee bowling 23 straight.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Michael Clarke copped a lot of unfair criticism. He was amazingly perceived us some sort of yuppy, despite being a middle class kid from Liverpool in Sydney's west. His greatest crime was to be smart with his money and move east... All the while he played his entire career with a back condition that puts most guys on disability pay cheques. This summer will be a real test for Smith and his side, because they have the tour of India on the other side of it. This time next year we might all look back fondly on Clarke's time in charge (remember it started off with our last win in Asia, 1-0 against the Lankan's...).
The Bush
Roar Guru
To be fair to Border, a faux Queenslander himself, he's hardly the only bloke in Australia who assumes a Queenslander would tough it better than some pansy Vic... Was probably barely the equal of a Cairns November morning out there... Great knock by Jones though. His bit about abandoning the rest of his technique and simply keeping his head still and over the ball sounds like our current Captain's methodology no matter what the temperature...
Pope Paul VII
Guest
The Cat could have done with the work out
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Bush, the reason Border told Deano to replace him with another batsman was to spur him to stay on to bat. Border WANTED Deano to stay in the middle and score the double century. This was reverse psychology.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Another amazing feat of toughness was Merv Hughes' bowling display in the second test of the 1988 tour of Australia by the Windies. Lawson copped one to the jaw and couldn't bowl in the second innings. Hughes bowled an amazing 73 overs in the test and took thirteen wickets. Apparently in the second innings, with Lawson down, he basically bowled 30 straight from one end (or at least that's how my dad remembers it). People remember Siddle bowling himself into the ground in the Adelaide Test against South Africa a few years back, but he "only" bowled 61 overs (and that is with the benefit of being a super fit modern athlete). Great feat by the big man.
The Bush
Roar Guru
As the legend goes, Border was a little more "expressive" about getting a Queenslander out there... Apparently Border regretted it later on, not realising in how bad of shape Jones was really in (i.e. hospitalised afterwards).
kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Chui, Last year I interviewed Dean Jones in the SCG Media Room re his Chennai masterpiece. He told me,: “My boots were full of sweat. It was like standing in a bucket of water. My vision didn’t seem unduly impaired but when I got to 150 I abandoned all footwork. I just made sure I kept my head still and stood and delivered. "I seriously considered retiring when on 174 and confided to skipper Border, batting at the other end, that I had had a gutful and couldn’t go on. Border wanted me to get a well-deserved double century to become the first Australian to do so in a Test in India. So he told me, 'OK, that’s alright. I’ll get someone tough out here, like Cat [Greg Ritchie]. He can stick it out here.' " Jones reacted just as Border had hoped – angrily. He doubled his determination, tripled his indefatigability and carried on valiantly. His second hundred came off only 99 deliveries in 164 minutes and included 13 fours and two sixes. He returned to the pavilion dehydrated where his colleagues put him under the shower. He was later hospitalised. To quote Mike Coward from his classic 'Cricket Beyond the Bazaar' (1990): “The more pain and discomfort Jones experienced the harder he struck the ball and the more precisely he placed it. He batted like a man possessed.”
kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you Nudge, Bush, Anindya and Chui for your additions and inputs. Pup Clarke was more of a tiger in the middle. Did not roar but tamed opponents with his friendliness. He never gave in. Still very much undervalued.
Chui
Guest
The story goes that Dean Jones came into te dressing room at a break saying he couldn't go on. Allan Border's words of encouragement were something to the effect 'should I get a Queenslander to go out there'.
Nudge
Guest
Great article Kersi. How about the entire Aussie cricket team, not only for just playing but performing so well against India at Adelaide oval after the Phil Hughes tragedy. I remember Micheal Clarke who wouldn't have played in normal circumstances with a crook back then ripping his hamstring (which cost him the summer and perhaps even his career) retiring on 50 odd not out then coming back later in the innings hardly able to walk, and swatting as good a 100 you will see. The amazing thing about that test was Hughes best four cricket mates having amazing games. Clarke, Warner and Smith all scoring hundreds, and Lyon bowling Australia to victory on the last day with about 11 or 12 wickets for the match
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Good one Kersi! I was going to put in the one about Kumble as well. Remember that bandaged face bowling doggedly on, so clearly! The most recent case (I have to remind people I have to say!) was Kaushal Silva's century in the last test last month. 6 stitches in his left hand made that knock even more special for Sri Lanka.
kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
I thought of another act of gallantry. In the May Antigua 2002 Test against the West Indies, India's Anil Kumble bowled a memorable spell despite a heavily bandaged fractured jaw. During that Test, a blow from fast bowler Mervyn Dillon left him spitting blood on the pitch. But he kept batting for four overs. Refusing to fly home for surgery he came on the field, his head sheathed in bandages like a warrior’s . Despite a broken jaw he bowled 14 consecutive overs and dismissed Brian Lara.
kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you, Bush. Roarers, keep them coming.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Michael Clarke, South Africa, 2014, a century with a fractured shoulder as a result of South African bouncers. Batted his side to the world number one ranking. Continuing a fine tradition of Aussie skippers leading their troops from the front. Certainly the toughest display I've seen from an Aussie batsman in my time (being too young to remember Jones' innings that my parents rate by far the toughest innings they've ever followed). But for out and out bravery, I've never personally witnessed anything more intimidating than what Steve Waugh survived in Trinidad in the third test of the '95 series. If test cricket was still played like that, we wouldn't be talking of a decline...