The decline of the West Indies in Test cricket has been sad to watch, although Jason Holder is starting to lead them back on the right path.
Here are my top five knocks by West Indian batsmen that I’ve seen. I would love to see what yours are in the comments.
5. Jason Holder 103 versus England – Antigua, 2015
Tasked with chasing 438 runs in 130 overs against England, the quest for a draw seemed remote when the West Indies were 6-189 with 50 overs left of play on Day 5.
Then out came the 23-year-old.
Holder batted brilliantly from ball one, fearlessly taking on Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson with the second new ball to reach 50 off just 67 deliveries.
Holder formed a 105-run stand with his skipper, Denesh Ramdin, before Ramdin was dismissed with 18 overs left of play. Still, Holder remained calm and composed as he and Kemar Roach batted until the game was mathematically impossible for England to win.
It was an innings of maturity. There’s a fine line between playing your natural game and batting recklessly, and the all-rounder showed he could score quickly, bat for 50 overs, and save a Test.
Holder’s knock would lead him to bigger things, as a few months later he was announced as the West Indies Test captain.
4. Darren Bravo 218 versus New Zealand – Dunedin, 2013
Under an aggressive Brendon McCullum, New Zealand started their home summer with a bang, declaring at 9-609, bowling out the West Indies for 213, then enforcing the follow-on.
Darren Bravo walked in after Kieran Powell was dismissed for 14, with a Kiwi innings win seeming only a matter of time.
The left-hander started his innings confidently, he and Kirk Edwards gaining momentum, before Edwards departed for 59. Bravo then formed another two crucial partnerships, of 122 and 90 with Narsingh Deonarine and Darren Sammy, on his way to his maiden double century.
Bravo would finally depart for 218 – bowled by a Trent Boult off-cutter. His innings had everything – patience, grit, determination, aggression and good temperament. Despite battling for nine and a half hours, Bravo’s disappointment at his dismissal was evident.
New Zealand were 4-79 on track for victory chasing 112 but the heavens in Dunedin opened up and the tourists got away with a draw.
3. Darren Bravo 116 versus Pakistan – Dubai, 2016
Another Bravo classic.
Pakistan were right on top before Devendra Bishoo’s 8-for gave his side a chance, with 345 the target and 121 overs left of play.
Bravo was patient, having faced 258 balls for his 87 in the first innings, and his approach was no different in this knock. While wickets were falling, he took his time and reached his second fifty of the match off 139 balls.
He then switched gears after the fall of the sixth wicket, as he and Holder started to take the game towards the Windies’ favour.
Bravo was given a slice of luck on 96, chasing an outswinger and slicing it just past backward point, and he recorded his eighth Test century. Tragedy would strike for him and the West Indies as Yasir Shah took a screamer off his own bowling, seeing Pakistan win by 56 runs in a thriller.
But Bravo gave the Windies a sniff and it showed the small gains they were making under the leadership of Holder.
Darren Bravo does not get the credit he deserves. While he might not have the flair of his hero Brian Lara, he has been a shining light in an underperforming team for a long time.
All of his hundreds in the red ball arena have been outside of the West Indies – two in Bangladesh, India and New Zealand and a century apiece in Australia and the UAE.
The West Indies’ Darren Bravo. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)
Shai Hope 118 versus England – Leeds, 2017
While Hope’s hundred in the first innings was a quality knock, this second innings effort was on a Day 5 pitch and led to an incredible win.
Chasing 322 off 96 overs, Shai walked in at 2-53 after his elder brother Kyle was run out for a duck. Hope was watchful at first but after lunch he took on England’s main man, Jimmy Anderson, to show that he was here for the win.
His fifty came off just 70 deliveries and despite the dismissals of Kraigg Brathwaite and Roston Chase, Shai was providing hope of an unlikely win.
His constant presence at the crease gave the Englishmen nervous moments as he scored his consecutive ton of the match off 175 balls.
Hope then held an end while Jermaine Blackwood swung the bat around before he was stumped just two runs away from victory.
In the 92nd over, Hope clipped it square for two to pull off the unthinkable in Headingley.
Hope was a nobody in international cricket before this Test, averaging just below 19, before his twin tons got his international career up and flying.
While he hasn’t been able to kick on, he has been one of the most consistent and underrated ODI players of this era.
Kraigg Brathwaite 142 versus Pakistan – Sharjah, 2016
Having conceded the series, the West Indies were playing for pride and in reply to Pakistan’s first innings total of 281, Brathwaite played the innings of his life.
In deep trouble at 4-68, Brathwaite stood firm to build partnerships of 83, 83 and 60 with Chase, Shane Dowrich and Bishoo on his way to his fifth Test century.
He was patient, boring the Pakistani bowlers throughout his innings, with solid defence but punishing the bad balls.
Brathwaite ran out of partners, stranded on 142 not out when No.11 Shannon Gabriel was stumped – the fifth West Indian to carry his bat in Test cricket.
This knock is the best I’ve seen this old-fashioned, gritty opener play and it was a testament to his patience against a quality attack on the subcontinent.
Brathwaite ended up scoring 94 not out in the second innings, as his team won by five wickets and Jason Holder finally had a win as Test captain.
Charlie McCormack
Roar Rookie
Shai Hope's twin tons at Headingly would have to be one of the better batting performances by an individual in the modern era. He's such an aesthetically pleasing player to watch - really hope he can develop into an elite test batsman like he has done in ODI's.
sheek
Roar Guru
Sorry, Fredericks innings was 1975/76, not 1971/72.
Tigerbill44
Roar Guru
Yes, very interesting that Lara had played only two tests prior to 1992 tour. he really announced himself with couple of big hundreds against the touring Indians in 1989 (tour matches). there were many people in WI who felt that he was already a better bat than Logie, Atrthurton and Hooper. The selectors however, took the safe decision. They felt that Arthurton and Logie who had toured quite a lot without playing enough tests deserve their chances first. Lara should have been a regular from the 1989-90 season.
Nick
Roar Guru
The best I've seen 1. Lara's 153. Second only to VVS' 281 as the greatest knock I've ever seen. 2. Holder's 202 - that was a remarkable innings. They were actually in a bit of trouble. They were 200 ahead of England but 6/60. That innings made sure they wouldn't lose. 3. Chanderpaul's outrageous 69 ball century against Australia in Guyana in 2003. 4. Chris Gayle getting 165 at Adelaide. Carrying the bat in the second innings and securing a draw. Impressive. Then he backed it up with a 72 ball century at Perth in the next test. 5. Lara's 375. I was just a bit too young for the Lara 277 to remember it, and I only saw the Lara 375* during a rain delay about 8 years ago, but wow that was an innings. Chanceless.
ken gargett
Guest
i should clarify. when i say behind the stumps, i was watching from the stands behind the stumps, not keeping, in case of any confusion.
ken gargett
Guest
a very 'recent' list but fun topic all the same. may i state that i am way too young (well, i would have been about 8 months old at the time) to remember it but i know a number of older cricket fans, including a couple of test players, who have always insisted that the finest innings they ever saw, not just from a west indian, was sobers 130 odd in the brisbane tied test. lawrence rowe in a test in brisbane many years later scored a stunning ton against lillee and thommo, although if i recall, he was cleaned up by thommo on zero with a no-ball. not a test innings but clive lloyd's ton in the first world cup final was pretty special. and there are quite a few which have already been mentioned which i'd include - Sobers in Melbourne, Lara in Sydney. a lot is made of sobers scoring nothing for the rest of that Rest of the World tour but as a young kid, I remember (at least i think i do) him batting at the Gabba against Qld in a warm up - i think Farook Engineer got a ton as opener for them as well. sobers came out late afternoon, i think first day but the memory might be playing tricks. he defended a few, then hit five of the most glorious fours imaginable. the bowler then got one through and hit the pads. sobers did not hesitate. gone for 20 before they had even started appealing. from behind the stumps, it did look plumb but i'd never seen a batsman walk for lbw, before or since.
Big Daddy
Guest
Viv scored 189* against England In 1984? out of 277 odd runs . Next best was about 24. That has to be my favourite.
matth
Roar Guru
That Viv Richards innings in 1984/85 was a gem. Broke my heart. I was still young enough at the time to have that naive confidence in my national team against all comers, not having registered yet what a disaster the post Lillee, Marsh, Chappell years were about to become.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Back foot hooking, pulling and cutting seem to have mostly disappeared from top cricket. It seems the most natural, sensible and safest way to play short fast bowling. Has it disappeared as everyone is coached within an inch of their lives now?
sheek
Roar Guru
In chronological order, rather than anything else. Innings that I saw all of, or most. 1. Gary Sobers, 254, RoW vs Australia at MCG, 3rd test 1971/72. Sobers did not pass 33 in any other innings in the series, but even the great Bradman said this was the greatest innings played in Australia by an overseas batsman. The World were behind by 100 runs in the 1st innings, & in a lot of trouble when Sobers began his fireworks. The Aussie bowling attack comprised Lillee, Massie, Jenner, O'Keeffe, Watson & Walters. 2. Roy Fredericks 169, WIN vs Australia at WACA, 2nd test 1971/72. After losing the 1st test, the Windies squared the ledger by winning this test by an innings. Fredericks carted the famous 4 magnificent fast attack of Lillee, Thomson, Gilmour & Walker to all points of the ground with his blitzkrieg batting. Lloyd followed up with 149. The win was too emphatic. The Windies became overconfident, & lost all remaining tests by substantial margins. 3. Viv Richards, WSC World 177 vs WSC Australia at Gloucester Pk, 2nd test, 1977/78. As good as this innings was, & it was, Viv was overshadowed by his Saffie namesake Barry, who scored 207. The Aussies were rarely burned, despite an attack of Lillee, Gilmour, Walker, Bright & the Chappell brothers. 4. Viv Richards 208, WIN vs Australia at MCG, 4th test 1984/85. Coming into this Boxing day test, Richards hadn't done much, with a high score of 42 in the series to date. But he smoked the Aussie bowling in a stunning effort. The bowling attack comprised Lawson, Hogg, McDermott, Bennett & Matthews. 5. Brian Lara 277, WIN vs Australia at SCG, 3rd test 1992/93. Coming into this series, Lara had played only two tests, & he was still an unknown quantity. This match was actually just his 5th test. Lara's innings was full of majestic strokes. The Aussie bowling attack comprised Hughes, McDermott, Warne, Matthews & the Waugh twins.
Paul
Roar Guru
I too mostly remember the hook shots but that's mostly what he played, Dave. It was a lightning fast pitch and Lillee and Thompson were bowling seriously fast and short, but he just kept belting them. :happy:
Paul
Roar Guru
Seriously attacking batsman, Arnab. He made guys like Gordon Greenidge look like they were stonewallers! In that innings of 169, he hit 27 fours and a six, so 114 runs in boundaries, all in three and a half hours.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I dunno how Jason's Holden 202 doesn't make it either???
JGK
Roar Guru
Very short man too so most balls were going past him above the waist.
JGK
Roar Guru
So is his daughter.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Great stuff Arnab.
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
Quality player but I never got to see him play so couldn't put him in my top 5
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
He was a left hander who loved to hook. No better sight in cricket I reckon. He was brilliant at it too. The WACA was the perfect pitch for him. Although he did step on his stumps in the first WC hooking Lillee for six. He could dig in and bat for ages too.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
I think it would be pretty hard to argue against Brian Lara’s 153 vs Australia at Bridgetown in 1999 to win the Test in the fourth innings, chasing 308 with nine wickets down. Lara scored 153 out of 233 while he was at the crease against an attack of Mc Grath, Gillespie, Warne and McGill. The Windies had 60 runs to get when the eighth wicket fell. The win took what had been a fairly shambolic Windies side to a 2-1 lead in the series and enabled a drawn series against the more fancied Australians. Lara had hit a double century to help win the previous Test. Wisden (In 2002) ranked it the second best innings of all time after Bradman’s 270 in Melbourne (when he came in at 7, having reversed the order on a wet wicket, with Australia down 0-2 in the series). The only other West Indian innings in the top ten was Lara’s 375 in 1994 (though Fredericks’ 169 vs Lillee and Thomson in 1975 mentioned by Paul would have to be up there).
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Great memories Paul. I can remember the fact that I watched Fredericks innings on TV but can’t really remember much about it other than amazing hook shots off Thommo and Lillee. Or was that in the first World Cup final a few months earlier? Or both? I do remember watching a fair bit of that great Rest of the World Series on TV, but actual memories of the Sobers innings have been superseded by seeing replays a couple of times since. Amazing stuff.