I have a favor to ask from the Cricket fans here. I am in the initial stages of a research project on the sport of Cricket and I would like feedback, if you have a few minutes. I am looking for a brainstorm on the most important players, teams, rivalries, interesting stories and such. Basically, I am looking for the common narratives that every Cricket fan knows. Possible examples include Sachin Tendulkar and his 200 run one-day record or the 1939 match between England and South Africa that ended only when the English had to leave on the boat back home. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
VVS Laxman's 281 vs Australia in the 2nd test of the 2000-01 series in Kolkata. One of best tests ever played and one of only 3 ocassions in which a team won after being forced to follow on. Ian Botham's test against Australia in the 1981 Ashes series. Another one of 3 ocassions when a team won after following on. Anil Kumble taking all 10 wickets the fourth innings vs Pakistan in New Delhi in 1999. One of only 2 players to achieve this feat. Micheal Atherton's 185 not out vs South Africa to save the test for England. He batted for more than 2 days in one of the best defensive batting performances in the history of the game. Australia's run of 16 consecutive test wins twice, in 2000-21 and 2007-08, halted both times by defeats to India, in Kolkata and Perth respectively. These are the highlights of Test Cricket over the past 3 decades. Let me know if you need more. PS.. I only watch Test Cricket, the 5-day version of cricket. It is the only sport that comes close to the war analogy, with infinitely deep strategy and tactics and the most twisted nuances and subtleties. I don't consider the other shorter, commercial oriented versions like One Dayers and Twenty20 to be real cricket.
Thank you very much for this response. This is very helpful. Your take on ODI and Twenty20 are very interesting. I live in baseball nation (St. Louis, MO, USA) and so when I started researching the game, I viewed the Test game as the old way, the past, and viewed Twenty20 as the new way. A better way. And, this was reaffirmed, to an extent, by a Harsh Bogle lecture:[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbIXYEW9CSQ"]YouTube - Harsha Bhogle: The rise of cricket, the rise of India[/ame] Then I started talking to people who follow the game and so far, everyone agrees with you. And, I realized I am wrong. I am only beginning to understand the deep strategy and tactics. The game is so much more complicated than I expected. Cricket is a fascinating game. Much more enjoyable to watch than baseball.
T20, ODI are shorter versions of Cricket. Those are more enjoyable for new Cricket lovers cos it looks better, takes less time. Test Cricket on the contrary is the real test. You can't change a game here in 2 overs. You will always get your change to come back. If someone is new to Cricket obviously t20 and then ODI will attract him very much. But if you love the game, eventually we can fing Test Cricket is the best thing to watch. Sadly now a days we really don't have that much time to spend for a single match . Anyway I want to add some matches like the epic chase by South Africa against Australia for 434 in ODI. 2008 t20 final between India and Australia. Recent 1st test between India and Australia, where Laxman and Ishant made miracle. 1992 WC final match between Pakistan and England. Greatest players whom I have seen (after 1990 as I born in 1983) Sachin Tendulkar Glenn McCgrath Muralidharan Adam Gilchrist The so called rivalry are between (India,Pakistan) and (England,Australia). But , in a practical manner in the last decade the best rivalry is going on between India and Australia. Till 2-3 years we usually said "India is the only team in world which can trouble the almighty Australia". Now things have changed and we say "Australia is the only team that can trouble India". So the rivalry is still going on .