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Most heartbreaking losses

Most heartbreaking loss

  • vs England, Leeds 1981

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs England, Melbourne 1982

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs West Indies, Adelaide 1993

    Votes: 3 25.0%
  • vs South Africa, Sydney 1994

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs Pakistan, Karachi 1994

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs England, The Oval 1997

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs England, Melbourne 1998

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs West Indies, Bridgetown 1999

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs India, Chennai 2001

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • vs India, Mumbai 2004

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs England, Birmingham 2005

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs India, Mohali 2010

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs New Zealand, Hobart 2011

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • vs England, Nottingham 2013

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • vs England, Leeds 2019

    Votes: 7 58.3%

  • Total voters
    12

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,816
For those who remember any of the tests in the poll options, how does this recent lost at Headingley compare to the close losses we've had in the past (poll options include tests in recent history that we've lost by either less than 20 runs, or by 1-2 wickets)?
 

Front-Rower

First Grade
Messages
5,297
SA 1994 hurts most as I was at every day of that match and too lose on the last day the way we did was devastating. To see Warne take 12 for the match, Slats score another 90, Jonty in the field was amazing. To see De Villiers knock us over was not.
 

bazza

Referee
Messages
29,799
I was at the Bridgetown game in 1999
Lara played such a great knock that it didn't matter. Australia didn't have many missed chances (think Gillespie got injured which weakened the bowling attack on the last day as well as Warne being out of form coming back from injury)

Last night or South Africa at the SCG

Another one that wasn't a loss was v South Africa at Adelaide in 2012. Faff batted forever for them to hold out for a draw and go on to win the series (also Rob Quinney's last test)

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...d-test-south-africa-tour-of-australia-2012-13
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,816
I was at the Bridgetown game in 1999
Lara played such a great knock that it didn't matter. Australia didn't have many missed chances (think Gillespie got injured which weakened the bowling attack on the last day as well as Warne being out of form coming back from injury)

Last night or South Africa at the SCG

Another one that wasn't a loss was v South Africa at Adelaide in 2012. Faff batted forever for them to hold out for a draw and go on to win the series (also Rob Quinney's last test)

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...d-test-south-africa-tour-of-australia-2012-13
Wow, you're lucky to have been in attendance at Bridgetown. That was one special innings that nearly ended Warne's test career (got dropped next test in favour of Colin Miller).

Lara's 153* was ranked by Wisden as the 2nd best test innings of the 20th century (behind Bradman's 270 in 1937).

OT, If you are going to include drawn tests we fell agonisingly short in, in addition to that Adelaide 2012 test vs South Africa, other tests that immediately come to mind:


- West Indies, Brisbane 1992 (that infamous hailstorm turned out to be crucial, as the Windies only just hung on by the skin of their teeth. Had Warney played - which Allan Border later regretted not selecting him - things may've panned out differently and could've broken the Windies unbeaten streak. Had to wait until 1995 to do it.

Also, Damien Martyn's debut, Dean Jones' only appearance as 12th man, and Patrick Patterson/Bruce Reid's final test matches).

- New Zealand, Hobart 1997 (Ah, here's a test that doesn't get mentioned much and probably escapes most peoples' memories. Doull and O'Connor survived 40 minutes with 1 wicket remaining to draw, and avoiding a 3-0 clean sweep. Simon Cook's final test before a freak accident with a council roller dented his cricket career, Greg BLEW IT on 99 for the 2nd time that year, Matt Elliott took a brilliant catch in the outfield IIRC).

vs Sri Lanka, Cairns 2004

vs England, Cardiff 2009 (the infamous Panesar-Anderson partnership and the timewasting tactics secured the draw)
 

bazza

Referee
Messages
29,799
I think the result of the series will determine the impact of yesterday
I think I will vote v WI in Adelaide in 1993
The win in that game would have gotten back the Frank Worrell for the first time in forever - instead they get rolled for nothing in Perth and the Windies keep it for another few years
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,816
I think the result of the series will determine the impact of yesterday
I think I will vote v WI in Adelaide in 1993
The win in that game would have gotten back the Frank Worrell for the first time in forever - instead they get rolled for nothing in Perth and the Windies keep it for another few years

http://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/1061519/golden-wickets

In terms of a match-winning wicket (or victory) and the effect it had on the outcome of a test series, cricinfo's Cricket Monthly magazine ranked that final dismissal of the Adelaide 1993 test at #1 in the all-time list

Kasprowicz' dismissal in the Edgbaston 2005 test ranks at #3
 

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
16,988
vs England, Cardiff 2009 (the infamous Panesar-Anderson partnership and the timewasting tactics secured the draw)

I was fortunate to go the Ashes that summer over there but unfortunately to witness that result and the loss at Lords in the next test.

It may surprise a lot of people but for me the draw was a worse experience than the Lords test.

Yes the Cardiff test was rain effected but the Aussies were in a great position to defeat England by innings I think it was like 9 overs remaining on Day 5 and England just lost their 9th wicket to Hilfenhaus and I thought we've got this easy. Only for Ponting to use to spinners for the final few overs. What the hell?? I found out later that it had something to do with the slow over rate.

After that match I wanted to go to a few pubs only to see every 2nd England supporter cheering on a bloody draw.

I felt like oh no have we lost the Ashes?

Compare that the loss at Lords which we didnt look right into that game whereas a lot of England supporters were more friendly.
 

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
16,988
Last night's is definitely up there for me, considering the position we were in to beat them.

Whilst it wasnt televised the 94 match against Pakistan sounds very heartbreaking to the likes to Warne, Healy and Taylor.

Pakistan were 9 down requiring another 50 odd to win, Inzy and Mustaq got them home.

Warne got 5 for, Heals missed the stumping that led to the winning runs and it was Taylor's first game as captain.

2005 was heartbreaking but gee we got pretty close when we looked all but gone in that test. Similar to the Windies game in 1993, the tailenders almost came to the rescue.
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,816
Last night's is definitely up there for me, considering the position we were in to beat them.

Whilst it wasnt televised the 94 match against Pakistan sounds very heartbreaking to the likes to Warne, Healy and Taylor.

Pakistan were 9 down requiring another 50 odd to win, Inzy and Mustaq got them home.

Warne got 5 for, Heals missed the stumping that led to the winning runs and it was Taylor's first game as captain.

The 1994 tour of Pakistan was the last Australian test series not to be broadcast in Australia. I read somewhere that Channel 9 initially were supposed to televise it, but negotiations between them and Pakistan Cricket Board fell through and as a result, we missed on seeing what Dickie Bird himself said was the best test match he's ever witnessed. Generally speaking, with the exception of Ashes tours, Channel 9 were reluctant to broadcast any international tours (1991 tour of Windies and 1994 tour of South Africa were the only two test series outside of Australia/England they covered).

However, it was televised in Pakistan and someone living over there uploaded highlights from an old VHS tape of the dramatic final moments of the match:


Keep in mind, the night before the final day, Salim Malik tied to bribe Warney US $200k in the hotel they were staying at to bowl poorly to ensure a draw.

I was fortunate to go the Ashes that summer over there but unfortunately to witness that result and the loss at Lords in the next test.

It may surprise a lot of people but for me the draw was a worse experience than the Lords test.

Yes the Cardiff test was rain effected but the Aussies were in a great position to defeat England by innings I think it was like 9 overs remaining on Day 5 and England just lost their 9th wicket to Hilfenhaus and I thought we've got this easy. Only for Ponting to use to spinners for the final few overs. What the hell?? I found out later that it had something to do with the slow over rate.
.

Feel bad you had to witness those painful 9 overs, lol!

Ponting ran into similar trouble with slow over rates during the final test of the 2008 tour of India. We had India in trouble during the 2nd innings, but some dubious bowling choices prompted a blowup from Brett Lee and other players in the Aussie side.
 

Incorrect

Coach
Messages
11,828
I think the result of the series will determine the impact of yesterday
I think I will vote v WI in Adelaide in 1993
The win in that game would have gotten back the Frank Worrell for the first time in forever - instead they get rolled for nothing in Perth and the Windies keep it for another few years
I remember me and some mates watching the end of that match at our local indoor cricket venue, we were due to play that afternoon. Everybody was crowded around the TV. The closer we got, the more we started to dare to dream... And then Courtney Walsh (probably my all time favourite cricketer perversely) went and broke all our hearts...

AB's reaction in the dressing room summed it up for me... He deserved a series win V the Windies, he did so much to change Australian cricket's fortunes. To this day, it's still the most heartbreaking loss for me...
 

King hit

Coach
Messages
13,756
The 2010/11 ashes series hurt me so much in the way we were so outplayed in every facet especially watching those gloating poms taunting Johnson and doing the sprinkler. Bashing those guys in 2013/14 totally avenged it the most enjoyable test series ever.

2008 in Melbourne against South Africa also stung me bad as it was the first time I had experienced Australia losing a series at home. Dale Steyn was amazing in that test.
 
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