The best innings to win a match...

Following on from Kia's superb 'best innings to save a match' thread, which have been the best innings that you recall which have won a match for their side?

In particular, I'm looking at those innings that have been really special, for example Ricky Ponting making 150 odd not out off around 140 balls back in 2006 (I think) against South Africa for Australia to win the match after the Saffers has declared and hoped to bowl them out.

So, things to consider: Time restraints, pitch conditions, the bowling attack they were up against.

How about kicking this off with Lara's innings against a strong Australia attack at Bridgetown in 1999 when the Windies won by one wicket with Brian getting 153 not out.
VVS has played some terrific fourth innings' hands. If you're looking for third innings' knocks you could do worse than Gooch's 154 not out at Headingley against the 91 Windies. I think this is still the most highly-rated single innings in ratings "charts".
Looking further back I think Neil Harvey got about 150 not out to win some amazing match in South Africa in the early 1950s and then there was Hobbs and Sutcliffe's effort on a sticky in Australia in 1928-29 (not to mention their third innings heroics at The Oval in 1926). Probably missed loads out....

PS Here is an interesting link - http://hindu.com/2001/07/28/stories/07280281.htm

Gooch and Lara's stand out for me.
As does Ponting's 140 against South Africa. The Aussies did get the runs with ease but Ponting made that run chase incredibly easy.

Sorry fists.
Seems we were on about the same Ponting innings.

Lara vs Australia (1999 I think)

What about the Irish guy who hit that hundred against England?

Anyone of Bradman's 29 hundreds

Gilchrist century in the world cup final

Dhoni's match winning knock in the final.

If we're including one-day knocks then Gooch's - 129 or there abouts - away in the Windies a few years back springs to mind. Some may recall Clive Lloyd's two tremendous 100s at Lord's - the more famous one being the 1975 first World Cup Final against Australia and the other three years before against Warwickshire (I think) in the Gillette cup final.
That 1975 innings - against Lillee and Thomson - was one of the most dynamic bits of sport I've ever seen.

sirfred
That Gooch knock was on the 1985 tour. I listened to it on the radio. A top innings.

Ponting's 140 in 2003 was magnificent, although it was first up (do they count)?

I apologise for including T20 but Hussey's 60* against Pakistan in the semi in 2010.

Butcher's 173no to beat the aussies springs to mind. Probably not the best innings ever, but one that brought a huge amount of satisfaction.

Thorpe and Hussain in the dark in Pakistan.

To score a hundred, in the 4th innings, away from home when you win has to be special. It has happened on 28 occasions:

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;home_or_away=2;innings_number=4;orderby=batted_score;result=1;runsmin1=100;runsval1=runs;template=results;type=batting;view=innings

For me the most memorable of those were, and no surprise here, scored against england by Gordon Greenidge and Graeme Smith. Interestingly Smith has done this 3 times.

What an innings that top one is from Greenidge.

Thanks for sharing, LT.

Graeme Smith has incredible fighting spirit, doesn't he? Perfect temperament for such a situation, and it is no surprise that he has achieved the feat on several occasions.

Stella wrote:Thorpe and Hussain in the dark in Pakistan.

completely agree.

Surely the innigs of Morris and Bradman at Leeds in 1948 need mentioning. 403 to win on a wearing 4th innings pitch, 182 to Morris, 173* for Bradman.
Utterley brilliant.

How did I not know of that partnership?! Need to have a word with myself! Absolutely incredible.

Hoggy_Bear wrote:Surely the innigs of Morris and Bradman at Leeds in 1948 need mentioning. 403 to win on a wearing 4th innings pitch, 182 to Morris, 173* for Bradman.
Utterley brilliant.

"Needs mentioning"... huh. Is that an understatement of what, Hoggy?

Don't forget Barnes and Tallon were missing through injury that day.

Fists - keep an eye out for the documentary on it.