TOP 10 Thrilling Test matches all the times 1900-2012

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5

India vs West Indies, Mumbai, November 2011

India and West Indies produced probably one of the most enthralling drawn Test matches of all times on November 26 at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium. It was only the second such instance in 2,019 Test matches. In an amazing Test match, all four results were possible till the third last ball of the match, with the draw being as good a win for the doughty West Indians. India needed only six runs to reach their target of 243, with three wickets in hand and the first-innings centurion Ravichandran Ashwin at the crease. However, the West Indies pacemen limited the home side to five runs to help earn their side a draw and avoid a series whitewash. Source: Indiatimes.com

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4

Australia vs South Africa, Cape Town, November 2011

In this Cape Town Test, 663 runs were scored, 32 wickets fell, 23 on the same day when both sides were dismissed under 100, Australia for under 50, some part of all four innings were played on that Day 2, and the whole match was over by Day 3, two reasonable Test innings scores bracketing two low Twenty20 scores in the middle. Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla both hit centuries to take South Africa to a comfortable nine-wicket victory over Australia to end one of cricket's most topsy-turvy Test matches. Speed and decisiveness of the win seemed improbable less than 24 hours earlier when South Africa were bowled out for 96 in their first innings, giving Australia a lead of 188 runs. But Australia were shot out for 47 to swing the odds back in the home team’s favour.

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3

Australia vs South Africa, Johannesburg, November 2011

Pat Cummins crowned his astonishing Test debut by belting the runs that delivered Australia a heroic and improbable two-wicket victory over South Africa after a record run chase in the second Test of the series at the Wanderers. Australia arrived demoralised by their eight-wicket capitulation in Cape Town. They were decimated by injury at the start of this match and seemingly out of it at most of the crucial junctures. The tourists chased down a target of 310 in the final innings with just two wickets to spare on a dramatic final day. Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin all hit valuable half-centuries. The Proteas were 241-4 on the first day before collapsing to 266, while they slumped in their second innings from 237-3 to 339 all out.

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2

West Indies v Australia, Bridgetown, March 1999

A target of 308 was expected to be too much for West Indies brittle batting - especially when they collapsed to 105-5. The wickets continued to fall but Brian Lara was producing one of his finest innings under pressure to give them a chance. When Glenn McGrath ran through the lower order to leave the Windies on 248-8 all seemed lost. But Curtley Ambrose provided valuable support to the master batsman who took them to within six runs of victory when the number 10 edged Gillespie to Matthew Elliott at slip. The last few overs were incredibly tense with Walsh - the world record holder for ducks - being protected until Lara, who ended on 153, produced a superb cover drive off Gillespie to secure a magnificent one-wicket victory against the odds.

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1

India v Australia, Madras, September 1986

Australia piled up 574, thanks mainly to a double-century spanning more than eight hours from Dean Jones, who needed hospital treatment for dehydration when he was finally out. A rapid century from Kapil Dev lifted India from 245-7 to 397, before Australia declared at 170-5 to set India 348 on the final day. Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri took India to the brink of a famous victory at 331-6. But a dramatic collapse saw four needed off the last over with one wicket left. Maninder Singh got out leg to Greg Matthews to end the match in a tie. A bad-tempered final day featured several heated exchanges and dissent over umpiring decisions, and the fall-out continued in the media over the next few days.