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Which 2 teams were closest together in a single era contesting for test supremacy?

Harsh Thakor

By Harsh Thakor
in Cricket Talk

Teams closest to each other in single era contesting for test supermacy  

10 members have voted

  1. 1. tWhich teams were closest to each other in single era contesting for test supermacy?

    • West Indies-Pakistan 1977-79
      1
    • India -South Africa 2010-2011
      3
    • South Africa-Australia 2008-09
      0
    • South Africa -Australia -1997-98
      0
    • South Africa-Australia 1993-94
      2
    • England-South Africa 2012
      1
    • India-Australia 2020-21
      0
    • West Indies-Australia 1960-61
      0
    • Australia-West Indies 1995
      2
    • India-Australia 2003-04
      1
    • West Indies-Pakistan 1986-88
      0

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Harsh Thakor Enthusiast

Harsh Thakor

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here I am listing in order the list of two teams who were closest together in strength contesting for position of supremacy in test cricket.


1.South Africa -Australia-1993-1994


Two successive series were drawn with ebb and flow rarely seen.Both teams had the edge on home soil but opponents spectacularly rallied back .The Proteas ressurected like a Phoenix from the Ashes to defend a paltry target of 117 runs a in the 2nd test of the 1993-94 series in Australia.Australia similarly ressurected itself to win the 2nd test in South Africa and save the 3rd.South Africa had better firepower and all rounders but the Aussies were more talented with the likes of Waugh Brothers and Border.

 

 

 

2.West Indies-Pakistan - 1986-1988

Pakistan had the better batting line up and more diverse bowling attack.The Calypsos averted defeat by the very skin of their teeth..The series should have been won 2-0 by Pakistan instead of being 1-1,but for bad umpiring in the 1st test which denied Pakistan a spectacular victory.





3.South Africa-Australia 2008-09

The results of successive series testified the evaluation.South Africa winning 2-1 in Australia and vice versa in South Africa .Morally 3-3.Australia weakened without Mcrath or Warne but still competitive.South Africa possessed a deadly attack with Steyn and Morkel and a great allrounder in Kallis.Mitchelle Johnson was a trumpcard for Australia and the late Simon Hughes.

 

 

 

 

 

4.West Indies-Pakistan 1977-79

Pakistan had the better batting line up and more allrounders.The Calypsos shad a more deadly bowling attack.The series should have been drawn 1-1.,but for bad umpiring in the 1st test which denied Pakistan a spectacular victory.What a spectacle witnessing the likes of Majid, Zaheer, Asif, Mushtaq ,Raja and Imran confronting Viv,Greenidge,Lloyd,Roberts and Croft.









5.South Africa-Australia - 1997-1998

Australia won 2 series by margin of one test in this period but it could well have gone the other way in South Africa and should have been 1-1 in Australia.The Proteas had more allrounder and batting depth but the Kangaroos had more match winners.A spectcale witnessing players like Cronje,Donald,Kirsten,Pollock and Cullinan against the likes of Waugh brothers,Ponting,Mcgrath and Warne.





6.West Indies-Australia -1960-61

Best series ever.West Indies had better batting but Australia had a better bowling attack.Arguably the captaincy of Benaud clinched the issue for the Aussies.




7.West Indies-Pakistan 1977-79

Pakistan had the better batting line up and more allrounders.The Calypsos shad a more deadly bowling attack.The series should have been drawn 1-1.,but for bad umpiring in the 1st test which denied Pakistan a spectacular victory.What a spectacle witnessing the likes of Majid, Zaheer, Asif, Mushtaq ,Raja and Imran confronting Viv,Greenidge,Lloyd,Roberts and Croft.




7.India-South Africa 2010-11

2 evenly matched sides fought a war of attrition in the deciding test which was drawn.the ebb and flow reminded you of the waters of the river Ganges .India had more competitive batting while the Proteaes had more deadly bowling.

Edited by Harsh Thakor
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Sandeep99 Proficient

Sandeep99

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Arre bhai don't be modest again and include India in the list. West India - Pakistan were neck to neck between 1970-1995 and then Pakistan - Australia were neck to neck between 1995 - 2008. It's just bad luck that Pakistan could not win any series in these countries in the said timelines anyway. Overall, we can conclude that Pakistan is the greatest team ever. Babar is the best  batsman who can't string 2 English sentences ever and Hasan Ali the greatest horny fast bowler and Kaali Dal Im the Dim the greatest pervert cricket ever has seen. 

chewy Explorer

chewy

Posted
Posted

Surely Pakistan v Australia greatest rivalry of 21st century

 

Australia going neck and neck away to Pakistan, and Pakistan away to Australia going....umm wait...must be an error in cricinfo statsguru...not a single win or draw in Aus:hmmm:

ShoonyaSifar Community Regular

ShoonyaSifar

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, chewy said:

Surely Pakistan v Australia greatest rivalry of 21st century

 

Australia going neck and neck away to Pakistan, and Pakistan away to Australia going....umm wait...must be an error in cricinfo statsguru...not a single win or draw in Aus:hmmm:

Ditto. Every time Pakistan played the great Australian side from 1999 onwards, they appeared to be a better side with so full of tailunt. Alas, BCCICC always conspired to ensure Pak cricket never flourished.

Gollum Grand Master

Gollum

Posted
Posted (edited)

early 70s Aus, Pak, RSA

 

late 70s, 80s, early 90s Pak, WI though WI came close on 1-2 occasions

 

1995-2008 Pak, Aus though Aus came quite close esp in 1999, 2005 Dec and yeah one famous series in Sharjah between the 2 sides which is often cited as the GOAT series ever played.....Wajatullah Wasti did loads of masti and outscored both innings of Aus (53+59). 

 

2008-12 4-way battle....RSA, India, Eng, Pak

 

2013-15 RSA, Pak

 

2015-20 Ind, Pak...IMO Pak has been the best side but coward baniyas don't have the daleri to challenge padosis

 

50s, 60s Pak was clear first. No contest. Majid aka 'Jesus of cricket' debuted in the 60s so there's that. 

Edited by Gollum
rtmohanlal Enthusiast

rtmohanlal

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Harsh Thakor said:

Morally Pakistan was no 1  in 1988.

definitely.... ''bottle top Kaptaan  saheb  operating  at his  very best in his  moral act'  adds to this  'most moral  team cricket world has ever seen '. No doubt...

First class Proficient

First class

Posted
Posted

Pakistan-WI in 1977-79 was the closest top two teams in that era or since. Pakistan had world class batsmen who after playing years of county cricket and used to play best bowlers from around the world there had not much difficulty in facing West Indies's all time great bowling attack. Those were the peak days of Majid khan, one of the best ever batsman against fast bowling. Pakistan bowling  ( Imran, Sarfraz, Asif Masood, Intikhab, Mushtaq ) was also very good but not as good as was 1986-88 ( Imran, Wasim, Qadir, Iqbal qasim ) . West Indies had great batting and bowling both in 1977 and 1988, but they had better bowlers in 1986-88, with Marshal and Ambrose. 

First class Proficient

First class

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, Vilander said:

Morally imran Khan and other pak legend bowlers record can be used to wipe arse, as they used bottle caps. 

You guys need to grow up if like discuss something serious, same BS again an gain. 

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