Azhar Ali
103 v Sri Lanka
third Test, Sharjah
A wonderfully paced innings as Pakistan chased down 302 in under 58 overs to
earn a drawn series. Not a batsman known for his attacking flair, Azhar
overcame Sri Lanka's negative lines of attack by reverse-sweeping Rangana
Herath from outside leg stump. Azhar looked in such control from the start that
there was a sense of inevitability about the outcome.
Brendon McCullum
302 v India
second Test, Wellington
After scoring a double-hundred in the previous Test, the New Zealand captain
became his country's first triple-century maker in Test cricket, finally
exorcising the ghost of Martin Crowe's 299. But that only tells half the story.
New Zealand were 52 for 3 when he walked in, still 194 behind India. They soon
slipped to 94 for 5. Dropped on 9, McCullum proceeded to rewrite the record
books in an innings spanning nearly 13 hours (559 balls with 32 fours and four
sixes). Having slept on 281 after the fourth day, he was cheered through the
final 19 runs by the Wellington masses on a historic day.
Shaun Marsh
148 v South
Africa
first Test, Centurion
Having bullied England into the dust during a 5-0 Ashes whitewash, Australia
remained in the mood for confrontation. Put in to bat on a ground that South
Africa considered a fortress, Australia won by a crushing 281 runs - a win that
was spearheaded by 12 wickets from Mitchell Johnson. Marsh provided the
foundation. Originally replaced in the squad because of a calf injury, he was
called up the day after he top-scored in the Big Bash final. Less than a week
later he was playing his first Test in two years. Australia were 24 for 2 and
then 98 for 4, but Marsh held firm against Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and
Morne Morkel to record his second Test century and set Australia on t
JP Duminy
123 v Australia
second Test, Port Elizabeth
South Africa had already recovered from one collapse, after being 11 for 2
early on, but were far from comfortable, at 200 for 5, when Duminy came to the
crease. He put on a 149-run sixth-wicket stand with AB de Villiers and then
marshalled the tail to take South Africa past 400 against an Australian attack
still on a high from their Centurion demolition job. Duminy negotiated Mitchell
Johnson, who was armed with the second new ball, with class, and played Nathan
Lyon with confidence, setting South Africa up for a series-levelling victory.
Michael Clarke
161 not out v
South Africa
third Test, Cape Town
Batting with a fractured shoulder (which was revealed only later), Clarke was
worked over by a Morne Morkel bouncer barrage, which included two hits to the
helmet. He not only survived the day but thrived, to end on 92. He received
extensive overnight treatment and returned the next morning to see off the
South African squeeze, score a century and gallop past 150 to take Australia to
a towering first-innings total, and eventually a win in the match and the
series.
David Warner
135 v South
Africa
third Test, Cape Town
Never mind the speedy scoring rate with which Warner brought up his seventh
Test ton - more importantly, this innings proved he was no home bully. It was
only his second century outside Australia. He was particularly effective
against South Africa's much-lauded pace pack and took 80 off the 87 balls he
faced from them to get Australia off to a threatening start in a match they
went on to dominate.
Angelo Mathews
160 v England
second Test, Headingley
Sri Lanka squeaked out of the first Test, at Lord's, with a draw and then
conceded a 108-run first-innings lead in the second. When Mathews came out to
bat again, they were ahead by only 68. When the seventh wicket fell, the lead
was 169. He then proceeded to orchestrate one of Sri Lanka's greatest overseas
victories with an innings that grew from a masterful rearguard into a
belligerent cavalry charge. The captain clubbed his way to 160, adding 149 for
the eighth wicket in partnership with Rangana Herath, and gave Sri Lanka a lead
that would set up their first series win in England.
Moeen Ali
108 not out v
Sri Lanka
second Test, Headingley
As England battled to escape a defeat that had looked certain from the moment
they slipped to 57 for 5 on the penultimate evening, one batsman stood serenely
above it all. No team had ever saved a Test after going into the final day five
wickets down, but Moeen's maiden century was the principle reason that England
got to within two balls of doing so. In only his second Test, he forged an
innings of supreme control and self-denial, remaining unbeaten after 281
deliveries. With England nine down, James Anderson channelled some of his
partner's resolve and kept out 54 balls during a 20-over stand, but Sri Lanka's
dramatic breakthrough at the end had the final say.
Kane Williamson
161 not out v
West Indies
third Test, Bridgetown
Starting their second innings 24 runs behind, New Zealand lost Tom
Latham with the score on 1. Williamson walked to the crease with the series on
the line and dug in to form four patient half-century partnerships. He waited
for balls that could be hit behind square or through midwicket - and received
plenty - but was willing to ignore the rest. Only Jimmy Neesham contributed
anything else greater than 29, which meant Williamson's innings was the major
reason New Zealand were able to declare and ultimately win the match and a rare
away series.
Ajinkya Rahane
103 v England
second Test, Lord's
After a flat pitch at Trent Bridge, England's seamers licked their
lips when India were put in to bat on a green top at Lord's. Carnage was
expected. India were reduced to 145 for 7, but the prey continued to kick.
Rahane found a nuggety partner in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and unleashed a flurry of
shots to bring up his second Test hundred, again scored in overseas conditions.
His first fifty having come from 101 deliveries, the next came at a run a ball.
It was the innings that set India up for a memorable away win, their first in
three years.
Hashim Amla
139 not out v
Sri Lanka
second Test, Colombo
South Africa won the first match in Galle against expectations but it was
thought that would be the only surprise of the tour, as Sri Lanka looked to
restore order on home turf. On a dead track at the SSC, they piled on 421 and
then had South Africa 13 for 2 in response. In just his second Test as captain,
Amla shouldered almost all the responsibility of saving the game, embarking on
a blockathon, aided by the weather, to keep Sri Lanka's spinners at bay. His
innings lasted eight hours and six minutes over two days, as he shepherded the
tail to eat up time. South Africa were bowled out 139 runs behind but drew the
match, won the series and retained the Test mace.
Younis Khan
103 v Australia
first Test, Dubai
How would Pakistan's batting line-up stand up to Australia's pace
bowling? Fine and dandy, as it transpired, and much of that was down to the
prolific presence of Younis Khan. The tone was set on the opening day of the
series as he marshalled Pakistan from a precarious 7 for 2 in the fourth over.
His 106 was a lesson in defence against pace and controlled aggression against
spin. He reached his hundred with a six over long-on against Nathan Lyon, and
though he was lbw to the new ball shortly afterwards, Pakistan's belief would
not be broken.
Misbah-ul-Haq
101 not out v
Australia
second Test, Abu Dhabi
Was this one of one the most cathartic innings of all time? A
player whose position is forever, it seems, under debate - and whose strike
rate in the one-day game is forensically scrutinised - surged his way to a
record-equalling 56-ball hundred, level with Viv Richards' Test record. The
lead was vast when Misbah entered, the pressure, for once, nowhere to be seen,
and he pummelled the visitors with rare abandon: his first ball went for four,
he was dropped off the next, took 22 off a Steven Smith over and was flying.
The fastest fifty came and went, and in the blink of an eye three figures were
raised with an edge to third man.
Virat Kohli
141 v Australia
first Test, Adelaide
Although India trailed throughout an emotion-streaked Test played two weeks
after the death of Phillip Hughes, Kohli's belligerence almost helped them pull
off what would have been one of the greatest fourth-innings chases. Leading the
side in MS Dhoni's absence, Kohli's first-innings hundred - coming after a truly
miserable tour of England - set a positive tone and demonstrated that India
would not roll over in the manner they had in Australia three years previously.
He followed that up with a glorious assault on the final day, at one stage
making India favourites in their pursuit of 364 in 98 overs. Kohli fell
attacking Nathan Lyon's offspin, but not before having become only the second
batsman to score twin centuries on captaincy debut.
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