Highest Run Chase in Test at Lord's

Lord’s in London is revered as the spiritual home of cricket, having hosted test matches since way back in 1884. The historic venue has been witness to some memorable fourth innings run chases over the decades.

In this article, we revisit some of the highest run chases achieved by teams batting last at the Mecca of Cricket. Get ready to relive batting exploits of legends who made the impossible possible at this hallowed ground.

Also Check: Highest Run Chase in Test at Gabba Stadium

1. Australia 334/1 vs England in 1948

The highest fourth innings score ever chased at Lord’s came during the 1948 Ashes when Don Bradman’s invincibles crushed England by 7 wickets.

England made 350/8 batting first courtesy centuries from Hutton and Washbrook. Australia responded strongly with 458 built around Bradman’s 172 to gain a sizeable lead. England’s second innings folded for 188 leaving Australia needing just 334 runs to win on the final day.

But opener Morris (182) and Bradman (173) made a mockery of the target with a 301-run stand as Australia triumphed in quick time. Scoring at over 4 runs per over was unthinkable then but underlined the Aussies’ utter dominance.

2. West Indies 344/1 versus England in 1984

The second highest successful chase at Lord’s came in 1984 when the mighty West Indians crushed England, showing utter disdain while chasing.

England batted first and scored 286/9 declared powered by Allan Lamb’s majestic century. In response, Gordon Greenidge smashed 134 while Larry Gomes stroked a sublime 158* as West Indies cantered to 344/1 easily by the end of Day 4 to win by 9 wickets.

Against the likes of Willis and Botham, the contemptuous ease with which West Indies chased highlighted their invincibility during that era.

Also check: Highest Run Chase in Test by West Indies

3. Australia 332/7 vs England in 1953

An epic Ashes test match came in 1953 when England set Australia a target of 343 to win. After Hutton and May’s splendid centuries took England to a mammoth total of 356/7, Australia faced a mountainous task on the final day.

They seemed down and out at 85/3 when Neil Harvey batted brilliantly for his 92 while Keith Miller smashed an aggressive 79 to keep Australia in the hunt. The tense chase was completed by seasoned Richie Benaud scoring 64 not out as Australia won by 7 wickets in a nailbiter.

So the Ashes brings out the best from Aussie batsmen when having to chase tricky targets even at the highest level.

4. Australia 215/4 vs England in 1961

The legendary 1961 Ashes series is best remembered for the titanic bowling feats of Trueman, Statham and Benaud.

However the Lord’s test saw a cracking rear-guard chase when England were bowled out for 206 in their second innings leaving Australia needing just 214 runs for victory. But England fought hard and reduced them to 104/4 just after lunch.

Bobby Simpson held firm to score an unbeaten 59 while Colin McDonald smashed 94 to guide Australia home by 4 wickets in a tight finish. So the Aussies had the buffer and technique to master challenging fourth innings chases even six decades back!

5. England 282/3 vs Australia in 1953

We round up with another Ashes classic from 1953 as England had to chase down 282 in the fourth innings versus Australia. After bowling out Australia for just 275 as Lindwall ran through the English batting, the hosts ended Day 3 at 46/2 needing 236 more.

Denis Compton led the recovery with an attacking 66 but England kept losing wickets steadily. However, captain Lindsay Hassett dropped Peter May on 0 who took full advantage to bat magnificently finishing unbeaten on 71 while guiding England to a 3-wicket win successfully chasing the target.

So Lord’s tests have seen many close thrillers going down to the wire with the chasing team holding their nerve to get across the finish line.

Much Interested: Highest Run Chase in Test by England

Epic Rear Guard Batting Efforts

Along with successful chases, Lord’s has also witnessed some outstanding rearguard efforts by batsmen to earn draws:

Michael Atherton’s unbeaten 185 off 492 balls against South Africa in 1995 was integral to England saving the match.
Rahul Dravid batted for over 10 hours scoring an epic 217 against England in 2011 to bail India out of trouble.
New Zealand’s Kane Williamson struck a vital 132* off 299 balls versus England in 2021 ensuring a dramatic draw.

So the Lord’s stage has tested the concentration and survival skills of batting legends over the years when playing out defiant fourth innings marathons to save matches.

Spin Impact

While known for bounce and seam movement favoring pacers, Lord’s pitches have also aided spinners over the decades:

Hedley Verity’s legendary 15 wicket haul in 1933 enabled England to dismiss Australia twice defending a low total.
India’s Vinoo Mankad mesmerized England taking 72 wickets across just 4 test appearances here.
Derek Underwood famously used the slope to bamboozle Australia in 1968 dismissing them for just 60.

So visiting teams have often found quality finger spinners hard to handle at Lord’s providing an x-factor when batting last.

Epic Individual Performances

Lord’s tests have witnessed some mammoth individual performances over the years:

Sir Vivian Richards pulverized England’s attack smashing 189 off just 170 balls in 1984.
Sir Garfield Sobers dazzled with 254 versus England in 1966 showcasing his silky skills.
Greg Chappell hammered 247* versus England in 1975 to set up a big Australian total.
Graham Gooch’s epic 154 versus India in 1990 was pivotal to England’s chase of 337 for victory.

So batting legends have lit up Lord’s over the decades with mammoth knocks further enriching the lore surrounding cricket’s Mecca.

Conclusion

In summary, Lord’s unique cricketing heritage and iconic nature inspires stellar performances leading to some memorable fourth innings chases over the years.

The 1948 Ashes chase led by Bradman highlighted Australia’s dominance during that era. Brian Lara’s 153 versus Australia in 1993 also attained legendary status on the hallowed turf. Fans hope Lord’s keeps producing more such epic test match moments in future!