Batsmen who remained not out on 99 in Test Cricket

by Karthik Atchuta

A list of misfortunates who remained not out on 99. Washington Sundar got stranded on 96* in the 4th Test at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium as 3 batsmen fell in the span of 5 balls around him. What would be even worse is being stranded on 99* and it happened 6 times in Test Cricket history. Have a look:

GEOFFREY BOYCOTT 99* v AUSTRALIA (1979)

This Test had also seen a batsman dismissed for 99 in the form of Aussie middle order batsman Kim Hughes. Chasing 354 on Day 5 of Perth Test, Geoffrey Boycott held his innings from one end while his team mates kept falling around him.

England were 9 down when Boycott was on 99. Bob Willis was the no.11 batsman on strike who had to survive 6 deliveries against Geoff Dymock who dismissed him and brought up his 6 wicket haul. Boycott carried the bat for England with 99 not out in 258 balls with the help of 11 boundaries.

STEVE WAUGH 99* v ENGLAND (1995)

Another Ashes Test – Another battle at Perth – this one from February 1995. Steve Waugh pushed himself to 99* when Australia were 9 down.
Unfortunately the no.11 batsman Craig McDermott was run out for 6 leaving Waugh stranded on 99. He remained not out on 99 with the help of 12 boundaries in 183 balls.

Unlike the Geoff Boycott’s 99*, Steve Waugh’s 99* came in a winning cause!

Steve Waugh followed up his 99* with a 80 in the second innings and won the Man of the Match award as it helped Australia clinch the Ashes series 3-1.

ALEX TUDOR 99* v NEW ZEALAND (1999)

Apparently this is also Alex Tudor’s highest score in Test Cricket.

Chasing 208 to win, Alex Tudor walked in to bat at No.3 for England and he was on 95* when England needed 2 runs to win. Technically he needed a 6 to bring up his century. Tudor hoiked it over the wicket keeper Parore for a four which stranded Tudor on 99* as England won the match by 7 wickets at Birmingham.

Tudor struck 99* in 119 balls with the help of 21 Fours and won the Man of the Match award.

SHAUN POLLOCK 99* v SRI LANKA (2002)

Shaun Pollock is the first captain in this list to be stranded on 99. Pollock walked in to bat at no.8 in this match at Centurion and put on a 132 run partnership with Mark Boucher for the 7th wicket which tilted the advantage towards South Africa.

Later Pollock put on a 40 run partnership for the 10th wicket with Makhaya Ntini which helped him push to 99. Unfortunately Ntini was caught by Russel Arnold in the bowling of Chaminda Vaas as the captain remained not out on 99 in 170 balls with the help of 9 fours and 2 sixes.

The South African captain was adjudged the Man of the Match for his effort with the bat and ball in this match as South Africa white washed Sri Lanka 2-0 in the Test series at home.

ANDREW HALL 99* v ENGLAND (2003)

A year later at Leeds another South African all-rounder faced the same fate. This time it was the turn of Andrew Hall.

AJ Hall walked in to bat at no.8 for South Africa and struck a 99* in 87 balls with the help of 15 fours and 2 sixes. He put on a 54 run partnership with Dewald Pretorius for the 10th wicket before Pretorius was bowled out by James Kirtley.

This is the fastest 99* in this list.

MISBAH-UL-HAQ 99* v WEST INDIES (2017)

Misbah ul Haq 99* in 223 balls at Kingston makes him the first batsman from Asia to achieve this unfortunate feat. He is the second captain to make this list.

Captain Misbah powered himself to 99 batting with the tail-enders from a situation of 341/7 to 407 all out. He remained not out on 99 as the No.11 batsman Mohammad Abbas was trapped in front by Roston Chase for 1 in 21 balls.

Pakistan went on to win the Test – thanks to Yasir Shah’s 6 wicket haul in the 2nd innings.