Almanac Teams: Perth Test memory makers

 

For this summer of cricket my theme is of each Australian test venue with a team of Australians and Visitors based on performance/s, moment, and memories. Each side is from 1980 (when I started approx. following) though there maybe the off exception. Feel free to contribute and obviously any from earlier would be great to hear from.

 

This week team is based in Perth

 

Australia

Matthew Hayden

380 v Zimbabwe October 2003

Hayden went past Brian Lara’s Test record of 375 in this innings. Hayden’s 380 came off 437 balls with 38 fours and 11 sixes in Australia’s score of 6/735. His record stood for six months until Lara made 400* against England in April 2004. Hayden played 103 Tests for 8,625 runs at 50.73.

 

David Boon

200 v New Zealand November 1989

In the first Test since the 1989 Ashes triumph, Australia were missing vice-captain Geoff Marsh who was injured. Boon stepped in and moved back to opening with debutant Tom Moody at Number 3. Boon made his highest score with 200 from 326 balls, batting all day for 169 on Day 1. Australia made 9/521 but were thwarted by Mark Greatbatch and New Zealand who forced a draw (more details to come below in Mark Greatbatch’s section). Boon played 107 Tests for 7,422 runs at 43.65.

 

 

Marnus Labuschagne

143 v New Zealand December 2019

Labuschagne 143 was the first century by an Australian in the new Perth Stadium. Australia had played there against India the previous year, but no Australian scored a hundred. Australia did not play another Test there until 2022 against West Indies with Labuschagne making 204 and 104*. Labuschagne has played 58 Tests for 4,435 runs at 46.19.

 

 

Allan Border

0 and 0 v West Indies January 1993

This was the Fifth Test of a thrilling series with a tense draw in Brisbane in the First Test, Shane Warne announcing himself spinning Australia to victory in Melbourne, Brian Lara making 277 in a draw in Sydney and then a thrilling a one run win to the West Indies in Adelaide. In Perth it all came crashing down for Australia with the match over by lunch on Day 3. West Indies led by Curtly Ambrose on a WACA pitch full of cracks fell on for 119 and 178. Before this Test Border was 49 runs behind Gavaskar in most runs. Sadly, Australia captain Allan Border made a pair, out first ball in the first innings to Ambrose caught behind and lasting three balls before being bowled by Ian Bishop. Border averaged 40 at the WACA, scoring two hundreds. Border played 156 Tests scoring 11,174 runs at 50.56.

 

 

Steve Waugh

99* and 80 v England February 1995

Waugh’s 99* is best known for the remarkable circumstances of the last wicket that denied him his hundred. Craig McDermott had a back injury and came in at Number 11 with a runner Mark Waugh. Steve Waugh was in the 90s and the partnership had reached 14 when McDermott was run out. However technically it was Mark Waugh who was run out after trying to give Steve strike. Mark was sent back and despite a big dive at the bowlers end he was run out leaving his twin stranded. Waugh never made a hundred at Perth in 15 Tests there. Waugh played 168 Tests for 10,927 runs at 51.06.

 

 

Ricky Ponting

96 v Sri Lanka December 1995

Ponting played his first Test at the WACA in 1995 against Sri Lanka and his last Test there against South Africa in 2012. Ponting made his debut at the expense of Greg Blewett and looked all class in his first Test innings of 96 before getting a shocking LBW call from the Pakistan umpire Khizer Hayat. In an era before DRS this looked high and leg side. In his last Test Ponting made 4 and 8 in a thumping 309 run loss. Ponting played 168 Tests for 13,378 runs at 51.85

 

 

Adam Gilchrist

0 and 102* v England December 2006

Gilchrist made a duck in the first innings when Monty Panesar had him caught at short leg. Australia led England by 30 runs in the second innings but would comply 5/527 as Hussey, Clarke and Gilchrist made hundreds. Gilchrist innings destroyed the soul of England making 102 in 59 balls, the second fastest hundred at the time with twelve fours and four sixes. Gilchrist moved from 50 to 102 in 19 balls. Gilchrist played 96 Tests for 5,570 runs at 47.60.

 

Shane Warne

1/135 and 1/75 and 99 v New Zealand December 2001

Warne did not have much success as a bowler at Perth, but it nearly held a special memory with an unlikely hundred. New Zealand batted first and made 9/534 and Australia were in trouble when Warne came in at 6/192.  Warne guided Australia to avoid the follow on being the last man out at 351. Sadly, Warne got a rush of blood to the head going the slog shot to deep mid-wicket from Daniel Vettori bowling and caught by Mark Richardson for 99 from 157 balls and ten fours. The match ended in a dull draw. Warne played 145 Tests for 3154 runs at 17.32 and has scored the most Test runs to not make a hundred. Many years later it was shown the side on vision that Vettori ball was a no ball

 

Merv Hughes

5/130 and 8/87 v West Indies December 1988

Hughes was recalled to the Australian side after a heavy loss in Brisbane. West Indies made 449 in first innings with Hughes getting Ambrose and Patterson in two balls over two overs. Australia declared after fellow opening bowler Geoff Lawson had his jaw broken. In the second innings Merv was fired up and took the new ball and claimed Gordon Greenidge first ball LBW, though not many people were aware of the ball being a hat trick until a few minutes later. This was a turning point for Hughes who had being in and out of the Test side before now. His 13-wicket Test haul made him a cult figure but also a player whose heart took him a long way. Hughes played 53 Tests for 212 wickets at 28.38.

 

Dennis Lillee

5/18 and 1/78 v Pakistan November 1981

Lillee had two unusual incidents at the Perth Test twice in three years. In 1979 against England Dennis Lillee decided to bat with an aluminum bat before being given a wooden bat from Greg Chappell after complaints from the English team. In 1981 in the first Test against Pakistan, Australia made 180 before Pakistan were routed for 62 with Lille claiming 5 wickets. After Australia made 424, Pakistan was 2/27 when captain Javed Miandad came in. During the third wicket partnership, Miandad hit Lillee and while running down the wicket, collided with Lillee who had seemed to get in his way. Lillee claimed Miandad struck him with the bat before Lillee kicked him from behind. Lillee was fined $120 and suspended for two one day matches. Lillee played 70 Tests for 355 wickets at 23.92.

 

Terry Alderman

1/84 v England November 1982

England won the toss in the 1st Test and batted in a very slow fashion, bringing up the 400 near tea on Day 2. Once England bought up the 400 after twenty spectators came on to the ground when one English spectator punched Alderman on the back of the head. An enraged Alderman chased him and tackled him to the ground but in the process injured his shoulder and ruled himself out of the series. This was a blow to Australia as Alderman loved bowling to the English. Alderman played 41 Tests for 170 wickets at 27.15.

 

Twelfth Man – Rodney Hogg

Hogg may be considered the worst twelfth ever for Australia. In the 1979 Test v England Hogg had the task to bring a new bat out to Lillee after his aluminum special seemed to not hit the ball as hard as wooden bat would, after an initial refusal to do and then when he did go out, he failed to swap bats it was left for captain Greg Chappell to convince Lillee to change bats.

 

 

Other moments

 

Wayne Phillips

159 v Pakistan November 1983

This was Phillips Test debut

 

Geoff Lawson

3/97 and 0* v West Indies December 1988

Lawson was picked for his first Test for two years due to injury and form. Lawson would suffer a broken jaw from a Curtly Ambrose bouncer and would miss the rest of the summer but would regain a spot for the 1989 Ashes.

 

Craig McDermott

8/97 and 3/60 v England 1991

McDermott had been out of the Test side for two years before earning recall in previous Test at Adelaide. At the WACA McDermott took his career best bowling figures in an innings and match.

 

Mike Whitney

4/68 and 7/27 v India February 1992

After McDermott Personal best the previous year, Whitney would have his career best bowling figures in a match and innings.

 

Michael Slater

219 v Sri Lanka December 1995

Slater highest score came off 321 balls and included fifteen fours and five sixes.

 

Glenn McGrath

1/44 and 8/24 v Pakistan 2004

McGrath’s 8/24 was his best ever bowling figures as he rolled Pakistan for 72.

 

Brad Hodge

41 and 203* v South Africa December 2005

This was Hodge’s third Test yet after two more Tests he was dropped from the squad for the tour of South Africa.

 

Mitchell Johnson

8/61 and 3/98 v South Africa December 2008

6/38 and 3/44 v England December 2010

Johnson had two great displays of fast bowling at the WACA in three years when Australia was at their lowest. The match against South Africa, Australia still lost while the Perth Test was Australia only win in a miserable summer where Australia lost the Ashes on home turf.

 

Ryan Harris

3/48 and 1/73 v England December 2013

Harris only got one wicket in the second innings, but it was ripper. Captain Alistair Cook bowled first ball with a ball than dipped in and removed the off bail.

 

Steve Smith

239 v England 2017

This is Smith’s highest Test score, it came off 399 balls with thirty fours and one six.

 

 

Visitors

Chris Broad (England)

162 and 16 November 1986

Coming to Australia for the Ashes, Broad had played five Tests with a highest score of 86. In the second, third and fourth Tests Broad scored consecutive hundreds. Broad scored 487 at 69.57 winning Player of the series. Broad though would be dropped during the 1989 home ashes and played 25 Tests for 1,661 runs at 39.54.

 

Chris Tavare (England)

89 and 9 November 1982

Australia probably thought they were finished with slow boring opening English batsman after Geoff Boycott finished up in 1981 but for the 1st Test of the 1982/83 Ashes, Australia discovered the stonewalling tactics of Chris Tavare. In the first innings Tavare batted all of Day 1 to be 66* as England made it to 4/242. Tavare made 89 from 337 balls and the second innings he made 9 from 82 balls. Tavare played 31 Tests for 1,755 runs at 32.50.

 

Mark Greatbatch (New Zealand)

76 and 146* November 1989

This was the only Test between the two and saw Australia make 9/521 and New Zealand all out for 231 and forced to follow on, were 4/168 at stumps on Day 4 with Greatbatch on 69*. New Zealand survived the whole day to make 7/322 with Greatbatch finishing up on 146* from 485 balls. Greatbatch would reinvent himself as a swashbuckling opening batsman in 1992 World Cup making 313 runs at average 44 and strike rate of 88. Greatbatch played 41 Tests for 2,021 runs at 30.62.

 

Javed Miandad (Pakistan)

6 and 79 November 1981

This was mentioned under Dennis Lillee. This was the first Test and Pakistan had been bowled out for 62 after Australia had made 180 and 8/424. In the second innings Miandad came in at 2/27 and played an antagonist role which worked. After turning a ball from Lillee, Miandad ran a single and collided with Lillee. Lillee claimed Miandad hit with his bat, so Lillee kicked him from behind. Miandad had upset the Australians with his tactics who had made statements about him that night. Miandad played 124 Tests for 8,832 runs at 52.27.

 

Larry Gomes (West Indies)

127 November 1984

Gomes was the lesser known of the West Indies batsman but had a good record against Australia and especially coming in at tricky situations. This was the first Test of the series and West Indies were in trouble at 5/104 when Dujon joined Gomes. Gomes would make 127 including a 189 partnership with Dujon as West Indies made 416. Australia was then rolled for 76 and 228. Gomes played 13 Tests against Australia averaging 56 and making six hundreds and his record in Australia was much better playing 8 Tests at average of 70 and scoring 4 hundreds. In total Gomes played 60 Tests for 3,171 runs at average of 39.63.

 

Ross Taylor (New Zealand)

290 and 36* November 2015

In a dull draw Australia made 9/559 with Warner making 253. New Zealand would reply with 624 with Taylor making 290 and Kane Williamson 166. Taylor innings came off 374 balls and included forty-three fours. Taylor’s 290 would be his highest score in a career of 112 Tests for 7,683 runs at an average 44.66. This would be Mitchell Johnson last Test.

 

Jeffrey Dujon (West Indies)

139 and 3 Catches November 1984

Jeffrey Dujon played his first Test as a specialist batsman before becoming wicketkeeper and like Larry Gomes he seemed too always get his runs in tough conditions. In this Test Dujon joined Gomes on the first day at 5/104. Dujon’s 139 is remarkable for the fact he was struck in the back of head before he had scored from a ball from Terry Alderman and when he reached 35, he retired hurt after suffering dizzy spells. The score at the time was 5/154 and Dujon reentered the game 50 minutes at 6/186. Dujon was 52* at stumps on Day 1 and a good night sleep helped Dujon to 139 the next day from 158 balls with twenty-one fours. Dujon played 81 Tests for 3,322 runs at average 31.94 and took 267 catches and 5 stumpings.

 

Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)

6/87 and 2/142 December 2001

As with Greatbatch and Taylor innings, Vettori moment happened in a dull draw at the WACA between Australia and New Zealand. After making 9/534, Australia was on the ropes at 6/192 with Vettori going through the middle order with the wickets of Waugh twins and Gilchrist for 0. Australia avoided the follow on with Warne making 99 before Vettori got him out as his sixth wicket. Vettori bowling was unique as it was rare for slow bowlers to get bag of wickets at the WACA. Vettori played 113 Tests for 362 wickets at average 34.36.

 

Alex Tudor (England)

0 and 3* and 2/144 November 2002

Tudor made his Test debut at the WACA on the 1998 Ashes tour, where he impressed with 4 wickets on debut getting the Waugh twins and Ponting out cheaply. This Test would be Tudor’s last Test as his tour ended in injury after a sickening knock to the head from a Brett Lee bouncer on a quick WACA pitch. Tudor would need to be stretched off the ground. Tudor would play 10 Tests for 28 wickets at 34.39 and holds the record for the Highest score by a nightwatchman for England with 99*.

 

Curtly Ambrose (West Indies)

7/25 and 2/54 January 1993

Curtly Ambrose loved the WACA, playing three Tests here for 24 wickets at 12.91 and taking five wickets in an innings three times. In 1988 he took 5/72 and 3/66 and 1997 he took 5/43 and 2/50. The 1993 Test was the last of the series and after a thrilling one run win in Adelaide, the series was level at 1-1. Australia won the toss and batted but after Day 1, West Indies were 1/135 going past Australia 119. After Ian Bishop took the first two wickets, Ambrose took the next 7 wickets in a spell of 7/1 from 32 balls. The last wicket Shane Warne was run out. Ambrose played 98 Tests for 405 wickets at 20.99.

 

Jasprit Bumrah (India)

5/30 and 3/42 November 2024

This was a rare Test where both captain for the match were fast bowler with Bumrah acting captain for the unavailable Rohit Sharma. In the much-anticipated series on Day 1 India were rolled for 150 but by the ended of the day, Australia were 7/67 with Bumrah having four wickets. Australia would be reduced to 104 before India would make 6/487. In the second innings Australia were rolled for 238 with Bumrah taking three of the top six wickets. Bumrah has played 50 Tests for 226 wickets at 19.83.

 

Others

 

Rizwan-Uz-Zaman (Pakistan)

0 and 8 November 1981

Rizwan’s first Test resulted in a first ball duck for the opening batsman as Pakistan slipped to 2/1 off seven balls.

 

Derek Randall (England)

78 and 115 November 1982

In the first Test of the 1982/83 Ashes which resulted in a draw, Randall was awarded Man of the Match, with a match saving 115 after England 4/80 and just 67 runs ahead.

 

Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)

5/65 and 6/90 December 1985

This was the third and final Test of the summer of Hadlee where New Zealand won the series 2-1 and Hadlee took 33 wickets in three Tests.

 

Viv Richards (West Indies)

146 and 5 December 1988

Viv smashed the Australian bowlers with his 146 coming off 150 balls, including twenty-one fours and three sixes.

 

Sachin Tendulkar (India)

114 and 5 February 1992

Tendulkar announced himself to Australians with a century in Sydney, this innings showed his class on quick WACA wicket against four Australian quick bowlers, which at the age of 19 he may not have encountered before. His 114 came from 161 balls.

 

Andrew Jones (New Zealand)

143 and 45 November 1993

The underdogs New Zealand put a scare early into Australia after Australia made 398, New Zealand made 9/419 with Jones 143 from 283 balls. The match was a draw.

 

Ridley Jacobs (West Indies)

96* and 24 December 2000

Great innings sadly denied a hundred, Jacobs came in at 5/22 and was there when Courtney Walsh went out with the score 196.

 

Lou Vincent (New Zealand)

104 and 54 November 2001

This was Vincent’s Test debut and in the first innings he was one of four century makers along with Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle, and Adam Parore in a score of 9/534.

 

Jacques Rudolph (South Africa)

8 and 102* December 2005

South Africa was set 491 to win and at stumps Day 4 2/85 with Rudolph on 18*. Rudolph batted all day to make 102* from 283 balls to guide South Africa to 5/287 and a draw.

 

Chris Gayle (West Indies)

102 and 21 December 2009

Gayle 102 came from 72 balls and included nine fours and sixes. Not as exciting as Tavare’s innings.

 

Hashim Amla (South Africa)

11 and 196 December 2012

South Africa were rolled for 225 before Australia fell for 163. South Africa then made 569 to Australia 322. Amla and de Villers shared 149 partnerships. Amla 196 came from 221 balls.

 

AB De Villiers (South Africa)

4 and 169 December 2012

De Villiers 169 came from 184 balls and included twenty-one fours and three sixes.

 

Dawid Malan (England)

140 and 54 December 2017

Malan and Jonny Bairstow (119) shared a 237 partnership in England total of 403.

 

Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)

0 and 161 November 2024

After an eight-ball duck, Jaiswal showed his class with an exciting 161 from 297 balls

 

Virat Kohli (India)

5 and 100* November 2024

This hundred was the last of Kohli’s 30 Test hundreds. Kohli struggled last summer in Australia making 190 runs at 23.75 which was boosted from his 100*.

 

 

 

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