5 best 99s in Ashes history ft. Jonny Bairstow
A Test hundred in itself is a very special achievement, but when it comes while playing the Ashes, it becomes all the more treasured. Scoring an Ashes hundred is a unanimous inclusion on the bucket list of all the aspiring batters in England and Australia.
Similarly, there is arguably no bigger anguish than missing out on the landmark by a solitary run. All the hard work just to be cruelly denied the elusive three-figure mark is arguably a more common sight in the Ashes than one might think.
Overall, in Test cricket, there have been 94 instances of players scoring 99 runs in an innings, out of which, 15 have come in the contests between Australia and England.
On that note, let us take at the five best 99s in Ashes history.
#1 Jonny Bairstow (99* vs Australia; Old Trafford, Manchester; 2023 Ashes)
The England wicketkeeper walked out to bat during the fourth Test of the ongoing 2023 series following rampant criticism over his glovework and returns with the bat. Bairstow batted with the lower order and took on the Australian bowling attack to score 99 runs off just 81 deliveries.
However, he missed out on the landmark after his partner, the No. 11 James Anderson was trapped lbw by Cameron Green. This marked the second time that Bairstow was stuck on 99, with the last instance coming at the same venue, Old Trafford, Manchester, against South Africa in 2017.
Bairstow became the first batter since Steve Waugh in 1995 to score 99 in an Ashes innings.
#2 Steve Waugh (99* vs England; WACA, 1995 Ashes)
As mentioned above, the former skipper was also a victim of being denied a century by a solitary run. During the fifth Test of the 1994-95 series, Australia piled on 402 runs in the first innings with the help of a century from Michael Slater and almost another one from Steve Waugh.
Craig McDermott, the tail-ender, was dealing with a strain, leading to Mark Waugh slotting for him as a runner. Steve Waugh defended a ball to the middle of the pitch, leading to Mark Waugh frantically running for a quick single, but received no response from the striker's end.
Mark tried to scamper his way back through but was caught short of the crease, leaving his elder twin stranded on 99.
#3 Michael Atherton (99 vs Australia; Lord's, 1993 Ashes)
The former England captain was denied an Ashes hundred by a single hundred in arguably the most tragic way possible. The hosts were in a state of bother at Lord's after Australia enforced the follow-on.
Michael Atherton played a vigilant knock keeping England's hopes alive alongside Mike Gatting. The opening batter looked in fine touch after scoring 80 runs in the first innings and ending up as the top scorer for the side.
Atherton, batting on 97, played a glance through the leg side off Allan Border's left-arm spin and ran hard. He attempted a third run but was sent back by the non-striker.
While the call was made well in time and Atherton was not far off his crease, he slipped twice while trying to make it. He was down on his knees as Ian Healy dislodged the bails with his gloves.
#4 Mark Waugh (99 vs England; Lord's, 1993 Ashes)
Mark Waugh suffered a similar fate to Atherton during the same Test of the 1993 Ashes. A century at the Lord's is the holy grail for a batter, and more so for an Australian, as it comes across as the enemy turf.
Australia were dominating after the top three batters Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, and David Boon notched up centuries. Mark Waugh was all set to become the fourth Australian batter to record a hundred in the same innings, but he was bowled by Phil Tuffnell on 99 after facing 162 deliveries.
He eventually did get a hundred at Lord's, when he scored 108 runs during the 2001 tour of England.
#5 Sir Geoffrey Boycott (99* vs Australia; WACA, 1979 Ashes)
The legendary opening batter became the first Englishman to be unbeaten on 99 in Test cricket. He was also the first batter in history to be dismissed for 99 in ODI cricket.
During the 1979 Ashes series opener in Perth, the visitors were handed a 354-run target in the fourth innings.
Sir Geoffrey Boycott, who was dismissed for a 20-ball duck in the first innings, made amends by anchoring the chase. The rest of the batters could not handle the likes of Geoff Dymock and Dennis Lillee, leading to the innings quickly falling apart.
The opening batter carried his bat over the course of the entire innings for his 99 runs off 285 deliveries, but could not convert it into a three-figure knock after Bob Willis lost his wicket to Dymock, which ended the contest.
During the contest, where Australia emerged victorious by 138 runs, Aussie middle-order batter Kim Hughes was also dismissed on 99 by Derek Underwood.
Who will be the next batter to be dismissed on 99 in Test cricket? Let us know what you think.