Test cricket, in its purest form, is a battle of skill, patience, and resilience. It is a format where time is both an ally and an adversary, where momentum swings like a pendulum, and where a single session can redefine narratives. The second Test of the 1999 series between Australia and Pakistan in Hobart encapsulated all these elements in their most dramatic form.
This was a
match that should have been Pakistan’s triumph, a well-earned response to their
heavy defeat in Brisbane. Instead, it became one of the most significant
turning points in cricket history. It was a Test that cemented Justin Langer’s
place as a mainstay in the Australian batting order and heralded the arrival of
Adam Gilchrist, a man who would go on to revolutionize the role of the
wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket.
A Promising Start for Pakistan, A Chance to
Rewrite the Script
Pakistan
entered the second Test at Hobart with their backs against the wall. They had
been steamrolled in Brisbane, losing by ten wickets, their batsmen undone by
Glenn McGrath’s precision and Shane Warne’s guile. With Australia leading the
three-match series 1-0, Pakistan knew that a loss in Hobart would end their
hopes of a series victory.
Winning the
toss, Steve Waugh put Pakistan in to bat. Despite their struggles in Brisbane,
Pakistan’s top order was more resolute this time, with Inzamam-ul-Haq’s
composed 118 providing the backbone of their innings. Yet, 222 was a modest
total, and Australia seemed poised to take control.
Michael
Slater, who had already tormented Pakistan with a sublime 169 in Brisbane,
looked set for another big score. He was dropped thrice before finally falling
for 97, top-edging Saqlain Mushtaq while attempting a sweep. His dismissal,
however, triggered a collapse of dramatic proportions.
Saqlain,
Pakistan’s off-spin maestro, orchestrated an extraordinary spell of 6 for 46,
including three wickets in a single over. His doosras and flighted deliveries
spun a web around Australia’s batsmen, reducing what seemed like an inevitable
150-run lead to a mere 24. Pakistan, with their potent bowling attack, had
seized the initiative.
A Moment of Dominance: Pakistan’s Batting
Flourishes
Buoyed by
their bowlers’ heroics, Pakistan’s batsmen played with renewed confidence in
their second innings. Inzamam, the team’s batting linchpin, delivered yet again
with a majestic 118. His effortless strokeplay, combined with fifties from
Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi, took Pakistan to a formidable 392. Shane
Warne toiled for his five wickets, but Pakistan had already set Australia a
mammoth 369 for victory.
Chasing
such a total in the fourth innings of a Test match was, historically, a
near-impossible task. At that time, only three times in the history of Test
cricket had a target above 350 been successfully chased. With Australia
wobbling at 126 for 5 at stumps on Day Four, the match seemed all but won for
Pakistan.
Day Five: The Dawn of a New Era
The morning of Day Five should have been a victory lap for Pakistan. Their bowlers had already dismantled Australia’s top order, and with just five wickets needed, they stood on the brink of history.
Justin Langer nicked the ball to Moin Khan off the bowling of Wasim Akram. But umpire Steve Parker gave him not out, a decidion that might have been given on the basis of the mistake he made against Langer in the first innings. But how logical it was to give a clear cut nick not out remains a moot question.
The umpire reportedly apologized to Langer for his first-innings error, and the second decision is seen as him "making amends".
It cost Pakistan.
And, the decision led to a golden run for Steve Waugh's Australia.
And - what followed was a testament to the resilience, adaptability, and sheer brilliance of two men who were yet to carve their names in the annals of Australian cricketing greatness.
At the
crease were Justin Langer, a batsman with an inconsistent Test record, and Adam
Gilchrist, playing only his second Test. Their partnership began tentatively,
but as the morning progressed, a remarkable transformation took place.
Langer,
known for his grit rather than flamboyance, began to play with a newfound
authority. His cover drives against Akhtar and his square cuts against Saqlain
were executed with such precision that it seemed he had discovered a new level
to his game. He found gaps with ease, his footwork against spin
impeccable.
Gilchrist,
on the other hand, was a revelation. Test cricket had yet to see a wicketkeeper-batsman
who could dictate terms with the bat like he did. He wasn’t just
counterattacking—he was redefining how a No. 7 should approach a fourth-innings
chase.
He reached
his fifty in just 72 balls, a fluent innings punctuated with crisp boundaries
and an audacious six off Waqar Younis. The hallmark of his batting was his
ability to dominate even the best bowlers. As the session wore on, Pakistan’s
body language changed. The confidence they had at the start of the day began to
wane, and frustration crept in.
Pakistan Unravels, Australia Rises
By lunch,
Australia had surged to 277 for 5. The once-invincible Saqlain now looked
ineffective against Gilchrist’s relentless sweeps. Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar
Younis, who had dismantled Australia’s top order, found themselves struggling
against a counterattack they had not anticipated.
Langer
reached his hundred with another delicate sweep, his fourth Test century but
arguably the most significant of his career. Every boundary was followed by a
fist pump toward the dressing room—he had something to prove, and he was
proving it emphatically.
With the
finish line in sight, the final act played out like a scripted drama. With just
five runs needed, Langer fell for 127, his attempted sweep looping to Inzamam
at square leg. It was a moment of pure irony—the shot that had earned him so
many runs also brought about his downfall. Yet, by then, the result was
academic.
Fittingly,
it was Gilchrist who struck the winning runs, swiping a delivery over mid-on
for four. His unbeaten 149 off just 163 balls had turned the match on its head.
This was an innings of rare brilliance, one that changed perceptions about what
a wicketkeeper-batsman could achieve in Test cricket.
Legacy of the Hobart Chase
The victory
at Hobart was not just another Test win for Australia. It was the beginning of
a new era—one in which they would dominate world cricket for the next decade.
The belief that they could chase any target, fight back from any situation, and
defy any opposition became the defining characteristic of the Australian side
under Steve Waugh and later Ricky Ponting.
For
Pakistan, it was a gut-wrenching loss. They had done everything right for four
days, only to see it all unravel in a few hours. It was a game they should have
won, but they were up against something more than just two inspired
batsmen—they were up against a shift in cricketing philosophy itself.
This match
also redefined fourth-innings chases in Test cricket. Before this, successful
350-plus run chases were considered rare anomalies. But after Hobart, teams
began to believe they could defy history. The West Indies’ famous 418-run chase
against Australia in 2003, and South Africa’s epic 414 against England in 2008,
were born from the seeds sown in Hobart.
Most
importantly, this match gave cricket the Adam Gilchrist we would come to know—a
game-changer who redefined the role of a wicketkeeper-batsman. His aggression,
fearlessness, and ability to single-handedly take the game away from opponents
would inspire a generation of cricketers.
Richie
Benaud, speaking from the commentary box, called it “one of the finest
victories I’ve ever seen in Test cricket.” But perhaps it was more than that.
Hobart 1999 was the day Australia announced itself as an unstoppable force. It
was the day Adam Gilchrist became a legend. It was, in every sense, the day
cricket changed forever.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
