The cricket fans these days know Michael Vaughan as the man who has opinions about everything and he is one of the leading broadcasters in world cricket. However he remains one of the best captains for England and an excellent test batter. He has played in 82 Test Matches for England. He has scored 5719 runs at an average of 41.44. His conversion rate was excellent as he made 18 hundreds in Test Cricket as well as 18 half centuries. He also played in 86 ODIs but he only made 1982 runs. He was not able to replicate the success of test cricket in ODI Cricket.
Let’s look at the Top 5 Best Innings of Michael Vaughan
1) 197 vs India (2002)
This was his highest test score and it came against India in 2002. This was in the early stages of his career. He batted for 253 balls in this innings and he hit 23 fours which means 92 runs in boundaries. He had a strike rate of 76 in this incredible knock. He ran for 105 of his runs and was still striking at over 75. Michael Vaughan was just 3 short of a double hundred. This innings gave him the confidence that he belonged in Test Cricket.
2) 195 vs India (2002)
It looks like India were the favorite opponents for Michael Vaughan In the year 2002. After his highest score of 197, he followed it up with a brilliant 195 a few test matches later. England were batting first and he made a sublime 195 runs. He took 279 balls to complete the innings. He hit 29 fours in this innings meaning 116 runs in boundaries. He had a strike rate of 70. He missed a double hundred for the second successive time
3) 156 vs South Africa (2003)
If there was an example of a one man show they saved the test match for his team then it is this one where Michael Vaughan saved England. England were replying after a big score by South Africa. No other batter even got a half century in this innings, such was his dominance. He batted for 286 balls in this marathon effort. He smashed 24 fours and 1 six meaning 102 runs in boundaries. He has a strike rate of 54.55 in this innings and he ensured that this match was a draw.
4) 166 vs Australia (2005)
This is one of his best knocks against Australia in Test Cricket. It was during the historic 2005 Ashes. England were batting first and Michael Vaughan was in a hurry to score these runs. He only took 215 balls and he hit 166 runs at a great strike rate of 77.21. He hit 20 fours and 1 six meaning 86 runs in boundaries. He ran for 80 runs and yet he had a strike rate of over 77. He ensured that England got a good total in the first innings. Michael Vaughan was the star of this series.
5) 103 and 101* vs West Indies (2004)
Michael Vaughan is one of those rare cricketers who have had their name twice in the Lord’s Honors Board in the same test match. In this test match against the West Indies he absolutely destroyed the West Indies bowling. In the first innings he made 103 runs from 154 balls. He hit 12 fours meaning 48 runs in boundaries. He had a strike rate of 66.66 in this hundred. In the third innings of the test match, he was not out when he scored 101 not out. He only took 145 balls to make this unbeaten hundred. He hit 11 fours meaning 44 runs in boundaries. He had a very good strike rate of 70. England won this test match by 210 runs.
Also Read: Greatest English Cricketers of all time
