On This Day - February 26, 1993: Border Overhauls Gavaskar To Become Highest Scorer in Test History

It was the first Test between the Trans-Tasman rivals, Australia and New Zealand in Christchurch in 1993. Martin Crowe won the toss and elected to field first. Mark Taylor and Justin Langer put together a century stand. However, Australia lost some quick wickets and were reduced to 264 for 5 before skipper Allan Border and Ian Healy stitched together a 99-run partnership for the sixth-wicket. During the course of the innings the great Australian left-hander pulled the New Zealand off-spinner, Dipak Patel for a boundary and broke another legend’s record to become the highest scorer in Test cricket history.

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Border broke Sunil Gavaskar’s record and overtook the Little Master’s aggregate of 10,122 runs. He had scored a pair in his previous Test against the West Indies at the W.A.C.A. in Perth and was anxiously waiting to overhaul the milestone. Border top-scored for Australia in the innings with 88 as the visitors with the help of their lower-order posted a massive 485 in the first innings. Grit, determination and attaching a big price on his wicket – these were the qualities that defined Border’s batting not only during the course of this innings but throughout his career. He faced 182 deliveries and spent 236 minutes at the crease hitting 13 boundaries.

Shane Warne then picked 7 wickets in the match to bowl out the home team for 182 and 243 handing Australia victory by an innings and 60 runs. He was adjudged the Player of the Match. Ken Rutherford top-scored for New Zealand in both the innings with a fifty and hundred and was removed by Warne in both the innings. Merv Hughes got the prized wicket of Martin Crowe in both the innings.

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Gavaskar was the first batsman to reach the 10,000-Club in Test cricket. To overtake the Indian genius was a remarkable achievement by the legendary Australian.

Border played 156 Tests for Australia and scored 11174 runs at an average of 50.56 including 27 hundreds. He built the Australian team in the 1980s and is widely believed to be the leader who led to the great transformation in their fortunes from the 1990s. Australia dominated world cricket from 1995 replacing the West Indies.

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