CricketCrowd’s Top Picks of International Cricket - The 25 Most Exciting Games in 2008

2008 was a fascinating year for cricket – a real changing of the world order, after years of dominance by Australia.

The year was book-ended with dramas, starting with the Bollyline affair in Sydney and ending with the historic win by the Proteas at the MCG . This completed a momentous year for the two dominant teams - India and South Africa - whilst confirming a decline in the stocks of Australia as they suffered their first home defeat in 16 years.

CricketCrowd makes its pick of the best Tests, One-Day and T20 matches for 2008, presented in chronological order below.

CricketCrowd’s Top 10 Test Matches of 2008

• Bollyline Test:  AUS v IND (Jan 2008) at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia Won by 122 Runs
• India hit-back in Aussie backyard: AUS v IND (16 Jan 2008) at the  W.A.C.A. Ground,  India Won by 72 Runs
• South Africa go one-up: IND v SAF (April 2008) at Sardar Patel Stadium,  South Africa Won by an Innings and 90 Runs
• Proteas win series:  ENG v SAF (July 2008) at Edgbaston, South Africa Won by 5 Wickets
• KP reign starts with win: ENG v SAF (Aug 2008) at The Oval, England Won by 6 Wickets
• Mendis and Murali dominate: SRL v IND  (Aug 2008) at P Sara Stadium, Sri Lanka Won by 8 Wickets
• India regain Border-Gavaskar Trophy: IND v AUS (Nov 2008) at Nagpur, India Won by 172 Runs
• Sachin leads historic chase: IND v ENG (Dec 2008) at Chennai,  India Won by 6 Wickets
• Proteas stun Aussies: AUS v SAF (Dec 2008) at W.A.C.A. Ground, South Africa Won by 6 Wickets
• Steyn dominates in historic series win: AUS v SAF (Dec 2008) Melbourne Cricket Ground, South Africa won by 9 wickets

CricketCrowd’s Top 10 One-Day Internationals of 2008

• India win CB series: AUS v IND ( March 2008) at Gabba,  India won by 9 runs
• Match tied after 340 runs apiece: NZL v ENG (Feb  2008) at McLean Park, Match Tied
• Last ball six wins match: WIN v SRL (April 2008) at Queen's Park, West Indies won by 1 wicket
• Kiwis win last ball thriller: ENG v NZL (June 2008) at The Oval, New Zealand won by 1 wicket
• Mendis bursts onto centre stage: IND v SRL (July 2008), Asia Cup Final at National Stadium, Sri Lanka won by 100 runs
• Flintoff dominate South Africa: ENG v SAF (Aug 2008) at Lords, England won by 7 wickets
• India recover to win series: SRL v IND  (Aug 2008) at Premadasa Stadium,  India won by 46 runs
• Pakistan sweep desert series: PAK v WIN (Nov 2008) at Abu Dhabi
• Series white-wash halted at 5-0: IND v ENG (Nov 2008) at Barabati Stadium, India won by 6 wickets
• Lankans sneak narrow win: ZIM v SRL (Nov 2008) at Harare Sports Club, Sri Lanka won by 19 runs

CricketCrowd recognises the emerging format of the T20 game by picking the Top Twenty20 (T20) Internationals of 2008

• Pollock Sixers seals win in thriller: RSA v WIN (Jan 2008) at Johannesburg
• Clarke leads Aus to crushing win: AUS v IND (Feb 2008), MCG
• KP blitz leads win: NZL v ENG (Feb 2008), Auckland
• Lankans take Quad final: SRL v PAK (Oct 2008), Toronto
• First-ever over eliminator settles tied match: NZL v WIN (Dec 2008), Auckland

Published:  Sydney, 1^st Jan 2009.