Up close and personal: A ringside view of cricket’s greatest innings

He spoke of the courage and bravery of many young people on that night of darkness, amid confusion and fear. The team room and all those gathered were left in silence as Peter spoke of his personal experiences through a horrific nightmare that was made real to all of us by his descriptions, and the disfigurements to his body from major burns.

The Rugby World Cup had landed in Australia with England, the tournament favourite and South Africa, a semi-final contender, resident in Perth. This part of the country was abuzz with sporting expectation.

By the end of Day 1 of the Test, we had finished on 372 for three with Matthew Hayden on an imposing 183 not out and captain Stephen Waugh on 61 not out. Together they had assaulted the Zimbabwe bowling for 160-plus runs in the last session.

As if knowing what the day would bring, Waugh said to Matthew before the pair resumed their partnership next morning: ‘‘So you don’t have to worry about it if you get close to the record, (I think he meant Bradman & Taylor) just keep going.’’

Matthew came off at lunch on Day 2 at 271 not out, having faced 338 balls. Though he had batted for some eight hours, he looked as composed as he would at the start of an innings. In fact, Matthew had entered the game with a back problem, which he had aggravated in the weeks leading up to Perth.

Consequently, he had concentrated his training on his technique, the specific shots he wanted to employ to the type of bowling he would encounter. In between, he gave himself the best opportunity of being physically ready for the test with physiotherapy, massage, long walks along the beach.

His composure was evident as he passed 100 with little outward display of joy. Matthew ‘‘crossed’’ off (being of strong Catholic faith, he crosses himself at major milestones) the 200.

Prior to returning to the crease after lunch, I asked how he felt and he replied he felt ‘‘..Nothing…no real emotion. I am in a ‘dead zone’…’’ I could only reply, ‘‘Just stay there (in this zone)!…’’

The dressing room was following every run. All of us were consumed by the power, the dazzling array of finesse as well as straight hitting to, and over, the long-off and long-on boundaries.

This was a moment in time which, in a sense, lies within all of us — the ability to do great, inspiring and historic acts. We had heard of such heroics only a few days earlier from Peter Hughes. However, what differentiates the great from the majority is the skill, the courage, the mental toughness to convert potential to reality!

Unlike Matthew in the middle, we were now willing him to one record after the next. First his 300, which was a ‘‘signature’’ drive to mid-off for a single. Next he overtook Bob Cowper’s 307 which was the highest score by an Australian in Australia. He crept closer and closer to the ‘‘big’’ number, 334 of Bradman at Headingley and Taylor at Peshawar, the highest Australian Test score. Thirty-two balls after 300, an off-driven single gave Matthew 335 and a special niche in history.

For a moment he lost the composure which had earmarked this innings as great and lofted to mid-on where he was dropped. A hurried message was sent from the dressing room not to throw away the opportunity to eclipse the world record mark of 375. Brad Williams, our 12th man, brought back his response, which was simple — a laugh, a moment of reflection (which one can only surmise was about seeking a record which is the antithesis of his batting), then a mumbled ‘‘OK’’.

He progressed past 50, soon overtaking Hutton (364), Sobers (365*). Adam Gilchrist, who described himself later as Arthur Morris (the story goes that when Bradman made a duck in his last Test, Arthur Morris was asked if he had been there and replied: ‘‘Yes, I was up the other end and by the way, I made 191’’), passed his 100 in 88 balls, but was playing a support role to the main character of the moment.

The last over before tea, Adam engineered a single for Matthew to take one and go to tea with a world record 376 not out. All the players rushed from the rooms to congratulate him as he walked from the field. It is a snapshot that featured all the qualities of Australians — mateship, heroics, humility, enjoyment and the ‘‘baggy green’’ held proudly aloft.

Matthew was out soon after tea for 380 but had ensured that this Test would be one of the most memorable in the game’s history. That evening, he received calls from all around Australia and the world. Prime Minister John Howard spoke directly to Matthew about what he had achieved for himself and Australia. Brian Lara rang to congratulate Matthew and was very happy his record had gone to a person whose team play the game the way it should be played.

Words always fail to adequately describe special moments like Matthew’s 380 this week; however, the closest I can get is from Mark Twain who said: ‘‘Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambition. Small people do that, while the really great make you feel that, you too, can become great.’’ (Gameplan)