Ramis Shah looks back at the top five most crushing wins ever
Australia won the recently concluded Castle Lager/MTN three-match Test series against South Africa by a 2-1 score-line. The Aussies thus reconfirmed their supremacy in Test cricket after winning the first two encounters in great style. The third was tight but in the end South Africa finally prevailed with a face saving win.

In the first Test played at the Wanderers, Australia almost crushed South Africa to pulp. The home side crashed to the second biggest defeat in the history of the game, an innings and 360 runs. In fact, Steve Waugh's men dealt South Africa the heaviest post-War defeat in Test cricket and would have needed to hit another 120 runs to overtake England's defeat of Don Bradman's side in August 1938.

Resuming at 111 for four on day three, South Africa's first innings ended before lunch when Andre Nel fell lbw to Shane Warne. Ashwell Prince, who had been 47 overnight, failed by one run to make a 50 on debut as Australia's four-pronged attack shared out the wickets between them. In the light of what was to follow, 159 began to look like a reasonable effort. Gary Kirsten went quickly in the second innings, Prince and Herschelle Gibbs put on 66 for the second wicket and then Warne and Glenn McGrath took the last nine wickets for 47 in 15 overs. Warne's third wicket took him into second place on the Test match wicket-takers list. He now has 436 and only Courtney Walsh, with 519 is ahead of him.

It took less than three days to complete South Africa's heaviest defeat -
beating the previous low set in March 1950 when they lost, also to Australia, by an innings and 259 runs - and underlines the yawning gap between the two sides that had opened up during the three Tests in Australia in December and January.

The record-breaking Australian win was largely due to Adam Gilchrist's efforts who smashed a majestic unconquered 204 - the fastest double ton in terms off balls faced. Australia raced to 652 for seven and Steve Waugh declared. It was for only the second time since the Proteas return to Test cricket in 1991-92, that they had conceded a total in excess of 600. The other occasion was in 1996-97 against Australia on this ground, when the Aussies made 628 for 8 declared.

For reader interest we take a look back on the other four top five victories

England beat Australia by an innings and 579 runs at The Oval, Aug 20- 24, 1938
Wally Hammond won the toss and Len Hutton hit 364, putting on 382 for the second wicket with Maurice Leyland (187), registering the highest stand by an English pair against any country at this venue. Len Hutton's 364 with 35 fours, was England's 100th century against Australia and also the top score by either side in any Test on English soil at any venue. Hutton's score still remains the third highest in Tests, just 11 fewer than Brian Lara's effort eight years ago. There was one other century in the England innings, Joe Hardstaff also hit an unbeaten 169. England piled up a monumental total of 903 for seven declared - the only instance in Test history that a team crossed the 900-mark until Sri Lanka bettered it by smashing 952 for 6 against India at Colombo in 1997.

Bradman, injured, was unable to bat - he had sprained his ankle while bowling towards the end of the England innings while Jack Fingleton pulled a muscle on the second day and was also unable to bat. This allowed Bill Bowes to run through the batting and Australia was all out for 201. Bowes took 5-49. Following on, they fared worse, with only nine batsmen once again, they were packed off for just 123. With two Aussie best players short, England had rattled up a gigantic win by an innings and 579 runs - the highest margin of victory in Test annals.

West Indies beat India at Calcutta by an innings and 336 runs - Dec 31, 1958 - Jan 04, 1959
Roy Gilchrist was one of the Windies heroes as he took 6-55 in India's second innings to speed the tourists to a massive win at Eden Gardens. The platform had been set when Gerry Alexander won the toss for the West Indies and Rohan Kanhai thumped 256 - Basil Butcher (103) and Sir Garfield Sobers (106) lending valuable support with centuries of their own. The West Indians declared at 614-5 and India were bowled out for 124 and 154. Gilchrist's nine and Wes Hall's six wickets in the match completed the rout. For India, Vijay Manjrekar was left high and dry on 58 not out in the second innings.

Australia beat England by an innings and 332 runs at Brisbane - Nov 29-Dec 04, 1946
Although he had to wait until after the war, Bradman had his revenge on Hammond with this big win. Australia batted first and the Don himself amassed 187 off 313 balls with 19 fours. Lindsay Hassett's careful 128 was the perfect foil as the home side batted into the third day to reach a total of 645 in the first Test match, the highest team total recorded in a Test match played in Brisbane. The second day attendance of 23,650 is the only time a daily crowd in excess of twenty thousand has been present in the post war years. In England's reply, Keith Miller accounted for seven wickets as the tourists were skittled out for 141. Following on, Ernie Toshack's left-arm seamers saw him claim 6-82. Hutton managed just seven and naught on this occasion. By winning the match Australia gained their first win against England in Brisbane. The Australian win by an innings and 332 runs is also the greatest margin recorded in a Test match played in Brisbane.

West Indies beat New Zealand by an innings and 322 runs at Wellington - February 10-13, 1995
Now let us do a 'fast-forward' to the modern era to check out one of the finest bowling performances by the leading wicket-taker of all time. Courtney Walsh, the West Indies captain, had extraordinary match figures of 13-55. After winning the toss he saw his batsmen hurtling away to the fourth highest total for their country. He declared at a mammoth 660 for the loss of just five wickets. Lara (147) was in his all-superb style, Adams all efficiency and expertise as he added 151 to his preceding Test scores of 39, 81, 125 not out, 23, 174, 78 not out and 13. Junior Murray also chipped in with an 88-ball century.

In reply, the Kiwis were bowled out for 216 in 84.4 overs with Walsh taking seven for 37 - his best in Tests and also crossed 250 Test wickets in the process. Opener Darrin Murray top-scored with 52 while Stephen Fleming made 47 and Adam Parore contributed 32. Interestingly, Murray took 213 minutes to reach his half-century. The home team fell 245 runs short of the follow-on mark and then slumped again in its second innings to be 52 for three at stumps on day three, still needing a further 392 to avoid an innings defeat. On day four, Walsh dismembered the home team with equally impressive figures of six for 18 from 15 overs and two balls as the Kiwis were again dismissed for a paltry 122. West Indies won by an innings and 322 runs - the biggest margin of victory in a Test for 36 years and the heaviest defeat in New Zealand's history.

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