The Ultimate Test Series: A Bradman inspired 3-2 vs a tour de force from Lara

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Ahead of the ICC World Test Championship Final, we’re looking to crown The Ultimate Test Series – a Test series that would stand out in any era for both its significance to the sport’s rich history and the level of cricket played.

We’ve whittled it down to 16 Test series from all time, which we have revealed over the past few days. Here's where we'll need your help.

Keep your eyes across our social channels and get voting when the time comes.

In the penultimate clash from the round of 16, the 1936/37 Ashes takes on the 1999 Frank Worrell Trophy.

Australia vs England, 1936/373-2 to Australia across five Tests

A series that is remembered both for Australia’s dogged fighting spirit and Don Bradman’s innovation as captain.

Having tasted back-to-back defeats in Brisbane and Sydney, the Australian side were on tenterhooks, staring at a series defeat at home going into the third match. In the first Test they had been blown away by 322 runs as Bill Voce took 10 wickets for the match and in the second they had lost by more than an innings after a Wally Hammond double-century.

A tactical masterstroke by Sir Don in the third Test paid huge dividends: he reversed the batting order in the second innings. The move was thought out by the Australian skipper to counter the wet pitch at the end of day two and make full use of the rest day, allowing the surface to dry out under the sun. It worked wonders as Bradman himself would score an incredible 270 in the second innings and Australia wound up winning by 365 runs.

The momentum would carry on in the fourth and fifth Test matches as the hosts registered comfortable victories in Adelaide and Melbourne to complete a remarkable turnaround with a 3-2 series win.

West Indies vs Australia, 1999
2-2 across four Tests

The 1999 series saw the remnants of the all-conquering West Indies outfit that had dominated the game for decades go head-to-head with the Australian side that had taken their crown as the sport’s dominant force.

The West Indies’ hopes of reclaiming the Frank Worrell Trophy were dealt a withering blow in the series opener, where they went down by 312 runs. With Glenn McGrath in his pomp, the Caribbean side was blown away for 51 in the chase, lasting less than 20 overs.

A match later, many feared another dismal batting display when the West Indies were reduced to 17/3 and then 56/4. Instead, the hosts rode a double-century from captain Brian Lara to a 10-wicket victory.

But it was in the third match that Lara produced arguably the finest innings of his Test career. Set a target of 308 to win after an excellent 199 from Steve Waugh, the West Indies’ hopes were all but over at 248/8. In the company of numbers 10 and 11, Lara dragged them to victory by one wicket, scoring an unbeaten 153 off 256.

Lara scored another century in the fourth Test but it wasn’t enough this time around, with a second innings 127 from Justin Langer paving the way for a comfortable Australian victory. With that, the Australians held onto the Frank Worrell Trophy.