Sri Lanka's collapse, and the shortest innings
Also, duckless batsmen, the leading wicket-taker for the shortest time, and top-scoring No. 11s
Steven Lynch
07-Jun-2011
Brian Statham: held the record for most Test wickets for about two months • The Cricketer International
Was Sri Lanka's 400 in Cardiff the highest first-innings total in a Test by a team which went on to lose by an innings? asked Chris Powell from Suffolk
It wasn't quite a record. As far as each side's first innings goes, at The Oval in 2001, England scored 432 at their first attempt but still lost by an innings, mainly because Australia had already piled up 641. The only higher total than Sri Lanka's 400 in the very first innings of the match which wasn't enough to avoid an innings defeat was England's 405 against Australia at The Oval in 1930 (Australia replied with 695, Don Bradman 232). And the highest total of all in an innings defeat was India's 459 in their second innings against South Africa in Centurion last December.
It wasn't quite a record. As far as each side's first innings goes, at The Oval in 2001, England scored 432 at their first attempt but still lost by an innings, mainly because Australia had already piled up 641. The only higher total than Sri Lanka's 400 in the very first innings of the match which wasn't enough to avoid an innings defeat was England's 405 against Australia at The Oval in 1930 (Australia replied with 695, Don Bradman 232). And the highest total of all in an innings defeat was India's 459 in their second innings against South Africa in Centurion last December.
What is the lowest all-out total by a side which started its second innings on the last day of a Test? asked Muhammad Asim via Facebook
The lowest in any Test is South Africa's 35 all out on the final day of a three-day match against England in Cape Town in 1898-99 (they needed 246 to win, but only one man reached double figures). The lowest total on the fifth day of a five-day Test is Zimbabwe's 63 against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1999-2000, when they collapsed spectacularly in pursuit of a target of just 99. A quick check suggests that Sri Lanka's 82 in Cardiff was the second-lowest final-day total in these circumstances. There is a case for saying that the lowest total on the final day of a Test is New Zealand's 26 - the lowest Test total of all - against England in Auckland in 1954-55, since that ended the match. But that happened on the third day of a scheduled five-day Test.
The lowest in any Test is South Africa's 35 all out on the final day of a three-day match against England in Cape Town in 1898-99 (they needed 246 to win, but only one man reached double figures). The lowest total on the fifth day of a five-day Test is Zimbabwe's 63 against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1999-2000, when they collapsed spectacularly in pursuit of a target of just 99. A quick check suggests that Sri Lanka's 82 in Cardiff was the second-lowest final-day total in these circumstances. There is a case for saying that the lowest total on the final day of a Test is New Zealand's 26 - the lowest Test total of all - against England in Auckland in 1954-55, since that ended the match. But that happened on the third day of a scheduled five-day Test.
Of batsmen who averaged over 40 in Tests, who has made the fewest ducks? asked Bhaskar Bhattacharjee from India
I looked first at batsmen who had had at least 20 innings, and of those there are five who average over 40 without any ducks: Australia's Herbie Collins (1352 runs at 45.06 in 31 innings), Dave Houghton of Zimbabwe (1464 at 43.05 in 36), the England pair of Jack Robertson (881 at 46.36 from 21) and Raman Subba Row (984 at 46.85 from 22), and the current New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor (2221 runs at 41.12 in 55 innings). The most runs with only one duck while averaging over 40 is 3798 at 56.68 by the great West Indian Clyde Walcott, while AB de Villiers of South Africa has so far made 4741 runs at 47.41 with only two ducks.
I looked first at batsmen who had had at least 20 innings, and of those there are five who average over 40 without any ducks: Australia's Herbie Collins (1352 runs at 45.06 in 31 innings), Dave Houghton of Zimbabwe (1464 at 43.05 in 36), the England pair of Jack Robertson (881 at 46.36 from 21) and Raman Subba Row (984 at 46.85 from 22), and the current New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor (2221 runs at 41.12 in 55 innings). The most runs with only one duck while averaging over 40 is 3798 at 56.68 by the great West Indian Clyde Walcott, while AB de Villiers of South Africa has so far made 4741 runs at 47.41 with only two ducks.
Who has been the leading Test wicket-taker in Test cricket for the shortest period of time? And the longest? asked Conrad Marks from Barbados
In the early days of Test cricket the lead, unsurprisingly, changed hands fairly regularly. England's Allen Hill led the way after one Test and Tom Kendall of Australia after two. After that Fred "Demon" Spofforth of Australia took the total to 94, where he was joined by England's Johnny Briggs and the Australian Charles "Terror" Turner. Briggs won the race to 100, but Turner went one better in the same match in 1894-95 - only to lose the lead to Briggs again 23 days later. But since the 19th century the shortest tenure as Test cricket's leading wicket-taker was about seven weeks, by Brian Statham of England in 1963. He surpassed Alec Bedser's then-record of 236 wickets during the fourth Test against Australia in Adelaide late in January 1963, but was himself overtaken in March, when Fred Trueman took his 243rd Test wicket, during the series in New Zealand that followed the Ashes (Statham missed that one). Trueman led the way until Lance Gibbs passed him early in 1976. The longest anyone has held the record is 22 years, by England's Sydney Barnes. He was Test cricket's leading wicket-taker - finishing with 189 - from December 1913 to January 1936, when he was overtaken by Clarrie Grimmett, who himself held the record for more than 17 years until Bedser passed him.
In the early days of Test cricket the lead, unsurprisingly, changed hands fairly regularly. England's Allen Hill led the way after one Test and Tom Kendall of Australia after two. After that Fred "Demon" Spofforth of Australia took the total to 94, where he was joined by England's Johnny Briggs and the Australian Charles "Terror" Turner. Briggs won the race to 100, but Turner went one better in the same match in 1894-95 - only to lose the lead to Briggs again 23 days later. But since the 19th century the shortest tenure as Test cricket's leading wicket-taker was about seven weeks, by Brian Statham of England in 1963. He surpassed Alec Bedser's then-record of 236 wickets during the fourth Test against Australia in Adelaide late in January 1963, but was himself overtaken in March, when Fred Trueman took his 243rd Test wicket, during the series in New Zealand that followed the Ashes (Statham missed that one). Trueman led the way until Lance Gibbs passed him early in 1976. The longest anyone has held the record is 22 years, by England's Sydney Barnes. He was Test cricket's leading wicket-taker - finishing with 189 - from December 1913 to January 1936, when he was overtaken by Clarrie Grimmett, who himself held the record for more than 17 years until Bedser passed him.
Has there ever been an instance of a No. 11 batsman top-scoring in an innings, in Tests and one-day internationals? asked Rajesh Rajagopal from India
This has happened seven times in Test matches now, the most recent instance being by England's Steve Harmison, who made 42 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2004-05 (Rob Key was next with 41; England still lost by quite a wide margin). The Sri Lankan slow left-armer Jayantha Amerasinghe achieved the feat on his Test debut, against New Zealand in Kandy in 1983-84. For the full list, click here. Rather more surprisingly, perhaps, the No. 11 has also top-scored in an ODI innings on five occasions. The most recent of these came during the 2002-03 World Cup, when Shoaib Akhtar's 43 was the highest in Pakistan's innings against England in Cape Town.
This has happened seven times in Test matches now, the most recent instance being by England's Steve Harmison, who made 42 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2004-05 (Rob Key was next with 41; England still lost by quite a wide margin). The Sri Lankan slow left-armer Jayantha Amerasinghe achieved the feat on his Test debut, against New Zealand in Kandy in 1983-84. For the full list, click here. Rather more surprisingly, perhaps, the No. 11 has also top-scored in an ODI innings on five occasions. The most recent of these came during the 2002-03 World Cup, when Shoaib Akhtar's 43 was the highest in Pakistan's innings against England in Cape Town.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket. If you want to ask Steven a question, use our feedback form. The most interesting questions will be answered here each week. Ask Steven is also now on Facebook