Watson's near-miss, and round hundreds
Stranded on 99, the most ODI runs at a ground by a player, and the slowest ODI hundreds
Steven Lynch
18-Jan-2011
Shane Watson's 161 was the second-highest score in ODIs at the MCG • Getty Images
I've just watched Shane Watson smash 161 not out - is it the highest score ever in a one-day international at the MCG? asked Chris Patterson from Melbourne
Actually Shane Watson's fine innings at the weekend was the second-highest individual score in a one-day international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground: Mark Waugh hit 173 for Australia against West Indies there in February 2001. Watson's hundred was the 28th in one-day internationals at the MCG: Ricky Ponting has scored seven of those, while Adam Gilchrist, David Gower and Viv Richards made two apiece. Gilchrist also made one of three centuries at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium.
Actually Shane Watson's fine innings at the weekend was the second-highest individual score in a one-day international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground: Mark Waugh hit 173 for Australia against West Indies there in February 2001. Watson's hundred was the 28th in one-day internationals at the MCG: Ricky Ponting has scored seven of those, while Adam Gilchrist, David Gower and Viv Richards made two apiece. Gilchrist also made one of three centuries at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium.
Have two batsmen ever scored exactly 100 in the same Test or ODI innings? asked DJ Bhardwaj via Facebook
This hasn't yet happened in one-day internationals, but there have been three instances of it in Tests. For West Indies against India in Delhi in 1958-59, Collie Smith made 100 and Joe Solomon 100 not out. It was Solomon's only Test century, and the last of Smith's four - sadly he was killed in a car accident later in 1959. Two more West Indians did it against New Zealand, in Christchurch in 1979-80, when Lawrence Rowe was out for 100 and Collis King made 100 not out (like Solomon's, this was King's only Test hundred). And it happened at Lord's in 2002, when Michael Vaughan made 100 and John Crawley 100 not out for England against India.
This hasn't yet happened in one-day internationals, but there have been three instances of it in Tests. For West Indies against India in Delhi in 1958-59, Collie Smith made 100 and Joe Solomon 100 not out. It was Solomon's only Test century, and the last of Smith's four - sadly he was killed in a car accident later in 1959. Two more West Indians did it against New Zealand, in Christchurch in 1979-80, when Lawrence Rowe was out for 100 and Collis King made 100 not out (like Solomon's, this was King's only Test hundred). And it happened at Lord's in 2002, when Michael Vaughan made 100 and John Crawley 100 not out for England against India.
I know that Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for the most Test runs on a single ground. But who holds the corresponding record for ODIs? asked Mark Powell from Cambridge
Mahela Jayawardene does indeed hold this Test record, with 2646 runs so far at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Graham Gooch is the only other player to have made more than 2000 Test runs on a single ground, with 2015 at Lord's. Another Sri Lankan leads the way in one-day internationals: Sanath Jayasuriya has scored 2514 runs at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Inzamam-ul-Haq made 2464 runs in Sharjah, while his Pakistan team-mate Saeed Anwar scored 2179 runs there. Ricky Ponting has so far scored 2106 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. For the full list, click here.
Mahela Jayawardene does indeed hold this Test record, with 2646 runs so far at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Graham Gooch is the only other player to have made more than 2000 Test runs on a single ground, with 2015 at Lord's. Another Sri Lankan leads the way in one-day internationals: Sanath Jayasuriya has scored 2514 runs at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Inzamam-ul-Haq made 2464 runs in Sharjah, while his Pakistan team-mate Saeed Anwar scored 2179 runs there. Ricky Ponting has so far scored 2106 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. For the full list, click here.
Can you please tell me who has scored the slowest century in one-day internationals? asked Siddhinath Jha from India
This is not an easy one, as we don't have full details for some early matches - and the main contenders are all from some time ago! There are three possible answers, as far as I can see, and Wisden does not give the balls faced for the century for any of them. Oddly, all three innings were played against India. In the 1975 World Cup, Glenn Turner scored 114 not out in 177 balls at Old Trafford. In the next World Cup, in 1979, Gordon Greenidge made 106 not out in 173 balls for West Indies at Edgbaston. And in 1991-92, David Boon anchored Australia to victory in the World Series Cup in Hobart with 102 not out from 168 balls. If I had to bet on it I think I'd go for Greenidge's as the slowest, but we won't know unless someone can summon up the ball-by-ball records!
This is not an easy one, as we don't have full details for some early matches - and the main contenders are all from some time ago! There are three possible answers, as far as I can see, and Wisden does not give the balls faced for the century for any of them. Oddly, all three innings were played against India. In the 1975 World Cup, Glenn Turner scored 114 not out in 177 balls at Old Trafford. In the next World Cup, in 1979, Gordon Greenidge made 106 not out in 173 balls for West Indies at Edgbaston. And in 1991-92, David Boon anchored Australia to victory in the World Series Cup in Hobart with 102 not out from 168 balls. If I had to bet on it I think I'd go for Greenidge's as the slowest, but we won't know unless someone can summon up the ball-by-ball records!
Virender Sehwag was stranded on 99 not out in a one-day international last year. How many people have suffered this fate? asked Alex Arthur from Bradford
Virender Sehwag was stuck on 99 against Sri Lanka at Dambulla last year, when Suraj Randiv bowled a deliberate no-ball to end the match. Sehwag was the tenth batsman to be marooned on 99 in an ODI, and the second of 2010 (it also happened to Michael Clarke, against England at The Oval). The previous instances involved Bruce Edgar (New Zealand v India in Auckland in 1980-81), Dean Jones (Australia v Sri Lanka in Adelaide in 1984-85), Richie Richardson (West Indies v Pakistan in Sharjah in 1985-86), Andy Flower (Zimbabwe v Australia in Harare in 1999-2000), Alistair Campbell (Zimbabwe v New Zealand in Bulawayo in 2000-01), Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies v India in Ahmedabad in 2002-03), Brad Hodge (Australia v New Zealand in Melbourne in 2006-07), and Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan v India in Gwalior in 2007-08). Richardson, Campbell, Hodge and Sehwag were batting when the match was won; all the others were unbeaten at the end of their side's allotted overs.
Virender Sehwag was stuck on 99 against Sri Lanka at Dambulla last year, when Suraj Randiv bowled a deliberate no-ball to end the match. Sehwag was the tenth batsman to be marooned on 99 in an ODI, and the second of 2010 (it also happened to Michael Clarke, against England at The Oval). The previous instances involved Bruce Edgar (New Zealand v India in Auckland in 1980-81), Dean Jones (Australia v Sri Lanka in Adelaide in 1984-85), Richie Richardson (West Indies v Pakistan in Sharjah in 1985-86), Andy Flower (Zimbabwe v Australia in Harare in 1999-2000), Alistair Campbell (Zimbabwe v New Zealand in Bulawayo in 2000-01), Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies v India in Ahmedabad in 2002-03), Brad Hodge (Australia v New Zealand in Melbourne in 2006-07), and Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan v India in Gwalior in 2007-08). Richardson, Campbell, Hodge and Sehwag were batting when the match was won; all the others were unbeaten at the end of their side's allotted overs.
Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who hold the record for the highest Test partnership, also put on 166 against West Indies in the World Twenty20 in 2010. Is this the highest partnership for any wicket in Twenty20 internationals? asked Zahran Fouzi from Sri Lanka
The stand of 166 between Jayawardene and Sangakkara against West Indies at Bridgetown last May is actually the second-highest to date in Twenty20 internationals. The only higher one was the 170 that Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman piled on in only 13 overs for South Africa's first wicket against England in Centurion in November 2009. For a list of the highest partnerships in Twenty20 internationals, click here.
The stand of 166 between Jayawardene and Sangakkara against West Indies at Bridgetown last May is actually the second-highest to date in Twenty20 internationals. The only higher one was the 170 that Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman piled on in only 13 overs for South Africa's first wicket against England in Centurion in November 2009. For a list of the highest partnerships in Twenty20 internationals, click here.
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