Sammy's first-Test advantage

India had better be wary of Darren Sammy in that first Test at Sabina Park next week. He has impressive bowling stats against teams he plays for the first time in Tests, but not so much thereafter. This week's List looks at how bowlers fared in terms of average in maiden outings against different teams.

Sammy has played only 13 Tests since making his debut in 2007 but they have been against six countries. In his first matches against each team, Sammy took a total of 24 wickets, which include three five-wicket hauls, at fewer than 18 apiece. He began with 8 for 98 against England, 1 for 35 in 11 overs against South Africa, 2 for 88 against Australia, 6 for 108 against Bangladesh, 0 for 55 against Sri Lanka and 7 for 45 most recently against Pakistan. His medium-pace inswingers may not seem threatening but numbers indicate otherwise. His career average, however, is nearly ten runs higher at 27.66.

The only West Indian ahead of Sammy in the table below is Curtly Ambrose, who claimed 34 wickets in first Tests against eight opponents at an average of 16.64. His career average was only 4.35 runs higher.

Best bowling average on debut against each team - Tests (qualification: 5 matches, 400 balls, excluding multi-country teams)

Player	Span	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Ave	BBI	5	10		Career	Mat	Ave
MS Nichols (Eng)	1930-1935	5	915	328	26	12.61	6/35	2	0		1930-1939	14	28.09
DL Underwood (Eng)	1966-1982	6	1640	454	31	14.64	7/32	3	1		1966-1982	86	25.83
KR Miller (Aus)	1946-1956	6	986	323	22	14.68	7/60	2	0		1946-1956	55	22.97
Shujauddin (Pak)	1954-1959	5	450	106	7	15.14	3/18	0	0		1954-1962	19	40.05
SR Clark (Aus)	2006-2008	7	1437	608	40	15.20	5/32	2	0		2006-2009	24	23.86
ND Hirwani (India)	1988-1996	5	1025	481	29	16.58	8/61	3	1		1988-1996	17	30.10
CEL Ambrose (WI)	1988-2000	8	1642	566	34	16.64	6/34	1	0		1988-2000	98	20.99
MG Johnson (Aus)	2007-2009	7	1619	675	40	16.87	8/61	2	1		2007-2011	42	29.71
IWG Johnson (Aus)	1946-1956	6	636	230	13	17.69	4/50	0	0		1946-1956	45	29.19
Waqar Younis (Pak)	1989-2001	9	1742	832	47	17.70	7/91	4	1		1989-2003	87	23.56
PJ Loader (Eng)	1954-1958	5	1190	426	24	17.75	6/36	1	0		1954-1959	13	22.51
GG Arnold (Eng)	1967-1973	5	1119	444	25	17.76	6/45	2	0		1967-1975	34	28.29
JE Emburey (Eng)	1978-1987	6	880	250	14	17.85	6/33	1	0		1978-1995	64	38.40
DJG Sammy (WI)	2007-2011	6	1084	429	24	17.87	7/66	3	0		2007-2011	13	27.66
WR Hammond (Eng)	1927-1932	5	608	199	11	18.09	5/36	1	0		1927-1947	85	37.80
J Garner (WI)	1977-1983	5	1318	482	25	19.28	4/30	0	0		1977-1987	58	20.97
LF Kline (Aus)	1957-1960	5	1044	312	16	19.50	7/75	1	0		1957-1961	13	22.82
Fazal Mahmood (Pak)	1952-1958	5	1356	454	23	19.73	7/80	2	1		1952-1962	34	24.70
PS de Villiers (SA)	1993-1996	5	1154	475	24	19.79	6/81	1	1		1993-1998	18	24.27
AK Davidson (Aus)	1953-1960	5	1182	457	23	19.86	6/34	3	1		1953-1963	44	20.53

Australian fast bowler Stuart Clark had an impressive first Test against most teams. He had match figures of 9 for 89 on debut in Cape Town in 2006, 1 for 77 in Fatullah, 7 for 93 against England at the Gabba, 4 for 121 against Sri Lanka, 5 for 48 against India, 8 for 91 against West Indies and 6 for 89 against New Zealand. In all, he took 40 wickets in seven Tests at an average of 15.20. His returns in remaining games were not as prolific, though, 54 wickets in 17 Tests. He had a career average of 23.86 after 24 Tests, when Australia's selectors dropped him for good in 2008.

New Zealand's John Reid was a powerful batsman, predatory fielder, and a versatile bowler. He became a national selector, did some coaching in South Africa and served as an ICC Match Referee. A complete allrounder. As a bowler, though, Reid didn't make a strong first impression against the five countries he played. He went without a wicket in the first Tests against all of them. In fact, Reid didn't take a wicket in his first five Tests either, against England, West Indies and South Africa, even though he bowled 59 overs. He finally broke through in Auckland 1953, taking 2 for 76 in 35 overs against South Africa.

Worst bowling average on debut against each team - Tests (qualification: 5 matches, 400 balls, excluding multi-country team)

Player	Span	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Ave	BBI	5	10		Career	Mat	Ave
Khaled Mahmud (Ban)	2001-2003	6	672	394	2	197.00	1/40	0	0		2001-2003	12	64.00
JR Reid (NZ)	1949-1955	5	486	172	0	-	-	0	0		1949-1965	58	33.35
Alok Kapali (Ban)	2002-2004	7	606	383	3	127.66	2/122	0	0		2002-2006	17	118.16
CG Borde (India)	1958-1965	5	528	241	2	120.50	1/18	0	0		1958-1969	55	46.48
NG Cowans (Eng)	1982-1984	5	675	417	4	104.25	2/109	0	0		1982-1985	19	39.27
RF Surti (India)	1960-1965	5	592	298	3	99.33	1/55	0	0		1960-1969	26	46.71
Hasibul Hossain (Ban)	2000-2001	5	780	571	6	95.16	2/125	0	0		2000-2001	5	95.16
Mohammad Sharif (Ban)	2001-2007	5	700	565	6	94.16	3/114	0	0		2001-2007	10	79.00
IM Chappell (Aus)	1964-1974	6	762	357	4	89.25	2/21	0	0		1964-1980	75	65.80
WJ Cronje (SA)	1992-1995	8	612	177	2	88.50	1/22	0	0		1992-2000	68	29.95
Akram Raza (Pak)	1989-1995	6	932	431	5	86.20	2/37	0	0		1989-1995	9	56.30
MF Maharoof (SL)	2004-2007	8	1194	631	8	78.87	2/52	0	0		2004-2011	22	65.24
MLC Foster (WI)	1969-1977	5	906	307	4	76.75	2/41	0	0		1969-1978	14	66.66
CPH Ramanayake (SL)	1988-1993	6	890	443	6	73.83	2/39	0	0		1988-1993	18	42.72
GS Ramchand (India)	1952-1956	5	884	295	4	73.75	2/61	0	0		1952-1960	33	46.31
W Watson (NZ)	1986-1992	5	1105	515	7	73.57	4/121	0	0		1986-1993	15	34.67
Abdur Razzak (Ban)	2006-2010	5	1188	691	10	69.10	3/93	0	0		2006-2010	8	67.43
Tapash Baisya (Ban)	2002-2005	9	1547	1023	15	68.20	3/133	0	0		2002-2005	21	59.36
RO Hinds (WI)	2002-2009	6	491	204	3	68.00	1/18	0	0		2002-2009	15	66.92
GW Flower (Zim)	1992-2001	9	468	203	3	67.66	1/8	0	0		1992-2004	67	61.48

Joel Garner, with his relentless yorker delivered from the skies, was an exceptional ODI bowler. He took 146 wickets at an average of 18.84 and a strike-rate of 36.50. He also had an economy of 3.09. He went for more than five an over in only four out of 98 games. And in his first ODIs against each of his seven opponents, Garner took a total of 18 wickets at an average of 11.83. He took 3 for 27 against Pakistan, 3 for 29 against Australia, 1 for 42 against India, 2 for 45 against New Zealand, 5 for 38 against England (the best figures in a World Cup final), 2 for 13 against Zimbabwe, and 2 for 19 against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis, former mystery spinner, also had similar results when teams played him for the first time. He took 25 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 12.04, with a four-wicket haul against Pakistan and a best of 6 for 13 against India. Mendis has played 52 matches to date with 89 wickets at 19.56 apiece. His strike-rate is 27 and economy is 4.27. With those stats he'd be a certainty in any side, but not Sri Lanka. He's missed 22 of their last 38 ODIs.

Best bowling average on debut against each team - ODIs (qualification: 7 matches, 200 balls, excluding multi-country team)

Player	Span	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Ave	BBI	5		Career	Mat	Ave
J Garner (WI)	1977-1985	7	414	213	18	11.83	5/38	1		1977-1987	98	18.84
BAW Mendis (SL)	2008-2011	12	542	301	25	12.04	6/13	2		2008-2011	52	19.56
AME Roberts (WI)	1975-1983	7	467	220	17	12.94	4/32	0		1975-1983	56	20.35
Waqar Younis (Pak)	1989-2003	13	588	300	23	13.04	5/20	2		1989-2003	262	23.84
DA Reeve (Eng)	1991-1992	7	238	135	10	13.50	3/20	0		1991-1996	29	41.00
AA Donald (SA)	1991-2003	13	676	369	27	13.66	6/23	2		1991-2003	164	21.78
RGD Willis (Eng)	1973-1982	7	405	174	12	14.50	4/11	0		1973-1984	64	24.60
Wasim Akram (Pak)	1984-2003	14	706	421	29	14.51	5/21	2		1984-2003	356	23.52
CM Old (Eng)	1973-1979	7	324	218	15	14.53	4/8	0		1973-1981	32	22.20
AR Cusack (Ire)	2007-2011	13	405	291	20	14.55	5/20	1		2007-2011	38	22.50
JDP Oram (NZ)	2001-2008	14	562	393	27	14.55	5/36	1		2001-2011	151	29.54
Abdul Qadir (Pak)	1983-1986	7	433	264	18	14.66	5/44	2		1983-1993	104	26.16
Shoaib Akhtar (Pak)	1998-2003	13	569	403	27	14.92	4/46	0		1998-2011	163	24.97
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	1995-2003	13	636	448	30	14.93	5/29	2		1995-2003	169	21.78
RMH Binny (India)	1980-1983	7	364	239	16	14.93	4/41	0		1980-1987	72	29.35
GI Allott (NZ)	1997-1999	10	516	381	25	15.24	4/35	0		1997-2000	31	23.21
MF Maharoof (SL)	2004-2007	12	510	322	21	15.33	4/23	0		2004-2010	94	25.89
GD McGrath (Aus)	1993-2007	15	750	423	27	15.66	7/15	1		1993-2007	250	22.02
Sarfraz Nawaz (Pak)	1973-1983	7	443	299	19	15.73	4/44	0		1973-1984	45	23.22
RA Harper (WI)	1983-1996	9	468	225	14	16.07	3/15	0		1983-1996	105	34.31

Adam Huckle nearly didn't play for Zimbabwe, and only returned to his homeland after losing his place in a South African provincial side. He made his Test debut against New Zealand in Harare in September 1997 and took five wickets in the match. A one-day debut followed a month later but Huckle went wicketless against Bangladesh. It set a precedent for he was wicketless in his first games against all the eight teams he played against. He eventually ended his career with seven wickets in 19 matches at an average of 94.

Worst bowling average on debut against each opposition - ODIs (qualification: 7 matches, 200 balls, excluding multi-country opposition)

Player	Span	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Ave	BBI	5		Career	Mat	Ave
AG Huckle (Zim)	1997-1999	8	342	267	0	-	-	0		1997-1999	19	94.42
AR Kapoor (India)	1995-2000	7	390	248	1	248.00	1/41	0		1995-2000	17	76.50
Enamul Haque (Ban)	1990-2000	10	404	340	3	113.33	2/45	0		1990-2002	29	57.00
ML Nkala (Zim)	1998-2001	9	293	299	3	99.66	1/32	0		1998-2006	50	71.36
DR Pringle (Eng)	1982-1992	7	344	283	3	94.33	2/50	0		1982-1993	44	38.11
AJ Traicos (Zim)	1983-1992	8	468	271	3	90.33	1/28	0		1983-1993	27	51.94
E Chigumbura (Zim)	2004-2011	13	280	344	4	86.00	2/21	0		2004-2011	128	39.00
MV Nagamootoo (WI)	2000-2002	8	378	331	4	82.75	2/47	0		2000-2002	24	55.44
GD Drummond (Scot)	2007-2010	8	298	238	3	79.33	1/10	0		2007-2010	21	31.05
Naimur Rahman (Ban)	1995-2000	10	379	314	4	78.50	2/51	0		1995-2002	29	90.40
Mudassar Nazar (Pak)	1977-1986	8	332	232	3	77.33	2/56	0		1977-1989	122	30.91
AD Mathews (SL)	2008-2011	11	312	225	3	75.00	2/43	0		2008-2011	43	31.03
GR Robertson (Aus)	1994-1998	7	279	221	3	73.66	3/32	0		1994-1998	13	53.75
Aftab Ahmed (Ban)	2004-2008	14	257	221	3	73.66	2/55	0		2004-2010	85	54.66
RDM Leverock (Ber)	2006-2008	9	522	420	6	70.00	2/34	0		2006-2009	32	33.02
KR Pushpakumara (SL)	1994-1996	8	332	277	4	69.25	2/51	0		1994-1999	31	49.20
Mushfiqur Rahman (Ban)	2000-2004	8	359	276	4	69.00	2/21	0		2000-2004	28	51.73
U Bhatti (Can)	2006-2010	11	542	413	6	68.83	2/35	0		2006-2010	36	34.81
M Hayward (SA)	1998-2001	7	306	270	4	67.50	1/19	0		1998-2002	21	40.85
SG Peall (Zim)	1992-1996	9	384	266	4	66.50	3/54	0		1992-1996	21	84.75