Ah Abu Dhabi
All sorts of records were equalled, broken or threatened in the second Test between Pakistan and Australia in UAE
Steven Lynch
04-Nov-2014
Younis Khan: nowhere close to being the oldest double-centurion in Tests • Getty Images
Was Misbah-ul-Haq the oldest person to score twin centuries in a Test? asked Qaiser Ahmed from Pakistan
Misbah-ul-Haq has knocked off one of the records held by cricket's most famous batsman with his astonishing double against Australia in Abu Dhabi at the weekend. Misbah was 40 years 158 days old when he hurtled to his second century, and broke the record set by Don Bradman for Australia against India in Melbourne in 1947-48 - the Don was 39 years 129 days old when he scored twin centuries in the match for what, slightly surprisingly perhaps, was the only time in Tests. Bruce Mitchell (38 in 1947), Eddie Paynter (37 in 1938-39), Alan Melville (37 in 1947) and Graham Gooch (37 in 1990) come next on this list.
Misbah-ul-Haq has knocked off one of the records held by cricket's most famous batsman with his astonishing double against Australia in Abu Dhabi at the weekend. Misbah was 40 years 158 days old when he hurtled to his second century, and broke the record set by Don Bradman for Australia against India in Melbourne in 1947-48 - the Don was 39 years 129 days old when he scored twin centuries in the match for what, slightly surprisingly perhaps, was the only time in Tests. Bruce Mitchell (38 in 1947), Eddie Paynter (37 in 1938-39), Alan Melville (37 in 1947) and Graham Gooch (37 in 1990) come next on this list.
Misbah and Azhar Ali both scored two centuries in the match at Abu Dhabi. Has this ever happened before? asked Anshuman Bharati from India
The double feat of Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali in Abu Dhabi was only the fourth occasion that two batsmen have scored twin centuries in the same match. The first instance was in the Ashes Test in Adelaide in 1946-47, when Denis Compton scored 147 and 103 not out for England, and Arthur Morris replied with 122 and 124 not out for Australia. In Wellington in 1973-74, Ian Chappell scored 145 and 121 for Australia against New Zealand, while his brother Greg hit 247 not out and 133; this was the only previous time two batsmen on the same side had achieved the feat in the same Test. Finally, in Hamilton in 1990-91, Andrew Jones made 122 and 100 not out for New Zealand, and Asanka Gurusinha 119 and 102 for Sri Lanka.
The double feat of Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali in Abu Dhabi was only the fourth occasion that two batsmen have scored twin centuries in the same match. The first instance was in the Ashes Test in Adelaide in 1946-47, when Denis Compton scored 147 and 103 not out for England, and Arthur Morris replied with 122 and 124 not out for Australia. In Wellington in 1973-74, Ian Chappell scored 145 and 121 for Australia against New Zealand, while his brother Greg hit 247 not out and 133; this was the only previous time two batsmen on the same side had achieved the feat in the same Test. Finally, in Hamilton in 1990-91, Andrew Jones made 122 and 100 not out for New Zealand, and Asanka Gurusinha 119 and 102 for Sri Lanka.
Is Younis Khan the oldest Pakistani to score a double-century in a Test? asked Douglas Berkheiser from the UK
At 36 years 336 days old, Younis Khan became Test cricket's 22nd-oldest double-centurion against Australia in Abu Dhabi. Top of the list is South Africa's Eric Rowan, who was a week past his 42nd birthday when he scored 236 against England at Headingley in 1951. Younis Khan was actually already the oldest to score a double-century for Pakistan - he was 35 when he made 200 not out against Zimbabwe in Harare last year. Zaheer Abbas was also over 35 when he scored 215 against India in Lahore in 1982-83.
At 36 years 336 days old, Younis Khan became Test cricket's 22nd-oldest double-centurion against Australia in Abu Dhabi. Top of the list is South Africa's Eric Rowan, who was a week past his 42nd birthday when he scored 236 against England at Headingley in 1951. Younis Khan was actually already the oldest to score a double-century for Pakistan - he was 35 when he made 200 not out against Zimbabwe in Harare last year. Zaheer Abbas was also over 35 when he scored 215 against India in Lahore in 1982-83.
Was Australia's defeat in Abu Dhabi the heaviest in their history? asked Chris Lawrence from Australia
Australia's 356-run reverse in Abu Dhabi was their third-heaviest defeat by a runs margin, following England's win by 675 in Brisbane in 1928-29, and a West Indian victory by 408 in Adelaide in 1979-80. Australia also lost to England by an innings and 579 runs at The Oval in 1938, an innings and 230 at Adelaide in 1891-92, and an innings and 225 in Melbourne in 1911-12. India won by an innings and 219 runs in Kolkata in 1997-98, and England by an innings and 217 at The Oval in 1886.
Australia's 356-run reverse in Abu Dhabi was their third-heaviest defeat by a runs margin, following England's win by 675 in Brisbane in 1928-29, and a West Indian victory by 408 in Adelaide in 1979-80. Australia also lost to England by an innings and 579 runs at The Oval in 1938, an innings and 230 at Adelaide in 1891-92, and an innings and 225 in Melbourne in 1911-12. India won by an innings and 219 runs in Kolkata in 1997-98, and England by an innings and 217 at The Oval in 1886.
Who has played the most Test matches without ever playing against England? And who without playing Australia? asked Richard Jackson from England
I wasn't sure about this one, and was quite surprised at the name on the top of the list: it's the West Indian fast bowler Merv Dillon, who between 1997 and 2004 took 131 wickets in 38 Tests - none of them against England. Next come a pair of Zimbabweans: Hamilton Masakadza, with 28 caps (the most recent last week against Bangladesh) and Craig Wishart with 27 (1995-2005). John Reid played 58 Tests without ever playing against Australia, but that was because New Zealand didn't play against them during his long career (1949-65) - after the Aussies dominated a one-off match in 1945-46, they didn't meet in official Tests again until 1973-74. That also accounts for second-placed Bert Sutcliffe, Reid's great Kiwi contemporary - but he's just been joined on a total of 42 Tests by Bangladesh's captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who also hasn't played against Australia yet.
I wasn't sure about this one, and was quite surprised at the name on the top of the list: it's the West Indian fast bowler Merv Dillon, who between 1997 and 2004 took 131 wickets in 38 Tests - none of them against England. Next come a pair of Zimbabweans: Hamilton Masakadza, with 28 caps (the most recent last week against Bangladesh) and Craig Wishart with 27 (1995-2005). John Reid played 58 Tests without ever playing against Australia, but that was because New Zealand didn't play against them during his long career (1949-65) - after the Aussies dominated a one-off match in 1945-46, they didn't meet in official Tests again until 1973-74. That also accounts for second-placed Bert Sutcliffe, Reid's great Kiwi contemporary - but he's just been joined on a total of 42 Tests by Bangladesh's captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who also hasn't played against Australia yet.
What is the highest individual score which was the lowest score in a completed Test innings? asked Zaheer Ahmed from the United Arab Emirates
There have been 12 occasions now when all 11 batsmen in a Test innings reached double figures (for the list, click here). Most of them feature a lowest score of 10 and 11, but when India made 359 against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1967-68, Bapu Nadkarni's 12 was the lowest score of the innings (Ajit Wadekar top-scored with 80).
There have been 12 occasions now when all 11 batsmen in a Test innings reached double figures (for the list, click here). Most of them feature a lowest score of 10 and 11, but when India made 359 against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1967-68, Bapu Nadkarni's 12 was the lowest score of the innings (Ajit Wadekar top-scored with 80).
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2014. Ask Steven is now on Facebook