The winning run and a hundred, and "Grizzes"
Consecutive 100-run partnerships, and the most runs and centuries in your first 100 ODIs
Steven Lynch
23-Dec-2008
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Sachin Tendulkar reached his century and made the winning runs with the same hit against England in Chennai. How many times has this happened before in Tests? asked Amrit Mithra from Delhi
Rather surprisingly, Sachin Tendulkar's double in the recent match in Chennai is only the second time in Test history that a batsman has reached his century and won the game with the same shot. The only other time this has happened was in Cape Town in 2001-02, when Ricky Ponting completed a four-wicket victory for Australia with a six off Paul Adams, which took him neatly to 100 (he needed a six, as a four would have won the match too and left him on 98).
Rather surprisingly, Sachin Tendulkar's double in the recent match in Chennai is only the second time in Test history that a batsman has reached his century and won the game with the same shot. The only other time this has happened was in Cape Town in 2001-02, when Ricky Ponting completed a four-wicket victory for Australia with a six off Paul Adams, which took him neatly to 100 (he needed a six, as a four would have won the match too and left him on 98).
Which Test cricketer was nicknamed "Grizz"? asked Bob Duncan from Sydney
The most famous one is the former Australian wicketkeeper Wally Grout, who played 51 Tests between 1950-58 and 1965-66. Not long after he retired he died of a heart attack, aged only 41. His autobiography states that the nickname was short for "The Grizzler", and was coined by Neil Harvey on the South African tour when Grout made his debut, for his supposed habit of grizzling, or complaining, about poor throw-ins from the field. Another player who might qualify is the recently retired Sussex captain Chris Adams, who won five Test caps in 1999-200. He's usually known as "Grizz", or "Grizzly", after the film (and later TV series) about a fugitive trapper called Grizzly Adams.
The most famous one is the former Australian wicketkeeper Wally Grout, who played 51 Tests between 1950-58 and 1965-66. Not long after he retired he died of a heart attack, aged only 41. His autobiography states that the nickname was short for "The Grizzler", and was coined by Neil Harvey on the South African tour when Grout made his debut, for his supposed habit of grizzling, or complaining, about poor throw-ins from the field. Another player who might qualify is the recently retired Sussex captain Chris Adams, who won five Test caps in 1999-200. He's usually known as "Grizz", or "Grizzly", after the film (and later TV series) about a fugitive trapper called Grizzly Adams.
What is the record number of consecutive hundred partnerships by one pair of batsmen in one-day internationals? asked Derek Mills from Leeds
Only one pair - not surprisingly, perhaps, a couple of openers - has shared four successive partnerships of 100 or more in ODIs. They are the Pakistanis, Yasir Hameed and Imran Farhat: against New Zealand in 2003-04 they put on 115 in Lahore, 142 in Faisalabad, 134 in Rawalpindi, and rounded the series off with 197, also in Rawalpindi. In their next match, which by coincidence was in New Zealand, they put on 47.
Only one pair - not surprisingly, perhaps, a couple of openers - has shared four successive partnerships of 100 or more in ODIs. They are the Pakistanis, Yasir Hameed and Imran Farhat: against New Zealand in 2003-04 they put on 115 in Lahore, 142 in Faisalabad, 134 in Rawalpindi, and rounded the series off with 197, also in Rawalpindi. In their next match, which by coincidence was in New Zealand, they put on 47.
Has there ever been a Test innings in which 10 different fielders took catches? asked Ella Martin from Birmingham
That has never quite happened in a Test, but there are two innings that featured catches by nine different players. The first one was in Bridgetown in 1997-98, when nine different West Indians claimed catches in England's first innings. The only fielders to miss out were Ian Bishop and Clayton Lambert: Brian Lara took two catches (this was one of several instances of all 10 wickets in a Test innings falling to catches; for a full list, click here). The second instance, oddly enough, also happened in Bridgetown: In June 2002 nine different New Zealanders took catches in West Indies' first innings. This time the fielders to miss out were Shane Bond and Mark Richardson (the 10th wicket was out bowled). What you're talking about has happened at least once in first-class cricket, though. In a County Championship match at Grace Road in 1967, 10 different Leicestershire fielders took a catch each in Northamptonshire's first innings - and the man who missed out, the future England offspinner Jack Birkenshaw, took three wickets.
That has never quite happened in a Test, but there are two innings that featured catches by nine different players. The first one was in Bridgetown in 1997-98, when nine different West Indians claimed catches in England's first innings. The only fielders to miss out were Ian Bishop and Clayton Lambert: Brian Lara took two catches (this was one of several instances of all 10 wickets in a Test innings falling to catches; for a full list, click here). The second instance, oddly enough, also happened in Bridgetown: In June 2002 nine different New Zealanders took catches in West Indies' first innings. This time the fielders to miss out were Shane Bond and Mark Richardson (the 10th wicket was out bowled). What you're talking about has happened at least once in first-class cricket, though. In a County Championship match at Grace Road in 1967, 10 different Leicestershire fielders took a catch each in Northamptonshire's first innings - and the man who missed out, the future England offspinner Jack Birkenshaw, took three wickets.
Who scored the most runs, and the most hundreds, in his first 100 one-day internationals? asked H. Umar Farook from India
Three West Indians top this list. Gordon Greenidge made 4177 runs in his first 100 ODIs, just ahead of Viv Richards, who made 4146: Greenidge was helped in that he batted in all but one of his matches, while Richards only got to the crease in 91. Brian Lara lies third with 3994 runs, just ahead of Australia's Dean Jones (3857) and Graham Gooch of England (3785). Greenidge made 10 centuries, one ahead of yet another West Indian, Chris Gayle, and England's Marcus Trescothick. The surprise on this list is that Sachin Tendulkar is so low on it - his first 100 ODIs brought him "only" 3146 runs (and four centuries), which places him 34th overall.
Three West Indians top this list. Gordon Greenidge made 4177 runs in his first 100 ODIs, just ahead of Viv Richards, who made 4146: Greenidge was helped in that he batted in all but one of his matches, while Richards only got to the crease in 91. Brian Lara lies third with 3994 runs, just ahead of Australia's Dean Jones (3857) and Graham Gooch of England (3785). Greenidge made 10 centuries, one ahead of yet another West Indian, Chris Gayle, and England's Marcus Trescothick. The surprise on this list is that Sachin Tendulkar is so low on it - his first 100 ODIs brought him "only" 3146 runs (and four centuries), which places him 34th overall.
Who has made the most successive scores of 20 or more in Tests? asked Michael Murray from Cambridge
This turns out to be the great West Indian batsman Rohan Kanhai, who had a run of 20 scores of 20 or more between the Adelaide Test of 1960-61 (in which he actually scored 117 and 115) and the first Test of the 1964-65 home series against Australia in Kingston, when he was out for 17 and 16. Actually, looking at Kanhai's figures (which you can view in detail on Statsguru), he was remarkably consistent: Of his 137 innings (six of them not-out), only 24 resulted in single-figure dismissals, and four of those were in his first series, in 1957.
This turns out to be the great West Indian batsman Rohan Kanhai, who had a run of 20 scores of 20 or more between the Adelaide Test of 1960-61 (in which he actually scored 117 and 115) and the first Test of the 1964-65 home series against Australia in Kingston, when he was out for 17 and 16. Actually, looking at Kanhai's figures (which you can view in detail on Statsguru), he was remarkably consistent: Of his 137 innings (six of them not-out), only 24 resulted in single-figure dismissals, and four of those were in his first series, in 1957.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket (reviewed here)