Border's unique feat, and the <i>teesra</i>
Scoring 150 in both innings, scoring 99 in ODIs, taking 999 wickets, and more
Steven Lynch
09-Feb-2010
Saqlain Mushtaq: inventor of the doosra and the teesra • ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Has anyone ever scored 150 in both innings of a Test match? asked Rishabh from India
The only person to do this is the former Australian captain Allan Border, who scored 150 not out and 153 against Pakistan in Lahore in 1979-80. There was a near-miss last year, though: in January 2009 Tillakaratne Dilshan made 162 and 143 for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in Chittagong. For the full list of batsmen who have scored two centuries in the same Test, click here.
The only person to do this is the former Australian captain Allan Border, who scored 150 not out and 153 against Pakistan in Lahore in 1979-80. There was a near-miss last year, though: in January 2009 Tillakaratne Dilshan made 162 and 143 for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in Chittagong. For the full list of batsmen who have scored two centuries in the same Test, click here.
Saqlain Mushtaq, the innovator of the doosra, claims to have invented another delivery called the teesra. What is this? asked Shirin Sadikot from India
This was a new one on me, but then I found this report on Cricinfo from the ICL in 2008. It describes a new delivery Saqlain Mushtaq had dreamt up and called the teesra (which means "third one" in Urdu: the original meaning of doosra is "the second one" or "the other one"). This delivery seems to turn into a topspinner, which means it should hurry on after pitching, without turning much. Looking this up reminded me how much Saqlain achieved so young: he hasn't played international cricket for almost six years, yet he's still only 33.
This was a new one on me, but then I found this report on Cricinfo from the ICL in 2008. It describes a new delivery Saqlain Mushtaq had dreamt up and called the teesra (which means "third one" in Urdu: the original meaning of doosra is "the second one" or "the other one"). This delivery seems to turn into a topspinner, which means it should hurry on after pitching, without turning much. Looking this up reminded me how much Saqlain achieved so young: he hasn't played international cricket for almost six years, yet he's still only 33.
Has anyone been out for 99 in a one-day international and never made a hundred? asked Elamaran from the United States
There have now been 21 instances of a batsman being out for 99 in a one-day international - the last three of them all by Sachin Tendulkar in 2007 - but all of the batsmen concerned have made a century at some point in their one-day careers. The same is true for the eight unfortunates who have been stranded on 99 not out in an ODI. For a full list of batsmen who were dismissed for 99 in a one-day international, click here, and for the 99 not outs, click here.
There have now been 21 instances of a batsman being out for 99 in a one-day international - the last three of them all by Sachin Tendulkar in 2007 - but all of the batsmen concerned have made a century at some point in their one-day careers. The same is true for the eight unfortunates who have been stranded on 99 not out in an ODI. For a full list of batsmen who were dismissed for 99 in a one-day international, click here, and for the 99 not outs, click here.
What are the most economical figures for someone bowling their four overs in a Twenty20 international? asked Keith Pike from Sydney
Four bowlers have managed to get through their full ration of four overs in a Twenty20 international for just six runs. Two of them, Zimbabwe's Christopher Mpofu and Ray Price, did it in the same match, against Canada in King City near Toronto in October 2008, while a third Zimbabwean, Prosper Utseya, managed it the previous day, also in King City, against Pakistan. The fourth man to do it was New Zealand's Daniel Vettori, against Bangladesh in Hamilton in February 2010. For a list of best economy rates in Twenty20 click here.
Four bowlers have managed to get through their full ration of four overs in a Twenty20 international for just six runs. Two of them, Zimbabwe's Christopher Mpofu and Ray Price, did it in the same match, against Canada in King City near Toronto in October 2008, while a third Zimbabwean, Prosper Utseya, managed it the previous day, also in King City, against Pakistan. The fourth man to do it was New Zealand's Daniel Vettori, against Bangladesh in Hamilton in February 2010. For a list of best economy rates in Twenty20 click here.
Pakistan's Iqbal Qasim ended his career with 999 first-class wickets. Is this unique? asked Akif Nawaz from Pakistan
The slow left-armer Iqbal Qasim - who recently stepped down as Pakistan's chairman of selectors - did indeed take 999 wickets in his first-class career, which stretched more than 20 years from 1971-72. He is unique in finishing one short of 1000, although there is one other bowler who thought he had - the whimsical offspinner Bryan "Bomber" Wells. Bomber, who bowled off a comically short run-up for Gloucestershire and Nottinghamshire, played his last match for Notts in 1965. He told the cricket historian Stephen Chalke: "Some statistician worked out that I'd taken 999 wickets so they offered me the game against Gloucester at Bristol. They said, 'Somebody down there will give you their wicket.' But I said, 'No. Plenty of people have got a thousand wickets. I bet no-one's got 999.' ... Three months later they found I'd only got 998."
The slow left-armer Iqbal Qasim - who recently stepped down as Pakistan's chairman of selectors - did indeed take 999 wickets in his first-class career, which stretched more than 20 years from 1971-72. He is unique in finishing one short of 1000, although there is one other bowler who thought he had - the whimsical offspinner Bryan "Bomber" Wells. Bomber, who bowled off a comically short run-up for Gloucestershire and Nottinghamshire, played his last match for Notts in 1965. He told the cricket historian Stephen Chalke: "Some statistician worked out that I'd taken 999 wickets so they offered me the game against Gloucester at Bristol. They said, 'Somebody down there will give you their wicket.' But I said, 'No. Plenty of people have got a thousand wickets. I bet no-one's got 999.' ... Three months later they found I'd only got 998."
What is the shortest completed one-day international, in terms of overs bowled? asked David Grenham from Liverpool
The three shortest one-day internationals on record, in which there was a definite result, were all won by Sri Lanka. The shortest of all came in Colombo in 2001-02, when after bowling Zimbabwe out for 38 in 15.4 overs they knocked the runs off in 4.2. The whole match thus lasted 20 overs, or 120 balls. Sri Lanka's World Cup match against Canada (36 all out) in Paarl in 2002-03 was all over in 140 balls, while Sri Lanka took 164 to dispose of Zimbabwe in Harare in 2004 after bowling them out for the one-day international record low of 35. Fourth on the list, and the first non-Sri Lankan entry, is England's victory over India in Chandigarh in 1984-85, although that should perhaps be discounted as it had been reduced to a 15-overs-per-side match, and lasted the "full" 180 balls.
The three shortest one-day internationals on record, in which there was a definite result, were all won by Sri Lanka. The shortest of all came in Colombo in 2001-02, when after bowling Zimbabwe out for 38 in 15.4 overs they knocked the runs off in 4.2. The whole match thus lasted 20 overs, or 120 balls. Sri Lanka's World Cup match against Canada (36 all out) in Paarl in 2002-03 was all over in 140 balls, while Sri Lanka took 164 to dispose of Zimbabwe in Harare in 2004 after bowling them out for the one-day international record low of 35. Fourth on the list, and the first non-Sri Lankan entry, is England's victory over India in Chandigarh in 1984-85, although that should perhaps be discounted as it had been reduced to a 15-overs-per-side match, and lasted the "full" 180 balls.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo 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