Sehwag beaten by a lady, and Taylor out for zero
One-wicket wins, oldest Australian Test players, and catches on debut
Steven Lynch
13-Dec-2011
Arthur Morris: Australia's oldest Test player • Getty Images
Virender Sehwag's 219 at Indore last week is the highest individual score by a man in one-day internationals - but my sister insists that a woman still holds the overall record. Is she right? asked Benoit Briens from France
Your sister is indeed correct: Virender Sehwag may have joined Sachin Tendulkar in reaching 200 in one-day internationals during that amazing onslaught in Indore last week, but both of them are trumped by Australia's Belinda Clark, who made 229 not out against Denmark in Mumbai during the 1997 Women's World Cup. Interestingly, the women's record Clark broke was set earlier the same day, when Charlotte Edwards made 173 not out for England against Ireland in Pune, on the day before her 18th birthday.
Your sister is indeed correct: Virender Sehwag may have joined Sachin Tendulkar in reaching 200 in one-day internationals during that amazing onslaught in Indore last week, but both of them are trumped by Australia's Belinda Clark, who made 229 not out against Denmark in Mumbai during the 1997 Women's World Cup. Interestingly, the women's record Clark broke was set earlier the same day, when Charlotte Edwards made 173 not out for England against Ireland in Pune, on the day before her 18th birthday.
Ross Taylor was dismissed for a duck for the first time in a Test at Brisbane. Who now holds the record for the most Test runs without a duck? asked Annie Mathew from New Zealand
Ross Taylor's duck in the first Test against Australia in Brisbane last week came in his 59th innings: only AB de Villiers (78) and Aravinda de Silva (75) had more innings from their debuts without being out for 0. Clive Lloyd also had 58 innings. Of players who have appeared in Tests in 2011, the man who now has the most duckless innings is West Indies' Brendan Nash, with 33. For the full list, click here. The record for the most innings in an entire career without a duck reverts to Jim Burke of Australia, who batted 44 times in 24 Tests between 1950-51 and 1958-59 without being dismissed before he had scored. Until last week Taylor also held the record for the most Test runs without a duck - 2387 after the first innings in Brisbane - but that mark now reverts to Dave Houghton, who made 1464 runs in 22 Tests for Zimbabwe without ever being out for zero. Seven men have made more than 1000 runs in their Test careers without a duck - that includes two current players in Darren Bravo (1155 runs so far) and Nash (1103). The others are the Australians Herbie Collins (1352 runs), Reggie Duff (1317) and Jim Burke (1280), and Waqar Hasan of Pakistan (1017).
Ross Taylor's duck in the first Test against Australia in Brisbane last week came in his 59th innings: only AB de Villiers (78) and Aravinda de Silva (75) had more innings from their debuts without being out for 0. Clive Lloyd also had 58 innings. Of players who have appeared in Tests in 2011, the man who now has the most duckless innings is West Indies' Brendan Nash, with 33. For the full list, click here. The record for the most innings in an entire career without a duck reverts to Jim Burke of Australia, who batted 44 times in 24 Tests between 1950-51 and 1958-59 without being dismissed before he had scored. Until last week Taylor also held the record for the most Test runs without a duck - 2387 after the first innings in Brisbane - but that mark now reverts to Dave Houghton, who made 1464 runs in 22 Tests for Zimbabwe without ever being out for zero. Seven men have made more than 1000 runs in their Test careers without a duck - that includes two current players in Darren Bravo (1155 runs so far) and Nash (1103). The others are the Australians Herbie Collins (1352 runs), Reggie Duff (1317) and Jim Burke (1280), and Waqar Hasan of Pakistan (1017).
How many times have Tests and one-day internationals been won by one wicket? asked Tariq from Pakistan
There have now been 12 Test victories by just one wicket, the most recent being India's exciting win over Australia in Mohali in October 2010. The one that involved the biggest partnership by the last pair to clinch victory was Pakistan's over Australia in Karachi in 1994-95, when Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed put on 57. For the full list, click here. As you might expect, there have been rather more one-wicket victories in one-day internationals: 47 now, the most recent one coming in the first match of the recent India-West Indies series in Cuttack. For that list, click here.
There have now been 12 Test victories by just one wicket, the most recent being India's exciting win over Australia in Mohali in October 2010. The one that involved the biggest partnership by the last pair to clinch victory was Pakistan's over Australia in Karachi in 1994-95, when Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed put on 57. For the full list, click here. As you might expect, there have been rather more one-wicket victories in one-day internationals: 47 now, the most recent one coming in the first match of the recent India-West Indies series in Cuttack. For that list, click here.
Ravi Rampaul and Kemar Roach put on 99 for the last wicket at Visakhapatnam. Is this the biggest partnership by Nos. 10 and 11 in a one-day international? asked Roger Walker from England
It's isn't, quite - Mohammad Amir, who made 73 not out from No. 10, and Saeed Ajmal (33) put on 103 for Pakistan's last wicket in Abu Dhabi in November 2009. It gave New Zealand a nasty fright - they had reduced Pakistan to 101 for 9, chasing 212, but in the end won by only seven runs. The only higher tenth-wicket partnership in ODIs was the unbeaten 106 by Viv Richards and Michael Holding for West Indies against England at Old Trafford in 1984 - but Richards came in at No. 4. Ravi Rampaul did set one record, though, during the 99-run stand with Kemar Roach in Visakhapatnam: Rampaul's 86 not out was the highest score by any No. 10 in an ODI, beating Amir's 73 not out in the match mentioned above. Only three other No. 10s have managed half-centuries: Dougie Marillier of Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga, and Irfan Pathan of India.
It's isn't, quite - Mohammad Amir, who made 73 not out from No. 10, and Saeed Ajmal (33) put on 103 for Pakistan's last wicket in Abu Dhabi in November 2009. It gave New Zealand a nasty fright - they had reduced Pakistan to 101 for 9, chasing 212, but in the end won by only seven runs. The only higher tenth-wicket partnership in ODIs was the unbeaten 106 by Viv Richards and Michael Holding for West Indies against England at Old Trafford in 1984 - but Richards came in at No. 4. Ravi Rampaul did set one record, though, during the 99-run stand with Kemar Roach in Visakhapatnam: Rampaul's 86 not out was the highest score by any No. 10 in an ODI, beating Amir's 73 not out in the match mentioned above. Only three other No. 10s have managed half-centuries: Dougie Marillier of Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga, and Irfan Pathan of India.
The Australian allrounder Sam Loxton passed away recently. Was he the oldest Australian Test player at the time? asked Neil Graham from South Africa
Sam Loxton was 90 years and 249 days old when he passed away earlier this month, which indeed made him the oldest Australian Test player at the time of his death. That mantle now passes to Loxton's fellow 1948 Invincible Arthur Morris, who is due to celebrate his 90th birthday on January 19 next year. There are only six older players from other countries, in a list proudly headed by Test cricket's only centurion, 100-year-old Norman Gordon from South Africa. For the full list, click here.
Sam Loxton was 90 years and 249 days old when he passed away earlier this month, which indeed made him the oldest Australian Test player at the time of his death. That mantle now passes to Loxton's fellow 1948 Invincible Arthur Morris, who is due to celebrate his 90th birthday on January 19 next year. There are only six older players from other countries, in a list proudly headed by Test cricket's only centurion, 100-year-old Norman Gordon from South Africa. For the full list, click here.
David Warner took four catches on Test debut at Brisbane. Is this a record for a non-wicketkeeper? asked Jack Maclean from Australia
David Warner's feat in the first Test against New Zealand in Brisbane was some way off the record for a debutant keeper. The Indian middle-order batsman Yajurvindra Singh actually took seven on his debut, against England in Bangalore in 1976-77. Most of them were at short leg - and, said a disgruntled England batsman, "some of them even touched the bat". Five other outfielders - Australia's Alan Fairfax, Rolph Grant of West Indies, the Indians Robin Singh (in his only Test) and SS Das, and England's Paul Collingwood - have taken five catches on debut.
David Warner's feat in the first Test against New Zealand in Brisbane was some way off the record for a debutant keeper. The Indian middle-order batsman Yajurvindra Singh actually took seven on his debut, against England in Bangalore in 1976-77. Most of them were at short leg - and, said a disgruntled England batsman, "some of them even touched the bat". Five other outfielders - Australia's Alan Fairfax, Rolph Grant of West Indies, the Indians Robin Singh (in his only Test) and SS Das, and England's Paul Collingwood - have taken five catches on debut.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2011. Ask Steven is now on Facebook