Solo efforts, and old man Misbah
Also, most runs in international cricket without a duck, 50 Test wickets in three months, and a footballer's cricketing nephew
Steven Lynch
11-Mar-2014
Muralitharan: 54 wickets in 64 days • ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Who scored the highest percentage of runs in a completed innings in ODIs? asked Ishtkhar Ahmed from India
Top of this list in one-day internationals is a famous innings from 1984, when Viv Richards clouted 189 not out in West Indies' 55-over total of 272 for 9 - that's 69.48% - against England at Old Trafford. That just edged out an even more famous knock from the previous year's World Cup - Kapil Dev's 175 not out in India's 266 for 8 (65.78%) against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells. In third place is Andrew Jones' 47 out of 74 all out (63.51%) for New Zealand against Pakistan in the Austral-Asia Cup in Sharjah in May 1990. For a full list, click here.
Top of this list in one-day internationals is a famous innings from 1984, when Viv Richards clouted 189 not out in West Indies' 55-over total of 272 for 9 - that's 69.48% - against England at Old Trafford. That just edged out an even more famous knock from the previous year's World Cup - Kapil Dev's 175 not out in India's 266 for 8 (65.78%) against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells. In third place is Andrew Jones' 47 out of 74 all out (63.51%) for New Zealand against Pakistan in the Austral-Asia Cup in Sharjah in May 1990. For a full list, click here.
In the Asia Cup final Pakistan lost five wickets, all to the same bowler, Lasith Malinga. Has this ever happened before? asked Niraj Kheria from India
That match in Mirpur last week actually provided the first instance of a bowler taking all five wickets to fall in an innings in a one-day international. There had been four previous cases of four out of four, by Paul Strang (Zimbabwe v West Indies in Hyderabad, 1995-96), Chris Cairns (New Zealand v Australia in Melbourne, 1997-98), Vasbert Drakes (West Indies v Bangladesh in Chittagong, 2002-03) and Heath Streak (Zimbabwe v England in Bristol, 2003). When India's Ashish Nehra took 6 for 59 against Sri Lanka in the Indian Oil Cup final in Colombo in August 2005 no other bowler managed a wicket - but there were three run-outs.
That match in Mirpur last week actually provided the first instance of a bowler taking all five wickets to fall in an innings in a one-day international. There had been four previous cases of four out of four, by Paul Strang (Zimbabwe v West Indies in Hyderabad, 1995-96), Chris Cairns (New Zealand v Australia in Melbourne, 1997-98), Vasbert Drakes (West Indies v Bangladesh in Chittagong, 2002-03) and Heath Streak (Zimbabwe v England in Bristol, 2003). When India's Ashish Nehra took 6 for 59 against Sri Lanka in the Indian Oil Cup final in Colombo in August 2005 no other bowler managed a wicket - but there were three run-outs.
Did Misbah-ul-Haq become Pakistan's oldest captain during the Asia Cup final? asked Manoj Kurian from Bangladesh
Misbah-ul-Haq was already Pakistan's oldest captain: Imran Khan was 39 years 121 days old on his final appearance, Pakistan's famous victory over England in the World Cup final in Melbourne in March 1992. Misbah was 39 years 284 days old during the Asia Cup final in Mirpur. He's actually the oldest player - captain or not - to represent Pakistan in ODIs: the only other one older than Imran was Younis Ahmed, who was 39 years 151 days old during his final appearance in 1986-87. Misbah is also Pakistan's oldest Test captain (again beating Imran). Only two older players - Miran Baksh, 47, and 45-year-old Amir Elahi - have played for Pakistan, and neither of them was captain.
Misbah-ul-Haq was already Pakistan's oldest captain: Imran Khan was 39 years 121 days old on his final appearance, Pakistan's famous victory over England in the World Cup final in Melbourne in March 1992. Misbah was 39 years 284 days old during the Asia Cup final in Mirpur. He's actually the oldest player - captain or not - to represent Pakistan in ODIs: the only other one older than Imran was Younis Ahmed, who was 39 years 151 days old during his final appearance in 1986-87. Misbah is also Pakistan's oldest Test captain (again beating Imran). Only two older players - Miran Baksh, 47, and 45-year-old Amir Elahi - have played for Pakistan, and neither of them was captain.
Faf du Plessis went past 2500 runs in international cricket without a duck in Cape Town. Is he the only player to reach this milestone? asked David Dudgeon from Greece
Faf du Plessis is the only current player to manage this: next comes Chris Rogers, with 1030. Another Australian, Adam Voges, has scored 1009 runs in international cricket without a duck. Oddly, all Rogers' runs have come in Tests, while all of Voges' were in limited-overs games. Quinton de Kock of South Africa has so far scored 999 international runs without a duck. The record for an entire career without a duck is 1352 runs, by the old Australian Test captain Herbie Collins. Five other players scored 1000 international runs without a duck in their careers: the Australians Reggie Duff (1317) and Jim Burke (1280), India's Brijesh Patel (1215), Brendan Nash of West Indies (1207), and Pakistan's Waqar Hasan (1071).
Faf du Plessis is the only current player to manage this: next comes Chris Rogers, with 1030. Another Australian, Adam Voges, has scored 1009 runs in international cricket without a duck. Oddly, all Rogers' runs have come in Tests, while all of Voges' were in limited-overs games. Quinton de Kock of South Africa has so far scored 999 international runs without a duck. The record for an entire career without a duck is 1352 runs, by the old Australian Test captain Herbie Collins. Five other players scored 1000 international runs without a duck in their careers: the Australians Reggie Duff (1317) and Jim Burke (1280), India's Brijesh Patel (1215), Brendan Nash of West Indies (1207), and Pakistan's Waqar Hasan (1071).
Mitchell Johnson took 50 Test wickets in about three months since the start of the Ashes series in Australia. Was this a record? asked Simon Townsend from Melbourne
Mitchell Johnson actually racked up 50 Test wickets in 90 days and seven matches between December 6 (the second Ashes Test in Adelaide) and March 5 (the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town). The only bowler ever to take 50 Test wickets quicker than that is Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, who did it in just 64 days between November 13, 2001, and January 15, 2002 - in only six Tests he had match figures of 11 for 170, 10 for 135 and 3 for 231 against West Indies, then 8 for 88, 13 for 115 and 9 for 91 against Zimbabwe. The only man ever to take 50 wickets in five successive Tests remains the great England bowler Sydney Barnes: he took five in the final Test of 1912, against Australia at The Oval, then 49 in his four matches in South Africa in 1913-14 (the last four of his Test career).
Mitchell Johnson actually racked up 50 Test wickets in 90 days and seven matches between December 6 (the second Ashes Test in Adelaide) and March 5 (the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town). The only bowler ever to take 50 Test wickets quicker than that is Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, who did it in just 64 days between November 13, 2001, and January 15, 2002 - in only six Tests he had match figures of 11 for 170, 10 for 135 and 3 for 231 against West Indies, then 8 for 88, 13 for 115 and 9 for 91 against Zimbabwe. The only man ever to take 50 wickets in five successive Tests remains the great England bowler Sydney Barnes: he took five in the final Test of 1912, against Australia at The Oval, then 49 in his four matches in South Africa in 1913-14 (the last four of his Test career).
One of the players for Guernsey in the ICC Division 5 tournament is Luke Le Tissier. Is he perhaps the son of former footballing great Matthew Le Tissier? asked James Dignan via Facebook
Luke Le Tissier, who made his debut for the full Guernsey side against Nigeria last week in the World Cricket League in Kuala Lumpur, isn't the son of the former Southampton football favourite Matthew Le Tissier. However, it appears that they are related: according to an article in the Guernsey Press, the Guernsey side "have a stack of impressive under-18s in the side, not least the off-spinning bowling all-rounder, Luke Le Tissier, who, when you get up close, looks remarkably like his uncle Matt".
Luke Le Tissier, who made his debut for the full Guernsey side against Nigeria last week in the World Cricket League in Kuala Lumpur, isn't the son of the former Southampton football favourite Matthew Le Tissier. However, it appears that they are related: according to an article in the Guernsey Press, the Guernsey side "have a stack of impressive under-18s in the side, not least the off-spinning bowling all-rounder, Luke Le Tissier, who, when you get up close, looks remarkably like his uncle Matt".
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2013. Ask Steven is now on Facebook