No. 9 debut centurions, and lots of new blood
Also: players dismissed on the same score in both innings, oldest T20 players, and longest unbroken bowling spells
Steven Lynch
05-May-2015
Oliver Robinson: the seventh player to score a debut first-class century from No. 9 • Getty Images
Graham Gooch was lbw b Holding for 51 in both innings of a Test in 1986. Is this the highest score by anyone out the same way in both innings? asked Shriram Moharil from India
Graham Gooch's double of 51 in each innings in Antigua in 1985-86 is one of 19 instances of a batsman making an identical score of 50-plus twice in the same Test. It's unusual for the dismissals to be identical too - but the record in this regard (and the only higher double) is Frank Worrell's twin 65s in the famous tied Test in Brisbane in 1960-61: Worrell was caught by Wally Grout off the bowling of Alan Davidson in both innings at the Gabba. The highest repeat score in any Test is Duleep Mendis' brace of 105s for Sri Lanka against India in Madras (now Chennai) in 1982-83. He was out in different ways, though. There have been 37 instances in Tests of a batsman being out the same way twice for a pair: perhaps the unluckiest was the West Indian fast bowler John Trim, who was run out for 0 in both innings against Australia in Melbourne in 1951-52.
Graham Gooch's double of 51 in each innings in Antigua in 1985-86 is one of 19 instances of a batsman making an identical score of 50-plus twice in the same Test. It's unusual for the dismissals to be identical too - but the record in this regard (and the only higher double) is Frank Worrell's twin 65s in the famous tied Test in Brisbane in 1960-61: Worrell was caught by Wally Grout off the bowling of Alan Davidson in both innings at the Gabba. The highest repeat score in any Test is Duleep Mendis' brace of 105s for Sri Lanka against India in Madras (now Chennai) in 1982-83. He was out in different ways, though. There have been 37 instances in Tests of a batsman being out the same way twice for a pair: perhaps the unluckiest was the West Indian fast bowler John Trim, who was run out for 0 in both innings against Australia in Melbourne in 1951-52.
Sussex's Oliver Robinson scored a century on debut from No. 9. How many people have done this? asked George Murray from England
The Sussex fast bowler (or maybe allrounder) Oliver Robinson hit 110 on his first-class debut against Durham in Chester-le-Street last week. He's only the seventh player to score a debut century from No. 9 in the order, the first since Ryan McCone hit 102 - still his only first-class hundred, after 39 more matches - for Canterbury against Otago in Christchurch in 2008-09. The highest debut score from No. 9 remains James O'Halloran's 128 not out for Victoria against South Australia in Melbourne in 1896-97. Robinson, who's 21 and the stepson of England's assistant coach Paul Farbrace, shared a tenth-wicket stand of 164 with Matthew Hobden, breaking the 107-year-old Sussex record of 156, set by George Cox senior and Harry Butt against Cambridge University at Fenner's in 1908.
The Sussex fast bowler (or maybe allrounder) Oliver Robinson hit 110 on his first-class debut against Durham in Chester-le-Street last week. He's only the seventh player to score a debut century from No. 9 in the order, the first since Ryan McCone hit 102 - still his only first-class hundred, after 39 more matches - for Canterbury against Otago in Christchurch in 2008-09. The highest debut score from No. 9 remains James O'Halloran's 128 not out for Victoria against South Australia in Melbourne in 1896-97. Robinson, who's 21 and the stepson of England's assistant coach Paul Farbrace, shared a tenth-wicket stand of 164 with Matthew Hobden, breaking the 107-year-old Sussex record of 156, set by George Cox senior and Harry Butt against Cambridge University at Fenner's in 1908.
Is Brad Hogg the oldest man to play in a Twenty20 international? asked Lindsay Curtis from Australia
The Australian left-arm unorthodox spinner Brad Hogg does sit on top of this particular list - he was 43 years 45 days old when he played his most recent T20 international, against Pakistan during the World T20 in Mirpur in March 2014. Second at the moment is the UAE's Khurram Khan, who was 42 years 273 days old when he played his most recent T20 international, also in that World T20, against Zimbabwe in Sylhet: if Khurram, who featured in the recent 50-over World Cup, were to play another one now then he would break Hogg's record. In all, seven 40-year-olds have played official T20 internationals: the only one apart from Hogg from a Test-playing country is Sanath Jayasuriya, who was just short of his 42nd birthday when he played his last one for Sri Lanka, against England in Bristol in 2011.
The Australian left-arm unorthodox spinner Brad Hogg does sit on top of this particular list - he was 43 years 45 days old when he played his most recent T20 international, against Pakistan during the World T20 in Mirpur in March 2014. Second at the moment is the UAE's Khurram Khan, who was 42 years 273 days old when he played his most recent T20 international, also in that World T20, against Zimbabwe in Sylhet: if Khurram, who featured in the recent 50-over World Cup, were to play another one now then he would break Hogg's record. In all, seven 40-year-olds have played official T20 internationals: the only one apart from Hogg from a Test-playing country is Sanath Jayasuriya, who was just short of his 42nd birthday when he played his last one for Sri Lanka, against England in Bristol in 2011.
What is the longest spell in a Test in which the bowling was not changed at all? asked Michael Durbridge from England
I'm not sure whether this can be verified, because we don't have full details for an awful lot of Tests. My suspicion is that it probably happened during West Indies' tour of England in 1950, when Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine got through some marathon spells - they took 59 wickets between them in the four Tests, while the other bowlers managed only 18. In England's long second innings in the second Test at Lord's, Valentine bowled 71 overs and Ramadhin 72, the others only 48.3; and in the second innings at Trent Bridge, Ramadhin sent down 81.2 overs and Valentine 92 (a record at the time, broken a few years later by Ramadhin). A contender from a different series might be the fifth Test in Port Elizabeth in 1948-49, when South Africa's spinners Athol Rowan and Tufty Mann did a lot of work against England: they both got through more than 40 eight-ball overs on the third day, although not entirely consecutively. The longest unbroken spell by one bowler is 59 overs (354 balls), by Narendra Hirwani for India against England at The Oval in 1990. If you mean the longest innings in which there were no bowling changes at all, that was in one of the earliest Test matches: in Sydney in 1881-82 the Australian opening pair of Joey Palmer and Edwin Evans bowled unchanged for 115 four-ball overs (460 deliveries in all) as England were dismissed for 133. In the second Ashes Test in Melbourne in 1901-02, there were no bowling changes at all until well into the third innings of the match.
I'm not sure whether this can be verified, because we don't have full details for an awful lot of Tests. My suspicion is that it probably happened during West Indies' tour of England in 1950, when Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine got through some marathon spells - they took 59 wickets between them in the four Tests, while the other bowlers managed only 18. In England's long second innings in the second Test at Lord's, Valentine bowled 71 overs and Ramadhin 72, the others only 48.3; and in the second innings at Trent Bridge, Ramadhin sent down 81.2 overs and Valentine 92 (a record at the time, broken a few years later by Ramadhin). A contender from a different series might be the fifth Test in Port Elizabeth in 1948-49, when South Africa's spinners Athol Rowan and Tufty Mann did a lot of work against England: they both got through more than 40 eight-ball overs on the third day, although not entirely consecutively. The longest unbroken spell by one bowler is 59 overs (354 balls), by Narendra Hirwani for India against England at The Oval in 1990. If you mean the longest innings in which there were no bowling changes at all, that was in one of the earliest Test matches: in Sydney in 1881-82 the Australian opening pair of Joey Palmer and Edwin Evans bowled unchanged for 115 four-ball overs (460 deliveries in all) as England were dismissed for 133. In the second Ashes Test in Melbourne in 1901-02, there were no bowling changes at all until well into the third innings of the match.
It's been reported that England may award six new caps in next week's one-day international against Ireland. Have they ever blooded so many players at once before? asked Daniel Harrison from England
Apart from the inaugural one-day international against Australia in Melbourne in 1970-71, when obviously all the players made their ODI debuts, the England record is six new players, which happened against West Indies at Headingley in 1973. The new boys were Mike Denness, Mike Hendrick, Chris Old, Mike Smith (Middlesex), Bob Taylor and Bob Willis. That was West Indies' first one-day international, so they also had 11 debutants - including Garry Sobers, who never played another one. England had five first-timers (Robert Croft, Dean Headley, Nick Knight, Graham Lloyd and Alan Mullally) in the first one-day international against Pakistan at Old Trafford in 1996, and Adam Hollioake made his debut two days later, at Edgbaston.
Apart from the inaugural one-day international against Australia in Melbourne in 1970-71, when obviously all the players made their ODI debuts, the England record is six new players, which happened against West Indies at Headingley in 1973. The new boys were Mike Denness, Mike Hendrick, Chris Old, Mike Smith (Middlesex), Bob Taylor and Bob Willis. That was West Indies' first one-day international, so they also had 11 debutants - including Garry Sobers, who never played another one. England had five first-timers (Robert Croft, Dean Headley, Nick Knight, Graham Lloyd and Alan Mullally) in the first one-day international against Pakistan at Old Trafford in 1996, and Adam Hollioake made his debut two days later, at Edgbaston.
What's the highest score to which someone has extended their maiden Test century? asked Aniket Singh from India
Two men have turned their maiden Test hundred into a triple-century: Garry Sobers famously made 365 not out for West Indies against Pakistan in Kingston in 1957-58, and not long afterwards Australia's Bob Simpson - having taken a long time to reach three figures in Tests - made up for lost time in his 30th match by going on to amass 311 against England at Old Trafford in 1964. In third place is Reginald "Tip" Foster of England, whose 287 against Australia at Sydney in 1903-04 came on his debut - and remained his only Test century too. For the full list, click here.
Two men have turned their maiden Test hundred into a triple-century: Garry Sobers famously made 365 not out for West Indies against Pakistan in Kingston in 1957-58, and not long afterwards Australia's Bob Simpson - having taken a long time to reach three figures in Tests - made up for lost time in his 30th match by going on to amass 311 against England at Old Trafford in 1964. In third place is Reginald "Tip" Foster of England, whose 287 against Australia at Sydney in 1903-04 came on his debut - and remained his only Test century too. For the full list, click here.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2014. Ask Steven is now on Facebook