Which is the slowest Test of all?
And how many batsmen have been run out in the 90s on debut?
Steven Lynch
03-Oct-2017
Gordon Greenidge was run out for 93 on debut • Adrian Murrell/Getty Images
How many people have been run out in the nineties on their Test debut, as Aiden Markram was? asked Piet de Vries from South Africa
Aiden Markram's misfortune against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom last week was only the third time a debutant had been run out in the nineties in a Test. The first was Pakistan's Abdul Kadir (a wicketkeeper, not the later legspinner with a similar name), who had reached 95 when he was run out against Australia in Karachi in 1964-65. That brought to an end a stand of 249 with Billy Ibadulla (who went on to 166), still the highest opening partnership by two debutants in a Test. The other nearly man was Gordon Greenidge, who was run out by India's Sunil Gavaskar for 93 on debut for West Indies in Bangalore in 1974-75. Greenidge made up for it with 107 in the second innings - and 18 more centuries afterwards.
Aiden Markram's misfortune against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom last week was only the third time a debutant had been run out in the nineties in a Test. The first was Pakistan's Abdul Kadir (a wicketkeeper, not the later legspinner with a similar name), who had reached 95 when he was run out against Australia in Karachi in 1964-65. That brought to an end a stand of 249 with Billy Ibadulla (who went on to 166), still the highest opening partnership by two debutants in a Test. The other nearly man was Gordon Greenidge, who was run out by India's Sunil Gavaskar for 93 on debut for West Indies in Bangalore in 1974-75. Greenidge made up for it with 107 in the second innings - and 18 more centuries afterwards.
In all, Markram was the 30th batsman to be dismissed in the nineties on Test debut.
The India-New Zealand Test at the Brabourne Stadium in 1969-70 produced only 772 runs from 390 overs, at a rate of 1.97 an over. Was this the slowest Test match of all? asked Vikas Vadgama from India
Rather surprisingly perhaps, that match in Bombay in 1969-70 comes in only 50th on this particular list. The slowest Test of all was played on a pitch then recently relaid, in Port Elizabeth in 1956-57, when South Africa (164 and 134) beat England (110 and 130) in a match that produced only 538 runs from 287.5 eight-ball overs. That's a rate of just 1.40 runs per six balls, and it's the only Test in which the overall scoring was below 1.5.
Rather surprisingly perhaps, that match in Bombay in 1969-70 comes in only 50th on this particular list. The slowest Test of all was played on a pitch then recently relaid, in Port Elizabeth in 1956-57, when South Africa (164 and 134) beat England (110 and 130) in a match that produced only 538 runs from 287.5 eight-ball overs. That's a rate of just 1.40 runs per six balls, and it's the only Test in which the overall scoring was below 1.5.
Next slowest is Pakistan's first Test against New Zealand, in Karachi in 1955-56, which featured 577 runs from 2232 balls, or 1.55 per (six-ball) over.
The fastest overall run rate in any Test match is 4.94 per over, in the high-scoring draw between Pakistan and India in Lahore in 2005-06. The fastest for any Test with a positive result is 4.54 per over, by England and Bangladesh in Chester-le-Street in 2005.
Nottinghamshire won both limited-overs competitions in 2017. Which was the last county to do this? asked David Scott from England
Nottinghamshire beat Surrey to win the Royal London Cup final at Lord's in July, then overcame Warwickshire in the T20 Blast final at Edgbaston in September to complete this domestic double.
Nottinghamshire beat Surrey to win the Royal London Cup final at Lord's in July, then overcame Warwickshire in the T20 Blast final at Edgbaston in September to complete this domestic double.
They were the first to win both competitions since 2012, when Hampshire won the Twenty20 Cup and the CB40 competition. Sussex did a similar double in 2009, and Surrey in 2003, the first year of the domestic T20 tournament. Until 2009 there were three one-day competitions: Gloucestershire won all three in 2000. Warwickshire won two of them - and the County Championship - in 1994, but were denied a Grand Slam when they lost to local rivals Worcestershire in the NatWest Trophy final.
Which batsman holds the record for the most runs in a bilateral one-day series? asked Mohan Naik from India
The top two entries on this particular list come from a run-soaked six-match series in India in 2013-14 - Rohit Sharma scored 491 runs for the home side, and George Bailey 478 for Australia. They broke the previous record of 467, set by Zimbabwe's Hamilton Masakadza in five matches against Kenya in 2009-10. Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, Kumar Sangakkara and Salman Butt have also scored more than 450 runs in a bilateral one-day series.
The top two entries on this particular list come from a run-soaked six-match series in India in 2013-14 - Rohit Sharma scored 491 runs for the home side, and George Bailey 478 for Australia. They broke the previous record of 467, set by Zimbabwe's Hamilton Masakadza in five matches against Kenya in 2009-10. Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, Kumar Sangakkara and Salman Butt have also scored more than 450 runs in a bilateral one-day series.
The record for any series of one-day internationals is 686 runs, by Greg Chappell in the 1980-81 Benson and Hedges World Series Cup in Australia, in which he played 14 matches against India and New Zealand. Not far behind comes Sachin Tendulkar, with 673 runs from 11 games in the 2003 World Cup.
Who made 99 not out in a Test innings - and never did score a hundred? asked Joel Pojas from the Philippines
There have been only six scores of 99 not out in Test matches so far, the first of them by England's Geoff Boycott against Australia in Perth in 1979-80. Only one of the batsmen concerned never managed to reach three figures in a Test: Alex Tudor, who went in as a nightwatchman against New Zealand at Edgbaston in 1999, and was still there when England won the match next day.
There have been only six scores of 99 not out in Test matches so far, the first of them by England's Geoff Boycott against Australia in Perth in 1979-80. Only one of the batsmen concerned never managed to reach three figures in a Test: Alex Tudor, who went in as a nightwatchman against New Zealand at Edgbaston in 1999, and was still there when England won the match next day.
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Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes