Father-son duos, and tenth-wicket stand heroics
Also, which players have the most half-centuries without ever having made a hundred?
Steven Lynch
20-Mar-2017
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (pictured) and his son Tagenarine became the first father-son pair since 1931 to score fifties in the same first-class innings
Shivnarine Chanderpaul and his son Tagenarine recently scored fifties in the same first-class innings. Is this unique? asked Rajiv Radhakrishnan from England
That double by the Chanderpauls came for Guyana in their recent match against Jamaica in Kingston: the son opened and made 58, being joined by his dad when the score was 128 for 3. They put on 38 before Tagenarine was out, but Shivnarine went on to 57, as Guyana inched to a narrow lead. It is a remarkable feat, especially in the modern era, but not quite unique. It is, however, the first time a father and son have scored half-centuries in the same first-class innings since 1931, when Nottinghamshire's 521 for 7 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston included 183 not out from 53-year-old George Gunn, and 100 not out (a maiden century) from his son, George Vernon Gunn, who had just turned 26. I think the last father and son to play together in the same first-class match before the Chanderpauls were Denis and Heath Streak, for Matabeleland in Zimbabwe's Logan Cup final in Bulawayo in April 1996.
That double by the Chanderpauls came for Guyana in their recent match against Jamaica in Kingston: the son opened and made 58, being joined by his dad when the score was 128 for 3. They put on 38 before Tagenarine was out, but Shivnarine went on to 57, as Guyana inched to a narrow lead. It is a remarkable feat, especially in the modern era, but not quite unique. It is, however, the first time a father and son have scored half-centuries in the same first-class innings since 1931, when Nottinghamshire's 521 for 7 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston included 183 not out from 53-year-old George Gunn, and 100 not out (a maiden century) from his son, George Vernon Gunn, who had just turned 26. I think the last father and son to play together in the same first-class match before the Chanderpauls were Denis and Heath Streak, for Matabeleland in Zimbabwe's Logan Cup final in Bulawayo in April 1996.
Who has scored the most half-centuries in Tests without ever getting a hundred? And what's the record for ODIs? asked George Robinson from England
The leader for Tests remains the Indian opener Chetan Chauhan, who reached 50 on 16 occasions during his 40 Tests between 1969-70 and 1980-81 without ever quite making it to three figures: his highest score was 97, against Australia in Adelaide in 1980-81. Next come the Australians Ken Mackay (13 half-centuries), Shane Warne (12) and Bruce Laird (11); the West Indian wicketkeeper Deryck Murray also reached 50 on 11 occasions without getting to 100. The leading current player is Mitchell Starc, who has nine half-centuries to his name - with, like Warne, a highest score of 99. The clear leader in one-day internationals is Misbah-ul-Haq, who reached 50 on no fewer than 42 occasions but was stuck with a highest score of 96 not out, against West Indies in the Champions Trophy at The Oval in 2013. The New Zealander Andrew Jones made 25 one-day half-centuries, and Graham Thorpe of England 21.
The leader for Tests remains the Indian opener Chetan Chauhan, who reached 50 on 16 occasions during his 40 Tests between 1969-70 and 1980-81 without ever quite making it to three figures: his highest score was 97, against Australia in Adelaide in 1980-81. Next come the Australians Ken Mackay (13 half-centuries), Shane Warne (12) and Bruce Laird (11); the West Indian wicketkeeper Deryck Murray also reached 50 on 11 occasions without getting to 100. The leading current player is Mitchell Starc, who has nine half-centuries to his name - with, like Warne, a highest score of 99. The clear leader in one-day internationals is Misbah-ul-Haq, who reached 50 on no fewer than 42 occasions but was stuck with a highest score of 96 not out, against West Indies in the Champions Trophy at The Oval in 2013. The New Zealander Andrew Jones made 25 one-day half-centuries, and Graham Thorpe of England 21.
How many times has someone scored a fifty and taken three wickets in the same ODI, and who has done it most often? asked Savo Ceprnich from South Africa
This particular all-round feat has now been achieved 199 times in one-day internationals, most recently by Ireland's Paul Stirling, with 95 and 6 for 55 against Afghanistan in Greater Noida last week. The first to do it was Majid Khan, with 61 and 3 for 53 for Pakistan against Australia at Trent Bridge during the 1979 World Cup. Two other Pakistanis lead the way overall: Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik both managed it eight times. Chris Gayle and Sanath Jayasuriya did it on six occasions, Jacques Kallis and Shakib Al Hasan five, and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lance Klusener, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar four.
This particular all-round feat has now been achieved 199 times in one-day internationals, most recently by Ireland's Paul Stirling, with 95 and 6 for 55 against Afghanistan in Greater Noida last week. The first to do it was Majid Khan, with 61 and 3 for 53 for Pakistan against Australia at Trent Bridge during the 1979 World Cup. Two other Pakistanis lead the way overall: Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik both managed it eight times. Chris Gayle and Sanath Jayasuriya did it on six occasions, Jacques Kallis and Shakib Al Hasan five, and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lance Klusener, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar four.
What is India's lowest total in a Test at home? asked Allan Alexander from the United States
India have been bowled out for under 100 on seven occasions in home Tests (plus once more for exactly 100, as England won in Mumbai in 2005-06). Their lowest of all was 75, against West Indies in Delhi in 1987-88 (Patrick Patterson took 5 for 24); they were also skittled for 76 - in just 20 overs on the first morning - by South Africa in Ahmedabad in 2007-08, when Dale Steyn claimed 5 for 23. India's lowest all-out total in a home Test they ended up winning is 104, against Australia in Mumbai in 2003-04.
India have been bowled out for under 100 on seven occasions in home Tests (plus once more for exactly 100, as England won in Mumbai in 2005-06). Their lowest of all was 75, against West Indies in Delhi in 1987-88 (Patrick Patterson took 5 for 24); they were also skittled for 76 - in just 20 overs on the first morning - by South Africa in Ahmedabad in 2007-08, when Dale Steyn claimed 5 for 23. India's lowest all-out total in a home Test they ended up winning is 104, against Australia in Mumbai in 2003-04.
Is Meg Lanning the first woman to score ten hundreds in one-day internationals? asked Cherise Asha Clarke from Trinidad & Tobago
Meg Lanning's unbeaten 104 in the Rose Bowl decider against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui earlier this month was indeed her tenth in one-day internationals, which put her clear at the top of the list, ahead of Charlotte Edwards (nine), and Karen Rolton and Claire Taylor (eight). The New Zealand captain Suzie Bates comes next with seven, one more than her team-mate Amy Satterthwaite.
Meg Lanning's unbeaten 104 in the Rose Bowl decider against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui earlier this month was indeed her tenth in one-day internationals, which put her clear at the top of the list, ahead of Charlotte Edwards (nine), and Karen Rolton and Claire Taylor (eight). The New Zealand captain Suzie Bates comes next with seven, one more than her team-mate Amy Satterthwaite.
What's the highest tenth-wicket partnership to win a one-day international? And what is the Sri Lankan record? asked Rajeeva Indiketiya from England
The highest last-gasp stand to win a one-day international remains the 64 of Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts for West Indies against Pakistan at Edgbaston during the first World Cup in 1975. The nearest a side has come to this record was in Brisbane in 2013-14, when James Faulkner and Clint McKay put on an unbroken 57 to spirit Australia past England's 300. Sri Lanka's record last-wicket partnership to win an ODI is a modest 12, by Ajantha Mendis and Suranga Lakmal against West Indies in Colombo in 2015-16. Overall, there have been two 100-plus tenth-wicket partnerships in ODIs and a further 35 worth 50 or more.
The highest last-gasp stand to win a one-day international remains the 64 of Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts for West Indies against Pakistan at Edgbaston during the first World Cup in 1975. The nearest a side has come to this record was in Brisbane in 2013-14, when James Faulkner and Clint McKay put on an unbroken 57 to spirit Australia past England's 300. Sri Lanka's record last-wicket partnership to win an ODI is a modest 12, by Ajantha Mendis and Suranga Lakmal against West Indies in Colombo in 2015-16. Overall, there have been two 100-plus tenth-wicket partnerships in ODIs and a further 35 worth 50 or more.
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Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes