Who has taken the most wickets without ever taking a five-for?
And when was the last time South Africa drew a Test before Sydney?
Steven Lynch
17-Jan-2023
David Warner is the only batter to have the highest individual score in all three formats in the same ground, at Adelaide Oval • Sarah Reed/Cricket Australia/Getty Images
David Warner has made the highest individual score in all three formats at Adelaide Oval. Has anyone managed this triple anywhere else? asked Nick Harris from Australia
The Australian opener David Warner is out on his own here. His 335 not out against Pakistan in Adelaide in 2019-20 broke the Test record of 299 not out, set by Don Bradman against South Africa in 1931-32.
The Australian opener David Warner is out on his own here. His 335 not out against Pakistan in Adelaide in 2019-20 broke the Test record of 299 not out, set by Don Bradman against South Africa in 1931-32.
In one-day internationals in Adelaide, Warner's 179 against Pakistan in January 2017 surpassed Brian Lara's 156 for West Indies in 2004-05. And Warner's 100 not out against Sri Lanka in October 2019 is the only century to date in T20Is at Adelaide Oval.
No other man holds the records for all three formats at the same ground. Javed Miandad (Hyderabad in Pakistan) and Roshan Mahanama (Moratuwa) hold the records for Tests and ODIs on those grounds, but never played T20Is. Sachin Tendulkar made the highest individual score at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka, but his solitary T20I came in Johannesburg in December 2006. Chris Gayle holds the Test and ODI records for St George's in Grenada, but played four T20Is there with a best of 32 not out.
Warner is one of only six men whose highest score in the three formats has come on the same ground. The others are England's Rob Key (Lord's), Al-Amin Hossain of Bangladesh (Mirpur), and the Zimbabwe trio of Tarisai Musakanda, Dion Myers and Victor Nyauchi (all in Harare).
South Africa escaped from Sydney with a draw - when was the last time they drew a Test? It seems like a long time! asked Nicky de Villiers from South Africa
You're right that it was a long time: before they drew the rain-affected third Test against Australia in Sydney earlier this month, South Africa had played 46 successive Tests that produced a definite result. Neatly, they won 23 and lost 23. Their last draw came against New Zealand in Hamilton in March 2017, when rain washed out the final day's play. To see all South Africa's Test results since 2017, click here.
You're right that it was a long time: before they drew the rain-affected third Test against Australia in Sydney earlier this month, South Africa had played 46 successive Tests that produced a definite result. Neatly, they won 23 and lost 23. Their last draw came against New Zealand in Hamilton in March 2017, when rain washed out the final day's play. To see all South Africa's Test results since 2017, click here.
South Africa's run of definite results is easily a record. Between March 2005 and October 2017, Zimbabwe went 26 Tests without a draw, losing 23 of them. At the other extreme, between October 1999 and August 2001, Australia won 20 and lost three of their 23 Tests. England (1884-85 to 1891-92), Australia (2001-02 to 2003-04) and Pakistan (2015-16 to 2018) have all had sequences of 22 Tests without a draw.
Tymal Mills has taken 275 wickets in professional cricket, without ever taking five in an innings. What's the most wickets without ever taking a five-for? asked Christine Bailey from England
The fast left-arm bowler Tymal Mills, whose first-class career was limited by a back injury, has so far taken 275 wickets in senior cricket - 55 first-class, 22 List A (senior one-day games) and 198 in T20 matches (12 of those in internationals). His best return so far is 4 for 22, for Sussex against Middlesex in a T20 Blast match at Lord's in 2015.
The fast left-arm bowler Tymal Mills, whose first-class career was limited by a back injury, has so far taken 275 wickets in senior cricket - 55 first-class, 22 List A (senior one-day games) and 198 in T20 matches (12 of those in internationals). His best return so far is 4 for 22, for Sussex against Middlesex in a T20 Blast match at Lord's in 2015.
Mills lies fourth overall on the list of bowlers with the most wickets in all three formats without a five-for. On top is Luke Woodcock, an allrounder who played seven white-ball internationals for New Zealand. His slow left-armers accounted for 339 wickets in all, with a best return of 4 for 3 for Wellington against Otago at the Basin Reserve in 2001-02.
The Australian batter Darren Lehmann took 313 wickets overall, with a best return of 4 for 7, while the South African seamer Tshepo Moreki has so far collected 290. He's taken four wickets in an innings in all three formats, but never five.
The most wickets in first-class cricket without a five-for is Moreki's 163; another South African, Romano Terblanche and the New Zealand Test player Chris Harris took 160. In Tests the most is 87, by England's Mike Hendrick, while in ODIs it's 195 by Steve Waugh, two ahead of Carl Hooper.
Which gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics was the son of a Test cricketer? asked Graham Porter from New Zealand
The man you're after is the American sprinter Rai Benjamin, who was part of the gold-medal-winning quartet in the 4x400m relay at Tokyo 2020. He also took the silver medal in the 400m hurdles, his specialist event. He also won silvers in it at the world championships of 2019 (in Doha) and 2022 (Eugene). His father, Winston Benjamin, was a fast bowler from Antigua who played 21 Tests and 85 one-day internationals for West Indies between 1986-87 and 1995.
The man you're after is the American sprinter Rai Benjamin, who was part of the gold-medal-winning quartet in the 4x400m relay at Tokyo 2020. He also took the silver medal in the 400m hurdles, his specialist event. He also won silvers in it at the world championships of 2019 (in Doha) and 2022 (Eugene). His father, Winston Benjamin, was a fast bowler from Antigua who played 21 Tests and 85 one-day internationals for West Indies between 1986-87 and 1995.
Who holds the record for playing the most first-class matches in a season? asked Terry Robinson from England
Those who think today's players have a lot on their plate might want to look away now, as the record for a single season is the 41 first-class matches crammed in by the Surrey and England opener Bobby Abel in 1902. He started on April 24, and had only three days off - apart from Sundays and matches that ended early - until September 17. Abel, who three years earlier carried his bat for 357 in a county game against Somerset at The Oval, was 44 in 1902. In all that year, he scored 2299 runs at 41.05, with nine centuries; that included 1570 (47.57) in 26 Championship matches. Only Victor Trumper, who piled up 2570 runs in 36 matches for the Australian tourists, scored more that summer.
Those who think today's players have a lot on their plate might want to look away now, as the record for a single season is the 41 first-class matches crammed in by the Surrey and England opener Bobby Abel in 1902. He started on April 24, and had only three days off - apart from Sundays and matches that ended early - until September 17. Abel, who three years earlier carried his bat for 357 in a county game against Somerset at The Oval, was 44 in 1902. In all that year, he scored 2299 runs at 41.05, with nine centuries; that included 1570 (47.57) in 26 Championship matches. Only Victor Trumper, who piled up 2570 runs in 36 matches for the Australian tourists, scored more that summer.
Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo's stats team helped with some of the above answers.
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Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes