Morgan's unique feat, unlikely defeats, and famous Kenyans
Scoring ODI hundreds for two countries, losses despite two hundreds, most run-outs in an innings, and a rumour about Tendulkar
Steven Lynch
23-Mar-2010
Eoin Morgan is the only player to score one-day hundreds for two countries • Getty Images
Is Eoin Morgan the first player to score one-day international centuries for two different countries? asked Tony Burrows from London
My first feeling was that he was the second, as I thought that Kepler Wessels had probably also done it - but although Wessels did score Test centuries for two countries (and remains the only batsman ever to do this), his highest score in one-day internationals for his native South Africa was 90, against India in Delhi in 1991-92. Seven years earlier, also in Delhi, Wessels had made his only ODI century, 107 for Australia. And so Eoin Morgan stands alone after adding 110 not out against Bangladesh in Mirpur last month for England to his 115 for Ireland against Canada in Nairobi in 2006-07.
My first feeling was that he was the second, as I thought that Kepler Wessels had probably also done it - but although Wessels did score Test centuries for two countries (and remains the only batsman ever to do this), his highest score in one-day internationals for his native South Africa was 90, against India in Delhi in 1991-92. Seven years earlier, also in Delhi, Wessels had made his only ODI century, 107 for Australia. And so Eoin Morgan stands alone after adding 110 not out against Bangladesh in Mirpur last month for England to his 115 for Ireland against Canada in Nairobi in 2006-07.
South Africa recorded the 83rd instance of two batsmen scoring centuries in the same one-day international innings recently in Ahmedabad. On how many occasions have those teams lost the match? asked Gulu Ezekiel from India
Rather surprisingly perhaps, a team scoring two individual centuries in the same one-day international has contrived to lose on no fewer than 16 occasions now. The first one was in 1982-83, when Pakistan lost a rain-affected match to India in Lahore despite Zaheer Abbas making 105 and Javed Miandad 119 not out. The most recent instance came in 2009, when Scotland lost to Canada in Aberdeen despite Gavin Hamilton making 119 and Fraser Watts 101 (they shared an opening stand of 203). Probably the most famous instance came at Lord's in 2002, when India overhauled England's total of 325 for 5, which included centuries from Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain. The other 67 instances of two centuries in an ODI innings have led to victory.
Rather surprisingly perhaps, a team scoring two individual centuries in the same one-day international has contrived to lose on no fewer than 16 occasions now. The first one was in 1982-83, when Pakistan lost a rain-affected match to India in Lahore despite Zaheer Abbas making 105 and Javed Miandad 119 not out. The most recent instance came in 2009, when Scotland lost to Canada in Aberdeen despite Gavin Hamilton making 119 and Fraser Watts 101 (they shared an opening stand of 203). Probably the most famous instance came at Lord's in 2002, when India overhauled England's total of 325 for 5, which included centuries from Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain. The other 67 instances of two centuries in an ODI innings have led to victory.
In a quiz the other day we were asked to name the three Test cricketers who were born in Kenya. I could only think of one (Dipak Patel), so who are the other two? asked Nick Cornish from Hertfordshire
Dipak Patel, who played 37 Tests for New Zealand after a long county career for Worcestershire, was indeed born in Kenya. His highest Test score of 99, against England in Christchurch in 1991-92, came to an end when he was run out by one of the other two, Derek Pringle, who won 30 Test caps: his father Don Pringle played for East Africa in the first World Cup in 1975. The third member of this select band is Pakistan's Qasim Umar, who won 26 Test caps in the 1980s and remains, thanks to Patel's near-miss courtesy of Pringle, the only Kenyan-born batsman to score a Test century. All three of them were born in Nairobi.
Dipak Patel, who played 37 Tests for New Zealand after a long county career for Worcestershire, was indeed born in Kenya. His highest Test score of 99, against England in Christchurch in 1991-92, came to an end when he was run out by one of the other two, Derek Pringle, who won 30 Test caps: his father Don Pringle played for East Africa in the first World Cup in 1975. The third member of this select band is Pakistan's Qasim Umar, who won 26 Test caps in the 1980s and remains, thanks to Patel's near-miss courtesy of Pringle, the only Kenyan-born batsman to score a Test century. All three of them were born in Nairobi.
Three New Zealanders were run out in the same Test innings against Bangladesh recently. What's the record for a Test innings, and a whole match? asked Noel Edwards from Australia
The first three in the order (but not the first three wickets to fall) were indeed run out during New Zealand's recent Test against Bangladesh in Hamilton. This turns out to be the 31st case of three run-outs in a Test innings, but there have been two instances of four: by India against Pakistan in Peshawar in 1954-55, and by Australia as they chased a target in a high-scoring match against West Indies in Adelaide in 1968-69. For the full list, click here. The overall record for a Test match is seven run-outs, by Australia (three) and Pakistan (four) in Melbourne in 1972-73.
The first three in the order (but not the first three wickets to fall) were indeed run out during New Zealand's recent Test against Bangladesh in Hamilton. This turns out to be the 31st case of three run-outs in a Test innings, but there have been two instances of four: by India against Pakistan in Peshawar in 1954-55, and by Australia as they chased a target in a high-scoring match against West Indies in Adelaide in 1968-69. For the full list, click here. The overall record for a Test match is seven run-outs, by Australia (three) and Pakistan (four) in Melbourne in 1972-73.
Mitchell Johnson scored 500 runs and took 63 wickets in Tests during 2009. Has anyone managed this "double" before? asked Paul Grogan from Brisbane
This particular calendar-year double has only been achieved eight previous times in Tests, twice each by Ian Botham (1978 and 1981), Kapil Dev (1979 and 1983) and Shaun Pollock (1998 and 2001), and once by Andrew Flintoff in 2005, and Daniel Vettori in 2008 - so Mitchell Johnson is in rarefied company! Arguably the best all-round year was Flintoff's - he scored 709 runs and took 68 wickets in 2005 in 14 Tests, one of them for the World XI.
This particular calendar-year double has only been achieved eight previous times in Tests, twice each by Ian Botham (1978 and 1981), Kapil Dev (1979 and 1983) and Shaun Pollock (1998 and 2001), and once by Andrew Flintoff in 2005, and Daniel Vettori in 2008 - so Mitchell Johnson is in rarefied company! Arguably the best all-round year was Flintoff's - he scored 709 runs and took 68 wickets in 2005 in 14 Tests, one of them for the World XI.
Rumour has it that Sachin Tendulkar actually fielded for Pakistan before making his debut for India. Is this true? asked Vishesh Mattoo from Singapore
I don't think this can possibly be true. Sachin Tendulkar made his Test debut for India in November 1989, when he was 16, against Pakistan in Karachi. After Pakistan made 409, India were soon in trouble, and Tendulkar came in at No. 6 with the score 41 for 4 (he made 15). So there wouldn't have been time for him to have come on as a substitute, even if for some reason Pakistan had run out of fielders and the Indian management was feeling generous (in which case presumably they would have lent them someone who wasn't actually playing in the match). It's not such a silly question, though: the very first substitute catch in all Test cricket was taken at Lord's in 1884, when Australia's top scorer "Tup" Scott was probably rather surprised to be caught by his captain, Billy Murdoch, who was fielding as England's 12th man after WG Grace injured a finger.
I don't think this can possibly be true. Sachin Tendulkar made his Test debut for India in November 1989, when he was 16, against Pakistan in Karachi. After Pakistan made 409, India were soon in trouble, and Tendulkar came in at No. 6 with the score 41 for 4 (he made 15). So there wouldn't have been time for him to have come on as a substitute, even if for some reason Pakistan had run out of fielders and the Indian management was feeling generous (in which case presumably they would have lent them someone who wasn't actually playing in the match). It's not such a silly question, though: the very first substitute catch in all Test cricket was taken at Lord's in 1884, when Australia's top scorer "Tup" Scott was probably rather surprised to be caught by his captain, Billy Murdoch, who was fielding as England's 12th man after WG Grace injured a finger.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket. If you want to ask Steven a question, use our feedback form. The most interesting questions will be answered here each week