Which bowler has dismissed the most century-makers in Tests?
And what's the most catches taken by someone who bagged a pair in the same Test?
Steven Lynch
24-Mar-2020
Muttiah Muralitharan and Harbhajan Singh took the wickets of 34 and 28 century-makers respectively • Getty Images
Which bowler holds the record for dismissing the highest number of century-makers in Tests? asked K Lokaraj from India
The name at the top of this list is an unsurprising one - Test cricket's leading wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed 34 batsmen after they got to 100 - but the man in second place is a bit more of a shock: Harbhajan Singh accounted for 28 century-makers in Tests. Jimmy Anderson is currently third, with 26, ahead of the Indian pair of Anil Kumble (25) and Zaheer Khan (24).
The name at the top of this list is an unsurprising one - Test cricket's leading wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed 34 batsmen after they got to 100 - but the man in second place is a bit more of a shock: Harbhajan Singh accounted for 28 century-makers in Tests. Jimmy Anderson is currently third, with 26, ahead of the Indian pair of Anil Kumble (25) and Zaheer Khan (24).
At the other end of the scale, Glenn McGrath inflicted 104 ducks in Tests, and Murali and Shane Warne 102 apiece.
Who was twice stranded on 99 not out in the Sheffield Shield? asked Justin Kelly from Australia
I was rather surprised to discover that there have only been seven cases of a batsman scoring 99 not out in a Sheffield Shield match. The unfortunate man who bagged two - in the space of three matches in 2008-09 - was the Tasmanian allrounder Brett Geeves, who played three white-ball internationals for Australia around this time (and was also called into the Test squad, without winning a cap). Geeves' first near-miss came against Victoria in Melbourne, and was soon followed by another 99 not out against New South Wales in Newcastle. Both times he was stranded when No. 11 Tim McDonald was dismissed. Poor Geeves never did make a first-class hundred.
I was rather surprised to discover that there have only been seven cases of a batsman scoring 99 not out in a Sheffield Shield match. The unfortunate man who bagged two - in the space of three matches in 2008-09 - was the Tasmanian allrounder Brett Geeves, who played three white-ball internationals for Australia around this time (and was also called into the Test squad, without winning a cap). Geeves' first near-miss came against Victoria in Melbourne, and was soon followed by another 99 not out against New South Wales in Newcastle. Both times he was stranded when No. 11 Tim McDonald was dismissed. Poor Geeves never did make a first-class hundred.
The others to make 99 not out in a Sheffield Shield innings were Roger Woolley (Tasmania v Western Australia in Devonport in 1978-79), Adam Gilchrist (WA v South Australia in Adelaide in 1995-96), Jimmy Maher (Queensland v WA in Brisbane in 1998-99), Michael Klinger (Victoria v Tasmania in Hobart in 2000-01), and Michael Hussey (WA v South Australia in Adelaide in 2012-13).
I spotted that Sachin Tendulkar took part in 72 Tests that ended as draws. I assume this is the record. Who's next? asked Hasan Narayan from India
Rather surprisingly, perhaps, Sachin Tendulkar's total of 72 drawn Tests only puts him second on this particular table. On top is Kapil Dev: although he played 69 fewer Tests than Tendulkar (131 to 200), well over half of them - 75 - ended in draws. Two more Indians come next: Sunil Gavaskar (67 draws in 125 Tests) and Dilip Vengsarkar (64 out of 116). Javed Miandad played in 62 drawn Tests, and Allan Border and Rahul Dravid 59 each.
Rather surprisingly, perhaps, Sachin Tendulkar's total of 72 drawn Tests only puts him second on this particular table. On top is Kapil Dev: although he played 69 fewer Tests than Tendulkar (131 to 200), well over half of them - 75 - ended in draws. Two more Indians come next: Sunil Gavaskar (67 draws in 125 Tests) and Dilip Vengsarkar (64 out of 116). Javed Miandad played in 62 drawn Tests, and Allan Border and Rahul Dravid 59 each.
What's the most catches taken by someone who bagged a pair in the same Test? asked Kelly Morgan from New Zealand
Two wicketkeepers have taken seven catches in a Test in which they also bagged a pair - South Africa's Dave Richardson, against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 1994-95, and David Williams for West Indies against England in Port-of-Spain in 1997-98. Ian Healy made eight dismissals, two of them stumpings, to go with a pair for Australia against West Indies in Adelaide in 1992-93 (the match West Indies won by one run). Gary Wilson also took six catches in the match for Ireland against England at Lord's last year.
Two wicketkeepers have taken seven catches in a Test in which they also bagged a pair - South Africa's Dave Richardson, against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 1994-95, and David Williams for West Indies against England in Port-of-Spain in 1997-98. Ian Healy made eight dismissals, two of them stumpings, to go with a pair for Australia against West Indies in Adelaide in 1992-93 (the match West Indies won by one run). Gary Wilson also took six catches in the match for Ireland against England at Lord's last year.
The record for an outfielder who also bagged a pair is three catches, which has happened seven times now. It was most recently done by the Zimbabwean legspinner Brandon Mavuta, against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2018-19 (he also managed 0 for 189 with the ball).
Following on from the recent question about who has played the most Tests on one ground, I wondered who had played on the most different grounds? asked Michael Clements from England
Sachin Tendulkar does come out on top of this list, helped by having played a record 200 Test matches in all. He played at 42 different grounds, with 11 matches in Kolkata and Mohali, and ten each in Chennai and at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Rahul Dravid played Tests at 36 different venues, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul at 35. VVS Laxman played at 32 different grounds, and Alastair Cook and Jacques Kallis at 30.
Sachin Tendulkar does come out on top of this list, helped by having played a record 200 Test matches in all. He played at 42 different grounds, with 11 matches in Kolkata and Mohali, and ten each in Chennai and at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Rahul Dravid played Tests at 36 different venues, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul at 35. VVS Laxman played at 32 different grounds, and Alastair Cook and Jacques Kallis at 30.
The former West Indian batsman Faoud Bacchus played 19 Tests at 19 different grounds, a record recently equalled by England's Adil Rashid.
Chanderpaul holds the overall record for having played first-class cricket on the most grounds - 116, one ahead of Tom Graveney and Mushtaq Mohammad. The former England captain MJK Smith played on 114 different grounds, his sometime Test team-mates Jim Parks and Peter Richardson on 113, and Dravid and Tendulkar on 112.
Use our
feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions
Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes