A brace of 99s, and Sir Donald's ducks
Missing a hundred by one run twice, Bradman's zeroes, the youngest and oldest centurions, and Tests in Sharjah
Steven Lynch
30-Sep-2008
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I noticed that Mike Atherton was twice dismissed for 99 in Tests. Is he the only person to suffer this misfortune twice? asked Godfrey from India
Rather surprisingly, no fewer than six other players have shared the fate of England's Mike Atherton, who was out for 99 against Australia at Lord's in 1993 (run out) and also against South Africa at Headingley in 1994 (caught and bowled by Brian McMillan). The other batsmen to have bagged a brace of 99s in Tests are Australia's Greg Blewett (twice during 1997), Sourav Ganguly of India, Richie Richardson of West Indies, Saleem Malik of Pakistan, the former England captain Mike Smith, and New Zealand's John Wright. The former England opener Geoff Boycott came close - he was dismissed for 99 against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1973-74, and was left stranded on 99 not out against Australia in Perth in 1979-80.
Rather surprisingly, no fewer than six other players have shared the fate of England's Mike Atherton, who was out for 99 against Australia at Lord's in 1993 (run out) and also against South Africa at Headingley in 1994 (caught and bowled by Brian McMillan). The other batsmen to have bagged a brace of 99s in Tests are Australia's Greg Blewett (twice during 1997), Sourav Ganguly of India, Richie Richardson of West Indies, Saleem Malik of Pakistan, the former England captain Mike Smith, and New Zealand's John Wright. The former England opener Geoff Boycott came close - he was dismissed for 99 against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1973-74, and was left stranded on 99 not out against Australia in Perth in 1979-80.
We know that Eric Hollies was the bowler who dismissed Don Bradman for a duck to keep his Test average below 100. But which other bowlers dismissed Donald for a duck in Tests? asked M Jothi Venkatesh from India
Don Bradman's 80 Test innings actually included as many as seven ducks, including that famous one at The Oval in 1948 when England's Eric Hollies bowled him second ball to leave The Don's Test average stuck for ever at 99.94. Bradman's first duck - the only one not inflicted by England - came against West Indies in Sydney in 1930-31, when he was bowled by the Barbadian fast bowler Herman Griffith. The second one followed almost two years later, in Bradman's delayed first innings of the infamous Bodyline series, in Melbourne: this time the lucky bowler (literally, as Bradman somehow dragged the ball on to his stumps while attempting a pull) was Yorkshire's Bill Bowes - it was his only wicket of that fractious series. Bradman's third and fourth Test ducks came a fortnight apart in the 1936-37 Ashes series, in his first two matches as Australia's captain. In Brisbane he was caught by Arthur Fagg off England's captain Gubby Allen, and in the next match, in Sydney, he fell to Bill Voce, this time caught by Allen at short leg. Bradman's fifth and sixth ducks both came courtesy another England fast bowler, Alec Bedser. In the fourth Test of the 1946-47 Ashes series, in Adelaide, Bradman was bowled by Bedser for 0; and in the second innings of the first Test of the following series, at Trent Bridge in 1948, Bradman was caught at leg slip by Len Hutton off Bedser's bowling before he had made a run (he went that way in the first innings too, but not before he'd made 138).
Don Bradman's 80 Test innings actually included as many as seven ducks, including that famous one at The Oval in 1948 when England's Eric Hollies bowled him second ball to leave The Don's Test average stuck for ever at 99.94. Bradman's first duck - the only one not inflicted by England - came against West Indies in Sydney in 1930-31, when he was bowled by the Barbadian fast bowler Herman Griffith. The second one followed almost two years later, in Bradman's delayed first innings of the infamous Bodyline series, in Melbourne: this time the lucky bowler (literally, as Bradman somehow dragged the ball on to his stumps while attempting a pull) was Yorkshire's Bill Bowes - it was his only wicket of that fractious series. Bradman's third and fourth Test ducks came a fortnight apart in the 1936-37 Ashes series, in his first two matches as Australia's captain. In Brisbane he was caught by Arthur Fagg off England's captain Gubby Allen, and in the next match, in Sydney, he fell to Bill Voce, this time caught by Allen at short leg. Bradman's fifth and sixth ducks both came courtesy another England fast bowler, Alec Bedser. In the fourth Test of the 1946-47 Ashes series, in Adelaide, Bradman was bowled by Bedser for 0; and in the second innings of the first Test of the following series, at Trent Bridge in 1948, Bradman was caught at leg slip by Len Hutton off Bedser's bowling before he had made a run (he went that way in the first innings too, but not before he'd made 138).
Mohammad Ashraful is the youngest man to score a Test century, at 17. Who is the oldest man to have reached three figures in a Test match? And what about the youngest and oldest women? asked Donald Stevens from Melbourne
The oldest man to score a Test century remains - probably for all time - the great Surrey and England opener Jack Hobbs, who was 46 years and 82 days old when he made his 15th and last Test hundred, against Australia in Melbourne in 1928-29. In women's Test matches the oldest centurion is England's Jan Brittin, who was 39 years and 39 days old when she made the first 148 of her eventual 167 against Australia in Harrogate in 1998. Her opening partner that day, Charlotte Edwards, was just 19 years and 210 days old when she made her first Test hundred the following year, but she is only second on the list of youngest female century-makers: Sri Lanka's Chamani Seneviratna was 19 years and 156 days old when she made 105 not out against Pakistan in Colombo in April 1998. She also took 5 for 31 and 2 for 28 in what turned out to be her only Test match.
The oldest man to score a Test century remains - probably for all time - the great Surrey and England opener Jack Hobbs, who was 46 years and 82 days old when he made his 15th and last Test hundred, against Australia in Melbourne in 1928-29. In women's Test matches the oldest centurion is England's Jan Brittin, who was 39 years and 39 days old when she made the first 148 of her eventual 167 against Australia in Harrogate in 1998. Her opening partner that day, Charlotte Edwards, was just 19 years and 210 days old when she made her first Test hundred the following year, but she is only second on the list of youngest female century-makers: Sri Lanka's Chamani Seneviratna was 19 years and 156 days old when she made 105 not out against Pakistan in Colombo in April 1998. She also took 5 for 31 and 2 for 28 in what turned out to be her only Test match.
I believe that five Test matches have been played in Sharjah. Who has scored the most runs there? asked Arjun from India
Actually there have been only four official Tests in Sharjah, all of them "home" games for Pakistan - two against West Indies early in 2002, and two against Australia later in the year (the first Test of that series was played in Sri Lanka). Both series were switched away from Pakistan because of security concerns. The leading run-scorer in the four Tests in Sharjah is Pakistan's Younis Khan, with 323, including 153 in the second Test against West Indies, the highest individual Test score on the ground (there were six other centuries there, by Matthew Hayden, Mohammad Yousuf, Ricky Ponting, Rashid Latif, Shahid Afridi and Steve Waugh). The leading wicket-taker there is Shane Warne, with 16 at 9.62 in his two Tests.
Actually there have been only four official Tests in Sharjah, all of them "home" games for Pakistan - two against West Indies early in 2002, and two against Australia later in the year (the first Test of that series was played in Sri Lanka). Both series were switched away from Pakistan because of security concerns. The leading run-scorer in the four Tests in Sharjah is Pakistan's Younis Khan, with 323, including 153 in the second Test against West Indies, the highest individual Test score on the ground (there were six other centuries there, by Matthew Hayden, Mohammad Yousuf, Ricky Ponting, Rashid Latif, Shahid Afridi and Steve Waugh). The leading wicket-taker there is Shane Warne, with 16 at 9.62 in his two Tests.
I see that Luke Ronchi, Australia's new wicketkeeper, was born in New Zealand. How many other Kiwis have played for the old enemy? asked Ewan Straughan from Canterbury
Luke Ronchi, who made his one-day international debut for Australia on the recent tour of West Indies, was indeed born in New Zealand, in Dannevirke, in 1981. Only three New Zealand-born players have played for Australia in Tests (Ronchi hasn't yet played in one): way back in 1880, batsman Tom Groube (born in New Plymouth in Taranaki) played for Australia in the first Test ever played in England, at The Oval; during the 1920s and thirties Australia's leading bowler was the legspinner Clarrie Grimmett, who was born near Dunedin; and more recently, fast bowler Brendon Julian (born in Hamilton) won seven Test caps for Australia in the 1990s.
Luke Ronchi, who made his one-day international debut for Australia on the recent tour of West Indies, was indeed born in New Zealand, in Dannevirke, in 1981. Only three New Zealand-born players have played for Australia in Tests (Ronchi hasn't yet played in one): way back in 1880, batsman Tom Groube (born in New Plymouth in Taranaki) played for Australia in the first Test ever played in England, at The Oval; during the 1920s and thirties Australia's leading bowler was the legspinner Clarrie Grimmett, who was born near Dunedin; and more recently, fast bowler Brendon Julian (born in Hamilton) won seven Test caps for Australia in the 1990s.
Following on from last week's question about the highest score on the losing side, what are the best bowling figures by someone whose side ended up losing a Test? asked Qaisar Khan from Sweden
Three players have taken nine wickets in a Test innings, but ended up on the losing side - all of them, rather oddly, in India-West Indies matches. The first to do it was the Indian legspinner Subhash "Fergie" Gupte, who took 9 for 102 in Kanpur in 1958-59, in a match West Indies went on to win by 203 runs. The boot was on the other foot in Port-of-Spain in 1970-71, when the West Indian offspinner Jack Noreiga took 9 for 95 against India, but lost. And another Indian, Kapil Dev, recorded the best figures by a Test-match loser in 1983-84, with 9 for 83 against West Indies in Ahmedabad. The best match figures in a defeat are 13 for 132, by another Indian, Javagal Srinath, who followed 5 for 46 with 8 for 86 against Pakistan in Calcutta in 1998-99.
Three players have taken nine wickets in a Test innings, but ended up on the losing side - all of them, rather oddly, in India-West Indies matches. The first to do it was the Indian legspinner Subhash "Fergie" Gupte, who took 9 for 102 in Kanpur in 1958-59, in a match West Indies went on to win by 203 runs. The boot was on the other foot in Port-of-Spain in 1970-71, when the West Indian offspinner Jack Noreiga took 9 for 95 against India, but lost. And another Indian, Kapil Dev, recorded the best figures by a Test-match loser in 1983-84, with 9 for 83 against West Indies in Ahmedabad. The best match figures in a defeat are 13 for 132, by another Indian, Javagal Srinath, who followed 5 for 46 with 8 for 86 against Pakistan in Calcutta in 1998-99.
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