Debut doubles, and the most runs before lunch
Barath and Amre's unique feat, 1000 first-class runs as a teen, most catches in an ODI, and more
Steven Lynch
09-Mar-2010
New Zealander Kane Williamson is following in Martin Crowe's footsteps, having made over 1000 first-class runs before turning 20 • Getty Images
Adrian Barath recently added a half-century on ODI debut to his hundred in his first Test. I know Pravin Amre did the same. Has anyone gone one better and scored centuries on both debuts? asked Rhushi Kulkarni from the United States
No one has yet managed to score centuries on both their Test and one-day international debuts. Apart from Adrian Barath and India's Pravin Amre, the only other man who made a century on Test debut and a fifty in his first ODI was Kepler Wessels for Australia in 1982-83 (he later added two half-centuries in his first Test for South Africa, and 50 in his first ODI for them). Zimbabwe's Andy Flower and Desmond Haynes of West Indies did the reverse - a century in their first ODI and a half-century on Test debut. New Zealand's Scott Styris scored a century on Test debut and a fifty in his first Twenty20 international. Another New Zealander had a notable near-miss: Stephen Fleming made 92 on his Test debut and 90 (run out) in his first one-day international, all in the space of a few days in March 1994.
No one has yet managed to score centuries on both their Test and one-day international debuts. Apart from Adrian Barath and India's Pravin Amre, the only other man who made a century on Test debut and a fifty in his first ODI was Kepler Wessels for Australia in 1982-83 (he later added two half-centuries in his first Test for South Africa, and 50 in his first ODI for them). Zimbabwe's Andy Flower and Desmond Haynes of West Indies did the reverse - a century in their first ODI and a half-century on Test debut. New Zealand's Scott Styris scored a century on Test debut and a fifty in his first Twenty20 international. Another New Zealander had a notable near-miss: Stephen Fleming made 92 on his Test debut and 90 (run out) in his first one-day international, all in the space of a few days in March 1994.
What is the highest number of runs scored by an opener before lunch on the first day of a Test match? asked Ashok Saboo from Indonesia
Four batsmen have made a century before lunch on the first day of a Test. The highest score any of them reached was 112 - and the man concerned wasn't even an opener! At Headingley in 1926 Australia's No. 3, Charles Macartney, came in when his captain, Warren Bardsley, was dismissed by the first ball of the match. Macartney, who was 40 years old at the time, was dropped off the fifth ball of the same first over - and certainly made England pay, sprinting to 112 by lunch and 151 in all in an innings that Wisden called "a privilege to witness". The others to have reached three figures before lunch on the first day of a Test are Majid Khan, who scored 108 of his 112 before the interval for Pakistan v New Zealand in Karachi in 1976-77, Australia's Don Bradman (like Macartney, at No. 3), with 105 of his eventual 334 against England at Headingley in 1930, and the first man ever to achieve the feat, Victor Trumper, with 103 of his eventual 104 for Australia v England at Old Trafford in 1902.
Four batsmen have made a century before lunch on the first day of a Test. The highest score any of them reached was 112 - and the man concerned wasn't even an opener! At Headingley in 1926 Australia's No. 3, Charles Macartney, came in when his captain, Warren Bardsley, was dismissed by the first ball of the match. Macartney, who was 40 years old at the time, was dropped off the fifth ball of the same first over - and certainly made England pay, sprinting to 112 by lunch and 151 in all in an innings that Wisden called "a privilege to witness". The others to have reached three figures before lunch on the first day of a Test are Majid Khan, who scored 108 of his 112 before the interval for Pakistan v New Zealand in Karachi in 1976-77, Australia's Don Bradman (like Macartney, at No. 3), with 105 of his eventual 334 against England at Headingley in 1930, and the first man ever to achieve the feat, Victor Trumper, with 103 of his eventual 104 for Australia v England at Old Trafford in 1902.
Kane Williamson scored 170 recently, and has reached 1000 first-class runs before the age of 20. Have any other New Zealanders done this? asked Tim Pate from New Zealand
The promising young Northern Districts batsman Kane Williamson has indeed sailed past 1000 first-class runs - he has 1148 as I write, and he's not 20 until August. That 170 came in Wellington last week. It's a rare feat for a New Zealander, although I know that Martin Crowe also managed it (1127 runs before his 20th birthday). I hope that Williamson is as much fun to watch as Crowe at his best.
The promising young Northern Districts batsman Kane Williamson has indeed sailed past 1000 first-class runs - he has 1148 as I write, and he's not 20 until August. That 170 came in Wellington last week. It's a rare feat for a New Zealander, although I know that Martin Crowe also managed it (1127 runs before his 20th birthday). I hope that Williamson is as much fun to watch as Crowe at his best.
Who has taken the most catches in an innings in a one-day international? asked Junaid Ahmed from Dhaka
There have been seven instances of a wicketkeeper taking six catches in an innings in a one-day international, four of them by Adam Gilchrist. The others to have done it are South Africa's Mark Boucher and the England pair of Alec Stewart and Matt Prior. For the full list, click here. The record for an outfielder is five catches, by Jonty Rhodes for South Africa against West Indies in Mumbai in 1993-94. There have been 25 further instances of a fielder taking four catches in an ODI innings (Younis Khan has done it twice): for that list, click here.
There have been seven instances of a wicketkeeper taking six catches in an innings in a one-day international, four of them by Adam Gilchrist. The others to have done it are South Africa's Mark Boucher and the England pair of Alec Stewart and Matt Prior. For the full list, click here. The record for an outfielder is five catches, by Jonty Rhodes for South Africa against West Indies in Mumbai in 1993-94. There have been 25 further instances of a fielder taking four catches in an ODI innings (Younis Khan has done it twice): for that list, click here.
Brendon McCullum scored a hundred in his 50th Test match. How many players have done this? asked Elamaran Perumal from the United States
Brendon McCullum, who scored 185 against Bangladesh in Dunedin last month, was the 30th player to score a century in his 50th Test match. Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka made two. The highest score by a batsman in his 50th Test is 317, by Chris Gayle for West Indies against South Africa at St John's in 2004-05; the only others to have scored more in one innings in their 50th Test than McCullum are Javed Miandad (280), Ken Barrington (256), Sunil Gavaskar (221), Bill Lawry (205) and Sanath Jayasuriya (188).
Brendon McCullum, who scored 185 against Bangladesh in Dunedin last month, was the 30th player to score a century in his 50th Test match. Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka made two. The highest score by a batsman in his 50th Test is 317, by Chris Gayle for West Indies against South Africa at St John's in 2004-05; the only others to have scored more in one innings in their 50th Test than McCullum are Javed Miandad (280), Ken Barrington (256), Sunil Gavaskar (221), Bill Lawry (205) and Sanath Jayasuriya (188).
There's an addition to last week's question about people taking two wickets in their first over of international cricket:
In talking about people who took two wickets in their first over of international cricket, I only looked at Tests and one-day internationals. But Babar Siddiqi from Pakistan has pointed out that the legspinner Mansoor Amjad had an even more remarkable first over, in a Twenty20 international: he took three wickets (with his second, fifth and sixth legal balls) in his first and only over against Bangladesh in Karachi in April 2008. He finished with figures of 1-0-3-3. Amjad has since played a solitary one-day international for Pakistan, this time taking his only wicket with his tenth ball. Since last week England's Ajmal Shahzad has added a wicket in his first over in one-day internationals to the two he took in his first Twenty20-international over: it remains to be seen whether he can complete a unique treble when he makes his Test debut.
In talking about people who took two wickets in their first over of international cricket, I only looked at Tests and one-day internationals. But Babar Siddiqi from Pakistan has pointed out that the legspinner Mansoor Amjad had an even more remarkable first over, in a Twenty20 international: he took three wickets (with his second, fifth and sixth legal balls) in his first and only over against Bangladesh in Karachi in April 2008. He finished with figures of 1-0-3-3. Amjad has since played a solitary one-day international for Pakistan, this time taking his only wicket with his tenth ball. Since last week England's Ajmal Shahzad has added a wicket in his first over in one-day internationals to the two he took in his first Twenty20-international over: it remains to be seen whether he can complete a unique treble when he makes his Test debut.
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