Expensive debuts, and Ireland's Test men
Opening agonies, the Tendulkar-Waugh record, most Tests missed, and home runs in cricket
Steven Lynch
03-Aug-2010
Eoin Morgan: The third Ireland-born cricketer to score a Test century • Getty Images
Suraj Randiv conceded 222 runs when India piled up 707 in Colombo. Has any Test debutant conceded more runs in an innings? asked Dennis Morgan
Sri Lanka's Suraj Randiv, who took 2 for 222 in India's long innings in Colombo last week, was actually the third bowler - all of them offspinners - to go for more than 200 runs in an innings on his Test debut, but he did indeed set a new record for runs conceded. The first one was Omari Banks, who claimed 3 for 204 for West Indies against Australia in Bridgetown in 2002-03, then Australia's Jason Krejza took 8 for 215 on his debut against India in Nagpur in 2008-09. Randiv sent down 73 overs, a number exceeded in an innings by a Test debutant only once before: the England medium-pacer Tom Cartwright bowled 77 overs, taking 2 for 118, against Australia at Old Trafford in 1964.
Sri Lanka's Suraj Randiv, who took 2 for 222 in India's long innings in Colombo last week, was actually the third bowler - all of them offspinners - to go for more than 200 runs in an innings on his Test debut, but he did indeed set a new record for runs conceded. The first one was Omari Banks, who claimed 3 for 204 for West Indies against Australia in Bridgetown in 2002-03, then Australia's Jason Krejza took 8 for 215 on his debut against India in Nagpur in 2008-09. Randiv sent down 73 overs, a number exceeded in an innings by a Test debutant only once before: the England medium-pacer Tom Cartwright bowled 77 overs, taking 2 for 118, against Australia at Old Trafford in 1964.
Is Eoin Morgan the first Irishman to score a Test century? asked Damon Henderson from Belfast
Two Irish-born players had made Test centuries before Eoin Morgan's 130 against Pakistan at Trent Bridge last week. The only other one to do so for England was Fred Fane, who made 143 against South Africa at the Old Wanderers ground in Johannesburg in 1905-06: Fane, who was born in Curragh Camp in County Kildare, played 14 Tests, captaining England in five of them, including the first three matches of the 1907-08 Ashes tour after the appointed captain, Arthur Jones of Nottinghamshire, fell ill. The other Irish-born centurion was the Australian batsman Tom Horan, who first saw the light of day in Midleton, County Cork. He scored 124 against England in Melbourne in 1881-82, and later captained Australia in two of his eventual 15 Tests. The other Test cricketers who were born in Ireland are Leland Hone, Martin McCague, Joseph McMaster and Sir Timothy O'Brien (England), and Clement Johnson and Robert Poore (South Africa).
Two Irish-born players had made Test centuries before Eoin Morgan's 130 against Pakistan at Trent Bridge last week. The only other one to do so for England was Fred Fane, who made 143 against South Africa at the Old Wanderers ground in Johannesburg in 1905-06: Fane, who was born in Curragh Camp in County Kildare, played 14 Tests, captaining England in five of them, including the first three matches of the 1907-08 Ashes tour after the appointed captain, Arthur Jones of Nottinghamshire, fell ill. The other Irish-born centurion was the Australian batsman Tom Horan, who first saw the light of day in Midleton, County Cork. He scored 124 against England in Melbourne in 1881-82, and later captained Australia in two of his eventual 15 Tests. The other Test cricketers who were born in Ireland are Leland Hone, Martin McCague, Joseph McMaster and Sir Timothy O'Brien (England), and Clement Johnson and Robert Poore (South Africa).
Dilhara Fernando took the new ball against India in Colombo, but didn't take a wicket until the 225th over of the innings. Is this a record for an opening bowler in Tests? asked Balaji via Cricinfo's commentary feedback
This is a difficult one to be sure about, as we don't know for certain when wickets fell in most early Test matches. The highest total at which one of the opening bowlers took a wicket for the first time in an innings seems to be 667 for 3, which was the score when West Indies' Herman Griffith struck - if that's the right word - to remove England's Les Ames during the timeless final Test in Kingston in 1929-30. The whole innings of 849 occupied 258.2 overs, so it seems unlikely that Griffith's wicket came as late as Fernando's. But one that might well have come later than the 225th over was the Australian Merv Waite's only wicket of the 1938 Oval Test. He removed Denis Compton for a single immediately after tea on the second day to leave England tottering at 555 for 5, on their way to 903 for 7 in what remains the longest Test innings in terms of overs bowled - 335.2.
This is a difficult one to be sure about, as we don't know for certain when wickets fell in most early Test matches. The highest total at which one of the opening bowlers took a wicket for the first time in an innings seems to be 667 for 3, which was the score when West Indies' Herman Griffith struck - if that's the right word - to remove England's Les Ames during the timeless final Test in Kingston in 1929-30. The whole innings of 849 occupied 258.2 overs, so it seems unlikely that Griffith's wicket came as late as Fernando's. But one that might well have come later than the 225th over was the Australian Merv Waite's only wicket of the 1938 Oval Test. He removed Denis Compton for a single immediately after tea on the second day to leave England tottering at 555 for 5, on their way to 903 for 7 in what remains the longest Test innings in terms of overs bowled - 335.2.
Is Sachin Tendulkar the only batsman to have scored at least 150 against the other nine Test teams? asked Chaitanya from the United States
Sachin Tendulkar's 203 in Colombo last week did indeed complete his nap hand of 150s against all nine Test-playing countries (his previous-highest against Sri Lanka was a near-miss of 148). Remarkably, Kumar Sangakkara completed his full set of 150s earlier in the same match (his highest score against India before his 219 at the Sinhalese Sports Club was 144). But someone else got there first: Steve Waugh was the first to manage it, completing his set with 156 not out against Bangladesh in Cairns in 2003. Seven other batsmen have scored centuries against all nine opponents, but have missed out on 150s against some of them: Marvan Atapattu, Rahul Dravid, Adam Gilchrist, Mahela Jayawardene, Gary Kirsten (who was the first to do it), Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting. Matthew Hayden made centuries against nine different opponents, but one of them was the World XI in the Super Series Test at Sydney in 2005-06: he never made a Test century against Bangladesh. And finally, to answer someone else's question, that Colombo innings was Tendulkar's 19th of 150 or more in Tests, equalling Brian Lara's record and one ahead of Don Bradman.
Sachin Tendulkar's 203 in Colombo last week did indeed complete his nap hand of 150s against all nine Test-playing countries (his previous-highest against Sri Lanka was a near-miss of 148). Remarkably, Kumar Sangakkara completed his full set of 150s earlier in the same match (his highest score against India before his 219 at the Sinhalese Sports Club was 144). But someone else got there first: Steve Waugh was the first to manage it, completing his set with 156 not out against Bangladesh in Cairns in 2003. Seven other batsmen have scored centuries against all nine opponents, but have missed out on 150s against some of them: Marvan Atapattu, Rahul Dravid, Adam Gilchrist, Mahela Jayawardene, Gary Kirsten (who was the first to do it), Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting. Matthew Hayden made centuries against nine different opponents, but one of them was the World XI in the Super Series Test at Sydney in 2005-06: he never made a Test century against Bangladesh. And finally, to answer someone else's question, that Colombo innings was Tendulkar's 19th of 150 or more in Tests, equalling Brian Lara's record and one ahead of Don Bradman.
Which player missed the most Tests between successive caps during his career? asked Bill Harewood from London
The record is held by the Surrey fast bowler Martin Bicknell, who was not chosen for 114 successive Tests between his first two caps for England in 1993 and his last two in 2003. He was run close last year by Floyd Reifer, who had missed 109 Tests since 1998-99 before being recalled to captain West Indies against Bangladesh in July 2009. Two other players have seen a century of Tests go by between appearances: Younis Ahmed played two Tests for Pakistan in 1969-70, then two more in 1986-87; and the metronomic Hampshire medium-pacer Derek Shackleton missed 103 England Tests between 1951-52 and his recall to face West Indies in 1963. Younis Ahmed's time gap of 17 years 111 days between Tests has been beaten only by George Gunn, who went 17 years 316 days between England appearances in 1911-12 and 1929-30, and John Traicos, who played three Tests for South Africa in 1969-70, and four more for Zimbabwe more than 22 years later in 1992-93. For the full list, click here.
The record is held by the Surrey fast bowler Martin Bicknell, who was not chosen for 114 successive Tests between his first two caps for England in 1993 and his last two in 2003. He was run close last year by Floyd Reifer, who had missed 109 Tests since 1998-99 before being recalled to captain West Indies against Bangladesh in July 2009. Two other players have seen a century of Tests go by between appearances: Younis Ahmed played two Tests for Pakistan in 1969-70, then two more in 1986-87; and the metronomic Hampshire medium-pacer Derek Shackleton missed 103 England Tests between 1951-52 and his recall to face West Indies in 1963. Younis Ahmed's time gap of 17 years 111 days between Tests has been beaten only by George Gunn, who went 17 years 316 days between England appearances in 1911-12 and 1929-30, and John Traicos, who played three Tests for South Africa in 1969-70, and four more for Zimbabwe more than 22 years later in 1992-93. For the full list, click here.
I was in a pub quiz in St John's, Newfoundland, recently, and we had the question "Which sport used the term 'home run' long before baseball?" The answer given was cricket, but I can't find any hard evidence that this was ever the case. Can you shed any light on the matter? asked Liam Herringshaw from Canada
Well, I don't want to upset the question-masters of Newfoundland, but actually I don't think "home run" was ever a frequently used term in cricket. It's in neither of the recent cricket dictionaries, and isn't mentioned as far as I can see in Rowland Bowen's seminal work Cricket: A History (1970). I asked Matthew Engel, the former Wisden editor, who has written a book on baseball and cricket, and he hadn't heard of it either. That's not to say it was never used - I'm sure it probably was from time to time, especially once baseball grew in popularity - but it doesn't seem to have been a common term.
Well, I don't want to upset the question-masters of Newfoundland, but actually I don't think "home run" was ever a frequently used term in cricket. It's in neither of the recent cricket dictionaries, and isn't mentioned as far as I can see in Rowland Bowen's seminal work Cricket: A History (1970). I asked Matthew Engel, the former Wisden editor, who has written a book on baseball and cricket, and he hadn't heard of it either. That's not to say it was never used - I'm sure it probably was from time to time, especially once baseball grew in popularity - but it doesn't seem to have been a common term.
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. Ask Steven is now on Facebook