Has there been a Test in which the team batting last required only one run to win?
Also, what's the highest ODI total without a fifty?
Steven Lynch
22-Jan-2019
England needed only one run in the second innings to seal a 4-0 whitewash against West Indies at The Oval in 2004; Marcus Trescothick obliged with a four • Getty Images
South Africa lost a one-day international the other day despite losing only two wickets. Was this a record? asked Brian Taylor from England
South Africa made 266 for 2 in that match in Port Elizabeth last week, but still lost to Pakistan. This was the fifth time that a team lost an ODI despite losing only two wickets: the last one was also in South Africa, in Johannesburg in 2003-04, when West Indies lost despite amassing 304 for 2, with Chris Gayle making 152 not out. Pakistan lost a World Cup match against West Indies in Melbourne in 1991-92 despite scoring 220 for 2 (West Indies replied with 221 for 0, so only two wickets went down all day, although Brian Lara did retire hurt). The other instances were by India (183 for 2) against Pakistan in Sahiwal in 1978-79 (India conceded the match in protest at a barrage of short-pitched bowling), and by New Zealand (167 for 2) against Australia in Auckland in 1989-90 (they were behind the target score when rain ended the match).
South Africa made 266 for 2 in that match in Port Elizabeth last week, but still lost to Pakistan. This was the fifth time that a team lost an ODI despite losing only two wickets: the last one was also in South Africa, in Johannesburg in 2003-04, when West Indies lost despite amassing 304 for 2, with Chris Gayle making 152 not out. Pakistan lost a World Cup match against West Indies in Melbourne in 1991-92 despite scoring 220 for 2 (West Indies replied with 221 for 0, so only two wickets went down all day, although Brian Lara did retire hurt). The other instances were by India (183 for 2) against Pakistan in Sahiwal in 1978-79 (India conceded the match in protest at a barrage of short-pitched bowling), and by New Zealand (167 for 2) against Australia in Auckland in 1989-90 (they were behind the target score when rain ended the match).
Two ODIs have been lost by a team losing only one wicket, although both of them were badly affected by rain. In the 1991-92 World Cup, Zimbabwe lost to India despite scoring 104 for 1 in Hamilton, as they were behind the target score when rain ended the match. And in Hambantota in 2013-14, Sri Lanka had scored 138 for 1 before a long rain delay; New Zealand were set a Duckworth-Lewis target of 198 in 23 overs, and got there off the last ball.
MS Dhoni scored 193 runs in the three-match ODI series against Australia without a century. What's the most in a three-match series where the batsman did not score a hundred? asked Savo Ceprnich from South Africa
Surprisingly perhaps, Mahendra Singh Dhoni - who scored 51, 55 not out and 87 not out in the recent series in Australia - comes in quite a way down this particular list. Another Indian, Kris Srikkanth, leads, with 244 runs in the home series against Sri Lanka in 1981-82, when his scores were 57, 95 and 92. The New Zealand opener Martin Guptill hit 232 runs - 70, 77 and 85 - at home against Zimbabwe in 2011-12. Dhoni's average of 193, however, is the highest in a three-match ODI series without a hundred, beating Ricky Ponting's 186 for Australia in Zimbabwe in 1999-2000.
Surprisingly perhaps, Mahendra Singh Dhoni - who scored 51, 55 not out and 87 not out in the recent series in Australia - comes in quite a way down this particular list. Another Indian, Kris Srikkanth, leads, with 244 runs in the home series against Sri Lanka in 1981-82, when his scores were 57, 95 and 92. The New Zealand opener Martin Guptill hit 232 runs - 70, 77 and 85 - at home against Zimbabwe in 2011-12. Dhoni's average of 193, however, is the highest in a three-match ODI series without a hundred, beating Ricky Ponting's 186 for Australia in Zimbabwe in 1999-2000.
Has there been a Test in which the team batting last required only one run to win? asked Anas from Pakistan
There have been seven Test matches in which the scores were level after three innings, so the side batting last had to come out and score one run to win. In two of those, someone hit a four to end the match - Sarfraz Nawaz for Pakistan against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 1976-77, and Marcus Trescothick for England against West Indies at The Oval in 2004. When West Indies beat India by ten wickets in Bridgetown in 1982-83, the winning run was a no-ball from Syed Kirmani.
There have been seven Test matches in which the scores were level after three innings, so the side batting last had to come out and score one run to win. In two of those, someone hit a four to end the match - Sarfraz Nawaz for Pakistan against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 1976-77, and Marcus Trescothick for England against West Indies at The Oval in 2004. When West Indies beat India by ten wickets in Bridgetown in 1982-83, the winning run was a no-ball from Syed Kirmani.
What's the highest ODI total without a fifty? asked Brian Powell from England
The highest one-day international total without an individual half-century is England's 285 against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford in 2006, when the highest score was Andrew Strauss' 45, unusually scored from No. 4. They beat the previous record, Pakistan's 281 for 9 against West Indies in Adelaide in 2004-05, when the highest individual contribution was also 45, by Mohammad Yousuf.
The highest one-day international total without an individual half-century is England's 285 against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford in 2006, when the highest score was Andrew Strauss' 45, unusually scored from No. 4. They beat the previous record, Pakistan's 281 for 9 against West Indies in Adelaide in 2004-05, when the highest individual contribution was also 45, by Mohammad Yousuf.
The record for Tests is England's 315 against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1985-86 (highest score 47 by David Gower), just ahead of South Africa's 313 against England in Johannesburg in 2015-16 (Dean Elgar 46).
Virat Kohli now has five international centuries at the Adelaide Oval. Is that a record for the most hundreds by a batsman at an overseas venue? asked Aditya Alok from India
Virat Kohli does indeed now have five international centuries at Adelaide Oval - three in Tests and two in one-day internationals, one of those being against Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup. The record for an away venue is seven centuries, by Saeed Anwar and Sachin Tendulkar in Sharjah (all in ODIs).
Virat Kohli does indeed now have five international centuries at Adelaide Oval - three in Tests and two in one-day internationals, one of those being against Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup. The record for an away venue is seven centuries, by Saeed Anwar and Sachin Tendulkar in Sharjah (all in ODIs).
England's Jack Hobbs scored five centuries in Melbourne, all in Tests (a record), while Tendulkar collected five at both the Premadasa Stadium (four in ODIs) and the Sinhalese Sports Club (four in Tests) in Colombo. Younis Khan made six international centuries in Abu Dhabi and five in Dubai, while Misbah-ul-Haq scored five in Abu Dhabi - but most of those came while Pakistan were playing "home" matches in the UAE.
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Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes