Roy's big score, and Plunkett's slow crawl
Also, best figures on debut, and keeping records in three-Test series
Steven Lynch
05-Jul-2016
Zero balance: Khurram Khan (left) scored and conceded 78 runs in an ODI against Bangladesh in 2008 • AFP
Mitch Marsh scored 32 and conceded 32 runs in the tri-series final in the West Indies. Is this the highest identical number in an ODI? asked Rory Sackville from Australia
Rather surprisingly perhaps, Mitchell Marsh's performance for Australia against West Indies in the recent tri-series final in Bridgetown - he scored 32 then took 3 for 32 - isn't close to the top of this particular list for one-day internationals. There are 26 higher such doubles, nine of them 50 or higher. The highest of all was by Khurram Khan of the UAE, with 78 and 2 for 78 against Bangladesh in Lahore in June 2008. The highest for Australia was by Kepler Wessels, who scored 50 against West Indies in Perth in 1983-84 then, bowling what someone once described as "nude seamers", took 2 for 50. The only other one higher than Marsh's double was Brett Lee's 38 not out and 4 for 38 against West Indies in Adelaide in 2004-05. In that match Lee and Jason Gillespie added 73 for the tenth wicket - then shared six wickets as Australia won by 73 runs.
Rather surprisingly perhaps, Mitchell Marsh's performance for Australia against West Indies in the recent tri-series final in Bridgetown - he scored 32 then took 3 for 32 - isn't close to the top of this particular list for one-day internationals. There are 26 higher such doubles, nine of them 50 or higher. The highest of all was by Khurram Khan of the UAE, with 78 and 2 for 78 against Bangladesh in Lahore in June 2008. The highest for Australia was by Kepler Wessels, who scored 50 against West Indies in Perth in 1983-84 then, bowling what someone once described as "nude seamers", took 2 for 50. The only other one higher than Marsh's double was Brett Lee's 38 not out and 4 for 38 against West Indies in Adelaide in 2004-05. In that match Lee and Jason Gillespie added 73 for the tenth wicket - then shared six wickets as Australia won by 73 runs.
Was Jason Roy's 162 the highest score by an opener in ODIs? asked Qudrat Ullah Rahimi from Pakistan
Jason Roy's 162 against Sri Lanka at The Oval last week was the highest score by an England opener in one-day internationals, beating Andrew Strauss' 158 in the tie against India in Bangalore during the 2011 World Cup. Strauss occupies the next two places on England's list, too, with 154 against Bangladesh at Edgbaston in 2010, and 152 against them at Trent Bridge in 2005 (England have only four of the 66 scores of 150-plus in ODIs). Overall, though, Roy is well down the list: there have been 31 higher scores by openers in one-day internationals, including all six of the format's double-centuries. The biggest of all is Rohit Sharma's 264, for India against Sri Lanka in Kolkata in November 2014.
Jason Roy's 162 against Sri Lanka at The Oval last week was the highest score by an England opener in one-day internationals, beating Andrew Strauss' 158 in the tie against India in Bangalore during the 2011 World Cup. Strauss occupies the next two places on England's list, too, with 154 against Bangladesh at Edgbaston in 2010, and 152 against them at Trent Bridge in 2005 (England have only four of the 66 scores of 150-plus in ODIs). Overall, though, Roy is well down the list: there have been 31 higher scores by openers in one-day internationals, including all six of the format's double-centuries. The biggest of all is Rohit Sharma's 264, for India against Sri Lanka in Kolkata in November 2014.
In one of the recent ODIs between England and Sri Lanka, the umpire was wearing some contraption on his hand. What was it? asked Surendra Daya from South Africa
The thing you're referring to was worn by the Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford on his left arm during the second match of the recent one-day series between England and Sri Lanka, at Edgbaston. It's a plastic shield, designed to protect the umpire in the event of the ball being smashed back straight at him - he can try to parry the ball away with the shield. Oxenford wore it during a match in this year's IPL, and also in one of the warm-up games for the World Twenty20 - but this was the first time it had been used in a full international match.
The thing you're referring to was worn by the Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford on his left arm during the second match of the recent one-day series between England and Sri Lanka, at Edgbaston. It's a plastic shield, designed to protect the umpire in the event of the ball being smashed back straight at him - he can try to parry the ball away with the shield. Oxenford wore it during a match in this year's IPL, and also in one of the warm-up games for the World Twenty20 - but this was the first time it had been used in a full international match.
Liam Plunkett took his 50th ODI wicket in the series against Sri Lanka, ten years after his debut. Is this the longest for anyone to achieve this feat? asked Durgesh Kulkarni from India
Liam Plunkett reached 50 wickets when he dismissed Kusal Perera in the third match of the recent series against Sri Lanka, in Bristol. It took him 37 matches, spread over more than 10½ years since his debut in December 2005. That's the slowest in terms of time for England apart from Graeme Swann, who took about a month longer. Swann, though, went wicketless on his debut, against South Africa in Bloemfontein in January 2000, then didn't play another ODI for more than seven years, taking 1 for 47 in his second game, against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in October 2007. Overall 11 men took more time than Plunkett to reach 50 wickets in ODIs. Pakistan's Saleem Malik, who needed 203 matches spread over almost 12 years, took the longest of all. Most of the players concerned were not frontline bowlers, although there is a rather surprising name just above Plunkett: Imran Khan, Pakistan's World Cup-winning captain in 1992, took five days longer to make it to a half-century of wickets, finally doing so in March 1985 after making his debut in 1974. He got there in style, though, with 6 for 14 against India in Sharjah - and it should be borne in mind that far fewer ODIs were played back then.
Liam Plunkett reached 50 wickets when he dismissed Kusal Perera in the third match of the recent series against Sri Lanka, in Bristol. It took him 37 matches, spread over more than 10½ years since his debut in December 2005. That's the slowest in terms of time for England apart from Graeme Swann, who took about a month longer. Swann, though, went wicketless on his debut, against South Africa in Bloemfontein in January 2000, then didn't play another ODI for more than seven years, taking 1 for 47 in his second game, against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in October 2007. Overall 11 men took more time than Plunkett to reach 50 wickets in ODIs. Pakistan's Saleem Malik, who needed 203 matches spread over almost 12 years, took the longest of all. Most of the players concerned were not frontline bowlers, although there is a rather surprising name just above Plunkett: Imran Khan, Pakistan's World Cup-winning captain in 1992, took five days longer to make it to a half-century of wickets, finally doing so in March 1985 after making his debut in 1974. He got there in style, though, with 6 for 14 against India in Sharjah - and it should be borne in mind that far fewer ODIs were played back then.
Jonny Bairstow took 19 catches in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka. Was this a record for a three-Test series, or against Sri Lanka? asked Tushar Mukherjee from the United States
The only wicketkeeper to make more dismissals in a three-Test series than Jonny Bairstow's 19 was, by coincidence, a Sri Lankan: Amal Silva made 22 (21 catches and a stumping) against India in 1985-86. The only other keeper to make 19 dismissals in a three-Test series is Australia's Ian Healy, at home to Sri Lanka in 1995-96 (17 catches and two stumpings). Gil Langley (for Australia in the 1956 Ashes series) and Junior Murray (for West Indies in Australia in 1992-93) both made 19 dismissals in three Tests, but those were five-match series in which they did not play in two of the games. The previous England record for a three-Test series was 17 (one stumping) by Geraint Jones at home to Sri Lanka in 2006.
The only wicketkeeper to make more dismissals in a three-Test series than Jonny Bairstow's 19 was, by coincidence, a Sri Lankan: Amal Silva made 22 (21 catches and a stumping) against India in 1985-86. The only other keeper to make 19 dismissals in a three-Test series is Australia's Ian Healy, at home to Sri Lanka in 1995-96 (17 catches and two stumpings). Gil Langley (for Australia in the 1956 Ashes series) and Junior Murray (for West Indies in Australia in 1992-93) both made 19 dismissals in three Tests, but those were five-match series in which they did not play in two of the games. The previous England record for a three-Test series was 17 (one stumping) by Geraint Jones at home to Sri Lanka in 2006.
Which bowlers have the best figures on debut in Tests, ODIs and Twenty20s? asked Subas Karki from Nepal
The best innings figures on debut in Tests remain 8 for 43, by the Australian medium-pacer Albert Trott against England in Adelaide in 1894-95. Trott also scored 110 runs in that match without being dismissed … but, remarkably, played only four more Tests - two of them for England! The best match figures by a debutant are 16 for 136, by legspinner Narendra Hirwani for India against West Indies in Madras (now Chennai) in 1987-88. He just shaded the Australian swing bowler Bob Massie's equally remarkable first-up figures of 16 for 137, in the 1972 Ashes Test at Lord's. The best bowling figures on one-day international debut are 6 for 16, by the South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada against Bangladesh in Mirpur in July 2015. The only other man to take a six-for on ODI debut is another fast bowler, Fidel Edwards, with 6 for 22 for West Indies v Zimbabwe in Harare in November 2003. And the best by someone in their first T20 international is 5 for 13, by the Bangladesh slow left-armer Elias Sunny against Ireland in Belfast in July 2012.
The best innings figures on debut in Tests remain 8 for 43, by the Australian medium-pacer Albert Trott against England in Adelaide in 1894-95. Trott also scored 110 runs in that match without being dismissed … but, remarkably, played only four more Tests - two of them for England! The best match figures by a debutant are 16 for 136, by legspinner Narendra Hirwani for India against West Indies in Madras (now Chennai) in 1987-88. He just shaded the Australian swing bowler Bob Massie's equally remarkable first-up figures of 16 for 137, in the 1972 Ashes Test at Lord's. The best bowling figures on one-day international debut are 6 for 16, by the South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada against Bangladesh in Mirpur in July 2015. The only other man to take a six-for on ODI debut is another fast bowler, Fidel Edwards, with 6 for 22 for West Indies v Zimbabwe in Harare in November 2003. And the best by someone in their first T20 international is 5 for 13, by the Bangladesh slow left-armer Elias Sunny against Ireland in Belfast in July 2012.
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Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes