Not out because of chewing gum
How a batsman didn't get out of a sticky situation
Steven Lynch
05-Sep-2017
Shai Hope is the first batsman to score twin first-class hundreds at Headingley • Getty Images
Apparently someone once survived after being bowled because the bails had been stuck on with chewing gum. Is this true? asked Ken Hancock from England
I did find a book that claimed this odd incident happened in a Sheffield Shield match in Australia - but actually I think it happened in a first-grade club game between Claremont and Mount Lawley in Perth in November 1952, when Western Australia's captain Wally Langdon was bowled, but the bail didn't fall off as it was stuck to some chewing gum, which had apparently been used to mend a broken stump. The umpires conferred and eventually decided that Langdon - a left-hander who scored five hundreds for WA and was unlucky never to win a Test cap - was not out. Perth's Sunday Times reported that "Although the bail jumped out of the slot at the top of the stump, it didn't drop free." The paper added: "Langdon resumed his innings, faced several more balls, and was then clean bowled - it looked as if he deliberately gave away his wicket."
I did find a book that claimed this odd incident happened in a Sheffield Shield match in Australia - but actually I think it happened in a first-grade club game between Claremont and Mount Lawley in Perth in November 1952, when Western Australia's captain Wally Langdon was bowled, but the bail didn't fall off as it was stuck to some chewing gum, which had apparently been used to mend a broken stump. The umpires conferred and eventually decided that Langdon - a left-hander who scored five hundreds for WA and was unlucky never to win a Test cap - was not out. Perth's Sunday Times reported that "Although the bail jumped out of the slot at the top of the stump, it didn't drop free." The paper added: "Langdon resumed his innings, faced several more balls, and was then clean bowled - it looked as if he deliberately gave away his wicket."
Is it true that Shai Hope was the first to score two centuries in the same match at Headingley? asked Brian McKenzie from Barbados
Remarkably, it is correct: in scoring 147 and 118 not out in his first match at Headingley, Shai Hope achieved what no one else had managed in 533 previous first-class matches on the ground. Yorkshire greats like Herbert Sutcliffe and Geoffrey Boycott played 61 and 59 times at Headingley respectively, but never managed two hundreds in the same game. Hope, of course, was nearly pipped to the honour by Kraigg Brathwaite, who followed his first-innings 134 with 95 in the second. According to the BBC scorer Andrew Samson, the ground that has now staged most matches without anyone making twin centuries there is Weston-super-Mare, with 191.
Remarkably, it is correct: in scoring 147 and 118 not out in his first match at Headingley, Shai Hope achieved what no one else had managed in 533 previous first-class matches on the ground. Yorkshire greats like Herbert Sutcliffe and Geoffrey Boycott played 61 and 59 times at Headingley respectively, but never managed two hundreds in the same game. Hope, of course, was nearly pipped to the honour by Kraigg Brathwaite, who followed his first-innings 134 with 95 in the second. According to the BBC scorer Andrew Samson, the ground that has now staged most matches without anyone making twin centuries there is Weston-super-Mare, with 191.
Has any team scored more than England's 490 in the third innings at Headingley and lost the Test? asked Michael Carpenter from England
England's 490 for 8 declared at Headingley has been exceeded only once in the third innings by a team that went on to lose the Test - and that also happened in Leeds. Back in 1967, India followed on nearly 400 behind, but saved face with 510 - their captain, the Nawab of Pataudi, made a superb 148. Australia occupy the next three places on this list, with 485 in Sydney in 1903-04, 477 at Edgbaston in 1997 and 476 in Adelaide in 1911-12, all against England. The highest total in the fourth innings of a Test defeat is New Zealand's 451 against England in Christchurch in 2001-02, when Nathan Astle blasted a last-ditch double-century.
England's 490 for 8 declared at Headingley has been exceeded only once in the third innings by a team that went on to lose the Test - and that also happened in Leeds. Back in 1967, India followed on nearly 400 behind, but saved face with 510 - their captain, the Nawab of Pataudi, made a superb 148. Australia occupy the next three places on this list, with 485 in Sydney in 1903-04, 477 at Edgbaston in 1997 and 476 in Adelaide in 1911-12, all against England. The highest total in the fourth innings of a Test defeat is New Zealand's 451 against England in Christchurch in 2001-02, when Nathan Astle blasted a last-ditch double-century.
I noticed that Christopher Mpofu of Zimbabwe was stumped twice off the same bowler on the same day during a Test in 2005. Has anyone else suffered this strange fate? asked Kuldeep Singh from India
The Zimbabwean seamer Chris Mpofu was doubly (or perhaps quadruply) unfortunate in that match against New Zealand in Harare in August 2005, as he completed a pair in being stumped by Brendon McCullum off the bowling of Daniel Vettori in both innings. It came on a second day on which Zimbabwe lost all 20 wickets, to lose the match by an innings and 294 runs. Surprisingly, perhaps, Mpofu's feat isn't unique: England's Bobby Peel was stumped twice in a day for a pair by Australia's Affie Jarvis off Charlie Turner in Sydney in 1894-95. And in Brisbane in 1930-31, West Indies' wicketkeeper Ivan Barrow was stumped twice on the same day by his opposite number Bert Oldfield, off the bowling of Clarrie Grimmett - but at least Barrow didn't bag a pair - he was dismissed for 19 and 17.
The Zimbabwean seamer Chris Mpofu was doubly (or perhaps quadruply) unfortunate in that match against New Zealand in Harare in August 2005, as he completed a pair in being stumped by Brendon McCullum off the bowling of Daniel Vettori in both innings. It came on a second day on which Zimbabwe lost all 20 wickets, to lose the match by an innings and 294 runs. Surprisingly, perhaps, Mpofu's feat isn't unique: England's Bobby Peel was stumped twice in a day for a pair by Australia's Affie Jarvis off Charlie Turner in Sydney in 1894-95. And in Brisbane in 1930-31, West Indies' wicketkeeper Ivan Barrow was stumped twice on the same day by his opposite number Bert Oldfield, off the bowling of Clarrie Grimmett - but at least Barrow didn't bag a pair - he was dismissed for 19 and 17.
In a recent CPL match, Kesrick Williams went for 46 in his two overs. Was this the most expensive two-over spell in T20 history? asked Vikas Vadgama from India
Fast bowler Kesrick Williams, who has played 50- and 20-over internationals for West Indies, disappeared for 46 runs in Jamaica Tallawahs' recent CPL match against Guyana Amazon Warriors in Kingston, the damage being done by Chadwick Walton and Luke Ronchi; Williams didn't help his cause by delivering four no-balls. It was the second case of a bowler conceding 46 runs from two overs in all T20 cricket. The England offspinner Richard Dawson had a similar experience while playing for Northamptonshire against Worcestershire in Kidderminster in 2007. But there have been a couple of even more expensive two-over stints: the Zimbabwean Chamu Chibhabha's two overs for Mashonaland Eagles against Mid West Rhinos at Bulawayo Athletic Club in February 2016 cost 47 runs, as did Karl Carver's two for Yorkshire against Worcestershire at Headingley earlier this year - this included Ross Whiteley smashing six sixes in his second over.
Fast bowler Kesrick Williams, who has played 50- and 20-over internationals for West Indies, disappeared for 46 runs in Jamaica Tallawahs' recent CPL match against Guyana Amazon Warriors in Kingston, the damage being done by Chadwick Walton and Luke Ronchi; Williams didn't help his cause by delivering four no-balls. It was the second case of a bowler conceding 46 runs from two overs in all T20 cricket. The England offspinner Richard Dawson had a similar experience while playing for Northamptonshire against Worcestershire in Kidderminster in 2007. But there have been a couple of even more expensive two-over stints: the Zimbabwean Chamu Chibhabha's two overs for Mashonaland Eagles against Mid West Rhinos at Bulawayo Athletic Club in February 2016 cost 47 runs, as did Karl Carver's two for Yorkshire against Worcestershire at Headingley earlier this year - this included Ross Whiteley smashing six sixes in his second over.
Leave your questions in the comments
Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes