Scoring big and losing, and scoring big and winning
Tendulkar as the first wicket, playing at the most grounds, whole figures for all bowlers in an innings, and more
Steven Lynch
19-Oct-2010
Sachin Tendulkar is the first Test victim for Peter George and nine other bowlers • Getty Images
Australia scored over 400 in both Tests in India, yet lost them both. Has this ever happened before? asked Colin Harris from South Africa
There have been only two previous instances of a team scoring more than 400 in either innings of successive Tests but ending up losing, and one of those hardly qualifies really as it involved the match at The Oval in 2006, which Pakistan forfeited after making 504 in the first innings; they had also lost the previous Test, at Headingley, after scoring 538. The other instance occurred in the 1924-25 Ashes series, when England lost successive Tests to Australia: in Sydney they made 411 in their second innings, but had been set a target of 605; then in the next Test, in Melbourne, England made 479 in their first innings but lost again. Both of those games in Australia were timeless matches which stretched into the seventh day.
There have been only two previous instances of a team scoring more than 400 in either innings of successive Tests but ending up losing, and one of those hardly qualifies really as it involved the match at The Oval in 2006, which Pakistan forfeited after making 504 in the first innings; they had also lost the previous Test, at Headingley, after scoring 538. The other instance occurred in the 1924-25 Ashes series, when England lost successive Tests to Australia: in Sydney they made 411 in their second innings, but had been set a target of 605; then in the next Test, in Melbourne, England made 479 in their first innings but lost again. Both of those games in Australia were timeless matches which stretched into the seventh day.
India have scored more than 200 in the last innings to win each of their last three Tests. Has any other country ever done this? asked Pranav from the United States
The short answer is no, no other country has ever emulated India's feat of scoring, in successive Tests, 257 to beat Sri Lanka in Colombo, and 216 and 207 to beat Australia in Mohali and Bangalore. The only other country to manage even two consecutive successful chases of more than 200 is Australia, who overhauled 292 to beat South Africa in Johannesburg in 2005-06, and followed that with 307 to beat Bangladesh in Fatullah later in 2006.
The short answer is no, no other country has ever emulated India's feat of scoring, in successive Tests, 257 to beat Sri Lanka in Colombo, and 216 and 207 to beat Australia in Mohali and Bangalore. The only other country to manage even two consecutive successful chases of more than 200 is Australia, who overhauled 292 to beat South Africa in Johannesburg in 2005-06, and followed that with 307 to beat Bangladesh in Fatullah later in 2006.
Sachin Tendulkar became the first victim of Peter George in Bangalore, and he seems to make a bit of a habit of this. How many bowlers have claimed him as their first wicket, and is it a record? asked Rana Pokkanuri via Facebook
Peter George was actually the tenth bowler to have claimed Sachin Tendulkar as his first Test wicket, which equals the record of the Englishmen Colin Cowdrey and Herbert Sutcliffe. The others to have Tendulkar as their distinguished first Test scalp are Hansie Cronje (South Africa), Ujesh Ranchod (Zimbabwe; Tendulkar was his only Test wicket), Ruwan Kalpage (Sri Lanka), Mark Ealham (England), Neil Johnson (Zimbabwe), Jacob Oram (New Zealand), Monty Panesar (England), Cameron White (Australia), and Peter Siddle (Australia). A further 16 bowlers have so far claimed Tendulkar's wicket as their first in one-day internationals.
Peter George was actually the tenth bowler to have claimed Sachin Tendulkar as his first Test wicket, which equals the record of the Englishmen Colin Cowdrey and Herbert Sutcliffe. The others to have Tendulkar as their distinguished first Test scalp are Hansie Cronje (South Africa), Ujesh Ranchod (Zimbabwe; Tendulkar was his only Test wicket), Ruwan Kalpage (Sri Lanka), Mark Ealham (England), Neil Johnson (Zimbabwe), Jacob Oram (New Zealand), Monty Panesar (England), Cameron White (Australia), and Peter Siddle (Australia). A further 16 bowlers have so far claimed Tendulkar's wicket as their first in one-day internationals.
Who has played Tests on the most different grounds? asked Peter Johnstone from Sussex
Not surprisingly, perhaps, the man on top of the list is the player with the most Test appearances: Sachin Tendulkar has so far played Tests on 57 different grounds. Next, with 51, are Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Muttiah Muralitharan, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul one short of his half-century. Mark Boucher and VVS Laxman have so far played on 48 grounds, as did Mohammad Azharuddin. In one-day internationals it's a different story: Tendulkar has played ODIs on 95 different grounds and Dravid on 96, but they are both behind Sanath Jayasuriya, who has so far played on 99 different grounds. He may yet make it to 100 if he plays a one-day international at the new ground in Hambantota.
Not surprisingly, perhaps, the man on top of the list is the player with the most Test appearances: Sachin Tendulkar has so far played Tests on 57 different grounds. Next, with 51, are Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Muttiah Muralitharan, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul one short of his half-century. Mark Boucher and VVS Laxman have so far played on 48 grounds, as did Mohammad Azharuddin. In one-day internationals it's a different story: Tendulkar has played ODIs on 95 different grounds and Dravid on 96, but they are both behind Sanath Jayasuriya, who has so far played on 99 different grounds. He may yet make it to 100 if he plays a one-day international at the new ground in Hambantota.
Is Colin Ingram the first South African to score a hundred on his one-day international debut? asked Cherise Asha Clarke from Trinidad & Tobago
Yes, Colin Ingram's 124 against Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein last week did indeed make him the first South African to score a century on ODI debut. In fact only five other batsmen have done this: Dennis Amiss (103 for England v Australia at Old Trafford in 1972), Desmond Haynes (148 - the only higher score than Ingram's on debut - for West Indies v Australia in St John's in 1977-78), Andy Flower (115 not out for Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka in New Plymouth in the 1991-92 World Cup), Saleem Elahi (102 not out for Pakistan v Sri Lanka in Gujranwala in 1995-96), and Martin Guptill (122 not out for New Zealand v West Indies in Auckland in 2008-09. For a full list of the highest scores on ODI debut, click here.
Yes, Colin Ingram's 124 against Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein last week did indeed make him the first South African to score a century on ODI debut. In fact only five other batsmen have done this: Dennis Amiss (103 for England v Australia at Old Trafford in 1972), Desmond Haynes (148 - the only higher score than Ingram's on debut - for West Indies v Australia in St John's in 1977-78), Andy Flower (115 not out for Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka in New Plymouth in the 1991-92 World Cup), Saleem Elahi (102 not out for Pakistan v Sri Lanka in Gujranwala in 1995-96), and Martin Guptill (122 not out for New Zealand v West Indies in Auckland in 2008-09. For a full list of the highest scores on ODI debut, click here.
In India's second innings in the first Test, every Australian bowler's runs per over was a whole number. Has this ever happened before? asked Linda Timms via Facebook
I wasn't quite sure how to attack this one, but fortunately Travis, the manipulator of the Cricinfo database, came to my rescue. He says it has only ever happened once before, for any innings in which four or more people bowled, and even then the innings lasted only six overs - in this match between India and Pakistan in Calcutta (as it was then called) in 1952-53. India's second innings in Mohali was rather longer - 58.4 overs - yet the runs-per-over column shows Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson going for exactly 3.00 an over, Doug Bollinger for 4.00 and Nathan Hauritz for 5.00, with Marcus North chiming in with a miserly 2.00.
I wasn't quite sure how to attack this one, but fortunately Travis, the manipulator of the Cricinfo database, came to my rescue. He says it has only ever happened once before, for any innings in which four or more people bowled, and even then the innings lasted only six overs - in this match between India and Pakistan in Calcutta (as it was then called) in 1952-53. India's second innings in Mohali was rather longer - 58.4 overs - yet the runs-per-over column shows Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson going for exactly 3.00 an over, Doug Bollinger for 4.00 and Nathan Hauritz for 5.00, with Marcus North chiming in with a miserly 2.00.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket. And Ask Steven is now on Facebook