The best by 10 and 11, and young 200s
Tenth-wicket century stands, the total number of Test runs scored, and a debut hundred in the second innings
Steven Lynch
05-Jan-2010
Javed Miandad: the only teenager to score a double • Adrian Murrell/Getty Images
What are the highest partnerships for the 10th wicket in Tests and ODIs that involved the Nos 10 and 11 batsmen? asked Stefan Hemmings from the West Indies
The record in Tests by a No. 10 and No. 11 is 128 (there have been five higher last-wicket partnerships, but none of them involved the No. 10 batsman). This was scored by Ken Higgs (63) and John Snow (59 not out) for England against West Indies at The Oval in 1966. For the full Test list, click here. In one-day internationals, the record was broken very recently: in November 2009, against New Zealand in Dubai, Pakistan's Mohammad Aamer (73 not out) and Saeed Ajmal (33) put on 103 for the last wicket after their side had been 101 for 9. That was only the second century stand for the last wicket in ODIs, after Viv Richards and Michael Holding put on 106 without being parted for West Indies against England at Old Trafford in 1984. The previous record by Nos 10 and 11 was also held by Pakistan - 72 by Abdul Razzaq (46 not out) and Waqar Younis (33) against South Africa in Durban in 1997-98. For the full ODI list, click here.
The record in Tests by a No. 10 and No. 11 is 128 (there have been five higher last-wicket partnerships, but none of them involved the No. 10 batsman). This was scored by Ken Higgs (63) and John Snow (59 not out) for England against West Indies at The Oval in 1966. For the full Test list, click here. In one-day internationals, the record was broken very recently: in November 2009, against New Zealand in Dubai, Pakistan's Mohammad Aamer (73 not out) and Saeed Ajmal (33) put on 103 for the last wicket after their side had been 101 for 9. That was only the second century stand for the last wicket in ODIs, after Viv Richards and Michael Holding put on 106 without being parted for West Indies against England at Old Trafford in 1984. The previous record by Nos 10 and 11 was also held by Pakistan - 72 by Abdul Razzaq (46 not out) and Waqar Younis (33) against South Africa in Durban in 1997-98. For the full ODI list, click here.
Who is the youngest batsman to score a double-century in a Test? asked Jawaid Khawar from India
The only teenager to score a double-century in a Test is Pakistan's Javed Miandad, who was 19 years and 141 days old when he scored 206 in only his third Test, against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976-77. The only other man to pass 200 in a Test before turning 21 is George Headley, with 223 against England in Kingston in 1929-30, still the highest individual score in the fourth innings of any Test. For the full list, click here (note that this list shows the players' ages at the start of the match in question).
The only teenager to score a double-century in a Test is Pakistan's Javed Miandad, who was 19 years and 141 days old when he scored 206 in only his third Test, against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976-77. The only other man to pass 200 in a Test before turning 21 is George Headley, with 223 against England in Kingston in 1929-30, still the highest individual score in the fourth innings of any Test. For the full list, click here (note that this list shows the players' ages at the start of the match in question).
What is the total number of runs scored since the first Test was played, and for how many wickets? asked Rabi Dutt from the United States
The total number of runs scored in the 1942 Tests played between March 1877 and December 30, 2009 (I'm writing this after the Boxing Day Tests in Melbourne and Durban), was 1,899,965. There had been 59,496 wickets, so that gives an average of 31.93 runs per wicket all told.
The total number of runs scored in the 1942 Tests played between March 1877 and December 30, 2009 (I'm writing this after the Boxing Day Tests in Melbourne and Durban), was 1,899,965. There had been 59,496 wickets, so that gives an average of 31.93 runs per wicket all told.
What are the best bowling figures by someone making their ODI debut? asked Bharat Ramesh from Chennai
The only bowler to take six wickets in his first one-day international is Fidel Edwards, who started with 6 for 22 for West Indies against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2003-04. It completed a notable double for Edwards, who also took 5 for 36 on his Test debut, against Sri Lanka in Kingston earlier in 2003. Five others have taken five wickets in an innings in their first ODI, not many of them household names: Tony Dodemaide of Australia, South Africa's Allan Donald, Austin Codrington of Canada, and the Sri Lankan pair of Charitha Buddhika Fernando and Shaul Karnain. For a full list, click here.
The only bowler to take six wickets in his first one-day international is Fidel Edwards, who started with 6 for 22 for West Indies against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2003-04. It completed a notable double for Edwards, who also took 5 for 36 on his Test debut, against Sri Lanka in Kingston earlier in 2003. Five others have taken five wickets in an innings in their first ODI, not many of them household names: Tony Dodemaide of Australia, South Africa's Allan Donald, Austin Codrington of Canada, and the Sri Lankan pair of Charitha Buddhika Fernando and Shaul Karnain. For a full list, click here.
How often has a team scored 400 or more in its first innings yet gone on to lose the Test? asked Dev Oza from New Zealand
This has now happened on no fewer than 57 occasions in Tests. There have been 12 instances of a team scoring more than 500 in their first innings yet still losing, with the highest of all being Australia's 586 against England in Sydney in 1894-95, in the first Test ever won by a team who had to follow on. The most recent instance as I write was also in Sydney: in January 2008, India scored 532 in their first innings but still went down to Australia by 122 runs.
This has now happened on no fewer than 57 occasions in Tests. There have been 12 instances of a team scoring more than 500 in their first innings yet still losing, with the highest of all being Australia's 586 against England in Sydney in 1894-95, in the first Test ever won by a team who had to follow on. The most recent instance as I write was also in Sydney: in January 2008, India scored 532 in their first innings but still went down to Australia by 122 runs.
There is a well-known list of players who scored a century on Test debut, but how many of them were scored in the second innings (like, for example, Jonathan Trott's)? asked Matthew Whitten from Australia
Pride of place here has to go to the two players - Lawrence Rowe of West Indies and Pakistan's Yasir Hameed - who scored centuries in both innings of their first Test match. A further 55 batsmen scored a century in the first innings of their first Test, and 29 more scored a century in the second innings of their debut - the highest score among them is George Headley's 176 for West Indies against England in Bridgetown in 1929-30. For the full list of players who have scored a century on Test debut, click here.
Pride of place here has to go to the two players - Lawrence Rowe of West Indies and Pakistan's Yasir Hameed - who scored centuries in both innings of their first Test match. A further 55 batsmen scored a century in the first innings of their first Test, and 29 more scored a century in the second innings of their debut - the highest score among them is George Headley's 176 for West Indies against England in Bridgetown in 1929-30. For the full list of players who have scored a century on Test debut, click here.
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