Tiny totals, and lower-order triples
Plus: missing out on a match award despite making a double-hundred
Steven Lynch
01-Dec-2015
Karun Nair is the first No. 6 to make a triple-century in first-class cricket • PTI
The best individual score in the Nagpur Test was 40. Has there ever been a lower top score than this? asked Saud Faruqi from Pakistan
The recent third Test against South Africa in Nagpur was only the 14th completed match not to feature an individual half-century - the highest score was Murali Vijay's 40 in India's first innings. The previous fifty-less Test also involved India, against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2002-03, when the top score was 39, by Rahul Dravid. The lowest top score in any Test with a result was just 24, by WG Grace, on a rain-affected pitch against Australia at Lord's in 1888; there have been only four other Tests with a positive result that featured a lower top score than 40.
The recent third Test against South Africa in Nagpur was only the 14th completed match not to feature an individual half-century - the highest score was Murali Vijay's 40 in India's first innings. The previous fifty-less Test also involved India, against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2002-03, when the top score was 39, by Rahul Dravid. The lowest top score in any Test with a result was just 24, by WG Grace, on a rain-affected pitch against Australia at Lord's in 1888; there have been only four other Tests with a positive result that featured a lower top score than 40.
Was South Africa's 79 all out at Nagpur the lowest Test total by anyone against India? asked Pascal Bounin from the Netherlands
Rather surprisingly perhaps, South Africa's 79 in Nagpur was indeed the lowest total made by any side against India in a Test match, undercutting Sri Lanka's 82 all out in Chandigarh in 1990-91. There have been only five other occasions when India dismissed a side for under 100 in a Test, two of them by Australia - 83 in Melbourne in 1980-81, and 93 in Mumbai in 2004-05. South Africa were bowled out for 84 in Johannesburg in 2006-07, Bangladesh for 91 in the second innings of their inaugural Test in Dhaka in 2000-01, and New Zealand for 94 in Hamilton in 2002-03. New Zealand just made it to 100 in Wellington in 1980-81.
Rather surprisingly perhaps, South Africa's 79 in Nagpur was indeed the lowest total made by any side against India in a Test match, undercutting Sri Lanka's 82 all out in Chandigarh in 1990-91. There have been only five other occasions when India dismissed a side for under 100 in a Test, two of them by Australia - 83 in Melbourne in 1980-81, and 93 in Mumbai in 2004-05. South Africa were bowled out for 84 in Johannesburg in 2006-07, Bangladesh for 91 in the second innings of their inaugural Test in Dhaka in 2000-01, and New Zealand for 94 in Hamilton in 2002-03. New Zealand just made it to 100 in Wellington in 1980-81.
In the recent Perth Test, David Warner scored 253, but didn't receive the Man-of-the-Match award. Was this a record? asked Steve Austin from Australia
There have actually been two higher individual scores than David Warner's 253 in Perth that didn't lead to the player concerned winning the Man-of-the-Match award. Highest of all was Kumar Sangakkara's 287, for Sri Lanka against South Africa in Colombo in 2006, when the award went to Mahela Jayawardene for his 374 (it might have been fairer to make a joint award, which happens sometimes). In Wellington in 1990-91, Aravinda de Silva's 267 for Sri Lanka was trumped by Martin Crowe's 299 for New Zealand. When Sachin Tendulkar made his highest Test score - 248 not out against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2004-05 - the award went to Irfan Pathan, who took 11 wickets for 96 in the match. I should point out here that such awards only became commonplace in Test matches in the 1980s.
There have actually been two higher individual scores than David Warner's 253 in Perth that didn't lead to the player concerned winning the Man-of-the-Match award. Highest of all was Kumar Sangakkara's 287, for Sri Lanka against South Africa in Colombo in 2006, when the award went to Mahela Jayawardene for his 374 (it might have been fairer to make a joint award, which happens sometimes). In Wellington in 1990-91, Aravinda de Silva's 267 for Sri Lanka was trumped by Martin Crowe's 299 for New Zealand. When Sachin Tendulkar made his highest Test score - 248 not out against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2004-05 - the award went to Irfan Pathan, who took 11 wickets for 96 in the match. I should point out here that such awards only became commonplace in Test matches in the 1980s.
Who is the leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals? asked Mike Bernard from England
Shahid Afridi took the lead on this list during the recent series against England; his three wickets in the second match in Dubai took him to 86 in all in T20Is, one more than Saeed Ajmal. Another Pakistani, Umar Gul, is third with 83. Next come the Sri Lankan pair of Lasith Malinga (74) and Ajantha Mendis (66), then the leading Englishman, Stuart Broad with 65.
Shahid Afridi took the lead on this list during the recent series against England; his three wickets in the second match in Dubai took him to 86 in all in T20Is, one more than Saeed Ajmal. Another Pakistani, Umar Gul, is third with 83. Next come the Sri Lankan pair of Lasith Malinga (74) and Ajantha Mendis (66), then the leading Englishman, Stuart Broad with 65.
Karun Nair scored 328 in the Ranji Trophy final, batting at No. 6. Was this the lowest in the batting order from which anyone has made a triple-century? asked Pravin Akhil from India
Karun Nair's 328 for Karnataka (762) in the Ranji Trophy final against Tamil Nadu at the Wankhede Stadium in March this year was the first triple-century ever made in first-class cricket by a No. 6 batsman (the previous-highest was Virender Sehwag's 274 for North Zone against South Zone at Agartala in 1999-2000). But there has been one from lower in the order: Arjan Kripal Singh made 302 not out for Tamil Nadu against Goa in Panaji in 1988-89 from No. 7. WV Raman also hit 313, in the only first-class innings to contain two triple-centuries, as Tamil Nadu racked up 912 for 6. Nair's 328 this year was only the second triple in the Ranji Trophy final, following Gul Mohammad's 319 for Baroda against Holkar in Baroda in 1946-47, and the second in any match for Karnataka, after KL Rahul's 337 against Uttar Pradesh in Bangalore earlier in 2015.
Karun Nair's 328 for Karnataka (762) in the Ranji Trophy final against Tamil Nadu at the Wankhede Stadium in March this year was the first triple-century ever made in first-class cricket by a No. 6 batsman (the previous-highest was Virender Sehwag's 274 for North Zone against South Zone at Agartala in 1999-2000). But there has been one from lower in the order: Arjan Kripal Singh made 302 not out for Tamil Nadu against Goa in Panaji in 1988-89 from No. 7. WV Raman also hit 313, in the only first-class innings to contain two triple-centuries, as Tamil Nadu racked up 912 for 6. Nair's 328 this year was only the second triple in the Ranji Trophy final, following Gul Mohammad's 319 for Baroda against Holkar in Baroda in 1946-47, and the second in any match for Karnataka, after KL Rahul's 337 against Uttar Pradesh in Bangalore earlier in 2015.
What is the best partnership between Nos. 10 and 11 in Tests? asked Abhishek Shah from India
There have now been 26 partnerships of 100 or more for the last wicket in Tests, the highest of them being 198 by Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson for England against India at Trent Bridge in 2014. But most of them, like that leading one, involve a recognised batsman batting with the No. 11: the highest between the last two in the order is 128, by the England fast bowlers Ken Higgs (63) and John Snow (59 not out) against West Indies at The Oval in 1966, when England's last three wickets added 361 runs in all.
There have now been 26 partnerships of 100 or more for the last wicket in Tests, the highest of them being 198 by Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson for England against India at Trent Bridge in 2014. But most of them, like that leading one, involve a recognised batsman batting with the No. 11: the highest between the last two in the order is 128, by the England fast bowlers Ken Higgs (63) and John Snow (59 not out) against West Indies at The Oval in 1966, when England's last three wickets added 361 runs in all.
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Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes