Unadkat's dream debut, and Kallis' long wait
Massive first-innings deficits, regaining the Ashes overseas, Border's unique feat, and more
Steven Lynch
04-Jan-2011
The last time the Ashes were regained by a visiting team was in 1989 by Allan Border's men • Getty Images
Is it true that India's latest Test cap, Jaidev Unadkat, took 13 wickets on his first-class debut? How many people have done this? asked James Murray from Oxford
It is true: India's 267th Test player Jaidev Unadkat made his first-class debut for India A against West Indies A in England last summer, in Leicester, and took 7 for 41 in the first innings and 6 for 62 in the second. There have been around 25 instances of a bowler taking 13 or more wickets on first-class debut. I say "around" because there is some debate about the status of some of the matches on the list: top of the pile is a player called JH Kirwan, who took 15 wickets for an undisclosed number of runs for Cambridge University against Cambridge Town in an 1836 match considered by some to have first-class status. WG Grace is on there too, with 13 for 84 for Gentlemen of the South against Players of the South at The Oval in 1865, when he was only 16. Before Unadkat's fine feat, the most recent instance - one of only six since the Second World War - was by the fast-medium bowler Feroze Ghayas, who took 13 for 110 for Delhi v Services in Delhi in 1992-93. A couple of months ago Rajasthan's Deepak Chahar took 12 for 64 (8 for 10 and 4 for 54) on his first-class debut, against Hyderabad in Jaipur.
It is true: India's 267th Test player Jaidev Unadkat made his first-class debut for India A against West Indies A in England last summer, in Leicester, and took 7 for 41 in the first innings and 6 for 62 in the second. There have been around 25 instances of a bowler taking 13 or more wickets on first-class debut. I say "around" because there is some debate about the status of some of the matches on the list: top of the pile is a player called JH Kirwan, who took 15 wickets for an undisclosed number of runs for Cambridge University against Cambridge Town in an 1836 match considered by some to have first-class status. WG Grace is on there too, with 13 for 84 for Gentlemen of the South against Players of the South at The Oval in 1865, when he was only 16. Before Unadkat's fine feat, the most recent instance - one of only six since the Second World War - was by the fast-medium bowler Feroze Ghayas, who took 13 for 110 for Delhi v Services in Delhi in 1992-93. A couple of months ago Rajasthan's Deepak Chahar took 12 for 64 (8 for 10 and 4 for 54) on his first-class debut, against Hyderabad in Jaipur.
Jacques Kallis finally scored a double-century in his 143rd Test. Has anyone waited as long, and who now has the most Test runs without ever reaching 200? asked Binod Kafle via Facebook
Jacques Kallis did indeed set a new record by scoring his first double-century in his 143rd Test match (242nd innings). The previous-longest wait had been by Sourav Ganguly, who finally reached 200 for India in his 99th Test (160th innings). Carl Hooper and Allan Border both scored their first Test double-century in their 159th innings (93rd and 91st Test respectively). The man who now has the most Test runs without a double-century is Alec Stewart, who made 8463 runs with a highest score of 190. Of current players, the leader is another Englishman, Andrew Strauss - he had 6024 runs before the Sydney Ashes Test, with a highest score of 177.
Jacques Kallis did indeed set a new record by scoring his first double-century in his 143rd Test match (242nd innings). The previous-longest wait had been by Sourav Ganguly, who finally reached 200 for India in his 99th Test (160th innings). Carl Hooper and Allan Border both scored their first Test double-century in their 159th innings (93rd and 91st Test respectively). The man who now has the most Test runs without a double-century is Alec Stewart, who made 8463 runs with a highest score of 190. Of current players, the leader is another Englishman, Andrew Strauss - he had 6024 runs before the Sydney Ashes Test, with a highest score of 177.
India conceded a first-innings lead of 484 in the first Test against South Africa. Is that an Indian record? asked Nair Oppatalam from India
It probably won't be very much of a consolation to Indian supporters to discover that South Africa's lead of 484 in Centurion wasn't the biggest India had ever conceded: in Calcutta in 1958-59, West Indies scored 614 for 5 (Rohan Kanhai hit 256, and Basil Butcher and Garry Sobers also made centuries), then bowled India out for 124 to claim a lead of 490. They won that one by an innings and 336 runs. There have been only 10 higher first-innings leads in Test history, the highest of all being the 702 of England (903 for 7) against Australia (201) at The Oval in 1938.
It probably won't be very much of a consolation to Indian supporters to discover that South Africa's lead of 484 in Centurion wasn't the biggest India had ever conceded: in Calcutta in 1958-59, West Indies scored 614 for 5 (Rohan Kanhai hit 256, and Basil Butcher and Garry Sobers also made centuries), then bowled India out for 124 to claim a lead of 490. They won that one by an innings and 336 runs. There have been only 10 higher first-innings leads in Test history, the highest of all being the 702 of England (903 for 7) against Australia (201) at The Oval in 1938.
How many times have the Ashes been regained - as opposed to retained - by the visiting country? asked Sharan Samarawickrama via Facebook
It's a surprisingly small number really: if you count the Honourable Ivo Bligh as doing it for the first time in Australia in 1882-83, when he set out on the initial quest to recapture the then-mythical Ashes, there have only been eight occasions when a touring team has set off without the Ashes and come back with them. After Bligh's initial success, England also did it in 1903-04 and 1911-12, when their captain both times was Plum Warner (although he played no part in the second series because of illness), and famously in the Bodyline tour of 1932-33, when Warner was a rather miserable manager apparently unable to influence Douglas Jardine's controversial tactics. The only other time England have recaptured the Ashes in Australia was in 1970-71, when Ray Illingworth's team won 2-0. Australia have regained the Ashes in England three times: in 1930 and 1934, both times on their captain Bill Woodfull's birthday, and also in 1989, when the victory by Allan Border's side kicked off 16 years of Australian dominance.
It's a surprisingly small number really: if you count the Honourable Ivo Bligh as doing it for the first time in Australia in 1882-83, when he set out on the initial quest to recapture the then-mythical Ashes, there have only been eight occasions when a touring team has set off without the Ashes and come back with them. After Bligh's initial success, England also did it in 1903-04 and 1911-12, when their captain both times was Plum Warner (although he played no part in the second series because of illness), and famously in the Bodyline tour of 1932-33, when Warner was a rather miserable manager apparently unable to influence Douglas Jardine's controversial tactics. The only other time England have recaptured the Ashes in Australia was in 1970-71, when Ray Illingworth's team won 2-0. Australia have regained the Ashes in England three times: in 1930 and 1934, both times on their captain Bill Woodfull's birthday, and also in 1989, when the victory by Allan Border's side kicked off 16 years of Australian dominance.
Who called his life story Taking the Mickey? asked Albert Palmer from Middlesbrough
This is the former South Africa coach Mickey Arthur, who gave that punning title to his recent book, which has just been published by Jonathan Ball in South Africa. It's actually less of a life story - although there are elements of that in it - than a diary of Arthur's time as South Africa's coach, which ended rather suddenly early in 2010. Arthur, who never played international cricket himself, although he had a long and successful career in South African provincial cricket, is now coaching Western Australia. If you can get hold of a copy, the book is an entertaining read, especially if you enjoy the story from inside the dressing room.
This is the former South Africa coach Mickey Arthur, who gave that punning title to his recent book, which has just been published by Jonathan Ball in South Africa. It's actually less of a life story - although there are elements of that in it - than a diary of Arthur's time as South Africa's coach, which ended rather suddenly early in 2010. Arthur, who never played international cricket himself, although he had a long and successful career in South African provincial cricket, is now coaching Western Australia. If you can get hold of a copy, the book is an entertaining read, especially if you enjoy the story from inside the dressing room.
Is Allan Border the only batsman to score 150 or more in both innings of the same Test match? asked Ajinkya Ranadive from India
Yes, Allan Border's feat is unique: he scored 150 not out and 153 for Australia against Pakistan in Lahore in 1979-80. Tillakaratne Dilshan came quite close to emulating him in January 2009, with 162 and 143 for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in Chittagong. For the full list of players who have scored a century in each innings of a Test, click here.
Yes, Allan Border's feat is unique: he scored 150 not out and 153 for Australia against Pakistan in Lahore in 1979-80. Tillakaratne Dilshan came quite close to emulating him in January 2009, with 162 and 143 for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in Chittagong. For the full list of players who have scored a century in each innings of a Test, click here.
And there's an update to the question in the last column about cricketers and hymns, from Warwick Franks from Sydney
"The pedant (and the former church organist in another life) in me made me check, and John Warr's hymn is actually 299, so perhaps it should belong to Don Bradman after his innings of 299 not out against South Africa in Adelaide in 1931-32. No. 281 is actually "This is the Day of Light"; could that be the umpire's hymn?"
"The pedant (and the former church organist in another life) in me made me check, and John Warr's hymn is actually 299, so perhaps it should belong to Don Bradman after his innings of 299 not out against South Africa in Adelaide in 1931-32. No. 281 is actually "This is the Day of Light"; could that be the umpire's hymn?"
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden 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. Ask Steven is also now on Facebook