Young centurions, and big last-wicket stands
Big-scoring No. 8s, most bowleds in an innings, most overs played in an innings, the worst bowling averages, and more
Steven Lynch
09-Nov-2010
Dipak Patel: took 45 one-day wickets at 50.24 • Getty Images
Was Kane Williamson the youngest man to score a century on Test debut? asked Neil Pritchard from Auckland
At 20 years 91 days, Kane Williamson is, rather surprisingly perhaps, only the tenth-youngest to make a century in his first Test, in the just-concluded match in Ahmedabad. Leading the way is Mohammad Ashraful, who was only 17 years 63 days old when he made 114 on his debut for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka in Colombo in September 2001. Next comes Hamilton Masakadza of Zimbabwe, who was a couple of weeks short of his 18th birthday when he hit 119 against West Indies at Harare in July 2001. For the full list of the youngest Test century-makers, whether on debut or not, click here (note that this list gives their ages at the start of the matches concerned).
At 20 years 91 days, Kane Williamson is, rather surprisingly perhaps, only the tenth-youngest to make a century in his first Test, in the just-concluded match in Ahmedabad. Leading the way is Mohammad Ashraful, who was only 17 years 63 days old when he made 114 on his debut for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka in Colombo in September 2001. Next comes Hamilton Masakadza of Zimbabwe, who was a couple of weeks short of his 18th birthday when he hit 119 against West Indies at Harare in July 2001. For the full list of the youngest Test century-makers, whether on debut or not, click here (note that this list gives their ages at the start of the matches concerned).
How many people have scored a hundred and a half-century from No. 8 in a Test, as Harbhajan Singh did in Ahmedabad? asked Soumya Chakraborty via Facebook
The only other No. 8 to manage a hundred and a half-century in the same Test match was the South African allrounder Eric Dalton, who scored 117 and 57 not out against England at The Oval in 1935. Wisden said of his first-innings century: "Dalton hooked and drove superbly. If rather fortunate, and decidedly uncomfortable during some early overs from Robins, he shared in a stand of 137 in 70 minutes with Langton." Three years later Dalton made another Test century from No. 8 against England in Johannesburg: again he shared a sizeable ninth-wicket stand (97 this time) with Chud Langton. Harbhajan Singh (184 runs in the match in Ahmedabad) and Dalton (174) lie third and fourth on the list of most runs from No. 8 in a Test match: Wasim Akram leads the way for his innings of 257 not out for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in 1996-97, while another Pakistani, Imtiaz Ahmed, scored 209 from No. 8 against New Zealand in Lahore in 1955-56: promoted to No. 3 in the second innings, Imtiaz was out for a duck.
The only other No. 8 to manage a hundred and a half-century in the same Test match was the South African allrounder Eric Dalton, who scored 117 and 57 not out against England at The Oval in 1935. Wisden said of his first-innings century: "Dalton hooked and drove superbly. If rather fortunate, and decidedly uncomfortable during some early overs from Robins, he shared in a stand of 137 in 70 minutes with Langton." Three years later Dalton made another Test century from No. 8 against England in Johannesburg: again he shared a sizeable ninth-wicket stand (97 this time) with Chud Langton. Harbhajan Singh (184 runs in the match in Ahmedabad) and Dalton (174) lie third and fourth on the list of most runs from No. 8 in a Test match: Wasim Akram leads the way for his innings of 257 not out for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in 1996-97, while another Pakistani, Imtiaz Ahmed, scored 209 from No. 8 against New Zealand in Lahore in 1955-56: promoted to No. 3 in the second innings, Imtiaz was out for a duck.
What are the biggest tenth-wicket partnerships to win a match in Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 internationals? asked Matt Meakin from the United States
The biggest tenth-wicket stand in the fourth innings to win a Test came in Karachi in 1994-95, when Pakistan - who had been 258 for 9 chasing 314 to beat Australia - were saved by a last-ditch alliance between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed, who put on 57 to win the match. It completed a miserable first Test as captain for Mark Taylor: he'd earlier bagged a pair. In one-day internationals the highest came in a match at the first World Cup, in 1975, when Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts spirited West Indies to victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston with an unbroken tenth-wicket partnership of 64, after they had been 203 for 9. As I write there have not yet been any one-wicket victories in Twenty20 internationals.
The biggest tenth-wicket stand in the fourth innings to win a Test came in Karachi in 1994-95, when Pakistan - who had been 258 for 9 chasing 314 to beat Australia - were saved by a last-ditch alliance between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed, who put on 57 to win the match. It completed a miserable first Test as captain for Mark Taylor: he'd earlier bagged a pair. In one-day internationals the highest came in a match at the first World Cup, in 1975, when Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts spirited West Indies to victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston with an unbroken tenth-wicket partnership of 64, after they had been 203 for 9. As I write there have not yet been any one-wicket victories in Twenty20 internationals.
Who was the youngest bowler to take 100 and 200 wickets in Tests? asked Amit Chowdhury from Kolkata
The youngest to 100 Test wickets was India's Kapil Dev, who was 21 years 25 days old when he reached his century in January 1980. Kapil was also the fastest to 200 - 24 years 68 days old in March 1983, and 300 (the day after his 28th birthday in January 1987). But then Muttiah Muralitharan took over: he was the youngest to reach 400 Test wickets (29 years 273 days in January 2002), 500 (31/334 in March 2004), 600 (33/327 in March 2006), 700 (35/88 in July 2007) and 800 (38/96 in July 2010).
The youngest to 100 Test wickets was India's Kapil Dev, who was 21 years 25 days old when he reached his century in January 1980. Kapil was also the fastest to 200 - 24 years 68 days old in March 1983, and 300 (the day after his 28th birthday in January 1987). But then Muttiah Muralitharan took over: he was the youngest to reach 400 Test wickets (29 years 273 days in January 2002), 500 (31/334 in March 2004), 600 (33/327 in March 2006), 700 (35/88 in July 2007) and 800 (38/96 in July 2010).
What is the record number of batsmen who were out bowled in a completed innings in a Test match, and an ODI? asked Nirmit Thakker via Facebook
In Tests it's nine, which has happened twice, both instances being a very a long time ago: in Cape Town in 1888-89, in what was only South Africa's second Test match, nine of their batsmen were bowled in the second innings against England, eight of them by Johnny Briggs, who conceded only 11 runs. The other batsman was run out, so the stumps were disturbed for all ten dismissals! It happened again at The Oval in 1890, when nine Australians were bowled in their second innings during a low-scoring match which England eventually won by two wickets. For a list, click here. In one-day internationals the record is eight batsmen out bowled in one innings, by New Zealand against West Indies in Albion in Guyana in 1984-85.
In Tests it's nine, which has happened twice, both instances being a very a long time ago: in Cape Town in 1888-89, in what was only South Africa's second Test match, nine of their batsmen were bowled in the second innings against England, eight of them by Johnny Briggs, who conceded only 11 runs. The other batsman was run out, so the stumps were disturbed for all ten dismissals! It happened again at The Oval in 1890, when nine Australians were bowled in their second innings during a low-scoring match which England eventually won by two wickets. For a list, click here. In one-day internationals the record is eight batsmen out bowled in one innings, by New Zealand against West Indies in Albion in Guyana in 1984-85.
I noticed that Andy Whittall took 45 wickets for Zimbabwe in ODIs at an average of over 50. Has anyone else done this? asked Jamie Farmer from Kent
Andy Whittall did indeed average 50.02 with the ball in one-day internationals. But there is another bowler with 45 wickets who has a worse average, and it's another offspinner: New Zealand's Dipak Patel took 45 at 50.24. No one has taken more wickets than this and averaged worse than 50, although if you drop the qualification to 30 wickets then another New Zealander, John Bracewell, comes out on top (or do I mean bottom?) with 33 at 57.09. The Kenyan opening bowler Martin Suji - who I always thought had rather a good bowling action - took 43 wickets at 50.93 on ODIs. Andy Whittall is also one of only five bowlers to have taken as many as seven Test wickets at an average of more than 100 (his seven cost 105.14 apiece): Asoka de Silva, the Sri Lankan legspinner who is now a Test umpire, is the man who wishes he wasn't on top of this particular list, with eight wickets at 129.00.
Andy Whittall did indeed average 50.02 with the ball in one-day internationals. But there is another bowler with 45 wickets who has a worse average, and it's another offspinner: New Zealand's Dipak Patel took 45 at 50.24. No one has taken more wickets than this and averaged worse than 50, although if you drop the qualification to 30 wickets then another New Zealander, John Bracewell, comes out on top (or do I mean bottom?) with 33 at 57.09. The Kenyan opening bowler Martin Suji - who I always thought had rather a good bowling action - took 43 wickets at 50.93 on ODIs. Andy Whittall is also one of only five bowlers to have taken as many as seven Test wickets at an average of more than 100 (his seven cost 105.14 apiece): Asoka de Silva, the Sri Lankan legspinner who is now a Test umpire, is the man who wishes he wasn't on top of this particular list, with eight wickets at 129.00.
What is the most numbers of overs played by a team in a Test innings? asked Nadeem from the United States
The longest-ever Test innings was England's 903 for 7 declared against Australia at The Oval in 1938, which lasted all of 335.2 overs, or 2012 balls. They batted until tea on the third day in what was actually a timeless Test, although in the end it finished inside four days when Australia collapsed for 201 and 123 to lose by the small matter of an innings and 579 runs. It might have been a different story if Don Bradman had been fit to bat, but he had broken his ankle while having a rare bowl towards the end of England's marathon innings. It's said that Wally Hammond, England's captain, only declared at 903 once he'd been assured that The Don would be unable to bat.
The longest-ever Test innings was England's 903 for 7 declared against Australia at The Oval in 1938, which lasted all of 335.2 overs, or 2012 balls. They batted until tea on the third day in what was actually a timeless Test, although in the end it finished inside four days when Australia collapsed for 201 and 123 to lose by the small matter of an innings and 579 runs. It might have been a different story if Don Bradman had been fit to bat, but he had broken his ankle while having a rare bowl towards the end of England's marathon innings. It's said that Wally Hammond, England's captain, only declared at 903 once he'd been assured that The Don would be unable to bat.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket. And Ask Steven is now on Facebook