Champions of close contests

The last couple of years have seen the 50-over format of the game take a hammering, with Twenty20 threatening to replace the ODI as the major limited-overs version. A poor World Cup in the West Indies and a fabulous World Twenty20 in South last year showed where spectator interest, and perhaps the future of the game, lie.

For those who advocate Twenty20s over ODIs, the key argument is that a one-sided contest in an ODI is like a television soap that refuses to go off air. However, when an ODI goes right, with two teams fighting every inch to pull off a win, it makes for compelling viewing, as happened in two recent encounters: when India beat Sri Lanka by two wickets in Adelaide, and the thrilling tie between New Zealand and England in Napier.

This week the List looks at performances in such close ODIs: the players who have featured in such matches the most times, highest winning percentages, best batting and bowling averages. To clarify at the outset, a close ODI has been defined as a match in which the victory margin is less than or equal to ten runs or two wickets, or a win achieved with only three balls or fewer remaining, and of course, the classification includes ties as well.

Given that he has played the most ODIs, it's no surprise that Sachin Tendulkar tops the list of players who have featured in the most close games - 65, or 15.66% of his total career ODIs. Among players with over 35 ODIs, Steve Waugh has the highest percentage of "close contests", while two others with over 10,000 Test runs, Allan Border and Brian Lara, have the highest and lowest percentages of wins respectively in close contests.

A surprise, perhaps, is the fact that Shaun Pollock has a win percentage of over 60% in such matches, since South Africa have often tended to choke on the big stage.

Player Mat Won Tied Lost %W

Span Career %

SR Tendulkar (India) 65 29 3 33

46.92 1989-2008 415 15.66

SR Waugh (Aus) 60 34 5 21

60.83 1986-2002 325 18.46

M Azharuddin (India) 52 23 3 26

47.11 1985-2000 334 15.56

SC Ganguly (Asia/India) 45 21 1 23

47.77 1992-2007 311 14.46

A Kumble (Asia/India) 45 19 2 24

44.44 1990-2007 271 16.60

ST Jayasuriya (Asia/SL) 44 24 3 17

57.95 1989-2008 410 10.73

RT Ponting (Aus/ICC) 44 23 5 16

57.95 1995-2008 295 14.91

ME Waugh (Aus) 44 24 4 16

59.09 1988-2002 244 18.03

R Dravid (Asia/ICC/India) 43 19 1 23

45.34 1996-2007 333 12.91

BC Lara (ICC/WI) 43 16 3 24

40.69 1990-2007 299 14.38

Wasim Akram (Pak) 43 23 6 14

60.46 1984-2003 356 12.07

SP Fleming (ICC/NZ) 42 17 3 22

44.04 1994-2007 280 15.00

SM Pollock (Afr/ICC/SA) 41 23 5 13

62.19 1996-2008 303 13.53

AR Border (Aus) 40 25 2 13

65.00 1979-1994 273 14.65

AC Gilchrist (Aus/ICC) 40 19 5 16

53.75 1996-2008 284 14.08

JH Kallis (Afr/ICC/SA) 40 23 5 12

63.75 1996-2008 274 14.59

J Srinath (India) 40 16 3 21

43.75 1991-2003 229 17.46

CL Hooper (WI) 39 15 4 20

43.58 1987-2003 227 17.18

GD McGrath (Aus/ICC) 38 22 3 13

61.84 1993-2007 250 15.20

MG Bevan (Aus) 37 22 3 12

63.51 1994-2004 232 15.94

England haven't been the most exciting one-day outfit for quite a while now, but the number of England players with high percentages of close ODI results suggest they have been able to entertain fans with well-fought games. Offspinner Robert Croft leads the list, which has 13 England players in the top 20. Twenty-eight per cent of Croft's overall 50 ODIs have been close games. In the list, John Emburey has the highest winning percentage, 70%, from 15 ODIs, while another Englishman, Robin Smith, falls well short at 28.12%. Four Australians, one West Indian, one Pakistani and an Indian make up the rest of the table.

Lost %W Span Career

% RDB Croft (Eng) 14 5

1 8 39.28 1996-2001

50 28.00 AD Mullally (Eng) 13 4

0 9 30.76 1996-2001

50 26.00 BP Patterson (WI) 15 4

2 9 33.33 1986-1993

59 25.42 NV Knight (Eng) 25 8

1 16 34.00 1996-2003

100 25.00 PR Reiffel (Aus) 23 11

3 9 54.34 1992-1999

92 25.00 JE Emburey (Eng) 15 10

1 4 70.00 1980-1993

61 24.59 MA Ealham (Eng) 15 6

0 9 40.00 1996-2001

64 23.43 MA Taylor (Aus) 26 16

1 9 63.46 1989-1997

113 23.00 DI Gower (Eng) 26 12

1 13 48.07 1978-1991

114 22.80 NH Fairbrother (Eng) 17 10

0 7 58.82 1987-1999

75 22.66 RA Smith (Eng) 16 4

1 11 28.12 1988-1996

71 22.53 GA Gooch (Eng) 28 13

1 14 48.21 1976-1995

125 22.40 PAJ DeFreitas (Eng) 23 12

1 10 54.34 1987-1997

103 22.33 AR Caddick (Eng) 12 3

1 8 29.16 1993-2003

54 22.22 SG Law (Aus) 12 8

0 4 66.66 1994-1999

54 22.22 Manzoor Elahi (Pak) 12 6

1 5 54.16 1984-1995

54 22.22 MW Gatting (Eng) 20 12

1 7 62.50 1977-1993

92 21.73 PL Taylor (Aus) 18 12

0 6 66.66 1987-1992

83 21.68 IT Botham (Eng) 25 14

1 10 58.00 1976-1992

116 21.55 VG Kambli (India) 22 10

1 11 47.72 1991-2000

104 21.15

However, it's the Australians who dominate when it comes to the highest percentage of wins in close results. A fair number of players from their World Cup-winning squad in 1987 - where they had a few close shaves - figure in the list, but the leader of the pack is Andy Bichel. Four of Bichel's 12 matches came in the first half of 2003, including his magnificent all-round effort against England in Port Elizabeth during the World Cup, where he took 7 for 20 and then scored an unbeaten 34 to seal a two-wicket win.

Ian Bradshaw, one of two West Indians in the list, also happened to score 34 not out in West Indies' improbable two-wicket win in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy at The Oval in 2004.

David Boon, Craig McDermott, Geoff Marsh and Tom Moody were all part of Australia's 1987 World Cup campaign, during which the team picked up three crucial last-ditch wins, against India and New Zealand by one and three runs during the group stage, and capped it with a remarkable seven-run triumph over England in the final. All four were playing when Australia did an encore against India at the 1992 World Cup, while Boon, Marsh and McDermott were also involved in the tied Test against the same team in 1986.

Lost %W Span Career

% AJ Bichel (Aus) 12 10

1 1 87.50 1997-2004

67 17.91 GM Wood (Aus) 10 8

0 2 80.00 1978-1989

83 12.04 KJ Hughes (Aus) 11 8

1 2 77.27 1977-1985

97 11.34 RP Arnold (SL) 13 9

2 2 76.92 1997-2007

180 7.22 IJ Harvey (Aus) 10 7

1 2 75.00 1997-2004

73 13.69 JM Kemp (Afr/SA) 10 7

1 2 75.00 2001-2007

85 11.76 DC Boon (Aus) 34 24

2 8 73.52 1984-1995

181 18.78 Younis Khan (Pak) 15 11

0 4 73.33 2000-2008

164 9.14 C Pringle (NZ) 13 9

1 3 73.07 1990-1995

64 20.31 TM Alderman (Aus) 12 8

1 3 70.83 1981-1991

65 18.46 NA Foster (Eng) 12 8

1 3 70.83 1984-1989

48 25.00 TM Moody (Aus) 12 7

3 2 70.83 1987-1999

76 15.78 HDPK Dharmasena (SL) 17 12

0 5 70.58 1994-2004

141 12.05 JE Emburey (Eng) 15 10

1 4 70.00 1980-1993

61 24.59 IDR Bradshaw (WI) 10 7

0 3 70.00 2004-2007

62 16.12 MJ Slater (Aus) 10 7

0 3 70.00 1993-1997

42 23.80 BA Young (NZ) 10 6

2 2 70.00 1990-1999

74 13.51 WW Hinds (WI) 13 9

0 4 69.23 1999-2006

114 11.40 CJ McDermott (Aus) 24 16

1 7 68.75 1985-1996

138 17.39 GR Marsh (Aus) 24 16

1 7 68.75 1986-1992

117 20.51

Two former England captains, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, have experienced the anguish of losing in humdingers most frequently, while India's Ravi Shastri, considered among the more mentally tough Indian players, and Kiran More - both of whom were on the receiving end when Australia pulled off those miraculous wins - also feature in the list.

Courtney Walsh, who sportingly did not run out the non-striker who was backing up too far, thereby helping Pakistan complete a one-wicket win off the final delivery in the 1987 World Cup, and his team-mates Curtly Ambrose, Keith Arthurton, Roger Harper and Anderson Cummins found themselves on the losing side in tight contests more than they would have wished for. Among the current crop of players are Ajit Agarkar, Corey Collymore, and two cricketers who have had troubles with depression and mental fatigue - Lou Vincent and Marcus Trescothick.

Lost %W Span Career

% MA Atherton (Eng) 11 2

1 8 22.72 1990-1998

54 20.37 N Hussain (Eng) 18 4

1 13 25.00 1989-2003

88 20.45 KS More (India) 14 3

1 10 25.00 1984-1993

94 14.89 AJ Stewart (Eng) 33 8

1 24 25.75 1989-2003

170 19.41 CD Collymore (WI) 11 3

0 8 27.27 1999-2007

84 13.09 GC Small (Eng) 11 3

0 8 27.27 1987-1992

53 20.75 RG Twose (NZ) 11 3

0 8 27.27 1995-2001

87 12.64 RA Smith (Eng) 16 4

1 11 28.12 1988-1996

71 22.53 RA Harper (WI) 14 4

0 10 28.57 1983-1996

105 13.33 L Vincent (NZ) 14 4

0 10 28.57 2001-2007

102 13.72 RJ Shastri (India) 19 5

1 13 28.94 1981-1992

150 12.66 AR Caddick (Eng) 12 3

1 8 29.16 1993-2003

54 22.22 ME Trescothick (Eng) 17 4

2 11 29.41 2000-2006

123 13.82 AD Mullally (Eng) 13 4

0 9 30.76 1996-2001

50 26.00 D Gough (Eng/ICC) 27 7

3 17 31.48 1994-2006

159 16.98 KLT Arthurton (WI) 14 3

3 8 32.14 1988-1999

105 13.33 CEL Ambrose (WI) 26 7

3 16 32.69 1988-2000

176 14.77 CA Walsh (WI) 30 9

2 19 33.33 1985-2000

205 14.63 AB Agarkar (India) 24 8

0 16 33.33 1998-2007

191 12.56 AC Cummins (Can/WI) 15 4

2 9 33.33 1991-2007

76 19.73

Michael Bevan has won Australia many a close ODI, including the one he sealed with a last-ball four against Harper in 1996, and that gripping run-chase in unison with Bichel, and he leads the batting averages chasing in tantalising contests. Another reputed finisher, Neil Fairbrother, is in the list, while West Indies' Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle feature as well. In run-chases, Gayle has a winning percentage of 71.42%; the only other batsman in the list above 70 is, surprisingly, Zimbabwe's Andy Flower, with eight wins in 12 tough chases. Power-hitters Andrew Symonds, Lance Klusener and India's Robin Singh are in the top 20, which includes South African openers Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs, and Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saleem Malik.

Lost %W Inns Runs HS

Ave 100 50 MG Bevan (Aus)

22 13 2 7 63.63

22 952 102* 79.33 1

8 RR Sarwan (WI) 10 6 0

4 60.00 10 426 115*

71.00 1 3 RB Richardson (WI) 17

4 2 11 29.41 17

865 122 61.78 3 5

NH Fairbrother (Eng) 12 6 0 6

50.00 12 434 75* 54.25

0 4 Saeed Anwar (Pak) 10 6

1 3 65.00 10 478

111 53.11 2 3 CH Gayle (WI)

14 10 0 4 71.42

14 645 132 49.61 1

5 Inzamam-ul-Haq (Asia/Pak) 21 10 3

8 54.76 21 824 122

48.47 1 5 A Flower (Zim) 12

8 1 3 70.83 12

580 81 48.33 0 7

Younis Khan (Pak) 12 8 0 4

66.66 12 466 117 46.60

2 1 SC Ganguly (India) 23 12

1 10 54.34 23 1025

124 46.59 1 9 MD Crowe (NZ)

11 5 0 6 45.45

11 457 91 45.70 0

4 Saleem Malik (Pak) 15 9 3

3 70.00 14 527 84

43.91 0 5 GC Smith (SA) 13

7 2 4 61.53 13

568 90 43.69 0 5

HH Gibbs (SA) 20 11 3 6

62.50 20 825 175 43.42

2 4 PA de Silva (SL) 20 9

2 9 50.00 20 765

105 42.50 1 5 L Klusener (SA)

13 8 2 3 69.23

12 297 59* 42.42 0

2 AJ Lamb (Eng) 14 7 0

7 50.00 14 508 77*

42.33 0 3 A Symonds (Aus) 10

6 1 3 65.00 10

336 76 42.00 0 2

Mohammad Yousuf (Asia/Pak) 15 8 0 7

53.33 15 570 94* 40.71

0 6 RR Singh (India) 13 6

1 6 50.00 13 407

82 40.70 0 2

McDermott is by far the master at defending a target in a hard-fought chase; in his 16 close ODIs, he has finished on the winning side in 13; he has a bowling average of 19.93 in those games. Waqar Younis has an astounding average of 14.48 while defending scores in close ODIs, with two five-wicket hauls and three four-wicket hauls. Shane Warne is right behind at 15.75: two of his three four-fors while bowling second came in Man-of-the-Match performances, in the World Cup semi-finals in 1996 and 1999.

Allan Donald, who didn't keep his head in that Edgbaston semi-final against Australia in 1999, also finds a place, and so do former Pakistan captains Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. Two other famous allrounders, Ian Botham and Kapil Dev, also make the list. Steve Waugh, who used the slower ball to deadly effect in the 1987 World Cup, not surprisingly has the third-best winning percentage in the list, with offspinner Peter Taylor second. Australia didn't fail to defend a target through that edition of the tournament, and of the three tight games mentioned above, Waugh bowled the heart-stopping final over in two, against India and New Zealand, and conceded only four and three to seal victories.

Lost %W Balls Wkts BBI

Ave 4 5 Waqar Younis (Pak)

18 11 2 5 66.66

936 47 6/30 14.48 2

3 SK Warne (Aus) 12 8 1

3 70.83 684 29 4/19

15.75 3 0 Wasim Akram (Pak) 21

11 3 7 59.52 1122

38 5/16 19.39 2 1

CJ McDermott (Aus) 16 13 1 2

84.37 853 31 4/42 19.93

2 0 AA Donald (SA) 13 8

0 5 61.53 762 23

4/43 21.95 2 0 SB Styris (NZ)

14 5 0 9 35.71

673 21 6/25 24.19 0

1 Imran Khan (Pak) 14 7 0

7 50.00 611 16 3/18

24.68 0 0 HH Streak (Zim) 11

4 1 6 40.90 611

18 4/44 24.83 1 0

N Kapil Dev (India) 22 11 2 9

54.54 1161 30 4/54 25.96

1 0 WPUJC Vaas (SL) 14 7

1 6 53.57 710 19

4/22 26.26 1 0 CA Walsh (WI)

14 4 1 9 32.14

783 20 4/40 26.85 1

0 CL Cairns (NZ) 21 10 2

9 52.38 685 20 4/55

27.20 1 0 DL Vettori (NZ) 20

6 0 14 30.00 948

25 4/14 27.32 1 0

M Prabhakar (India) 16 9 2 5

62.50 873 23 3/34 27.39

0 0 IT Botham (Eng) 9 5

1 3 61.11 534 12

3/26 27.58 0 0 J Garner (WI)

10 3 1 6 35.00

565 12 3/39 28.33 0

0 PL Taylor (Aus) 12 10 0

2 83.33 552 14 2/35

28.85 0 0 CL Hooper (WI) 16

7 2 7 50.00 567

17 3/31 28.94 0 0

SR Waugh (Aus) 32 22 2 8

71.87 1184 32 4/48 28.96

1 0 A Kumble (India) 25 11

1 13 46.00 1360 35

3/38 29.51 0 0