Coventry's 194, and other unexpected innings

Would you have bet on Charles Coventry improving on Saeed Anwar's 194, the highest individual score in ODIs, by equalling it and remaining unbeaten, when better batsmen with more formidable records - Adam Gilchrist, Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar, to name only three - had merely got close? Coventry had played only 13 innings and scored 301 runs before his 194 not out against Bangladesh in Bulawayo, and was averaging 23.15 at the time. In this week's column we've looked at batsmen with the lowest averages before they scored a fifty and a century in ODIs and Tests.

The player with the lowest batting average before scoring a Test half-century is New Zealand fast bowler Bob Blair, who is best remembered for coming out to bat on Boxing Day in Johannesburg 1953, hours after learning of his fiancé's death in a train crash at home. Until he scored an unbeaten 64 against England in Wellington in 1963, Blair had reached double figures only once in 25 innings, and averaged 4.23 - two runs fewer than what Glenn McGrath did when he scored his first and only fifty, against New Zealand at the Gabba in 2004.

Lowest average before making a Test fifty (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0		Score	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
RW Blair (NZ)	14	25	89	22	4.23	0	0	7		64*	v England	Mar 1, 1963	Test 541
GD McGrath (Aus)	101	114	477	39	6.53	0	0	29		61	v New Zealand	Nov 18, 2004	Test 1721
MG Hughes (Aus)	10	13	81	21*	6.75	0	0	4		72*	v West Indies	Feb 3, 1989	Test 1114
Wasim Akram (Pak)	9	11	48	19	6.85	0	0	4		66	v West Indies	Oct 24, 1986	Test 1055
WR Playle (NZ)	7	12	83	23	6.91	0	0	2		65	v England	Mar 1, 1963	Test 541
Nasim-ul-Ghani (Pak)	11	18	120	22	7.05	0	0	6		70*	v India	Dec 16, 1960	Test 499
RB Desai (India)	9	18	79	17*	7.18	0	0	5		85	v Pakistan	Dec 2, 1960	Test 497
Ghulam Ahmed (India)	9	15	58	14	7.25	0	0	4		50	v Pakistan	Oct 16, 1952	Test 355
AME Roberts (WI)	28	37	236	35	7.37	0	0	5		54	v Australia	Dec 29, 1979	Test 867
AB Agarkar (India)	12	18	127	41*	7.47	0	0	8		109*	v England	Jul 25, 2002	Test 1610
DB Pithey (SA)	7	10	68	18	7.55	0	0	1		55	v Australia	Dec 31, 1966	Test 613
KR Rutherford (NZ)	7	10	77	65	7.70	0	1	5		50*	v Australia	Mar 13, 1986	Test 1040
BS Bedi (India)	46	70	417	36	7.72	0	0	17		50*	v New Zealand	Nov 18, 1976	Test 786
KJ Wadsworth (NZ)	11	18	141	21	7.83	0	0	3		78	v West Indies	Feb 16, 1972	Test 693
Iqbal Qasim (Pak)	30	37	206	32	7.92	0	0	8		56	v Sri Lanka	Mar 5, 1982	Test 923

What memorable feat has Ajit Agarkar achieved with the bat in Test cricket that Tendulkar hasn't? Apart from making five consecutive ducks, Agarkar is also on the honours board at Lord's, for scoring a Test century. His record up to that match in 2002 was unflattering: 127 runs in 18 innings at an average of 7.47, with eight ducks. Agarkar then struck 109 in a hopeless run-chase and lifted his average by six runs.

Lowest average before making a Test century (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0		Score	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
AB Agarkar (India)	12	18	127	41*	7.47	0	0	8		109*	v England	Jul 25, 2002	Test 1610
WJ Edrich (Eng)	9	11	88	28	8.00	0	0	2		219	v South Africa	Mar 3, 1939	Test 271
SE Gregory (Aus)	6	11	100	57	10.00	0	1	2		201	v England	Dec 14, 1894	Test 42
MS Atapattu (SL)	9	17	182	29	10.70	0	0	6		108	v India	Nov 19, 1997	Test 1385
KR Rutherford (NZ)	13	22	224	65	11.20	0	2	7		107*	v England	Mar 3, 1988	Test 1094
TR Gripper (Zim)	8	15	175	60	11.66	0	1	3		112	v Bangladesh	Nov 15, 2001	Test 1568
W Barnes (Eng)	8	14	154	32	11.84	0	0	1		134	v Australia	Dec 12, 1884	Test 17
IM Barrow (WI)	7	12	141	27	12.81	0	0	2		105	v England	Jul 22, 1933	Test 228
A Flintoff (Eng)	13	20	259	42	12.95	0	0	5		137	v New Zealand	Mar 13, 2002	Test 1594
Moin Khan (Pak)	11	15	169	32	13.00	0	0	2		115*	v Australia	Nov 1, 1994	Test 1273
Nasim-ul-Ghani (Pak)	18	28	318	70*	13.25	0	1	8		101	v England	Jun 21, 1962	Test 531
Mohammad Rafique (Ban)	10	19	203	32	13.53	0	0	3		111	v West Indies	May 28, 2004	Test 1701
JE Taylor (WI)	20	33	369	31	13.66	0	0	3		106	v New Zealand	Dec 11, 2008	Test 1897
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	32	51	569	79	14.22	0	2	9		101*	v New Zealand	Mar 15, 2001	Test 1536
MD Crowe (NZ)	8	13	196	46	15.07	0	0	3		100	v England	Jan 20, 1984	Test 975

Bill Edrich possessed an average of 8 after having accumulated 88 runs in 11 innings before he scored a double-century in the 1939 timeless Test between England and South Africa in Durban. It was the longest match ever, spanning 10 days, and Edrich scored 219 as England threatened to do the impossible by chasing down a target of 696. Only the last of several rain interruptions forced the captains to agree to a draw with England 42 runs away from victory, with five wickets in hand. They had the good ship Athlone Castle to catch.

Syd Gregory had reached double figures only once and averaged 10.00 in 11 innings before the first Ashes Test at the SCG in 1894. He turned that record around by scoring 201 in the first innings as Australia piled up 586 and appeared set for victory after England were dismissed for 325. The visitors, however, rallied in the second innings and posted 437, paving the way for the first instance of a team winning after following-on. It's happened only twice since.

Lowest average before making a Test double-century (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0		Score	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
WJ Edrich (Eng)	9	11	88	28	8.00	0	0	2		219	v South Africa	Mar 3, 1939	Test 271
SE Gregory (Aus)	6	11	100	57	10.00	0	1	2		201	v England	Dec 14, 1894	Test 42
JN Gillespie (Aus)	70	92	1017	54*	15.64	0	2	13		201*	v Bangladesh	Apr 16, 2006	Test 1799
RWT Key (Eng)	8	13	244	52	18.76	0	1	1		221	v West Indies	Jul 22, 2004	Test 1707
Wasim Akram (Pak)	70	98	1652	123	19.20	1	4	12		257*	v Zimbabwe	Oct 17, 1996	Test 1336
SFAF Bacchus (WI)	7	13	264	96	20.30	0	2	2		250	v India	Feb 2, 1979	Test 845
HH Gibbs (SA)	12	22	467	54	21.22	0	2	1		211*	v New Zealand	Mar 11, 1999	Test 1449
MS Atapattu (SL)	12	21	450	108	21.42	1	1	6		223	v Zimbabwe	Jan 7, 1998	Test 1394
GJ Whittall (Zim)	19	32	679	113*	22.63	1	3	4		203*	v New Zealand	Sep 25, 1997	Test 1379
Imtiaz Ahmed (Pak)	15	24	546	69	22.75	0	5	4		209	v New Zealand	Oct 26, 1955	Test 414
MAK Pataudi (India)	10	18	410	103	22.77	1	1	3		203*	v England	Feb 8, 1964	Test 556
A Sandham (Eng)	13	21	504	152	24.00	1	2	3		325	v West Indies	Apr 3, 1930	Test 193
GW Flower (Zim)	10	16	390	96	24.37	0	2	3		201*	v Pakistan	Jan 31, 1995	Test 1285
DJ McGlew (SA)	6	12	300	69	25.00	0	2	0		255*	v New Zealand	Mar 6, 1953	Test 368
DS Atkinson (WI)	13	21	429	74	25.23	0	3	3		219	v Australia	May 14, 1955	Test 406

Batting in one-day internationals was not something Michael Holding did very often - he was needed only 42 times in 102 matches. He was averaging 5.80 after 28 innings when he blitzed 64 off 39 balls against Australia and nearly took West Indies to victory at the WACA in 1984. That innings lifted his average to 8.45, but it dropped to 7.63 before his next half-century, which also came in Perth: Holding made 53 off 35 balls to lead West Indies to 255 for 8 and then took three wickets to help bowl out Australia for 91 in 1987.

Lowest average before making an ODI fifty (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0		Score	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
MA Holding (WI)	57	28	122	20	5.80	0	0	6		64	v Australia	Feb 5, 1984	ODI 245
MA Holding (WI)	98	40	229	64	7.63	0	1	8		53*	v Australia	Jan 4, 1987	ODI 412
Sohail Tanvir (Pak)	19	11	64	26	8.00	0	0	2		59	v Hong Kong	Jun 24, 2008	ODI 2712
Hannan Sarkar (Ban)	10	10	83	25	8.30	0	0	1		61	v Pakistan	Sep 15, 2003	ODI 2043
DO Obuya (Kenya)	20	20	154	34	8.55	0	0	5		57	v Zimbabwe	Apr 5, 2003	ODI 1996
D Ganga (WI)	10	10	88	22	8.80	0	0	3		66	v Zimbabwe	Jun 23, 2001	ODI 1727
TJ Friend (Zim)	31	21	141	22	8.81	0	0	3		63	v India	Mar 10, 2002	ODI 1815
NAM McLean (WI)	28	20	154	39	9.05	0	0	3		50*	v Zimbabwe	Jul 11, 2000	ODI 1611
GB Brent (Zim)	59	43	272	24	9.71	0	0	3		59*	v South Africa	Aug 22, 2007	ODI 2612
MV Boucher (SA)	17	11	78	26*	9.75	0	0	1		51	v West Indies	Jan 24, 1999	ODI 1393
XM Marshall (WI)	16	16	156	35	9.75	0	0	3		157*	v Canada	Aug 22, 2008	ODI 2749
B Lee (Aus)	33	13	108	31	9.81	0	0	2		51*	v South Africa	Feb 3, 2002	ODI 1802
SD Outerbridge (Ber)	17	17	168	42	9.88	0	0	4		56	v Canada	Jul 1, 2008	ODI 2728
DP Viljoen (Zim)	30	22	183	36	10.16	0	0	4		63*	v Sri Lanka	Oct 21, 2000	ODI 1642
PL Symcox (SA)	26	19	173	35	10.17	0	0	2		61	v India	Apr 19, 1996	ODI 1101

Xavier Marshall's one-day record is poor - 375 runs in 24 innings at an average of below 18 - and if you take away one innings against Canada, its quality plummets even further. Marshall averaged 9.75 in his first 16 innings but inflated that figure by plundering 157 off 118 balls in King City in 2008. He's scored 62 runs in seven innings since.

Herschelle Gibbs had a slow beginning to both his Test and ODI careers. He averaged 21.22 with a high score of 51 after 22 Test innings, before scoring 211 against New Zealand in Christchurch in March 1999. A couple of months earlier, Gibbs had ended his poor start in ODIs - high score of 35 after 19 innings - with 125 against West Indies in Port Elizabeth.

Lowest average before making an ODI century (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0		Score	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
XM Marshall (WI)	16	16	156	35	9.75	0	0	3		157*	v Canada	Aug 22, 2008	ODI 2749
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	70	63	926	77	15.18	0	5	7		140	v New Zealand	Dec 8, 1994	ODI 958
DPMD Jayawardene (SL)	10	10	122	74	15.25	0	1	1		120	v England	Jan 23, 1999	ODI 1391
V Sehwag (India)	14	12	169	58	15.36	0	1	2		100	v New Zealand	Aug 2, 2001	ODI 1743
ADR Campbell (Zim)	17	15	241	74	16.06	0	1	2		131*	v Sri Lanka	Nov 5, 1994	ODI 946
SV Carlisle (Zim)	24	23	322	43	16.10	0	0	4		121*	v Sri Lanka	Dec 18, 1999	ODI 1530
V Sibanda (Zim)	33	32	500	78	16.12	0	4	5		116	v Bermuda	May 20, 2006	ODI 2378
RS Kaluwitharana (SL)	55	51	792	77	16.50	0	5	8		100*	v Kenya	Sep 28, 1996	ODI 1120
Mohammad Ashraful (Ban)	49	48	759	66	16.50	0	4	7		100	v Australia	Jun 18, 2005	ODI 2250
DA Marillier (Zim)	41	35	519	59	16.74	0	3	3		100	v Kenya	Apr 5, 2003	ODI 1996
LPC Silva (SL)	13	10	169	55	16.89	0	1	0		107*	v India	Feb 17, 2007	ODI 2525
N Boje (SA)	44	23	294	54	17.29	0	1	2		105*	v New Zealand	Oct 20, 2000	ODI 1641
HH Gibbs (SA)	19	19	331	35	17.42	0	0	1		125	v West Indies	Jan 30, 1999	ODI 1397
DD Ebrahim (Zim)	20	19	307	42	18.05	0	0	2		121	v Bangladesh	Nov 25, 2001	ODI 1774
Shoaib Malik (Pak)	20	11	145	44	18.12	0	0	2		111*	v West Indies	Feb 15, 2002	ODI 1808

Coventry's record-surpassing effort appears in our table of lowest averages for batsmen before scoring a 150 in ODIs. His 194 not out lifted his average from 23.15 to 38.07, but unfortunately for him, it also broke the record for the highest individual score in a losing cause.

Lowest average before making a 150 in ODIs (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0		Score	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
XM Marshall (WI)	16	16	156	35	9.75	0	0	3		157*	v Canada	Aug 22, 2008	ODI 2749
DJ Callaghan (SA)	18	15	217	45*	19.72	0	0	2		169*	v New Zealand	Dec 11, 1994	ODI 960
N Kapil Dev (India)	36	35	692	75	21.62	0	4	5		175*	v Zimbabwe	Jun 18, 1983	ODI 216
CB Wishart (Zim)	72	65	1283	102	21.74	1	4	6		172*	v Namibia	Feb 10, 2003	ODI 1943
L Vincent (NZ)	62	60	1133	60*	21.78	0	4	4		172	v Zimbabwe	Aug 24, 2005	ODI 2272
CH Gayle (WI)	31	30	647	76	22.31	0	4	3		152	v Kenya	Aug 15, 2001	ODI 1745
CK Coventry (Zim)	14	13	301	74	23.15	0	2	2		194*	v Bangladesh	Aug 16, 2009	ODI 2873
Imran Nazir (Pak)	67	67	1514	105*	23.29	1	9	10		160	v Zimbabwe	Mar 21, 2007	ODI 2547
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	128	120	2828	140	24.17	3	16	9		151*	v India	May 17, 1997	ODI 1207
Tamim Iqbal (Ban)	59	59	1571	129	26.62	1	10	6		154	v Zimbabwe	Aug 16, 2009	ODI 2873
BB McCullum (NZ)	133	109	2417	96	27.78	0	13	8		166	v Ireland	Jul 1, 2008	ODI 2727
D Mongia (India)	14	14	368	71	28.30	0	1	0		159*	v Zimbabwe	Mar 19, 2002	ODI 1818
AC Hudson (SA)	62	61	1774	108	29.08	1	13	3		161	v Netherlands	Mar 5, 1996	ODI 1073
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	216	208	5834	151*	29.17	8	39	15		189	v India	Oct 29, 2000	ODI 1652
DI Gower (Eng)	40	37	1040	122	31.51	3	4	1		158	v New Zealand	Jan 15, 1983	ODI 168