England's worst one-day run, and an innings of 298
A team of 11 first-class centurions, most catches before a stumping, and the man with more centuries than some teams put together
Steven Lynch
22-Sep-2009
Don't sweat the small things captain: England's recent run of six losses was way off their worst: 11 • Getty Images
England have just lost six straight one-day internationals to Australia. Is this their worst-ever run? asked Clive Morgan from Cardiff
Rather surprisingly, perhaps, it isn't: England lost 11 successive one-day internationals to various opponents in 2000 and 2001. It's not even England's worst run against Australia - between February 1999 and March 2003 Australia won 11 successive ODIs against England. That finished a sequence of 15 matches between the two, of which Australia won 14 and the other one was abandoned (although, since the toss took place, it is counted as a match in the records). The worst run of all is 23 straight ODI defeats, by Bangladesh between 1999 and 2002. That beat the previous record of 22 by... Bangladesh, between 1986 and 1998. For a full list of the worst losing streaks in ODIs, click here.
Rather surprisingly, perhaps, it isn't: England lost 11 successive one-day internationals to various opponents in 2000 and 2001. It's not even England's worst run against Australia - between February 1999 and March 2003 Australia won 11 successive ODIs against England. That finished a sequence of 15 matches between the two, of which Australia won 14 and the other one was abandoned (although, since the toss took place, it is counted as a match in the records). The worst run of all is 23 straight ODI defeats, by Bangladesh between 1999 and 2002. That beat the previous record of 22 by... Bangladesh, between 1986 and 1998. For a full list of the worst losing streaks in ODIs, click here.
Someone at the ground said when Worcestershire's Daryl Mitchell made 298 last week that no one else had made this score in a first-class match - is that true? asked Jamie Harris from Cheltenham
That innings of 298 by Daryl Mitchell for Worcestershire against Somerset in Taunton last week was the first time anyone had been out for 298 in any first-class match. But there has been a 298 not out, by the Indian one-cap wonder Gursharan Singh, for Punjab against Bengal in a Ranji Trophy quarter-final match in Calcutta in 1988-89.
That innings of 298 by Daryl Mitchell for Worcestershire against Somerset in Taunton last week was the first time anyone had been out for 298 in any first-class match. But there has been a 298 not out, by the Indian one-cap wonder Gursharan Singh, for Punjab against Bengal in a Ranji Trophy quarter-final match in Calcutta in 1988-89.
When was the last time that a country fielded a Test team, all 11 of whom had scored a first-class century? asked Dennis Clarke from Southampton
The last time this happened was in the first Test between Australia and Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04, the match in which Matthew Hayden broke the world record with an innings of 380 in Australia's total of 735 for 6 declared. So far, so predictable... except it was the Zimbabwe side that contained 11 players with at least one first-class century to their names (Ray Price, their No. 11, had made his in a Logan Cup match in Zimbabwe the previous month).
The last time this happened was in the first Test between Australia and Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04, the match in which Matthew Hayden broke the world record with an innings of 380 in Australia's total of 735 for 6 declared. So far, so predictable... except it was the Zimbabwe side that contained 11 players with at least one first-class century to their names (Ray Price, their No. 11, had made his in a Logan Cup match in Zimbabwe the previous month).
Brad Haddin took 52 catches in Test cricket before making a stumping. Has any other wicketkeeper had a longer stretch of dismissals without a stumping? asked Jason from Australia
The record in this regard is held by the former South African wicketkeeper Dave Richardson, who took 119 Test catches before finally managing a stumping, against India in Cape Town in 1996-97. He expressed his relief at the time, saying he hadn't wanted to end his career with no stumpings at all in case people thought he was a good slip fielder rather than a wicketkeeper! He ended up with 150 catches and two stumpings in his 42 Tests.
The record in this regard is held by the former South African wicketkeeper Dave Richardson, who took 119 Test catches before finally managing a stumping, against India in Cape Town in 1996-97. He expressed his relief at the time, saying he hadn't wanted to end his career with no stumpings at all in case people thought he was a good slip fielder rather than a wicketkeeper! He ended up with 150 catches and two stumpings in his 42 Tests.
Against India recently Sri Lanka's Thilina Kandamby scored 91 not out batting at No. 6. Is this the highest individual score in ODIs by a No. 6? asked Gilman Wazir from the Netherlands
Rather surprisingly, perhaps, that innings by Thilina Kandamby against India in the Compaq Cup in Colombo earlier this month is well down that list - there have been 29 higher scores from No. 6 in ODIs, including 20 centuries. The highest of all is Kapil Dev's epic 175 not out for India (who were 9 for 4 when he came in, and soon 17 for 5) against Zimbabwe in Tunbridge Wells in the 1983 World Cup.
Rather surprisingly, perhaps, that innings by Thilina Kandamby against India in the Compaq Cup in Colombo earlier this month is well down that list - there have been 29 higher scores from No. 6 in ODIs, including 20 centuries. The highest of all is Kapil Dev's epic 175 not out for India (who were 9 for 4 when he came in, and soon 17 for 5) against Zimbabwe in Tunbridge Wells in the 1983 World Cup.
In the Compaq Cup final Sachin Tendulkar scored his 44th century in one-day internationals. How many ODI centuries have New Zealand batsmen scored all told? I'm guessing that it isn't much more than 44... asked Blair Leighton from Japan
As I write the whole of New Zealand lead Sachin Tendulkar by 26 - there have been 70 ODI centuries by New Zealand batsmen. Tendulkar (44) is in front of Zimbabwe (36) and Bangladesh (15) though. Largely thanks to him, India lead the way overall with 163 ODI centuries: Australia have 146, Pakistan 141, West Indies 130, Sri Lanka 98, England 90 and South Africa 85.
As I write the whole of New Zealand lead Sachin Tendulkar by 26 - there have been 70 ODI centuries by New Zealand batsmen. Tendulkar (44) is in front of Zimbabwe (36) and Bangladesh (15) though. Largely thanks to him, India lead the way overall with 163 ODI centuries: Australia have 146, Pakistan 141, West Indies 130, Sri Lanka 98, England 90 and South Africa 85.
And there's an update to last week's question about West Indian players of Chinese ancestry:
Several people emailed to say that the Jamaican left-hander Herbert Chang, who played one Test for West Indies in 1978-79, was also of Chinese extraction. And Adam Frankowski also pointed out that at least two of the Caribbean's most famous former umpires, Douglas Sang Hue and Eric Lee Kow, also had Chinese ancestry.
Several people emailed to say that the Jamaican left-hander Herbert Chang, who played one Test for West Indies in 1978-79, was also of Chinese extraction. And Adam Frankowski also pointed out that at least two of the Caribbean's most famous former umpires, Douglas Sang Hue and Eric Lee Kow, also had Chinese ancestry.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket (reviewed here). If you want to ask Steven a question, use our feedback form. The most interesting questions will be answered here each week