Lots of ODIs but no Tests, and the oldest one-day players
ODI stalwarts who never played a Test, the manager of South Africa's fractious 1960 tour of England, and the man who bowled more than ten overs in an ODI
Steven Lynch
07-Oct-2008
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Who has played the most one-day internationals (for a Test nation) without ever having played a Test match? asked Simon Manning from the Netherlands
The current holder of this record, which has been held in the past by the likes of Shahid Afridi, Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds, is the Australian allrounder Ian Harvey, who won 73 one-day caps without ever appearing in a Test. Two other players have chalked up more than a half-century of one-day caps without ever wearing a Test one: Dinesh Mongia played 57 ODIs (and one Twenty20 international) for India, while England's Vikram Solanki has played 51 ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals. If you take non-Test countries into account then the leader is Kenya's Steve Tikolo, who has played 105 one-day internationals (four of them for the Africa XI), one more than his fellow countryman Thomas Odoyo.
The current holder of this record, which has been held in the past by the likes of Shahid Afridi, Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds, is the Australian allrounder Ian Harvey, who won 73 one-day caps without ever appearing in a Test. Two other players have chalked up more than a half-century of one-day caps without ever wearing a Test one: Dinesh Mongia played 57 ODIs (and one Twenty20 international) for India, while England's Vikram Solanki has played 51 ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals. If you take non-Test countries into account then the leader is Kenya's Steve Tikolo, who has played 105 one-day internationals (four of them for the Africa XI), one more than his fellow countryman Thomas Odoyo.
I believe that Nolan Clarke was 47 when he made his one-day international debut at the 1996 World Cup. Is he the oldest player to appear in an ODI? asked Gary Donoghue from Australia
The Netherlands' opener Nolan Clarke was aged 47 years 257 days when he played the last of his five official one-day internationals, at the 1995-96 World Cup: he is indeed the oldest man to appear in an official one-day international. The second-oldest is Zimbabwe's John Traicos, who was 45 years and 312 days old in his final match, against India in Pune in 1992-93. For a full list, click here. But... your question actually asks for the oldest player to appear in an ODI - and West Indies' Stephanie Power played the last of her 34 official women's ODIs in Pretoria in April 2005, when she was aged 47 years and 355 days, more than three months older than Clarke.
The Netherlands' opener Nolan Clarke was aged 47 years 257 days when he played the last of his five official one-day internationals, at the 1995-96 World Cup: he is indeed the oldest man to appear in an official one-day international. The second-oldest is Zimbabwe's John Traicos, who was 45 years and 312 days old in his final match, against India in Pune in 1992-93. For a full list, click here. But... your question actually asks for the oldest player to appear in an ODI - and West Indies' Stephanie Power played the last of her 34 official women's ODIs in Pretoria in April 2005, when she was aged 47 years and 355 days, more than three months older than Clarke.
Who wrote a cricket book called Back to Bay 13 - was it Dennis Lillee? asked Trent Martin from Sydney
The book that Dennis Lillee brought out in 1974 was actually called Back to the Mark. It caused a stir at the time because Lillee admitted in it: "I try to hit a batsman in the rib-cage when I bowl a purposeful bouncer, and I want it to hurt so much that the batsman doesn't want to face me any more." But Back to Bay 13 was actually written by a sometime team-mate of Lillee's - the Australian fast-medium bowler Max Walker. Bay 13 was a famously boisterous section of the old Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Walker - whose international career was just about over when he wrote the book in 1980 - was contemplating returning to the other side of the fence once his playing days finished.
The book that Dennis Lillee brought out in 1974 was actually called Back to the Mark. It caused a stir at the time because Lillee admitted in it: "I try to hit a batsman in the rib-cage when I bowl a purposeful bouncer, and I want it to hurt so much that the batsman doesn't want to face me any more." But Back to Bay 13 was actually written by a sometime team-mate of Lillee's - the Australian fast-medium bowler Max Walker. Bay 13 was a famously boisterous section of the old Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Walker - whose international career was just about over when he wrote the book in 1980 - was contemplating returning to the other side of the fence once his playing days finished.
I am doing some research into the South African tour of England in 1960, but I am unable to ascertain who the tour manager was. Can you help? asked John Wearne from Australia
South Africa's 1960 tour of England was a controversial one: it was one of the first to be affected by demonstrations against the South African government's apartheid policy, and it wasn't much fun on the field either - a weakish team was outplayed by England, and had to endure more strife when the fast bowler Geoff Griffin was repeatedly called for throwing, most famously in the Lord's Test, in which he also took a hat-trick. The tour manager who had to cope with all this was Dudley Nourse, the former South African captain who scored 2960 runs in 34 Tests at an average of more than 50. He had captained the side that toured England in 1951.
South Africa's 1960 tour of England was a controversial one: it was one of the first to be affected by demonstrations against the South African government's apartheid policy, and it wasn't much fun on the field either - a weakish team was outplayed by England, and had to endure more strife when the fast bowler Geoff Griffin was repeatedly called for throwing, most famously in the Lord's Test, in which he also took a hat-trick. The tour manager who had to cope with all this was Dudley Nourse, the former South African captain who scored 2960 runs in 34 Tests at an average of more than 50. He had captained the side that toured England in 1951.
Who has scored the most double-centuries in Tests? asked Praveen Mognti from the United States
The leader here, as with so many batting records, is Australia's Don Bradman, who made 12 scores of 200 or more, in only 52 Tests. In second place, with nine, is Brian Lara of West Indies - but he played in 131 Tests. In third spot is Bradman's English contemporary Wally Hammond, with seven, one ahead of Pakistan's Javed Miandad and a pair of modern-day Sri Lankans, Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara. For a full list, click here.
The leader here, as with so many batting records, is Australia's Don Bradman, who made 12 scores of 200 or more, in only 52 Tests. In second place, with nine, is Brian Lara of West Indies - but he played in 131 Tests. In third spot is Bradman's English contemporary Wally Hammond, with seven, one ahead of Pakistan's Javed Miandad and a pair of modern-day Sri Lankans, Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara. For a full list, click here.
I found the scorecard of the Asia Cup match between Bangladesh and Hong Kong in 2004, and was surprised to see Mohammad Rafique credited with bowling 10.2 overs. Is this a printing error or did it really happen? asked Kaushik Joshi from India
The match you're talking about took place at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo in July 2004. There was an error, but it was a human one rather than a printing slip: the umpires mistakenly allowed Bangladesh's left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique to start his 11th over - in fact he took the last wicket during it. Wisden reported solemnly: "Hong Kong's last wicket fell to Mohammad Rafique, who had unwittingly embarked upon an 11th over. The incident caused alarm at the ICC - terrified that something similar could occur in a close match - who reprimanded the umpires, saying both they and the third umpire should have been keeping count, and communicating. The umpires said the official scorers had lost track."
The match you're talking about took place at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo in July 2004. There was an error, but it was a human one rather than a printing slip: the umpires mistakenly allowed Bangladesh's left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique to start his 11th over - in fact he took the last wicket during it. Wisden reported solemnly: "Hong Kong's last wicket fell to Mohammad Rafique, who had unwittingly embarked upon an 11th over. The incident caused alarm at the ICC - terrified that something similar could occur in a close match - who reprimanded the umpires, saying both they and the third umpire should have been keeping count, and communicating. The umpires said the official scorers had lost track."
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo 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