The 35-second over, and the Bald Eagle
Five overs in eight minutes, the most 100-run partnerships, and cricketers who played tennis
Steven Lynch
27-Jan-2009
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I heard somewhere that Younis Khan bowled the shortest over in first-class cricket. It took him a few seconds to bowl it in a county match! Can you give me some more details? asked Haris Munir from Pakistan
The match in question was the County Championship game between Yorkshire and Sussex at Headingley in June 2007. It was petering out into a draw, and Wisden reports: "A 50-minute rain-break killed off any hope of a result and, on resumption, the game descended into farce as Yorkshire rescued a slow over-rate, which threatened a points deduction, by rushing through 5.2 overs in eight minutes. Younis Khan completed one over in 35 seconds." That probably is the quickest over in history, although it's not a record that has been reliably kept down the years.
The match in question was the County Championship game between Yorkshire and Sussex at Headingley in June 2007. It was petering out into a draw, and Wisden reports: "A 50-minute rain-break killed off any hope of a result and, on resumption, the game descended into farce as Yorkshire rescued a slow over-rate, which threatened a points deduction, by rushing through 5.2 overs in eight minutes. Younis Khan completed one over in 35 seconds." That probably is the quickest over in history, although it's not a record that has been reliably kept down the years.
Three players have made hundreds in their country's inaugural Test, but has anyone made a hundred in his country's first one-day international? asked Jude Franco from India
Slightly surprisingly perhaps, no one has ever scored a century in his country's first one-day international. The highest is 82, by England's John Edrich, in the first one of them all, against Australia in Melbourne in 1970-71, and also by Brijesh Patel, in India's first ODI, against England at Headingley in 1974. The highest score in a non-Test-playing country's first match is 70, by Mazhar Hussain for the United Arab Emirates against India in the Austral-Asia Cup in Sharjah in 1993-94. I should perhaps mention Ricky Ponting, who made 115 in the first official ODI played by a World XI, against Asia in the tsunami appeal match in Melbourne in 2004-05 - but since Ponting had already played 209 one-day internationals for Australia by then, I don't think it really counts. For the benefit of other readers the three players who scored hundreds in their country's maiden Tests were Charles Bannerman of Australia, against England in 1876-77, Zimbabwe's Dave Houghton, against India in 1992-93, and Aminul Islam of Bangladesh, also against India, in 2000-01.
Slightly surprisingly perhaps, no one has ever scored a century in his country's first one-day international. The highest is 82, by England's John Edrich, in the first one of them all, against Australia in Melbourne in 1970-71, and also by Brijesh Patel, in India's first ODI, against England at Headingley in 1974. The highest score in a non-Test-playing country's first match is 70, by Mazhar Hussain for the United Arab Emirates against India in the Austral-Asia Cup in Sharjah in 1993-94. I should perhaps mention Ricky Ponting, who made 115 in the first official ODI played by a World XI, against Asia in the tsunami appeal match in Melbourne in 2004-05 - but since Ponting had already played 209 one-day internationals for Australia by then, I don't think it really counts. For the benefit of other readers the three players who scored hundreds in their country's maiden Tests were Charles Bannerman of Australia, against England in 1876-77, Zimbabwe's Dave Houghton, against India in 1992-93, and Aminul Islam of Bangladesh, also against India, in 2000-01.
Which pair of batsmen have shared the most hundred partnerships in Tests? Is it Langer and Hayden? asked Kelly Hudson from Brisbane
Three different pairings have shared 16 separate century partnerships in Tests. Matthew Hayden is in there, but not with Justin Langer (they managed "only" 14) - Hayden's partner in 16 stands of 100 or more in Tests was his long-time captain Ricky Ponting. The pair that might one day grab the lead in this table are Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, who have 16 for India, while Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes shared 16 century opening stands for West Indies. For the full list, click here.
Three different pairings have shared 16 separate century partnerships in Tests. Matthew Hayden is in there, but not with Justin Langer (they managed "only" 14) - Hayden's partner in 16 stands of 100 or more in Tests was his long-time captain Ricky Ponting. The pair that might one day grab the lead in this table are Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, who have 16 for India, while Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes shared 16 century opening stands for West Indies. For the full list, click here.
I was driving from Melbourne to Sydney recently and stopped for coffee in the border town of Albury. I was surprised to discover that the town had apparently staged an official one-day international. When was this? asked Jack Bryan from Melbourne
The Lavington Oval in Albury has indeed staged a solitary one-day international - one of the matches in the 1991-92 World Cup. It was one of the final qualifying games, between high-flying England and unfancied Zimbabwe (the year before they acquired Test status) - but Zimbabwe won a low-scoring match by nine runs. Fast bowler Eddo Brandes took 4 for 21, including the wicket of his former school chum and Zimbabwe team-mate Graeme Hick for 0, as England were bowled out for a paltry 125. It was a watershed for England, who probably peaked too early in that World Cup: they had sailed through the tournament undefeated in their first six matches, but then lost to New Zealand and Zimbabwe, struggled to beat South Africa in the semi-final, and went down in the final to Pakistan.
The Lavington Oval in Albury has indeed staged a solitary one-day international - one of the matches in the 1991-92 World Cup. It was one of the final qualifying games, between high-flying England and unfancied Zimbabwe (the year before they acquired Test status) - but Zimbabwe won a low-scoring match by nine runs. Fast bowler Eddo Brandes took 4 for 21, including the wicket of his former school chum and Zimbabwe team-mate Graeme Hick for 0, as England were bowled out for a paltry 125. It was a watershed for England, who probably peaked too early in that World Cup: they had sailed through the tournament undefeated in their first six matches, but then lost to New Zealand and Zimbabwe, struggled to beat South Africa in the semi-final, and went down in the final to Pakistan.
Which cricketer is nicknamed "The Bald Eagle"? asked Terry Beale from Salisbury
The man who rejoiced in this nickname was the Australian fast bowler Doug Bollinger, who made his Test debut recently against South Africa in Sydney. I say "was", for I believe that after Bollinger obtained a hair transplant (from the same company that re-thatched Graham Gooch and Shane Warne) the "bald" bit of the nickname became obsolete, and he's now known just as "The Eagle".
The man who rejoiced in this nickname was the Australian fast bowler Doug Bollinger, who made his Test debut recently against South Africa in Sydney. I say "was", for I believe that after Bollinger obtained a hair transplant (from the same company that re-thatched Graham Gooch and Shane Warne) the "bald" bit of the nickname became obsolete, and he's now known just as "The Eagle".
I was watching the Australian Open tennis on TV and pricked up my ears when the commentators mentioned that Roger Federer, who's from Switzerland, is a big cricket fan. Is this true? And has anyone been successful in both sports? asked Kishore Feroze from Kolkata
I believe that Roger Federer's interest in cricket comes from his mother, who is South African. In these days of specialisation it's almost impossible for anyone to reach a very high standard in two different sports. The last Test player I know of who was also a top-class tennis player was the Border batsman "Buster" Farrer, who played five Tests for South Africa in the 1960s. Before that he played at Wimbledon, with limited success. A later South African batsman, Kepler Wessels, was a fine tennis player as a youngster - he beat Johan Kriek, who went on to win the Australian Open in 1981 and 1982, in age-group tennis - but Wessels later concentrated on cricket. Two Test players, India's Cotar Ramaswami and Ralph Legall of West Indies, also played in the Davis Cup, tennis's international competition (by coincidence Ramaswami was the Indian tour manager in the Caribbean in 1952-53, when Legall made all four of his Test appearances). More recently, Kenya's Aasif Karim appeared in 34 one-day internationals (including three World Cups), and also played in the Davis Cup in 1988. In less pressured times at Wimbledon, the players used to arrange a cricket match on the middle Sunday (when there is usually no play on the courts) - it's a shame that doesn't happen now, as we could see how Federer shapes up with a bat!
I believe that Roger Federer's interest in cricket comes from his mother, who is South African. In these days of specialisation it's almost impossible for anyone to reach a very high standard in two different sports. The last Test player I know of who was also a top-class tennis player was the Border batsman "Buster" Farrer, who played five Tests for South Africa in the 1960s. Before that he played at Wimbledon, with limited success. A later South African batsman, Kepler Wessels, was a fine tennis player as a youngster - he beat Johan Kriek, who went on to win the Australian Open in 1981 and 1982, in age-group tennis - but Wessels later concentrated on cricket. Two Test players, India's Cotar Ramaswami and Ralph Legall of West Indies, also played in the Davis Cup, tennis's international competition (by coincidence Ramaswami was the Indian tour manager in the Caribbean in 1952-53, when Legall made all four of his Test appearances). More recently, Kenya's Aasif Karim appeared in 34 one-day internationals (including three World Cups), and also played in the Davis Cup in 1988. In less pressured times at Wimbledon, the players used to arrange a cricket match on the middle Sunday (when there is usually no play on the courts) - it's a shame that doesn't happen now, as we could see how Federer shapes up with a bat!
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket (reviewed here)