Chasing leather

Chasing leather. Everyone has to do it - some are ridiculously terrific at it, others incompetent - but most cricketers would prefer if they did less of it. We got asked, by a reader who called himself WW, for a List on players who have been witness to the most runs scored by the opposition over a career. No records exist, publicly at least, for time a player spent off the field during a match so no reductions have been made for runs scored during injury and bathroom breaks. We also looked at those players part of teams that conceded the highest average total per match, and had the highest average per wicket.

The table of players against whose teams opponents have scored the most runs is dominated by ones with the most Test caps. Sachin Tendulkar, who is two matches away from equalling Steve Waugh as the most-capped Test cricketer, has seen over 90,000 runs scored against India during his 20-year career, the most for any player. The average runs per match India conceded in his 166 Tests is 543.50; while the average runs per wicket is 35.42. Considering Tendulkar hasn't spent most of his career at slip, he's had plenty of ball chasing to do, and a lot of it in the sweltering heat of the subcontinent.

Australia conceded only 82,222 runs in Steve Waugh's 166 Tests, at an average of 490 per match and 29 per wicket - evidence of a vastly superior bowling attack compared to Tendulkar's India. Glenn McGrath's Australia averages - 467.41 per match and 25.80 per wicket - at the height of their dominance are even better.

Most runs scored by the opposition - Tests

Player	Span	Mat	Runs	Balls	Wkts	R/M	R/6B	R/W
SR Tendulkar (India)	1989-2010	166	90222	178715	2547	543.50	3.02	35.42
SR Waugh (Aus)	1985-2004	168	82227	172259	2843	489.44	2.86	28.92
AR Border (Aus)	1978-1994	156	77173	160942	2388	494.69	2.87	32.31
R Dravid (ICC/India)	1996-2010	139	77163	146662	2201	555.12	3.15	35.05
RT Ponting (Aus)	1995-2010	144	75884	147023	2620	526.97	3.09	28.96
A Kumble (India)	1990-2008	132	71661	142017	2070	542.88	3.02	34.61
SK Warne (Aus)	1992-2007	145	70592	145387	2582	486.84	2.91	27.34
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	1995-2010	137	68970	135865	2297	503.43	3.04	30.02
AJ Stewart (Eng)	1990-2003	133	67055	130992	1921	504.17	3.07	34.90
BC Lara (ICC/WI)	1990-2006	131	66895	133702	1960	510.64	3.00	34.13
MV Boucher (ICC/SA)	1997-2010	131	66018	128312	2219	503.95	3.08	29.75
S Chanderpaul (WI)	1994-2009	123	64564	125187	1775	524.91	3.09	36.37
N Kapil Dev (India)	1978-1994	131	64322	138325	1792	491.00	2.79	35.89
M Muralitharan (ICC/SL)	1992-2009	132	63153	131131	2050	478.43	2.88	30.80
SC Ganguly (India)	1996-2008	113	62531	119943	1779	553.37	3.12	35.14
VVS Laxman (India)	1996-2010	110	62239	115446	1758	565.80	3.23	35.40
Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICC/Pak)	1992-2007	120	61423	116749	1918	511.85	3.15	32.02
ME Waugh (Aus)	1991-2002	128	61251	128104	2220	478.52	2.86	27.59
SM Gavaskar (India)	1971-1987	125	60972	132381	1718	487.77	2.76	35.49
CA Walsh (WI)	1984-2001	132	60609	129482	2134	459.15	2.80	28.40
GD McGrath (Aus)	1993-2007	124	57960	120051	2246	467.41	2.89	25.80
MA Atherton (Eng)	1989-2001	115	57769	113407	1644	502.33	3.05	35.13
Javed Miandad (Pak)	1976-1993	124	57698	124428	1877	465.30	2.78	30.73
DI Gower (Eng)	1978-1992	117	57517	120505	1686	491.59	2.86	34.11
DB Vengsarkar (India)	1976-1992	116	57142	122021	1589	492.60	2.80	35.96

West Indies conceded only 60,609 runs in Courtney Walsh's 132 Tests at an average of 459 per game - the lowest in the table above. The average runs per wicket taken - 28.40 - and economy-rate - 2.80 - are among the best as well. Walsh began his career in 1984 and for several years was the third or fourth cog in an attack boasting Joel Garner, Michael Holding, and Malcolm Marshall among others. Then came Curtly Ambrose and Ian Bishop and, with Walsh, they forged a potent pace attack through the 1990s. Once Ambrose retired, though, the average runs West Indies conceded per Test rose sharply. It was 507 in Walsh's last ten Tests without Ambrose and the average per wicket was 33.

The player whose team has conceded the most runs per Test on average is Pakistan's Salman Butt, and he's contributed next to nothing in comparison. Pakistan's opponents have scored an average of 626.14 runs in Butt's 27 matches at a run-rate of 3.66, which is also the highest conceded by a team in a player's career. It's perhaps an indictment on how flat Pakistan's pitches have been in recent times. The only other player who's had an average of over 600 runs conceded per match is incidentally another opener - West Indian Devon Smith.

Highest ratio of runs scored by the opposition per match - Tests (qualification: 20 matches)

Player	Span	Mat	Runs	Balls	Wkts	R/M	R/6B	R/W
Salman Butt (Pak)	2003-2010	27	16906	27683	400	626.14	3.66	42.26
DS Smith (WI)	2003-2009	31	18730	31099	428	604.19	3.61	43.76
NWD Yardley (Eng)	1938-1950	20	11976	26653	280	598.80	2.69	42.77
IK Pathan (India)	2003-2008	29	17266	30536	488	595.37	3.39	35.38
Yuvraj Singh (India)	2003-2010	33	19602	35001	566	594.00	3.36	34.63
DJ Bravo (WI)	2004-2009	34	20192	34817	454	593.88	3.47	44.47
BJ Haddin (Aus)	2008-2010	27	15942	29184	480	590.44	3.27	33.21
CD Collymore (WI)	1999-2007	30	17704	31281	431	590.13	3.39	41.07
Yasir Hameed (Pak)	2003-2007	23	13556	24311	379	589.39	3.34	35.76
MG Johnson (Aus)	2007-2010	34	20003	36608	607	588.32	3.27	32.95
Mohammad Sami (Pak)	2001-2010	34	19970	34178	515	587.35	3.50	38.77
Kamran Akmal (Pak)	2002-2010	48	28067	47989	734	584.72	3.50	38.23
GO Jones (Eng)	2004-2006	34	19808	34850	589	582.58	3.41	33.62
JA Rudolph (SA)	2003-2006	35	20290	36880	554	579.71	3.30	36.62
Faisal Iqbal (Pak)	2001-2010	26	15029	25475	366	578.03	3.53	41.06
MS Dhoni (India)	2005-2010	43	24774	45204	704	576.13	3.28	35.19
AB Agarkar (India)	1998-2006	26	14964	26664	373	575.53	3.36	40.11
Umar Gul (Pak)	2003-2010	26	14899	26580	424	573.03	3.36	35.13
JE Taylor (WI)	2003-2009	29	16557	29079	388	570.93	3.41	42.67
W Jaffer (India)	2000-2008	31	17693	32860	504	570.74	3.23	35.10
D Ganga (WI)	1998-2008	48	27391	49602	642	570.64	3.31	42.66
JW Gleeson (Aus)	1967-1972	29	16541	39423	491	570.37	2.51	33.68
V Sehwag (ICC/India)	2001-2010	76	43171	78877	1210	568.03	3.28	35.67
JM Anderson (Eng)	2003-2010	46	26060	46318	722	566.52	3.37	36.09
D Ramdin (WI)	2005-2009	39	22088	37881	512	566.35	3.49	43.14

While most of the players in the table above are from the 21st century, there is one surprising entry from the 1940s. Norman Yardley played 20 Tests for England between 1938 and 1950 and watched the opposition scored nearly 599 runs per match on average.

The only players who've had to endure an average of over 50 runs for a wicket to fall in their Test careers are from Bangladesh - Javed Omar (54.64), Khaled Mashud (52.59), Habibul Bashar (51.95) and Tapash Baisya (50.69).

In ODIs, it's Tendulkar once again who has seen most runs scored by the opposition - 96,976 in 442 matches at an average of 219 per game and 31 per wicket. Those figures are lower for the only other 400-ODI veteran Sanath Jayasuriya. Sri Lanka conceded a total of 92,560 in Jayasuriya's 444 ODIs, and around 208 per match.

Most runs scored by the opposition - ODIs

Player	Span	Mat	Runs	Balls	Wkts	R/M	R/6B	R/W
SR Tendulkar (India)	1989-2010	442	96976	118009	3121	219.40	4.93	31.07
ST Jayasuriya (Asia/SL)	1989-2009	444	92560	118506	3200	208.46	4.68	28.92
Inzamam-ul-Haq (Asia/Pak)	1991-2007	378	77890	100376	2812	206.05	4.65	27.69
R Dravid (Asia/ICC/India)	1996-2009	339	76012	91178	2417	224.22	5.00	31.44
RT Ponting (Aus/ICC)	1995-2010	345	72031	91976	2814	208.78	4.69	25.59
Wasim Akram (Pak)	1984-2003	356	70312	93398	2625	197.50	4.51	26.78
SC Ganguly (Asia/India)	1992-2007	311	69506	83185	2202	223.49	5.01	31.56
M Muralitharan (Asia/ICC/SL)	1993-2009	334	69388	90267	2549	207.74	4.61	27.22
M Azharuddin (India)	1985-2000	334	69301	89721	2328	207.48	4.63	29.76
WPUJC Vaas (Asia/SL)	1994-2008	322	67127	86352	2350	208.46	4.66	28.56
SR Waugh (Aus)	1986-2002	325	67126	90570	2486	206.54	4.44	27.00
DPMD Jayawardene (Asia/SL)	1998-2010	317	66388	84337	2392	209.42	4.72	27.75
PA de Silva (SL)	1984-2003	308	64790	82344	2055	210.35	4.72	31.52
SM Pollock (Afr/ICC/SA)	1996-2008	303	62975	82152	2352	207.83	4.59	26.77
Shahid Afridi (Asia/ICC/Pak)	1996-2010	293	62898	78347	2277	214.66	4.81	27.62
JH Kallis (Afr/ICC/SA)	1996-2010	299	61956	79995	2310	207.21	4.64	26.82
BC Lara (ICC/WI)	1990-2007	299	61505	79764	2044	205.70	4.62	30.09
MV Boucher (Afr/SA)	1998-2010	291	61205	77871	2233	210.32	4.71	27.40
Mohammad Yousuf (Asia/Pak)	1998-2010	282	61045	75158	2177	216.47	4.87	28.04
AC Gilchrist (Aus/ICC)	1996-2008	287	60341	77492	2326	210.24	4.67	25.94
SP Fleming (ICC/NZ)	1994-2007	280	59691	74929	1943	213.18	4.77	30.72
A Kumble (Asia/India)	1990-2007	271	59417	73333	1931	219.25	4.86	30.77
A Ranatunga (SL)	1982-1999	269	57534	72233	1758	213.88	4.77	32.72
Yuvraj Singh (Asia/India)	2000-2010	250	57014	66518	1817	228.05	5.14	31.37
MS Atapattu (SL)	1990-2007	268	56853	72951	1979	212.13	4.67	28.72

India allrounder Ravindra Jadeja is only 21 years old but he's rapidly accumulating experience of playing in high-scoring one-day internationals on flat tracks. India's conceded an average of nearly 270 runs per match in Jadeja's 22 ODIs at a run-rate of nearly 5.8 - both of which are highest average figures for a player's team over a career. India's taken a wicket every 39 runs on average in these matches.

Highest ratio of runs scored by the opposition per match - ODIs (qualification: 20 matches)

Player	Span	Mat	Runs	Balls	Wkts	R/M	R/6B	R/W
RA Jadeja (India)	2009-2010	22	5927	6147	152	269.40	5.78	38.99
M Kartik (India)	2002-2007	37	9384	10246	257	253.62	5.49	36.51
L Balaji (India)	2002-2009	30	7544	8021	216	251.46	5.64	34.92
LE Plunkett (Eng)	2005-2010	28	6965	7682	198	248.75	5.43	35.17
V Kohli (India)	2008-2010	23	5721	6309	170	248.73	5.44	33.65
AN Cook (Eng)	2006-2010	26	6333	7099	186	243.57	5.35	34.04
AA Mulla (Can)	2006-2009	24	5844	6553	144	243.50	5.35	40.58
TT Bresnan (Eng)	2006-2010	21	5098	5702	154	242.76	5.36	33.10
HK Badani (India)	2000-2004	40	9683	11280	295	242.07	5.15	32.82
Sohail Tanvir (Pak)	2007-2009	31	7487	8760	249	241.51	5.12	30.06
PP Chawla (India)	2007-2008	21	5042	5798	146	240.09	5.21	34.53
SK Raina (India)	2005-2010	90	21472	24336	675	238.57	5.29	31.81
Salman Butt (Pak)	2004-2010	76	18128	20948	566	238.52	5.19	32.02
S Sreesanth (India)	2005-2010	49	11661	13003	351	237.97	5.38	33.22
SHT Kandamby (SL)	2004-2010	31	7361	8201	217	237.45	5.38	33.92
P Kumar (India)	2007-2010	36	8530	9453	265	236.94	5.41	32.18
Shahriar Hossain (Ban)	1997-2004	20	4731	5380	110	236.55	5.27	43.00
RR Powar (India)	2004-2007	31	7332	8509	225	236.51	5.17	32.58
HMCM Bandara (SL)	2006-2010	31	7314	8479	225	235.93	5.17	32.50
RN Lewis (WI)	1997-2009	28	6601	7892	213	235.75	5.01	30.99
YK Pathan (India)	2008-2010	33	7767	8151	235	235.36	5.71	33.05
BA Murphy (Zim)	2000-2003	31	7296	8482	200	235.35	5.16	36.48
M Mbangwa (Zim)	1996-2002	29	6822	8028	190	235.24	5.09	35.90
TBM de Leede (Neth)	1996-2007	29	6792	7254	190	234.20	5.61	35.74
AD Mascarenhas (Eng)	2007-2009	20	4682	5211	149	234.10	5.39	31.42