Michael Clarke's five-year wait

One of the ideas Travis proposed for last week's List was players who had gone the most innings without bettering their performance on debut. Michael Clarke was up there, having made 151 in his first Test in Bangalore and not gone past 150 in his next 57 matches. He promptly went and scored 166 in the third Test against Pakistan in Hobart. The 94 innings between Clarke's debut hundred and this one are the most a player has ever gone before bettering a performance on Test debut. So this week we've looked at others who took ages before improving on career highs achieved on debut, and those who never managed to.

England fast bowler Darren Gough played the most Test innings without ever improving on his debut performance - with the bat. Gough made 65 in his first Test, against New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1994, and then went 85 innings with only one more half-century - 51 at the SCG in 1995.

Another England fast bowler, John Lever, reached peaks in his debut Test that he never scaled later during his career. Lever scored 53 in Delhi in 1976, took 7 for 46 in the first innings and finished with 10 for 70 in the match. He played 20 more Tests but his next best performances were an unbeaten 33 and 5 for 59.

When Chris Martin made 7 on debut in Bloemfontein in 2000, little did we realise that it wouldn't get much better for him. He equalled that career high, making another 7 at Lord's in 2004, but it wasn't until his 49th innings - 12 against Bangladesh in Dunedin in 2008 - that he bettered it.

Most career innings until improving high score from debut innings - Tests

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	Ave	100	50		Debut	Score	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
MJ Clarke (Aus)	2004-2010	58	94	4116	50.19	13	17		151	166	v Pakistan	Jan 14, 2010	Test 1947
PBH May (Eng)	1951-1957	40	67	2921	47.11	7	15		138	285*	v West Indies	May 30, 1957	Test 439
IR Redpath (Aus)	1964-1969	28	49	1623	36.06	1	10		97	132	v West Indies	Feb 14, 1969	Test 646
CS Martin (NZ)	2000-2008	36	49	64	2.46	0	0		7	12*	v Bangladesh	Jan 4, 2008	Test 1859
RM Hogg (Aus)	1978-1984	31	44	336	9.33	0	1		36	52	v West Indies	Mar 2, 1984	Test 979
JHB Waite (SA)	1951-1955	19	33	855	27.58	1	5		76	113	v England	Jul 7, 1955	Test 410
Tapash Baisya (Ban)	2002-2004	17	33	317	11.74	0	2		52*	66	v New Zealand	Oct 26, 2004	Test 1717
PAJ DeFreitas (Eng)	1986-1991	19	28	349	12.92	0	0		40	45	v Australia	Jan 25, 1991	Test 1161
KD Walters (Aus)	1965-1969	16	25	1603	72.86	5	9		155	242	v West Indies	Feb 14, 1969	Test 646
TM Alderman (Aus)	1981-1984	18	25	77	6.41	0	0		12*	21*	v West Indies	Mar 16, 1984	Test 983
MJ Prior (Eng)	2007-2009	16	25	899	47.31	2	6		126*	131*	v West Indies	Mar 6, 2009	Test 1914
BR Taylor (NZ)	1965-1969	13	24	556	26.47	2	2		105	124	v West Indies	Feb 27, 1969	Test 648
Khaled Mashud (Ban)	2000-2002	13	24	319	16.78	0	0		32	33	v South Africa	Oct 18, 2002	Test 1619
RC Fredericks (WI)	1968-1971	12	23	666	28.95	0	5		76	80	v India	Mar 6, 1971	Test 683
L Vincent (NZ)	2001-2003	13	23	738	33.54	2	6		104	106	v India	Oct 16, 2003	Test 1662
J Dyson (Aus)	1977-1981	12	22	467	23.35	1	1		53	102	v England	Jul 16, 1981	Test 905
AV Bedser (Eng)	1946-1948	14	21	241	15.06	0	0		30	37	v Australia	Jul 8, 1948	Test 301
CZ Harris (NZ)	1992-1997	11	21	319	15.95	0	2		56	71	v Zimbabwe	Sep 25, 1997	Test 1379
W Bates (Eng)	1881-1885	12	20	524	29.11	0	4		58	64	v Australia	Mar 14, 1885	Test 20
GR Dilley (Eng)	1979-1981	12	20	243	18.69	0	1		38*	56	v Australia	Jul 16, 1981	Test 905

Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg took 6 for 74 on debut against England at the Gabba in 1978 and then never bettered that performance in 65 further innings. It's the most anyone has played without improving on their debut bowling performance in Tests.

Brett Lee burst onto the Test circuit with 5 for 47 in the first innings against India at the MCG in 1999. That performance remained his best for ages, until November 2005, when he took 5 for 30 against West Indies in Brisbane. It remains Lee's best innings figures to date, so he's bettered his performance on debut only once in 150 innings.

Most career innings until improving best figures from debut innings - Tests

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Ave	5		Debut	Figs	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
B Lee (Aus)	1999-2005	44	86	8809	5409	167	32.38	5		5/47	5/30	v West Indies	Nov 3, 2005	Test 1769
AV Bedser (Eng)	1946-1953	43	77	13671	4851	196	24.75	12		7/49	7/44	v Australia	Jun 11, 1953	Test 372
FH Edwards (WI)	2003-2008	36	61	6107	4054	105	38.60	7		5/36	7/87	v New Zealand	Dec 19, 2008	Test 1900
IWG Johnson (Aus)	1946-1955	35	57	7032	2513	91	27.61	3		6/42	7/44	v West Indies	Apr 26, 1955	Test 405
JC Laker (Eng)	1948-1956	28	50	6972	2697	115	23.45	6		7/103	9/37	v Australia	Jul 26, 1956	Test 428
DR Doshi (India)	1979-1982	26	45	7589	2508	92	27.26	4		6/103	6/102	v England	Jun 24, 1982	Test 929
CH Gayle (WI)	2000-2004	45	40	2117	887	21	42.23	1		3/25	5/34	v England	Jul 29, 2004	Test 1708
GS Sobers (WI)	1954-1959	23	32	3319	1262	29	43.51	0		4/75	4/26	v India	Jan 21, 1959	Test 465
SR Clark (Aus)	2006-2008	16	32	3628	1579	76	20.77	2		5/55	5/32	v West Indies	May 22, 2008	Test 1875
JM Anderson (Eng)	2003-2007	17	31	2927	1808	51	35.45	3		5/73	5/42	v India	Jul 19, 2007	Test 1840
KF Barrington (Eng)	1955-1963	39	29	1742	742	15	49.46	0		3/36	3/32	v New Zealand	Mar 1, 1963	Test 541
WP Howell (Aus)	1898-1902	15	23	2909	1032	30	34.40	0		4/70	4/18	v South Africa	Nov 8, 1902	Test 77
DVP Wright (Eng)	1938-1946	12	22	2796	1483	36	41.19	1		4/153	5/167	v Australia	Nov 29, 1946	Test 279
AK Davidson (Aus)	1953-1957	13	22	2060	694	23	30.17	1		2/22	6/34	v South Africa	Dec 23, 1957	Test 444
JC Adams (WI)	1992-1996	23	22	958	498	14	35.57	1		4/43	5/17	v New Zealand	Apr 19, 1996	Test 1325
M Hayward (SA)	1999-2002	13	22	2331	1254	45	27.86	1		4/75	5/56	v Pakistan	Dec 26, 2002	Test 1635
DAJ Holford (WI)	1966-1969	15	21	2734	1249	28	44.60	0		3/34	4/66	v New Zealand	Mar 13, 1969	Test 652
NM Hauritz (Aus)	2004-2009	11	21	2630	1295	41	31.58	1		3/16	5/101	v Pakistan	Dec 26, 2009	Test 1943
PS Heine (SA)	1955-1957	10	19	2793	1069	45	23.75	3		5/60	6/58	v Australia	Dec 23, 1957	Test 444
DW Headley (Eng)	1997-1998	12	19	2447	1380	48	28.75	1		4/72	6/60	v Australia	Dec 26, 1998	Test 1436

Fidel Edwards, the West Indies fast bowler, had sparkling debuts in both Tests and ODIs. He wrecked Sri Lanka with 5 for 36 in his first Test innings, in Kingston in 2003. Only 36 Tests and 61 innings later did he improve on it, taking 7 for 87 in Napier in 2008. Edwards' 6 for 22 in Harare in 2003 is the record for best bowling figures on ODI debut. He hasn't bettered that in 50 ODIs since. For a bowler as fierce as he was, Allan Donald took a while to better his excellent debut - 5 for 29 in 8.4 overs against India in Kolkata 1991, South Africa's first-ever ODI and first match since their isolation ended. He was only the third bowler to take a five-for on ODI debut at the time. Donald's second, and last, five-wicket haul was in his 64th ODI - a 6 for 23 that shot out Kenya in Nairobi in 1996.

Most career innings until improving best figures from debut innings - ODIs

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Ave	5		Debut	Figs	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
RA Harper (WI)	1983-1993	72	68	3612	2373	63	37.66	0		3/34	3/31	v Sri Lanka	Nov 3, 1993	ODI 844
AA Donald (SA)	1991-1996	64	63	3426	2282	100	22.82	2		5/29	6/23	v Kenya	Oct 3, 1996	ODI 1124
W Watson (NZ)	1986-1992	59	59	3131	2156	72	29.94	0		3/15	4/27	v Pakistan	Dec 30, 1992	ODI 787
MD Marshall (WI)	1980-1984	40	40	2160	1145	51	22.45	0		3/28	4/34	v Australia	Apr 19, 1984	ODI 262
CD McMillan (NZ)	1997-2001	79	38	996	842	28	30.07	0		2/17	3/44	v Sri Lanka	Feb 11, 2001	ODI 1688
SM Pollock (SA)	1996-1997	30	30	1645	1095	42	26.07	0		4/34	4/33	v Australia	Apr 5, 1997	ODI 1191
Mashrafe Mortaza (Ban)	2001-2006	30	30	1550	1267	31	40.87	0		2/26	3/38	v Kenya	Mar 23, 2006	ODI 2355
MF Maharoof (SL)	2004-2005	29	29	1166	911	34	26.79	0		3/3	4/20	v India	Nov 6, 2005	ODI 2294
Abdur Razzak (Ban)	2004-2006	26	26	1367	857	38	22.55	0		3/17	4/33	v Zimbabwe	Nov 30, 2006	ODI 2453
Mahmudullah (Ban)	2007-2009	24	22	810	683	11	62.09	0		2/28	2/19	v Zimbabwe	Jan 23, 2009	ODI 2801
Shabbir Ahmed (Pak)	1999-2004	21	21	1100	799	20	39.95	0		3/52	3/33	v India	Mar 19, 2004	ODI 2115
GC Smith (SA)	2002-2006	81	21	404	397	5	79.40	0		1/24	1/15	v Australia	Jan 20, 2006	ODI 2316
KMDN Kulasekara (SL)	2003-2007	20	20	848	600	12	50.00	0		2/19	2/17	v Bangladesh	Jul 25, 2007	ODI 2607
ALF de Mel (SL)	1982-1983	19	19	924	726	27	26.88	1		4/34	5/39	v Pakistan	Jun 16, 1983	ODI 211
LE Plunkett (Eng)	2005-2007	19	19	877	844	22	38.36	0		3/51	3/24	v Australia	Feb 2, 2007	ODI 2497
FA Rose (WI)	1997-2000	18	18	846	721	20	36.04	1		3/25	5/23	v Pakistan	Apr 12, 2000	ODI 1588
Rajin Saleh (Ban)	2003-2006	40	18	527	451	15	30.06	0		3/48	4/16	v Zimbabwe	Aug 6, 2006	ODI 2398
NG Cowans (Eng)	1983-1985	17	17	927	642	15	42.80	0		2/20	3/44	v India	Jan 23, 1985	ODI 295
CPH Ramanayake (SL)	1986-1990	17	17	722	545	22	24.77	0		3/25	3/15	v India	Dec 8, 1990	ODI 648
ARC Fraser (Eng)	1989-1990	17	17	928	564	14	40.28	0		2/25	2/21	v New Zealand	Dec 13, 1990	ODI 651

Two of the five batsmen who scored centuries on ODI debut - Desmond Haynes and Andy Flower - played the most innings before bettering those performances. Haynes, whose 148 against Australia in Antigua is the highest score by a debutant, took 158 ODIs over 10 years to better his debut score, with 152 not out against India in Guyana.

Flower made his debut against Sri Lanka during the 1992 World Cup and scored an unbeaten 115 to become Pukekura Park's only centurion. His second century was also an unbeaten one against Sri Lanka but that 120 not out in Sharjah came eight years and 147 innings after his first.

Most career innings until improving high score from debut innings - ODIs

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	Ave	100	50		Debut	Score	Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
DL Haynes (WI)	1978-1989	158	157	5883	42.94	14	33		148	152*	v India	Mar 21, 1989	ODI 563
A Flower (Zim)	1992-2000	150	147	4490	33.01	2	36		115*	120*	v Sri Lanka	Oct 21, 2000	ODI 1642
Shahid Afridi (Pak)	1996-1998	65	62	1516	25.26	2	8		102	109	v India	Sep 19, 1998	ODI 1352
Rameez Raja (Pak)	1985-1987	54	53	1439	28.78	0	9		75	76	v Sri Lanka	Oct 8, 1987	ODI 451
SP Fleming (NZ)	1994-1996	45	44	1291	32.27	1	9		90	106*	v West Indies	Mar 29, 1996	ODI 1085
Shoaib Akhtar (Pak)	1998-2003	78	35	144	10.28	0	0		36	43	v England	Feb 22, 2003	ODI 1962
V Sibanda (Zim)	2003-2006	33	32	500	16.12	0	4		58	78	v Bermuda	May 18, 2006	ODI 2376
J Srinath (India)	1991-1995	73	30	139	7.72	0	0		14	37	v South Africa	Feb 18, 1995	ODI 977
Saleem Elahi (Pak)	1995-2002	30	30	965	34.46	2	6		102*	107	v Zimbabwe	Nov 24, 2002	ODI 1901
SB Joshi (India)	1996-1999	50	29	387	19.35	0	1		48	61*	v New Zealand	Nov 14, 1999	ODI 1525
CRD Fernando (SL)	2001-2003	53	23	81	8.10	0	0		12*	13*	v India	Mar 10, 2003	ODI 1985
MA Holding (WI)	1976-1983	40	21	96	5.64	0	0		16	20	v Australia	Jun 11, 1983	ODI 203
Moin Khan (Pak)	1990-1995	35	21	228	15.20	0	0		23	31	v Sri Lanka	Oct 1, 1995	ODI 1004
Khaled Mahmud (Ban)	1998-2001	22	20	293	14.65	0	1		47	50	v Zimbabwe	Nov 25, 2001	ODI 1774
JEC Franklin (NZ)	2001-2006	36	20	178	11.12	0	0		25*	29*	v Sri Lanka	Jan 6, 2006	ODI 2311
CO Obuya (Kenya)	2001-2003	25	20	236	13.88	0	0		27	29	v India	Mar 20, 2003	ODI 1992
SM Patil (India)	1980-1982	20	19	470	24.73	0	4		64	84	v Pakistan	Dec 17, 1982	ODI 163
PK Amre (India)	1991-1992	22	18	374	23.37	0	2		55	84*	v South Africa	Dec 19, 1992	ODI 784
J Smits (Neth)	2003-2009	34	18	165	18.33	0	0		26	29*	v Bermuda	Apr 8, 2009	ODI 2837
MA Ouma (Kenya)	2004-2007	18	18	300	17.64	0	1		49	57*	v Bermuda	Jan 29, 2007	ODI 2489