Who is closest to Bradman, Lohmann and Garner?

The gold standard in Test batting averages is Don Bradman's 99.94, achieved during a 52-match career. In bowling averages, it belongs to George Lohmann, who took wickets at 10.75 apiece in 18 Tests. In one-day internationals, Joel Garner's economy rate of 3.09 over 98 matches is far lower than those of the rest. These figures remain unsurpassed by anyone over the length of an entire career. A reader, however, wanted to know whether a batsman had enjoyed a sequence of 52 Tests as purple as Bradman's. We decided to find out, and also dig up bowlers who matched Lohmann and Garner during equivalent sequences of 18 Tests and 98 ODIs.

Bradman batted 80 innings in 52 Tests, scored 6996 runs at an average of 99.94, with 29 hundreds and 13 half-centuries. No one has come within 25 runs of that average or within 1000 runs of that aggregate in 52 consecutive Tests. Ricky Ponting was closest, relatively speaking, during his glory years between 2002 and 2006. During that time, Ponting scored 5813 runs at an average of 74.52, with 23 hundreds and 29 half-centuries. He averaged more than 50 against every team except Sri Lanka, against whom he made only 487 runs in eight innings at an average of 33. Ponting had several other hot streaks of 52 Tests, most beginning just before or after the one just cited, but we've included only his best in the table below.

Before Ponting, the player who had the most productive 52-Test streak was Garry Sobers. He played those matches for West Indies over 11 years, between 1957 and 1968, scoring 5468 runs in 88 innings at an average of 72.90. Before that period began, Sobers had averaged only 29.55, with no centuries, in 13 Tests from debut in 1954 to 1957. During those 52 Tests, however, Sobers also took 141 wickets at an average 33.59, giving him claim to the title of cricket's greatest allrounder.

Jacques Kallis also had an impressive all-round record during a sequence of 52 Tests between 2001 and 2006. He scored 5127 runs at an average of 71.20 - the fourth best after Bradman, Ponting and Sobers - and also took 106 wickets at 36 apiece.

Best batting average over a span of 52 Tests

Player	Start Date	End Date	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	Ave	100	50
DG Bradman (Aus)	Nov 30, 1928	Aug 18, 1948	52	80	10	6996	99.94	29	13
RT Ponting (Aus)	Mar 8, 2002	Nov 27, 2006	52	92	14	5813	74.52	23	20
GS Sobers (WI)	Aug 22, 1957	Apr 3, 1968	52	88	13	5468	72.90	19	20
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	Apr 19, 2001	May 1, 2006	52	91	19	5127	71.20	17	25
R Dravid (India)	Nov 18, 2000	Sep 16, 2005	52	86	13	4883	66.89	14	21
KF Barrington (Eng)	Nov 11, 1961	Aug 28, 1967	52	84	12	4783	66.43	16	22
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)	Nov 15, 2000	Oct 12, 2007	52	87	8	5247	66.41	20	18
SR Tendulkar (India)	Apr 4, 1997	Nov 3, 2002	52	86	8	5177	66.37	20	17
KC Sangakkara (SL)	Aug 11, 2004	Nov 27, 2010	52	89	8	5352	66.07	19	18
WR Hammond (Eng)	Nov 30, 1928	Jan 7, 1937	52	87	12	4827	64.36	16	13
L Hutton (Eng)	Jan 31, 1947	Jun 15, 1954	52	92	13	5072	64.20	14	27
SR Waugh (Aus)	Jun 3, 1993	Oct 5, 1998	52	83	18	4134	63.60	11	23
Javed Miandad (Pak)	Jan 3, 1983	Dec 6, 1989	52	73	5	4240	62.35	14	16
Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICC/Pak)	Mar 12, 1999	Jan 17, 2006	52	86	9	4796	62.28	18	20
ML Hayden (Aus)	Feb 27, 2001	Mar 13, 2005	52	92	10	5077	61.91	19	17
IVA Richards (WI)	Jan 31, 1976	Jun 18, 1984	52	74	2	4456	61.88	15	20
H Sutcliffe (Eng)	Jun 14, 1924	Aug 22, 1934	52	81	9	4453	61.84	16	22
DPMD Jayawardene (SL)	Mar 24, 2004	Nov 20, 2009	52	88	6	5026	61.29	17	15
BC Lara (ICC/WI)	Apr 6, 2001	Nov 23, 2006	52	93	2	5576	61.27	19	17
JB Hobbs (Eng)	Jun 14, 1909	Jun 17, 1930	52	85	5	4897	61.21	15	24

Lohmann played only 18 Tests between his debut in 1886 and 1896, and took 112 wickets at an average of 10.75. He still possesses the best strike rate (34.1) and is the quickest to 100 wickets (16 Tests). There was someone, however, who had an 18-match patch that was better than Lohmann's.

Johnny Briggs, who bowled left-arm orthodox for England between 1884 and 1899, finished his career with 118 wickets in 33 Tests at an average of 17.75. In 18 consecutive Tests, though, Briggs took 72 wickets at an average of 9.79.

In the table below, Muttiah Muralitharan is the only bowler whose entire 18-match sequence occurred in the 21st century. Murali averaged 17.42 during that period, between 2003 and 2005, and took 128 wickets, a tally that is second only to Sydney Barnes' 139. Barnes took 18 five-fors and six ten-wicket match hauls during his 18-Test stretch.

Best bowling average over a span of 18 Tests (qualification: 2000 balls)

Player	Start Date	End Date	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Ave	5	10
J Briggs (Eng)	Jan 1, 1885	Mar 28, 1892	18	2248	705	72	9.79	7	3
GA Lohmann (Eng)	Jul 5, 1886	Jun 24, 1896	18	3830	1205	112	10.75	9	5
Imran Khan (Pak)	Oct 14, 1982	Nov 25, 1986	18	3663	1378	98	14.06	7	2
JC Laker (Eng)	Aug 13, 1955	Jul 8, 1958	18	5288	1402	97	14.45	6	2
SF Barnes (Eng)	Jul 1, 1909	Feb 18, 1914	18	5211	2058	139	14.80	18	6
GAR Lock (Eng)	Jul 12, 1956	Mar 18, 1959	18	4485	1197	80	14.96	7	3
W Barnes (Eng)	Jan 19, 1883	Aug 12, 1890	18	2034	704	46	15.30	3	0
JH Wardle (Eng)	Jun 10, 1954	Feb 20, 1957	18	4156	1212	77	15.74	5	1
MD Marshall (WI)	Apr 26, 1985	Jul 5, 1988	18	4164	1779	110	16.17	6	2
SM Pollock (SA)	Aug 6, 1998	Mar 6, 2000	18	4262	1488	92	16.17	6	0
AV Bedser (Eng)	Aug 12, 1950	Jun 16, 1953	18	5265	1590	98	16.22	9	3
RJ Hadlee (NZ)	Feb 3, 1984	Mar 17, 1986	18	4710	1868	113	16.53	10	3
GD McGrath (Aus)	Nov 26, 1999	Aug 4, 2001	18	4146	1525	92	16.57	5	2
CEL Ambrose (WI)	Jun 6, 1991	Mar 30, 1994	18	4929	1710	102	16.76	8	2
DL Underwood (Eng)	Jun 20, 1968	Mar 1, 1971	18	5024	1444	86	16.79	7	3
Waqar Younis (Pak)	Oct 18, 1990	Dec 6, 1993	18	3851	1968	117	16.82	14	3
R Peel (Eng)	Feb 20, 1885	Aug 12, 1896	18	4306	1473	87	16.93	4	1
J Garner (WI)	Mar 3, 1978	Mar 18, 1981	18	4149	1431	84	17.03	1	0
AK Davidson (Aus)	Feb 7, 1958	Jan 18, 1961	18	5488	1789	104	17.20	8	2
M Muralitharan (ICC/SL)	May 3, 2003	Dec 6, 2005	18	5692	2230	128	17.42	11	3

Garner played 98 one-day internationals between 1977 and 1987 and took 146 wickets at an average of 18.84. His most outstanding stat, however, was his economy - 3.09 per over. The next best economy rate belongs to Australian fast bowler Max Walker, but he played only 17 ODIs.

None of the other great bowlers, who played more matches than Garner did, have as miserly a 98-match sequence. Richard Hadlee came closest, finishing a 115-match career with an economy rate of 3.30, and conceding only 3.20 per over in 98 ODIs between March 1975 and January 1988.

Zimbabwe spinner Ray Price is perhaps the most surprising name in the table below. He has played 98 consecutive ODIs with an economy rate of 3.90. Price has, in fact, the best economy rate among present one-day bowlers, and is a fraction more miserly than Murali was too.

Best economy rate over a span of 98 ODIs (qualification: 1000 balls)

Player	Start Date	End Date	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Ave	Econ	5	4
J Garner (WI)	Mar 16, 1977	Mar 28, 1987	98	5330	2752	146	18.84	3.09	3	2
RJ Hadlee (NZ)	Mar 8, 1975	Jan 17, 1988	98	5216	2786	136	20.48	3.20	4	1
M Muralitharan (SL)	Dec 15, 1999	Feb 20, 2004	98	5301	2888	172	16.79	3.26	5	6
MA Holding (WI)	Jun 16, 1979	Jan 30, 1987	98	5245	2903	136	21.34	3.32	1	4
MD Marshall (WI)	May 28, 1980	Jan 14, 1989	98	5237	2905	127	22.87	3.32	0	4
CEL Ambrose (WI)	Feb 26, 1991	Jan 3, 1997	98	5214	2938	120	24.48	3.38	2	1
EJ Chatfield (NZ)	Jan 10, 1981	Mar 16, 1988	98	5159	2965	123	24.10	3.44	0	3
GD McGrath (Aus/ICC)	Jun 9, 2001	Jan 21, 2007	98	4926	2880	146	19.72	3.50	3	3
SM Pollock (Afr/ICC/SA)	Jan 25, 2004	Jan 27, 2008	98	4944	2915	104	28.02	3.53	1	2
Imran Khan (Pak)	Aug 31, 1974	Oct 16, 1987	98	4050	2399	106	22.63	3.55	1	2
N Kapil Dev (India)	Mar 27, 1988	Apr 2, 1994	98	4872	2928	107	27.36	3.60	0	2
Wasim Akram (Pak)	Dec 13, 1992	Jan 20, 1997	98	5171	3151	151	20.86	3.65	3	8
CA Walsh (WI)	Feb 13, 1993	Sep 12, 1999	98	5089	3131	110	28.46	3.69	0	2
GR Larsen (NZ)	Mar 1, 1990	Dec 6, 1997	98	5242	3243	94	34.50	3.71	0	1
CJ McDermott (Aus)	Oct 13, 1987	Feb 23, 1996	98	5245	3371	156	21.60	3.85	1	3
DL Vettori (ICC/NZ)	Jul 4, 2004	Feb 6, 2009	98	5044	3259	122	26.71	3.87	2	4
PAJ DeFreitas (Eng)	Jan 5, 1987	Feb 22, 1996	98	5472	3558	111	32.05	3.90	0	1
WPUJC Vaas (SL)	Jan 14, 2001	Oct 9, 2004	98	4844	3152	138	22.84	3.90	2	4
RW Price (Zim)	Sep 14, 2002	Oct 22, 2011	98	5134	3345	97	34.48	3.90	0	1
RA Harper (WI)	Feb 4, 1984	Apr 3, 1996	98	4770	3122	90	34.68	3.92	0	3