The slowest to 1000 runs

During his 31-ball innings of 49 that nearly gave India an improbable victory against Australia in the first ODI in Vadodara, Harbhajan Singh went past 1000 one-day international runs in his 196th match. He took the longest to reach the landmark, in terms of games played, beating Shane Warne's mark of 191. Harbhajan's dismissal brought to the crease Ashish Nehra, who ended the game with 90 runs from 83 ODIs. While Nehra is unlikely to beat Glenn McGrath's record to become to slowest to 100 runs, he could overtake Makhaya Ntini, who's in third place, having reached 100 only after 96 games.

Daniel Vettori's taken the most innings to reach a 1000 ODI runs, one more than Chaminda Vaas' 107. Vettori, though, went past 1000 career runs in style, during a match-winning 53 against West Indies at Queenstown in 2002, in his 108th innings. He is unlikely to take as long for his second 1000, having scored 589 runs in his last 42 innings and improving as a batsman with every one.

Most matches to score 1000 career runs - ODIs

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	0			Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
Harbhajan Singh (Asia/India)	1998-2009	196	102	1006	49	13.41	10			v Australia	Oct 25, 2009	ODI 2913
SK Warne (Aus)	1993-2002	191	105	1016	55	13.19	9			v England	Dec 15, 2002	ODI 1919
DL Vettori (ICC/NZ)	1997-2006	171	108	1043	83	14.09	18			v West Indies	Feb 22, 2006	ODI 2335
WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1994-2001	164	107	1002	50*	14.52	12			v New Zealand	Jul 31, 2001	ODI 1741
AB Agarkar (India)	1998-2004	131	83	1025	95	17.98	7			v Pakistan	Sep 19, 2004	ODI 2179
Wasim Akram (Pak)	1984-1992	126	94	1013	86	13.50	10			v England	Aug 24, 1992	ODI 761
Rashid Latif (Pak)	1992-2002	116	76	1043	79	18.62	6			v West Indies	Feb 14, 2002	ODI 1807
HDPK Dharmasena (SL)	1994-2001	115	70	1014	69*	24.14	0			v India	Aug 1, 2001	ODI 1742
NR Mongia (India)	1994-1998	113	75	1017	69	19.55	3			v West Indies	Oct 31, 1998	ODI 1363
IA Healy (Aus)	1988-1994	110	74	1019	50*	20.79	6			v Pakistan	Sep 7, 1994	ODI 923
MV Boucher (SA)	1998-2001	97	66	1026	68	21.37	5			v India	Oct 10, 2001	ODI 1757
Mashrafe Mortaza (Asia/Ban)	2001-2008	95	76	1004	51*	16.19	7			v New Zealand	Oct 14, 2008	ODI 2765
M Prabhakar (India)	1984-1993	94	64	1010	106	20.61	6			v Sri Lanka	Aug 14, 1993	ODI 835
Mohammad Rafique (Ban)	1995-2006	93	86	1016	77	13.91	10			v Zimbabwe	Jul 29, 2006	ODI 2392
PJL Dujon (WI)	1981-1987	91	58	1016	82*	27.45	3			v England	Jan 17, 1987	ODI 418
HH Streak (Zim)	1993-2000	91	78	1005	59	20.51	3			v West Indies	Apr 2, 2000	ODI 1585
Azhar Mahmood (Pak)	1996-2000	91	69	1022	67	19.28	4			v Sri Lanka	Jul 9, 2000	ODI 1608
IDS Smith (NZ)	1980-1992	90	73	1008	62*	17.37	7			v Australia	Feb 22, 1992	ODI 714

Muttiah Muralitharan, a 334-ODI veteran, is unlikely to make the table above, unless he has 340 more runs in him, but he is by some distance the slowest to 200 runs: he needed 159 matches and 72 innings to get there with an average of 4.87. He took the longest to reach 500 as well, although his pace improved marginally. Murali scored his 500th run against Australia in February 2008, averaging 5.83 after his 299th ODI.

Most matches to score 500 career runs - ODIs

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	0			Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
M Muralitharan (Asia/ICC/SL)	1993-2008	299	136	502	27	5.83	23			v Australia	Feb 8, 2008	ODI 2673
Waqar Younis (Pak)	1989-1998	166	82	504	37	9.69	12			v South Africa	Apr 3, 1998	ODI 1303
A Kumble (India)	1990-1998	153	75	506	24	10.12	12			v Sri Lanka	Nov 9, 1998	ODI 1370
CEL Ambrose (WI)	1988-1997	144	76	504	31*	11.20	12			v India	Apr 30, 1997	ODI 1202
D Gough (Eng)	1994-2004	128	77	504	45	11.45	9			v New Zealand	Jun 29, 2004	ODI 2136
J Srinath (India)	1991-1997	120	62	500	53	11.62	9			v Zimbabwe	Feb 7, 1997	ODI 1174
Z Khan (Asia/India)	2000-2007	118	64	505	34*	14.02	10			v Bangladesh	Mar 17, 2007	ODI 2538
Harbhajan Singh (India)	1998-2005	114	58	525	46	13.12	7			v South Africa	Nov 16, 2005	ODI 2297
B Lee (Aus)	2000-2005	110	47	511	51*	17.62	3			v England	Jul 7, 2005	ODI 2259
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	1995-1999	106	62	509	30*	13.05	10			v Zimbabwe	Jun 11, 1999	ODI 1479
WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1994-1999	105	61	506	33	12.97	7			v Australia	Feb 7, 1999	ODI 1403
SK Warne (Aus)	1993-1999	104	62	500	55	11.62	6			v Sri Lanka	Jan 31, 1999	ODI 1398
DL Vettori (NZ)	1997-2003	100	67	510	30	11.33	9			v West Indies	Feb 13, 2003	ODI 1949
KD Mills (NZ)	2001-2009	100	56	545	54	16.51	4			v India	Mar 8, 2009	ODI 2823
GR Larsen (NZ)	1990-1997	90	54	501	37	15.18	4			v Sri Lanka	Mar 25, 1997	ODI 1184
Wasim Akram (Pak)	1984-1990	87	60	502	48*	10.24	7			v Australia	Jan 3, 1990	ODI 599
MD Marshall (WI)	1980-1987	86	45	501	66	16.70	3			v England	Feb 3, 1987	ODI 430
KS More (India)	1984-1992	86	57	509	42*	13.39	4			v Zimbabwe	Oct 25, 1992	ODI 764
PAJ DeFreitas (Eng)	1987-1993	85	54	519	49*	15.26	4			v Sri Lanka	Mar 10, 1993	ODI 815

Glenn McGrath, Australia's legendary No. 11, took 97 matches and 30 innings to score 50 ODI runs, and had the same average - 3.92 - as Allan Donald, who took 91 matches but only 23 innings to get there. It took McGrath another 104 games, however, to double his tally, although the fact that he played only 25 innings during that time is a testament to Australia's batting strength. McGrath took the longest to reach 100 ODI runs, getting there in his 201st game, having played 55 innings at an average of 3.84. He played 49 more matches, batted in 13 of them, and scored 15 more runs.

South Africa fast bowler Charl Langeveldt took the longest to score 10 ODI runs, getting there only in his 44th match (ninth innings). Indian fast bowler Sreesanth scored his first run only in his 16th ODI (fourth innings), beating Patrick Patterson's mark of 14 matches.

Most matches to score first run - ODIs

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	0			Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
S Sreesanth (India)	2005-2006	16	4	1	1*	0.50	2			v West Indies	May 23, 2006	ODI 2380
BP Patterson (WI)	1986-1987	14	3	4	4*	-	0			v England	Oct 26, 1987	ODI 468
BKV Prasad (India)	1994-1995	13	3	5	5*	2.50	2			v South Africa	Feb 18, 1995	ODI 977
RA Harper (WI)	1983-1985	12	2	25	25*	25.00	1			v Pakistan	Mar 6, 1985	ODI 317
NW Bracken (Aus)	2001-2003	12	1	7	7*	-	0			v India	Oct 26, 2003	ODI 2052
ARC Fraser (Eng)	1989-1990	11	1	3	3*	-	0			v West Indies	Mar 15, 1990	ODI 621
A Kumble (India)	1990-1992	11	3	1	1	0.33	2			v Zimbabwe	Oct 25, 1992	ODI 764
VB John (SL)	1982-1983	10	1	12	12*	-	0			v Pakistan	Jun 9, 1983	ODI 198
RL Sanghvi (India)	1998-1998	10	2	8	8	4.00	1			v Zimbabwe	Sep 30, 1998	ODI 1356
JS Patel (NZ)	2005-2006	10	1	2	2	2.00	0			v South Africa	Oct 16, 2006	ODI 2430
Tauseef Ahmed (Pak)	1982-1984	9	1	27	27*	-	0			v New Zealand	Dec 2, 1984	ODI 278
Aaqib Javed (Pak)	1988-1989	9	3	1	1*	1.00	1			v New Zealand	Feb 6, 1989	ODI 554
M Dillon (WI)	1997-1998	9	1	5	5*	-	0			v Pakistan	Oct 29, 1998	ODI 1361
M Hayward (SA)	1998-2000	9	1	1	1	1.00	0			v Pakistan	Mar 28, 2000	ODI 1582
SB O'Connor (NZ)	1997-1997	8	2	8	8	4.00	1			v Australia	Dec 17, 1997	ODI 1265
L Balaji (India)	2002-2004	8	2	11	11	11.00	0			v Australia	Feb 1, 2004	ODI 2093
GJ Hopkins (NZ)	2004-2007	8	3	9	9	3.00	2			v Australia	Dec 20, 2007	ODI 2657

Eleven tailenders, from C Rangachari in 1948 to Mohammad Sami in 2002, have scored their first Test run only in their fourth Test, the latest anyone has taken to get off the mark in Tests, but it was the Zimbabwean legspinner Adam Huckle who played the most innings before scoring his first run. Huckle made a succession of unbeaten zeroes and ducks before cracking 19 against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in 1998.

Most matches to score first run - Tests

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	0			Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
CR Rangachari (India)	1948-1948	4	6	8	8*	2.66	3			v West Indies	Dec 9, 1948	Test 305
SP Gupte (India)	1951-1953	4	3	1	1	0.50	1			v West Indies	Jan 21, 1953	Test 363
ERH Fuller (SA)	1953-1953	4	3	17	17	8.50	1			v New Zealand	Mar 13, 1953	Test 370
DR Smith (Eng)	1961-1962	4	3	2	2	0.66	2			v India	Dec 30, 1961	Test 518
JDF Larter (Eng)	1962-1963	4	1	2	2	2.00	0			v New Zealand	Mar 15, 1963	Test 542
Tauseef Ahmed (Pak)	1980-1982	4	2	5	5*	5.00	1			v Sri Lanka	Mar 5, 1982	Test 923
MG Hughes (Aus)	1985-1986	4	5	10	8	2.00	3			v England	Dec 26, 1986	Test 1062
Aaqib Javed (Pak)	1989-1990	4	3	7	7	2.33	2			v New Zealand	Oct 18, 1990	Test 1152
BN Schultz (SA)	1992-1993	4	4	6	6	3.00	1			v Sri Lanka	Sep 6, 1993	Test 1233
AG Huckle (Zim)	1997-1998	4	7	19	19	3.80	4			v New Zealand	Feb 19, 1998	Test 1401
Mohammad Sami (Pak)	2001-2002	4	5	6	6*	6.00	1			v Australia	Oct 3, 2002	Test 1615

New Zealand fast bowler Chris Martin's reputation as a No. 11 has surpassed even that of McGrath. Martin's played 50 Tests to date, scored 82 runs at an average of 2.34, and been dismissed for 25 ducks. He was the slowest batsman to 50 Test runs, getting there with an average of 2.26 in his 33rd Test after 44 innings, which included 17 ducks.

Martin never made it to 100 Test runs, though, and that's where McGrath takes over. He took the longest to get to the 100-run landmark, reaching it in his 32nd Test with an average of 4.08. McGrath, however, achieved it in three fewer innings than Bhagwat Chandrasekhar.

Under the tutelage of Steve Waugh, though, McGrath improved slowly but steadily. He was the slowest to get to 200 as well, but the second 100 came in only 20 innings and included his career best of 39. McGrath surpassed the 500-run mark in his 102th Test, having played 115 innings. His last 300 runs had taken him only 59 innings, whereas his first 100 had taken him 36. He even had a new high score - 61 against New Zealand in Brisbane in 2004 - and by the end of his career he was an adept blocker with an average of 7.36.

Most matches to score 500 career runs - Tests

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	0			Opposition	Start Date	Scorecard
GD McGrath (Aus)	1993-2004	102	115	538	61	7.27	29			v New Zealand	Nov 18, 2004	Test 1721
M Ntini (SA)	1998-2006	62	66	502	32*	10.68	12			v Australia	Mar 16, 2006	Test 1789
CA Walsh (WI)	1984-1993	59	81	518	30*	9.25	16			v Pakistan	May 1, 1993	Test 1222
RGD Willis (Eng)	1971-1980	57	80	512	24*	12.19	8			v West Indies	Jul 24, 1980	Test 883
AA Donald (SA)	1992-1999	52	70	504	34	11.45	11			v West Indies	Jan 15, 1999	Test 1441
JB Statham (Eng)	1951-1960	51	63	511	38	11.61	9			v South Africa	Jun 9, 1960	Test 492
BS Bedi (India)	1966-1977	51	78	507	50*	8.45	19			v England	Jan 14, 1977	Test 793
M Muralitharan (SL)	1992-2000	50	65	512	39	13.12	12			v Pakistan	Mar 5, 2000	Test 1487
Iqbal Qasim (Pak)	1976-1988	49	55	525	56	12.80	10			v Australia	Sep 23, 1988	Test 1105
DL Underwood (Eng)	1966-1974	47	60	506	45*	14.45	7			v Pakistan	Aug 22, 1974	Test 744
Waqar Younis (Pak)	1989-1997	46	60	508	45	10.36	9			v South Africa	Oct 24, 1997	Test 1382
SJ Harmison (Eng/ICC)	2002-2006	45	60	505	42	11.47	15			v Pakistan	Aug 17, 2006	Test 1814
JN Gillespie (Aus)	1996-2003	43	53	502	46	13.94	9			v West Indies	May 9, 2003	Test 1645
Z Khan (India)	2000-2006	42	54	507	75	12.67	15			v Pakistan	Jan 29, 2006	Test 1783
Shoaib Akhtar (Pak)	1997-2006	42	62	537	47	10.74	10			v India	Jan 29, 2006	Test 1783
J Garner (WI)	1977-1984	41	49	503	60	12.26	13			v England	Jul 26, 1984	Test 992
GR Dilley (Eng)	1979-1989	40	57	510	56	13.07	10			v Australia	Jun 22, 1989	Test 1122
JR Thomson (Aus)	1972-1982	39	54	508	49	12.39	12			v West Indies	Jan 30, 1982	Test 919
MA Holding (WI)	1975-1983	39	53	549	58*	12.20	9			v India	Nov 12, 1983	Test 967

McGrath finished with 641 Test runs and so it's Muralitharan who's taken the longest to get to the 1000 landmark. Murali got there in his 95th game (121st innings) and had an average of 13.11 at the time. Waqar Younis is the only other player to take more than 100 innings to reach the 1000-run milestone.