How many times have all 11 players bowled in a Test innings?
Steven Lynch03-Jul-2017Was Zimbabwe’s amazing run-chase against Sri Lanka the other day a national record? asked Phillip Strydom… from Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s stirring 322 for 4 to win the first one-day international in Galle last week wasn’t quite a national record, as they had managed 329 for 9 to beat New Zealand in Bulawayo in October 2011. It was, however, the highest successful run chase – and the first over 300 – in an ODI in Sri Lanka, beating the home side’s 289 for 4 against Pakistan in Dambulla in August 2009. Overall, it was the 74th occasion that a team had successfully chased 300 or more to win an ODI, but only the third time Zimbabwe had done it. Apart from the two instances already mentioned, they also hit 304 for 3 to beat New Zealand in Harare in August 2015.Dawid Malan scored 78 on his debut for England. What’s the best score by anyone in their first T20 international? asked Nair Ottappalam from India
Dawid Malan’s vigorous 78 against South Africa in Cardiff last week was easily the highest score on debut for England in a T20 international, beating 46 by Paul Collingwood in England’s first one, against Australia in Southampton in June 2005. The highest score by anyone on T20 international debut came in the first such game, in Auckland in February 2005, when Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting made 98 not out against New Zealand. Next comes another Australian, David Warner, who clobbered 89 from 43 balls against South Africa in Melbourne in January 2009. (Warner was almost completely unknown at the time, as he had not then played a single first-class match.) In all, 15 men (four of them New Zealanders) have made a half-century in their first T20 international.Shikhar Dhawan had 3578 runs after 83 one-day internationals. Had anyone scored more runs at that stage of a career? asked Amit Kumar from India
That’s a remarkably precise question, dating to the end of the second one-day international against West Indies in Port-of-Spain last week. Anyway, the answer is that the only batsman with more runs than Shikhar Dhawan after 83 ODIs is Hashim Amla, with 3941: Viv Richards was two behind, with 3576. Even though Dhawan managed only 2 in his 84th match, in Antigua, he went two further ahead of Antigua’s most famous son, as Viv didn’t bat in his 84th match. Amla stretched his lead though, and had 4041 after 84. Looking ahead, Amla has easily the most runs after 100 ODIs, with 4808, ahead of Gordon Greenidge (4177), Viv Richards (4146) and Virat Kohli (4107). Next comes Brian Lara, with 3994 runs from 100 games, although David Warner already has 4025, after only 96 matches. Joe Root currently has 3802 from 92.Mark Boucher took a wicket with his eighth (and last) ball in Test cricket for a career bowling average of 6.00. Wasted behind the stumps, perhaps?•Getty ImagesI noticed that all 11 Indian players bowled during a Test in Antigua in 2002. Was this unique? asked Amol Naik from the United States
The match you’re talking about was the fourth Test in St John’s in May 2002, when all the Indian players – including wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra – had a bowl as a high-scoring match meandered to a draw. That was actually the third time this had happened, and there has been one more case since – also in Antigua, three years later, when all 11 South Africans bowled in another run-fest. Mark Boucher, the wicketkeeper, had his only trundle in 147 Test appearances… and took a wicket with his eighth (and last) ball. The first such occasion was back in 1884, when all 11 Englishmen had a go as Australia ran up 551 at The Oval. This time the keeper had the best figures: Alfred Lyttelton, bowling lobs, claimed 4 for 19. The next instance was over 95 years later, in Faisalabad in 1979-80, when all 11 Australians bowled in another snoozy draw against Pakistan. There have also been several instances of ten players having a bowl in a Test innings.Samit Patel scored 504 first-class runs without being dismissed last month. What’s the record? asked David Parker from England
Samit Patel scored 247 not out for Nottinghamshire against Gloucestershire in Bristol on June 10-11, and followed that with 257 in his next Championship match, against Leicestershire at Trent Bridge. The overall record is 709 runs between dismissals, by the prolific Bombay batsman KC Ibrahim in 1947-58, a season he started with innings of 218 not out and 36 not out for his own XI against MN Raiji’s side. He added 234 not out and 77 not out against MK Mantri’s XI, then made 144 for Bombay against Sind in the Ranji Trophy. All the runs came at the Brabourne Stadium; the first two matches were part of the Bombay Festival. Ibrahim played four Tests against West Indies the following season. The English record is 645 runs between dismissals, by Graeme Hick in July 1990, when he had successive innings of 171, 69, 252, 100 (all not out) and 53 for Worcestershire.Leave your questions in the comments below
