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Ask Bearders #161

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Bill Frindall | 11:27 UK time, Wednesday, 2 January 2008

Welcome to Ask Bearders, where statistician Bill "" Frindall answers your questions on all things cricket.

Below are Bill's responses to some of your questions posed at the end of his last column and if you have a question for Bill, leave it at the end of this blog entry. Please do include your country of residence - Bill loves to hear where all his correspondents are posting from.

Bill isn't able to answer all of your questions, however. Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Sport staff will choose a selection of them and send them to Bearders for him to answer.

Q. A few years ago I found an old coaching manual (early 1900's) and it mentioned a 'tice'. Evidently this is what today we would call a 'yorker'. Do you know whether the term 'tice' was common and, if so, when or why did it change to 'yorker'? M. Wickham

Bearders' Answer: The long obsolete noun 'tice' did indeed describe a ball of full length that pitches close to the popping crease. In common usage in Victorian times, it was derived from 'entice' because its aim was to entice the batsman to play it as a full toss and be yorked as the ball passed under his bat. In 1888, the Badminton Library edition of 'Cricket' (probably the manual you remember), described it as follows: 'There is a ball that in these days more frequently than any other succeeds in bowling people out, and that is the familiar 'tice' or 'yorker'.'

Q. Has India ever played a Test match without at least one Bombay (Mumbai) player? Rajan Mahadevan

Bearders' Answer: I am indebted to Rajesh Kumar, a long-standing friend and statistician in Delhi, for advising me that India have played without a Bombay representative in only five of their Tests before the series in Australia: 2nd Test v West Indies (Calcutta) 1966-67; 1st and 2nd Tests v Australia (Bangalore and Madras) 2004-05; 1st and 2nd Tests v Zimbabwe (Bulawayo and Harare) 2005-06.

Q. Does a hat-trick have to be in the same match, or is it just three wickets in consecutive deliveries? Mike Parrett
Q. I once heard of a hat-trick being taken over the course of three innings (most probably hypothetical). A bowler dismisses a batsman in innings one with his final delivery. He then takes the final wicket of the second innings with his first ball. His first ball in a third innings also takes a wicket. Is this situation still regarded as a hat-trick as the bowler has taken a wicket with three consecutive deliveries? Julian

Bearders' Answer: A hat-trick, three wickets in successive balls by the same bowler, has to occur within the same match. It has frequently involved both innings and occasionally three different overs.

Q. Can a ball be declared as a no-ball and a wide at the same time? I mean, if a bowler oversteps and bowls way down the leg-side (the ball is collected by the leg-slip fielder), is it a no-ball, a wide or both? Divya

Bearders' Answer: The answer to your first questions is, 'no', and to the second, 'it's a no-ball'. A no ball always takes precedence regardless of its width. Law 24, note 10, stipulates that 'A call of No Ball shall over-ride the call of Wide ball at any time.'

Q. I believe there are four or five players who have taken wickets with their first ball in international cricket. Wavell Hinds is one. Who are the others? Prafull

Bearders' Answer: There have been many more instances than that. A total of 13 bowlers have struck gold with their first ball in Test cricket and another 14 have done so in limited-overs internationals. The lists are:-
Test matches: A.Coningham (Australia); W.M.Bradley, E.G.Arnold, G.G.Macauley, M.W.Tate, R.Howorth, R.K.Illingworth (England); T.F.Johnson (West Indies); M.Henderson, H.D.Smith (New Zealand); N.M.Kulkarni (India); Intikhab Alam (Pakistan); and M.K.G.C.P.Lakshitha (Sri Lanka).
Internationals: G.G.Arnold, R.Clarke (England); M.van Jaarsveld, M.Zondeki (South Africa); C.H.Lloyd, W.W.Hinds, F.H.Edwards (West Indies); S.A.Thomson (New Zealand); S.Ramesh (India); Shahid Mahboob, Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan); K.S.Lokuarachchi (Sri Lanka); E.Z.Matambanadzo (Zimbabwe); J.S.Ababu (Kenya).

Q. In a recent match, a bowler clean bowled a batsman. As the batsman set off straight away to the pavilion, the quick minded keeper spotted the umpire's arm out for a front foot no ball, picked up a stump with the ball, broke the wicket and appealed. Although possibly not in the spirit of the game, should he be out? The umpire gave it not out, as it was a stumping not a run out, but he did say if another fielder had done the act, it would have been out as it would then be a run out! David, New Zealand

Bearders' Answer: A batsman could not be stumped or run out in the scenario you describe. A batsman cannot be stumped off a no ball: Law 39; note 1 (a) (ii). Nor, according to Law 38, note 2 (e), can he be run out off a no ball if 'he is out of his ground, not attempting a run and his wicket is fairly put down by the wicket-keeper without the intervention of another member of the fielding side.'

Q. Currently Mohammad Sami, has taken 50 wickets and averaged more than 50. Is that the worst average for someone who is recognised as a bowler who has taken more than 50 wickets in Tests? Jawaad Kaleem

Bearders' Answer: Yes, Sami's 81 wickets have cost him 51.37 runs each. Only Carl Hooper of West Indies (114 wickets at 49.42) and Greg Matthews of Australia (61 at 48.22) have taken 50 or more Test wickets at a cost exceeding 48 runs apiece.

Q. Does Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanka Welegedara now have the longest name of anyone to have played Test cricket? Russell Irwin

Bearders' Answer: He doesn't have the longest surname but he is the first Test cricketer to boast six initials.

Q. With Kumar Sangakkara continuing an exceptional year with the bat, I wondered what the Test record is for the highest batting average in a calendar year, and if he could be in contention for breaking it. Sobers in 1958 must be near the top. Ed, Oxford

Bearders' Answer: Sangakkara ended 2007 with 968 runs at 138.28, his remarkable return from just nine innings consisting of the following scores: 6, 200* and 222* v Bangladesh; 57 and 192 v Australia; 92, 152, 1 and 46 v England. He was indeed well placed to usurp Gary Sobers (1193 runs, average 132.55, from 12 innings in 1958) as holder of the highest average in a calendar year of Test cricket by any batsman scoring 1000 or more runs. The only others to have averaged three figures are Donald Bradman (113.88 in 1948) and Ricky Ponting (100.20 in 2003). Only three batsmen (Jacques Kallis, Sourav Ganguly and Kevin Pietersen) scored 1000 runs in 2007.

Q. Is Sydney Barnes' bowling average of 16.43 the lowest among bowlers who have played more than 25 Tests and taken more than 150 wickets? Prashant

Bearders' Answer: Yes, his 189 wickets from 27 Tests at 16.43 apiece cost four fewer runs than his closest challenger, Australia's Alan Davison (44 Tests), who took 186 wickets at 20.53. The only other bowlers to take 150 or more wickets at fewer than 21 runs apiece are the West Indies pace trio of Malcolm Marshall (376 at 20.94), Joel Garner (259 at 20.97) and Curtly Ambrose (405 at 20.99).

Q. I know I must be being exceptionally dim but how can a bowler bowl an eight-ball maiden? Paul Hartley

Bearders' Answer: You have offered too little evidence to confirm your IQ but you obviously have not heard of eight-ball overs which, in Test matches alone, were used in England (1939), Australia (1924-25 and 1936-37 to 1978-79), South Africa (1938-39 to 1957-58), New Zealand (1968-69 to 1978-79), and Pakistan (1974-75 to 1977-78).

Q. Can you tell me if there is a more recent edition of 'The Wisden Book of Cricket Records' available, than the one published in 1997? If not, is one due soon? James, York

Bearders' Answer: The Fourth Edition, published by Headline Books in 1998, is the most recent. As those publishers declined the offer of an updated edition, the search is on for a new publisher and, hopefully, a sponsor. However, the development of cricket websites has made a new edition less likely, although no site currently matches the comprehensive catalogue of records housed in that 716-page tome.

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  • 1.
  • At 01:31 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • George Harper wrote:

Bill,
There are a number of KOLPAK and Overseas players in the English and Welsh professional counties and probably even more spread within club cricket at all levels. Is this because domestic cricket is more popular amongst spectators then other countries. I just wanted to know how the English domestic scene compares with other countries in terms of spectators and revenues. I presume only India has more spectators. Many cricketing people I speak know very little of the domestic scenes elsewhere. Please help!

  • 2.
  • At 01:33 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Matt Skelding wrote:

On the first morning of the first test of the current South Africa v West Indies test series Chris Gayle hit a 50 off something like 39 balls.

Is this close to being the fastest 50 by an opener on the first morning of a test match?

What's the fastest 100 by an opener at the start of test match?

  • 3.
  • At 01:37 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Andy Lake wrote:

What happens if the fielding team needs one wicket to win, and the batting team needs one run to draw or win, and the batsman is stumped off a wide?

  • 4.
  • At 01:41 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Andy Lake wrote:

What happens if the fielding team needs one wicket to win, and the batting team needs one run or draw or win, and the batsman is stumped off a wide?

  • 5.
  • At 01:48 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Phil Smith, Droitwich Spa wrote:

Other than Sri Lanka's Vaas last month, how many times have tailend batsmen (No8 downwards) scored more than the entire opposition team in the same innings of a test match?

  • 6.
  • At 01:50 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Aman Harees wrote:

Hi Bill, I'd like to know if a player has ever captured more than five wickets and also got a double century in an innings of a test match?

Aman Harees, Sri Lana(UK now)

  • 7.
  • At 01:54 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Phil Smith, Droitwich Spa wrote:

Other than Sri Lanka's Vaas last month, how many times have tailend batsmen (No8 downwards) scored more than the entire opposition team in the same innings of a test match?

  • 8.
  • At 02:00 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Bill Finch wrote:

Bill Finch - from the UK

Your answer on the vexacious issue of the run out / stumped conundrum got me thinking.

What exactly is the difference between the two ? For example, if the batsmen missed the ball, first slip took it and removed the bails, would the batsman be stumped or run out ? Can a fielder other than the wicket keeper stump a batsman ?

Surely if the batsman isn't going for a run - but has left his crease in the act of playing his shot - he should be stumped rather than run out, regardless of which fielder has removed the bails.

Are you able to help with this ?

  • 9.
  • At 02:00 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Graham wrote:

I myself, as well many others will always consider Warne as a better bowler than Murali, despite his recent achievements. However, Murali has more test wickets, a better average and a better strike rate to his name. Are there any stats which would suggest my opinion is not completely fictional?

  • 10.
  • At 02:02 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Roger Barnes wrote:

The term 'tice as a shortened form of entice is also used in croquet - it's an opening move, like a gambit in chess, where you place a ball in the hope that your opponent thinks he can hit it but doesn't in practise.

  • 11.
  • At 02:02 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Cliff, Brighton wrote:

At any time, have bowler's figures included the wides and no-balls they deliver?

Whilst their figures show the runs scored against them by the bat, isn't it a little unfair that they do not include wides and no balls that the bowler has conceded?

After all, it is a reflection on their accuracy (or rather lack of it)and, perhaps, it's time that they are included in the bowler's overall statistics for a match.

  • 12.
  • At 02:04 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Roger Barnes wrote:

The term 'tice as a shortened form of entice is also used in croquet - it's an opening move, like a gambit in chess, where you place a ball in the hope that your opponent thinks he can hit it but doesn't in practise.

  • 13.
  • At 02:05 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Jamie Cochrane wrote:

Can you tell me if England's score of 81 in the 1st innings of the 3rd Test vs Sri Lanka in Dec 07, is the lowest score in a test match by a side that has not gone to lose the match. If not, how many other teams have achieved this feat.

Jamie from Northampton, UK

  • 14.
  • At 02:14 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Sam wrote:

Hi,

What is Sangakkara's average with and without the keeping gloves?

  • 15.
  • At 02:16 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Sam wrote:

Hi,

What is Sangakkara's average with and without the keeping gloves?

  • 16.
  • At 02:17 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Calvin wrote:

Sussex legend Mushtaq Ahmed has now topped the first class wicket taking table for 5 seasons in a row - is this record? has anyone even come close to matching this? , Calvin , a Sussex member exiled in Yorkshire.

  • 17.
  • At 02:42 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Tim wrote:

Bill comments (Ask Bearders #161) that Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanka Welegedara is the first Test cricketer to boast six initials. However, in the same edition he notes that M.K.G.C.P.Lakshitha (Sri Lanka) took a wicket with his first ball in test cricket. I must admit my ignorance in not knowing either of these gentlemen, so Welegadara may well have been the first, but he is obviously not the only test cricketer with 6 initials!

  • 18.
  • At 02:44 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • james phillips wrote:

Please can you tell me the lowest score never made by a batsman in a Test Match?

  • 19.
  • At 02:44 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Joel Hockley, UK wrote:

Following Andrew Symonds decision not to walk in the 2nd test being played at the moment, I was wondering what, if any, rules and/or guidelines are given about walking if you know you have been fairly dismissed?

  • 20.
  • At 02:52 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Garfield O'Dea wrote:

Has there ever been an instance of a batsman scoring 0,1,2,3,4 & 6 in order in an over? Thanks.

  • 21.
  • At 02:53 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Calvin wrote:

Sussex legend Mushtaq Ahmed has now topped the first class wicket taking table for 5 seasons in a row - is this a record? has anyone even come close to matching this? , Calvin , a Sussex member exiled in Yorkshire.

  • 22.
  • At 02:57 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Michael wrote:

Bearders' Answer: A hat-trick, three wickets in successive balls by the same bowler, has to occur within the same match. It has frequently involved both innings and occasionally three different overs.....
Can anyone explain to me how this may occur over three separate overs?

Derek Randall, i believe he scored 7 test centuries. As he batted anywhere from 1 to 7 which battings positions did he score his hundreds? i suspect as opener, 3, 7 and where else?

  • 24.
  • At 03:32 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • George wrote:

The West Indies Played Australia in Australia in the '60s when there was that then famous tied Test. Could you please you please tell me exactly when the series took place and the results of the test matches?

  • 25.
  • At 03:33 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Tim wrote:

If a yorker used to be called a tice, why did it become known as a yorker and what is the origin of this term?

  • 26.
  • At 03:38 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Divya wrote:

Regarding the wide/no-ball issue, besides being stumped off a wide ball and being run-out off a no-ball, are there any other instances where the team batting and the team fielding both are benefitted at the same time?

  • 27.
  • At 03:43 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Aman Harees wrote:

Hi, I have another question: I heard the ICC claimed 99% of bowlers chuck. I don't know if it's true and could you confirm this please.

Thank you,
Aman Harees, Sri Lanka(Now in UK)

  • 28.
  • At 03:57 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Dave Harris wrote:

My understanding is that even if a fielder put down the wicket in the scenario descibed, it would still not be out because the batsman had left his ground under the impression he had been dismissed.

Law 27.7 states:
"An umpire shall intervene if satisfied that a batsman, not having
been given out, has left his wicket under a misapprehension that
he is out. The umpire intervening shall call and signal Dead ball
to prevent any further action by the fielding side and shall recall
the batsman."

  • 29.
  • At 04:02 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • R. Thirucumaran wrote:

Mr. Frindall, is it true that the test opening combination of 'Jayasuriya-Atapattu' has the third - most number of runs in tests?

  • 30.
  • At 04:07 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Dixon wrote:

The comment from Tim about cricketers initials ignores the fact that Mr. Welegedera has 6 christian names whereas Mr Lakshitha has only 5 christian names. I think that the gentleman needs to learn to count!
Also on the subject of bowlers to take a wicket with their first ball in ODI's the only English players to do so were from the greatest county of all i.e. Surrey although both subsequently defected to other counties. Mind you Rikki Clarke is no loss and Derbyshire's loss is undoubtedly Surrey's gain. Chris a Surrey man banished to a cricket free zone called "Kent" but who can remember Geoff Arnold's debut vs Australia in 1972, was he the best swing bowler England ever had, silly question really.

  • 31.
  • At 04:13 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Cas wrote:

Re Tim, #21. May I suggest you count the initials of the players mentioned again? I think you'll find that Welegedara does indeed have six initials (U.W.M.B.C.A.), and Lakshitha has (as you have written) just the five. (M.K.G.C.P.)

  • 32.
  • At 04:18 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Dave Harris wrote:

To answer Andy Lake - as soon as the wide takes place it is scored. If a dismissal then occurs, it is scored afterwards. Therefore if the wide were sufficient to win the game, then the game is over before the stumping occurs.

  • 33.
  • At 04:25 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Graham Cork wrote:

No 4. If you look at the events in sequence, the wide must occur before the wicket is broken, even if not immediately signalled by the umpire, therefore the run has been scored, and the match won, before the "stumping" takes place.

No 17. Australia managed 78 against England at Lord's in 1968 and drew a severely rain affected match. I suspect there must be others.

  • 34.
  • At 04:33 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • john beasley (France) wrote:

Re Michael's question on how a bowler can take 3 overs to complete a hat-trick. He would take a wicket with the final ball of what would turn out to be his penultimate over of the first innings, take the 10th and therefore final wicket with the first ball of his next (and now obviously) last over and then the hat-trick wicket with his first delivery in the second innings

  • 35.
  • At 04:33 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Dave Harris wrote:

Answers for others:

Bill Finch - only the wicketkeeper, acting alone, can stump a batsman. If a fielder puts the wicket down the dismissal is a run out.

Cliff (Brighton) - wides and no-balls ARE included in the bowler's analysis.

Tim - Welegedera has six initials and THEN his surname. Lakshitha has five.


  • 36.
  • At 04:39 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Dave wrote:

Hat-trick in three overs:
Wicket with last ball of over.
First ball of next over takes last wicket of first innings.
First ball in next innings takes a wicket.

  • 37.
  • At 04:39 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • john beasley (France) wrote:

Michael, he takes a wicket with the last ball of an over, the 10th and final wicket (of the first innings) with the first and obviously only ball of his next and completes the hat-trick with his first ball in the second innings.

Re, number 13, in the Lord's Test of the 1997 Ashes series, England were bowled out for 77 on the second day[McGrath 8-38] and went on to draw as rain prevailed.

  • 39.
  • At 04:44 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Dan wrote:

Comment number 9-yes. If you look at who Murali has taken wickets against compared to Warne there are far more Bangladesh and Zimbabwe-the two worst ranked sides in Test cricket.

  • 40.
  • At 04:47 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Paul Hawkins wrote:

A yorker is derived from an old expression "to pull a yorkshire" which meant to deceive someone or pull a fast one. A yorker is a ball usually bowled to surprise a batsman ie to deceive him.

  • 41.
  • At 04:49 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Mark Scales wrote:

"Bearders' Answer: A hat-trick, three wickets in successive balls by the same bowler, has to occur within the same match. It has frequently involved both innings and occasionally three different overs.....
Can anyone explain to me how this may occur over three separate overs?"

1) Last ball of an over
2) Dismisses last batsmen in first ball of next over (1st innings)
3) Dismisses a batsman with 1st ball of 2nd innings

  • 42.
  • At 04:50 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Alan wrote:

Michael-
If a bowler takes a wicket off the last ball of his over then takes the last wicket of the innings of the first ball of his next over he has two in two balls, in two overs. He then takes a wicket in the next innings off his first over. Three wickets, three balls, three overs. I hope this helps!

  • 43.
  • At 05:00 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Cas wrote:

Re Tim, #17. May I suggest you count the initials of the players mentioned again? I think you'll find that Welegedara does indeed have six initials (U.W.M.B.C.A.), and Lakshitha has (as you have written) just the five. (M.K.G.C.P.)

  • 44.
  • At 05:01 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Paul wrote:

The answer as to how a hat-trick can be taken spanning 3 different overs is. A bowler takes a wicket with the last ball of an over. With the first ball of his he takes another wicket this being the 10th wicket of the 1st innings. In the 2nd innings he takes a wicket with his 1st ball. 3 wickets 3 consecutive balls 3 separate overs. Unlikely but possible.

  • 45.
  • At 05:02 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Roger Goodacre wrote:

A few days ago, watching one of the ODIs in S Africa on TV, I noticed that the umpire's hat dropped off his head to a position close to the stumps as he scuttled out of the way of a return to the bowler's end.

What would have been the situation if the ball had hit the (umpire's) hat and gone, or been deflected, on to the wicket with the batsman out of his ground? Dead ball, or just bad luck?

  • 46.
  • At 05:03 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • john beasley (France) wrote:

Re Michael - a hat trick in 3 separate overs

1st wkt - last ball of an over

2nd wkt - 10th wicket OF THE FIRST INNINGS with his first ball of the next

3rd wkt - (I'm sure you're there now anyway) 1st ball he bowls in the second innings

  • 47.
  • At 05:04 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Omar wrote:

Yes, how can a hat-trick be spread over 3 overs?

  • 48.
  • At 05:04 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Mark Scales wrote:

"Bearders' Answer: A hat-trick, three wickets in successive balls by the same bowler, has to occur within the same match. It has frequently involved both innings and occasionally three different overs.....
Can anyone explain to me how this may occur over three separate overs?"

1) Last ball of an over
2) Dismisses last batsmen in first ball of next over (1st innings)
3) Dismisses a batsman with 1st ball of 2nd innings

  • 49.
  • At 05:19 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • john beasley (France) wrote:

To the Moderator only

I see my first post did indeed get through even though my computer suggested it hadn't. Please disregard and don't print the others received today which are all on the same subject!!

Apologies.

  • 50.
  • At 05:27 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • prafull wrote:

Dear Bearders,

Who is the most prolific LOI player to have not played Test Match Cricket(Bowler & Batsman wrt to Strike rate & Average resp.)

Regards,
Prafull India

  • 51.
  • At 06:09 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • David Manson wrote:

Re - point 13, about low first innings totals by Test teams who avoided defeat, I'm guessing Australia's 36 all out in the Edgbaston draw of 1902 must be pretty close to the actual record.

  • 52.
  • At 07:20 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Daniel Fishman wrote:

What is the highest number of international matches (full internationals only, not counting women's / youth / A team / warm-up matches) that have ever taken place simultaneously? I'm sure I've seen 3 happening at once on many occasions, but I suspect 4 or more may well have happened.

  • 53.
  • At 07:22 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Dave wrote:

Divya at 26 - If you are run out going for (say) a second run, then one run/bye/leg-bye is given to the batting side and also the fielding side gets a wicket.

Cliff at 11 - I believe no-balls and wides are added to a bowler's figures, aren't they?

  • 54.
  • At 07:29 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Adam Carter wrote:

How long does it take you to grow your beard?

  • 55.
  • At 08:24 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Mark B wrote:

Calvin: In the eight seasons between 1928 and 1935 Tich Freeman of Kent was the leading wicket-taker in English first-class cricket.

  • 56.
  • At 08:41 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • dave hine wrote:

regarding questions on hatricks
has there ever been a hatrick were none of the batsmen had a duck ie bat 3 out bat 2 who had retired hurt returns and is out caught first ball (but had previously scored before retiring)having crossed bat 1 is out
all 3 out legitimately off 3 balls but all having scored

  • 57.
  • At 09:08 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • stoms3 wrote:

What is the highest score a batsman has achieved without hitting a boundary?

  • 58.
  • At 09:11 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Iqbal wrote:

You say that a hattrick can be done in three different overs. How is that possible?

  • 59.
  • At 09:14 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Alex Benedyk wrote:

Dear Bill,
Which batsman has got the least amount of runs, for the most amount of balls?
Cheers
Alex (Dambulla)

  • 60.
  • At 09:16 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Turlough Kelly wrote:

An addendum to the question on bowlers taking wickets with their first ball in ODIs; Kevin O'Brien had Andrew Strauss caught off his first delivery in Ireland's inaugural ODI against England at Stormont in June 2006.

  • 61.
  • At 09:19 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Michael wrote:

earlier i asked about the 3 wickets in three overs, and would just like to thank those of you who actually managed to explain this to me, thanks :)

  • 62.
  • At 09:23 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Matt wrote:

As I'm sure you're well aware most scoreres do not include wides as balls faced by a batsman as it would be unfair to expect them to be able to score off of it.

However, as I have been scoring for some time now, the thought has occasionally occurred to me that a no ball such as a beamer or as previously mentioned, which would otherwise have been called a wide if not for the no ball, should for the same reasons not be included as a ball faced (due to being illegally unplayable) by the batsman.

I have yet to find any scorer that does this myslef included. Has this ever been done especially by Bill himself?

UK

  • 63.
  • At 09:35 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • william kedjanyi wrote:

hello bill william Exeter Devon UK
in any kind of cricket,
has a player ever scored 5 off one ball.


  • 64.
  • At 09:45 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • william kedjanyi wrote:

hello bill william Exeter Devon UK
in any kind of cricket,
has a player ever scored 5 off one ball.


  • 65.
  • At 09:46 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Baz, Washington DC, USA wrote:

Has there ever been a test where in a side's first innings (presumably declared) all batsmen have scored centuries? What about half-centuries?

I imagine that it has happened sometime in a second innings with a side chasing say, 250, getting it without losing a wicket.

  • 66.
  • At 10:24 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Antony Japhet wrote:

There have been some strange questions:-
1. It would be impossible for a batsman to score 0,1,2,3,4,6 in one over, because after scoring the single hewould not be facing the next ball.
2. Re the question about stumped off a wide. Surely the wide comes before the stumping so the batting side would win.
3. Re the number of initials question. The questioner could do with an abacus because one of the cricketers has 5 initials before his surname and the other 6.

  • 67.
  • At 11:28 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • jason kennedy wrote:

What is cricket?

  • 68.
  • At 11:29 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Andrew Cox wrote:

Re 66 - surely the question about 0,1,2,3,4,6 could occur if the bowler bowled a wide, which had a run taken off it, after each odd numbered run?

unlikely, but possible?

  • 69.
  • At 11:36 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Wheatley wrote:


I won't ask you to name your all-time World Best XI,but would you pick Adam Gilchrist as keeper, as I suspect most would?

Or would you select the best specialist keeper (mine would be Alan Knott)?

  • 70.
  • At 11:45 PM on 02 Jan 2008,
  • rob wrote:

56 question can be made much easier (without the use of a ret hurt batsmen)

Say No. 1 & No. 2 both have runs, ball 5 the No. 1 holes out to deep square, out (batsmen cross), No. 2 edges to the keeper, out - end of over

No. 3 hits a couple of glorious boundaries and takes a single off the final ball of the next over

Bowler charges in on a hat-trick gets one nip back sharpely through the gate to clip the off bail

1, 2 and 3 all out in the hatrick (all scoring runs)

simpler, yes

has it happened in test cricket, no

it may have happened in other forms...

  • 71.
  • At 12:47 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Toby Davies wrote:

With regard to 0,1,2,3,4 & 6 being scored: this would also be possible,I think,in the event of 'one-short'( ie, that one of the batsmen did not reach the return crease before setting off on the next run) being called on the second and fourth ball of the over, thus the batsman returns to strike but with one and three runs collected having run two and four respectively.

Alternatively, were the non-striking batsman run out on the second and fourth ball 1 & 3 could be also be scored with the batsman returning to take strike.

Finally,an error by the scorer could attribute these runs, which then might stand in perpetuity.

  • 72.
  • At 01:23 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Matt Clark wrote:

regarding the question answered today about a bowlers first ball in international cricket - of all the names mentioned, the ball of the century, by Shane Warne, taking out Mike Gatting, is not mentioned.....was that not his first ever test match delivery?

  • 73.
  • At 01:43 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Beburg Zehri wrote:

Hi Bill,

If I am not mistaken, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis have opened the bowling in Test cricket more than any pair in the history. Which pair holds the record in LOIs?

  • 74.
  • At 02:04 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Alex P wrote:

Bearders, what is the most amount of runs scored off the bat in one shot that have been physically ran by the batsmen between the wickets. I wouldn't expect any pair of batsmen to run more than 5, but is their an nstance in which it has, and in that case, how many were run?

Thanks
Alex, England

  • 75.
  • At 03:04 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Alan wrote:

Matt (72),

Warne made his test debut at the SCG against India. His first victim was Ravi Shastri, caught by Dean Jones for 206. (5/1/92)

Was the Gatting dismissal perhaps his first ball in test cricket in England? (4/6/93)

  • 76.
  • At 03:12 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Alan wrote:

Matt (72),

Warne made his test debut at the SCG against India. His first victim was Ravi Shastri, caught by Dean Jones for 206. (5/1/92)

Was the Gatting dismissal perhaps his first ball in test cricket in England? (4/6/93)

  • 77.
  • At 08:40 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Rosh wrote:

Re. 72. Matt - you are wrong on both counts. Warne made his debut against India and so "that" ball was not his debut delivery. And no it wasn't "the" ball of the century as the media gloated about it then and now.

Think about it. A leg spinner pitches one about 6 inches (this figure has gone up as time has gone by) and a old and ragged looking Mike Gatting, a right hand bat, plods forward gingerly and the ball spins past his outside edge and hits his off. Er, quite simply the ball spun more than the batsman expected. Where's the great mystery in that. No the tag "ball of the century" was only coined by a sensation pro- media who wanted a good marketable Ashes property to replace the Bothams, the Lillee's and the Chappell's.

Far, far greater were two deliveries that the great Wasim Akram sent to blast out Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis in the world cup finals held in that same year (1992) in Warne's backyard. But then again Akram was not of Ashes stuff - so Warne get's the plaudits.

  • 78.
  • At 10:24 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Dominic Hewitt wrote:

Batsmen have scored 5 runs off one ball on many occasions as that is what is awarded if the batsmen hits the ball onto an item of equipment belonging to the fielding side (typically a helmet on the ground)

  • 79.
  • At 10:44 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Richard Turner wrote:

Re the featured question about 8 ball maidens and comments about wides in the bowlers analysis. I believe that is a relatively recent ocurrence that wides and no balls are included against the bowler, previously you could bowl a wide and still manage a maiden if the 6 legitimate balls were not scored from (off the bat). Therefore in theory you could have an 8-ball a 10-ball or any number of balls in a maiden over in the past. Perhaps someone can confirm when this change was made assuming I haven't invented it.

  • 80.
  • At 11:09 AM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Rob wrote:

Hi Bill,

Having recently seen quite a few county players plying their trade in first class cricket abroad I tried to find all those who had done so in the last 5 years or so, do you have a definitive list? So far i'm on Harmison (SA), Plunkett (SA), Kyle Hogg(NZ), Charlie Shreck(NZ, Vikram Soalnki (IND), Bilal Shafayat (PAK), are there any more, and why has this practice slowed down since the 70's/80's?

Rob, UK

  • 81.
  • At 12:03 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 56 - DAVE

Merv Hughes took a hatrick against WI across 3 overs (as was questioned earlier) where the first 2 batsmen Ambrose and Patterson (okay, not BATSMEN, but BATTERS) had both scored, 8 and 1 (Patterson scoring off the over bowled in the middle of the hatrick by May, who actually got a wicket, Logie, in this over) then he got Greenidge first ball of the 2nd innings (obviously for nought) BUT my point is IF Hughes had bowled the 2nd over AND Greenidge had scored from the 1st he'd have a hatrick made up of 3 scoring batters (without the need for odd retirements)

now a tester for the readers of this WHY did Hughes bowl the 1st over when normally Geoff Lawson, who was playing, would have opened the bowling? (clue it has to do with those "odd retirements", though not too odd)

  • 82.
  • At 12:56 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • buratheno wrote:

"Bearders' Answer: A hat-trick, three wickets in successive balls by the same bowler, has to occur within the same match. It has frequently involved both innings and occasionally three different overs.....
Can anyone explain to me how this may occur over three separate overs?"

1) Last ball of an over
2) Dismisses last batsmen in first ball of next over (1st innings)
3) Dismisses a batsman with 1st ball of 2nd innings


This is what actually happend in Merv Hughes' hat-trick (against WI)!

  • 83.
  • At 01:00 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Leslie P. Herbert wrote:

What decision should be given on the following sequence of events. The bowler bowls the ball, the striker hits the ball, the ball is deflected off the non striker who is out of his crease, the ball hits the stumps and disturbs the bails. Is the batsman run out or not. I would appreciate an email replly. Thank you.

Les

  • 84.
  • At 01:28 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Ayrton wrote:

In a club match this season two of my team mates put on 99 for the 5th wicket before one of them was out for a duck. What is the highest partnership in county and test matches where one of the participants failed to score?

  • 85.
  • At 01:29 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • john cranmer wrote:

I am dissapointed to learn that a hat trick has to be in the same match. It seems that the "hat trick" I got spread over 2 seasons many years ago does not count. Bother

  • 86.
  • At 01:39 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • joe wrote:

Re Q9: I don't know how to measure it statistically, but taking 40 wickets in a test series is more remarkable if the rest of the bowlers in your team are world-class than if they (frankly) aren't.

  • 87.
  • At 01:42 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • joe wrote:

Re Q9: I don't know how to measure it statistically, but taking 40 wickets in a test series is more remarkable if the rest of the bowlers in your team are world-class than if they (frankly) aren't.

  • 88.
  • At 01:43 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Kemp wrote:

From Chris Kemp - Bath,UK

Bill - a question about wides. At nets the other night a batsman was set a target number of runs. A bowler ran in and, on seeing the batsman retreat extravagantly to leg, followed accordingly. The batsman missed the ball which hit him on the pad, some 2 feet outside leg stump. Everyone considered this a "dot ball" while I suggested it was a wide. The response was that it couldn't be a wide because it hit the batsman on the pad, even though had the batsman stayed put in a normal stance it would clearly have been a wide. Who is right - given that a wide is relative to a normal stance - and does being hit on the pad preculde the ball being called a wide?

  • 89.
  • At 01:58 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • James wrote:

Having moved to the UK from the USA several years ago, I've grown to appreciate both cricket and TMS greatly. Has there ever been an American who played County Cricket?

  • 90.
  • At 02:16 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • James, UAE wrote:

Hi Bill - following Chanderpaul's slow innings rate the other day (65 not out off 220+ balls - not suggesting there was anything wrong with it by the way) it made me wonder, has a batsman ever made a century without hitting a boundry???? If not, what is the highest innings scored without hitting a boundry? Thanks Bill and keep up the good work, James

  • 91.
  • At 02:38 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • trevor cook wrote:

when was the last time an england test team consisted of all english born players.

  • 92.
  • At 02:53 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Richard Corden wrote:

On the subject of test cricketers' intials, the full name of Heath Davis, the New Zealand fast bowler, is Heath Te-Ihi-O-Te-Rangi Davis. Does that not count as six initials?

  • 93.
  • At 03:25 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Peter Booth wrote:

Hello Bill

Could you tell me what is the most runs scored off 1 ball,I am sure I read somewhere it was 12 runs, is this true?if so how so, surely the fielding side could`nt keep giving away overthrows!!

  • 94.
  • At 03:33 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • David wrote:

Alex (59) - most balls for least runs would probably New Zealander Geoff Allott's epic 77-ball, 101-minute duck against South Africa in 1998/9.

  • 95.
  • At 03:37 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • ian wrote:

Hi Bill, just wondering if you can help, i've been asked when the no-ball rule actually changed from back-foot to front-foot?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated

Bill
I heard on the radio Jim Maxwell saying that the Dukes are smaller in size than Kookaburra, and stayed hard longer. I didn't necessary agree with his other point that Dukes reverse swing more than Kookaburra's as some of the finest reverse swing bowlers have come from Asia who use Kookaburra. In my view Dukes are better balls as they are handmade in the old traditional way. Whereas the Kookaburra are machine made in Asia

Anything else you can tell me about the two balls would be appreciated

Many thanks

  • 97.
  • At 03:56 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • PortoIan wrote:

question 83 - Leslie

well as you didn't include your email address you're hardly likely to get an email reply, but the answer is

NOT OUT

the ball must touch a member of the fielding team after leaving the bowler to be run out, if it is just straight back off the batsman it's not out

for an authoratative answer see the Lords set of Laws of cricket, number 38 - Run Out

consult it here

  • 98.
  • At 04:17 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • D A Wadley wrote:

which county has produced the most england capped players?

  • 99.
  • At 05:00 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Kuppai Wallah wrote:

Hi:
Is there any cricketer whose statistics ie win/loss ratio, batting average or bowling average improved after being made a captain ?
Thanks

  • 100.
  • At 08:37 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Mark Scampion wrote:

Re the matter of a hat-trick in three overs:

It would presumably be hypothetically possible for this to be achieved in a single innings:
a) the first wicket would be taken with the final ball of a bowler's stint (i.e. the sixth ball of an over, before he is 'rested');
b) the second wicket is taken when the bowler is subsequently brought back on to replace a bowler who has retired hurt (having bowled five balls of the current over);
c) the third wicket is the first ball of the bowler's next over.

  • 101.
  • At 08:59 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • David Hanley wrote:

Hello Bill,

quick question. Has it ever been known for a batsmen to bat both right and left handed in one over or for a bowler to bowl both left and right handed in one over?

  • 102.
  • At 09:31 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 93 - Peter

theoretically a batsman could score any amount of runs off one ball, by the fielding team constantly throwing the ball past the 'keeper but never to the boundary, and the batsman just keep running, however....

in first class cricket the record is 10 by SHWood of Derbyshire from Burnup, MCC in 1900, but this is a special case as it was under a trial law having the boundary marked with a net, allowing the batsman to score a boundary and still run, so....

in test cricket the record would appear to be 7 (runs off the bat, not a no ball 6) which Bill actually scored, here is his comment from his column number 22 (!!)

"Alan Knott off Vanburn Holder in the Fourth England v West Indies Test at Headingley in 1976.

Knott took a quick single to extra-cover where Bernard Julien fielded and overthrew the wicket-keeper. Knott and Tony Greig ran two overthrows before Andy Roberts, fielding at square-leg, retrieved the ball and threw it past the stumps at the bowler's end and over the long-off boundary for four more runs."

to be added to all this there are the "NOT lost" ball stories (it should be pointed out that if the ball is lost then the runs are limited to when the fielders call "lost ball", see law 20) which range from 63 runs to 286 runs when a ball is stuck in a tree, or in a tiger's paws, inside the boundary, but plainly visible and therefore not lost (the tree story would need that the two teams had not decided on a "penalty" boundary for hitting the tree beforehand) in all cases the stories end "until a fielder fetched a gun" and either shot the ball out of the tree or just shot the tiger.....these stories never have any evidence (which is not to say they are not true) and are not First Class matches

  • 103.
  • At 10:05 PM on 03 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 93 - Peter

theoretically a batsman could score any amount of runs off one ball, by the fielding team constantly throwing the ball past the 'keeper but never to the boundary, and the batsman just keep running, however....

in first class cricket the record is 10 by SHWood of Derbyshire from Burnup, MCC in 1900, but this is a special case as it was under a trial law having the boundary marked with a net, allowing the batsman to score a boundary and still run, so....

in test cricket the record would appear to be 7 (runs off the bat, not a no ball 6) which Bill actually scored, here is his comment from his column number 22 (!!)

"Alan Knott off Vanburn Holder in the Fourth England v West Indies Test at Headingley in 1976.

Knott took a quick single to extra-cover where Bernard Julien fielded and overthrew the wicket-keeper. Knott and Tony Greig ran two overthrows before Andy Roberts, fielding at square-leg, retrieved the ball and threw it past the stumps at the bowler's end and over the long-off boundary for four more runs."

to be added to all this there are the "NOT lost" ball stories (it should be pointed out that if the ball is lost then the runs are limited to when the fielders call "lost ball", see law 20) which range from 63 runs to 286 runs when a ball is stuck in a tree, or in a tiger's paws, inside the boundary, but plainly visible and therefore not lost (the tree story would need that the two teams had not decided on a "penalty" boundary for hitting the tree beforehand) in all cases the stories end "until a fielder fetched a gun" and either shot the ball out of the tree or just shot the tiger.....these stories never have any evidence (which is not to say they are not true) and are not First Class matches

  • 104.
  • At 12:26 AM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • andrei rhodes wrote:

In the question about the initials. You state that Wegeldera is the first cricketer to boast 6 initials. He is not the only one as Chaminda Vaas also has 6.

From Cricinfo:

Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas

Which is WPUJC Vaas

  • 105.
  • At 02:44 AM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Wheatley wrote:


The number of initials does NOT include the surname (family name) ... so Vaas has only 5 initials (before Vaas).

  • 106.
  • At 05:54 AM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Richard Adams wrote:

Re 88:
Chris - I'm afraid "everyone" was right!

A ball is a wide if "the ball passes wide of the striker where he is standing AND would also have passed wide of him standing in a normal guard position" (Law25)

The first part means batsman can make what would have been a wide into a legal delivery by moving towards it (as your batsman did). The second part means he can't turn a legal delivery into a wide by moving away from it.
Hope this helps

  • 107.
  • At 07:25 AM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • ray wrote:

Hi I'm from San Francisco. I've had an interesting discussion about reliability of batsmen. A friend and I would like to know

1. who averages the best in the 2nd Inning of a test match. Batsmen who have scored over 10 centuries only.

2. What is the cummulative difference between first/2nd run scores for each such batsman. I.e if Lloyd had scored 3200 runs in his first innings and 1000 in his second innings and had had batted a total of 100 innings. We say his diff is
i. -2200 i.e negative 2200

ii. -2200/100 or avg contribution of -22

The batsman wiht the number closest to 0 would be the most reliable.

Could you pls help me

thanks

  • 108.
  • At 08:09 AM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • honest john wrote:

I want to know if Zaheer Khan from India is the most profligate opening bowler in limited over internationals.

To elaborate, who has given the highest runs per over in the 1st over of the innings? Conversely, who gives the lowest? (Note I'm not talking about the first over by the bowler)

Is there any 'outstanding' performer?

Similarly, who gives the most runs in last over of the innings?

  • 109.
  • At 11:16 AM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Darren wrote:

Can a fielder at square leg ask the square leg umpire to take a few steps back if the umpire is standing between the fielder and the stumps or can the square leg umpire refuse and stand wherever he likes? From UK

  • 110.
  • At 12:09 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Srivatsa wrote:

In the test matches between India and Pakistan, India had scores of 111/1, 222/2, 333/3,444/4, 555/5 and 666/6 before declaring at 669. Has there been any other instance in test cricket where there have been similar sets of scores?

  • 111.
  • At 12:41 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Martyn Payne wrote:

Whilst watching the recent Australia v India Test Match, I have been wondering why, when listing the score, they put the wickets before the runs scored. This is obviously different to how we do our scoring over here. Also, from what I can gather, this does not happen in any other country. Also, I am interested in why the number 87 is the equivalent to our English "Nelson". I know that the number is 13 away from 100 but how did this come about as an unlucky number in Australian Cricket.

Martyn (England)

  • 112.
  • At 01:01 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • William From Exeter devon UK wrote:

Has a Batsman ever got 5 runs off one ball in any type of cricket.

  • 113.
  • At 01:32 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • ian oatway wrote:

Please let me know on what grounds does Micheal Vaughan keep his place in the test team?

  • 114.
  • At 03:47 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • David Richerby wrote:

Answers to some of the questions posted so far.

8. The batsman is stumped if he is out of his ground, the ball received was not a no-ball, he was not attempting a run and the wicket was fairly put down by the 'keeper, without the intervention of any other fielder. In any other circumstances, the batsman is either not out or run out, as appropriate.

11. The bowler's figures do include runs conceded through wides and no-balls.

20. I doubt this has ever happened. Since our batsman loses strike when running one or three, the next ball would have be be a no-ball or wide, from which the batsmen ran an odd number of runs.

22, 34. There are also several ways if we include the possibility of a bowler being injured and somebody else completing his over. It could even happen in one innings.

31. It depends on whether you want to include the surname or not. A.B. Clark has two initials before his surname but I think it would be normal to say that his initials are `A.B.C.' -- three.

45. Dead ball. For a run out, the wicket must be fairly put down by a member of the fielding side.

62. My understanding is that a no-ball does not count as a ball faced unless struck by the batsman and scored from.

72. No, Warne's `ball of the century' was his first ball against England but this was his twelfth Test.

78. If the ball strikes a helmet or other such item, the batting team is awarded five penalty runs but these are not given to the batsman.

83. Nobody can be given out run out unless a member of the fielding team has touched the ball after it was bowled. So, if it deflected off the bowler onto the non-striker's wicket, the non-striker would be out. However, if the ball deflects off the non-striker, the umpire (somehow) or even if it hits the non-striker's wicket directly off the striker's bat, it is not out.

88. Your team-mates were correct: if a batsman moves into a position where he could reasonably have hit the ball, it is not wide. The ball has to be unhittable both from a normal guard position and the position where the batsman was actually standing when the ball passed the crease.

109. Law 3.11 says that the umpires shall stand wherever gives them the best view, though that the umpire at the bowler's end must not interfere with the bowler's run-up or the striker's view. Thus, the fielders can ask the square leg umpire to move but he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to.

  • 115.
  • At 04:48 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Patrick Vincett wrote:

Hello Bearders, first of all let me say you are a fountain of cricket knowledge!

right, heres to the question, i once read somewhere of a bowling side declaring, i am assuming that they just gave up as they were being smashed all over the park and got fed up in the end, can you confirm this actually happened?

Many Thanks

  • 116.
  • At 05:18 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Alex P wrote:

Sorri to repeat my question of:


"Bearders, what is the most amount of runs scored off the bat in one shot that have been physically ran by the batsmen between the wickets?"

To correct dominic hewitt who replied with "Batsmen have scored 5 runs off one ball on many occasions as that is what is awarded if the batsmen hits the ball onto an item of equipment belonging to the fielding side (typically a helmet on the ground)"

My question was asking about the most amount of runs ever physically ran by the batsmen between the wickets (In Test Cricket) not including a boundary or a collision with an item of clothing as you stated.

Just to clear that up if my question was unclear.

Thanks, Alex (England, Lancashire)

  • 117.
  • At 07:51 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • D Hart wrote:

What is the highest test score (both sides) without a 6 being scored.

  • 118.
  • At 10:14 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Squires wrote:

I would like to ask Bill, since the Aussies started their World Domination say...1992. What was the average first day runrate in test matches either side of that point? I recall a recent TMS conversation wth Viv Richards along the lines of he would have taken something like 230 for 3 on day one where as the Aussies seem to always be on 370 for 7 or similar.

  • 119.
  • At 10:34 PM on 04 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Squires wrote:

I would like to ask Bill, since the Aussies started their World Domination say...1992. What was the average first day runrate in test matches either side of that point? I recall a recent TMS conversation wth Viv Richards along the lines of he would have taken something like 230 for 3 on day one where as the Aussies seem to always be on 370 for 7 or similar.

  • 120.
  • At 08:06 AM on 05 Jan 2008,
  • M Pattabiraman wrote:

Dear Bill,

Thanks for answering my last question on best second innings batting averages. I now have question regarding light. A pair of batsmen are offered the light by the umpires. They decline it and promptly get themselves out. Can the incoming fresh batsmen ask the umpires to consider the light again?
Can the fielding captain object if the umpires offer the light again to the batsmen?

Pattabiraman
India

  • 121.
  • At 10:49 AM on 05 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 116 - Alex
and
questions 63 and 112 - William (why ask twice)

read my answer number 102 (or 103..my mistake there!)

SH Wood scored 10 off one ball, TWO coming from the trial boundary net and EIGHT actually ran

one has to imagine that the fielders forgot about the net and just watched the ball, before realizing they had to actually field it

this, as stated, was first class not test though (test is a new addition to your question)

so the highest all ran in TESTS would be McDermott for Aus vs SL in the 3rd Test, Jan 1996, when the first ball he faced he ran FIVE from

see the note for day 3 here

or here

it is common (ish) in tests to score all run 4s, a very notable example being by Mahanama for Sri Lanka vs India, the 1st Test in Aug 1997 when he set the then record for a second wicket (with, who else, Jayasuriya) of 576 (which Jayasuriya broke himself in 2006) and in the SAME match Tendulkar also had an all ran 4

you can see the scorecard here

(note the daily comments at the bottom)

these are not the only instances though, only the most notable, others would be Jaffer running 4 off Panesar (Eng vs Ind, July 2007), or Khan (Pak vs SA 1997), etc..

  • 122.
  • At 03:10 PM on 05 Jan 2008,
  • Sumeer Aggarwal wrote:

I was always a big fan of umpire David Shepherd and especially of his hopping on 111. However I have always wondered is there statistically a more likely number for a batsmen to get out (either his individual score or team score)? Are the Australians right and 87 is the Devil's number?

  • 123.
  • At 05:49 PM on 05 Jan 2008,
  • Andre LAVIGNE wrote:

Answer to question #6 from Aman Harees posted on 02-01-2008 at 1:50 pm
Nobody has scored a double-century and taken more than 5 wickets (ie 6 or more) IN THE SAME INNINGS !
But DS ATKINSON (West Indies) and MUSTAQ MOHAMMAD (Pakistan) have scored a double-hundred and taken 7 wickets in the same MATCH.
DS ATKINSON : 219 and 7 for 164
West indies vs Australia at Bridgetown, 14 to 20-May-1955 (6-day match) - Match DRAWN
MUSTAQ MOHAMMAD : 201 and 7 for 64
New Zealand vs Pakistan at Dunedin, 7 to 10-February-1973 - Pakistan won by 1 inns and 166 runs.
From André (Paris, France)

  • 124.
  • At 08:59 PM on 05 Jan 2008,
  • G Rizvi wrote:

How many times has Harbajan Singh claimed Ricky Ponting's wicket? Seems like he gets out to Singh since the 2001 series regularly.

G Rizvi
San Francisco

  • 125.
  • At 09:10 PM on 05 Jan 2008,
  • Richard Heller wrote:

Does anyone know what is the fastest over rate ever achieved in Test cricket? I suspect it might be Ramadhin and Valentine bowling maiden after maiden in England in 1950.

  • 126.
  • At 09:39 PM on 05 Jan 2008,
  • G Rizvi wrote:

How many times has Harbajan Singh claimed Ricky Ponting's wicket? Seems like he gets out to Singh since the 2001 series regularly.

G Rizvi
San Francisco

  • 127.
  • At 06:05 AM on 06 Jan 2008,
  • André from Paris wrote:

Answer to question #18 from James Phillips posted on 02-01-2008 at 2:44 pm
The lowest score never made by a batsman is 229, then 238, then 241 (although SR Tendulkar has scored 241 NOT OUT)
André, from Paris (France)

  • 128.
  • At 10:50 AM on 06 Jan 2008,
  • Ian, Holland wrote:

Regarding the Question from Prafull about taking wickets with first test deliveries. Surely Shane Warne also took a Wicket with his first Test delivery?

  • 129.
  • At 10:54 AM on 06 Jan 2008,
  • wrote:

I saw that the record for the lowest score in a completed innings was 26 by New Zealand vs England and wondered if a team ever lost all 10 wickets for less than 26 runs E.g. being 100 for 0 to being 115 all out? And while im here do you have the records for lowest amount of runs scored in losing 9 wickets, 8 wickets etc... I'm guessing up til 6 wickets will be 0 runs.

Thanks

  • 130.
  • At 11:00 AM on 06 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 124 - RIZVI

Ponting and Singh have met in 8 tests in all (since March 98) but only 7 of those were since your 2001 cut off point (the 98 test Singh didn't get Ponting's wkt)

of those on 1 occasion ponting only batted once (Aus winning by 10 wkts) so that leaves 13 possible dismissals

remarkably Singh has got Ponting's wkt 8 of those 13 times..that's 62%, ...although if we consider the one game in 1998 that drops to 8 of 15 = 53%

what a bunny to have!

still nowhere near McGrath's owning of Atherton-19 times, in 16 Tests, thats 19 out of 32 possibles, 59%

so that leads to a question;

who, taking someone's wkt more than say 5 times, has the biggest % success, that is possible wickets vs actual as in McGrath's 59% vs Athers

  • 131.
  • At 12:03 PM on 06 Jan 2008,
  • André from Paris wrote:

Answer to question #13 from James Cochrane posted on 02-01-2008 at 2:05 pm
It has happened FOUR times in the past that a team has scored less than 81 (the score by England vs Sri Lanka in December 2007) in the 1st match innings and actually has WON the match ! Which is much more remarkable than to draw the match.
These four instances are :
England (45) vs Australia in Sydney in 1886/87
Australia (63) vs England at the Oval in 1882
England (75) vs Australia in Melbourne in 1894/95
England (76) vs South Africa in Leeds in 1907.
André from Paris (France)

  • 132.
  • At 08:59 PM on 06 Jan 2008,
  • Dave Weston wrote:

In the recent test between Australia and India 5 players were playing who had represented Northants (Hayden, Jaques, Hussey, Kumble and Ganguly). Has there ever been more players who had a single county link in a test match not involving England?

  • 133.
  • At 11:02 AM on 07 Jan 2008,
  • Stephen wrote:

In the West Indies' second innings in the second test against South Africa, Ramdin (average now 22.96) opened the batting with Ganga (average now 26.17). Excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, when was the last time a test nation opened the batting with a pair who had each played 20 or more tests, but who cumulatively averaged lower than these two? Has it happened much in recent decades?

  • 134.
  • At 11:10 AM on 07 Jan 2008,
  • André from Paris wrote:

Answer to question #23 from Grenville Wilson posted on 02-01-2008 at 3:04 pm
Derek RANDALL has scored 7 hundreds : one as opener, 2 at position 3, 1 at position 5, 2 at position 6 and 1 at position 7.
His highest score at position 4 is 79.
André from Paris (France)

  • 135.
  • At 12:25 PM on 07 Jan 2008,
  • David Richerby wrote:

No, Ian (comment 128), Shane Warne did not take a wicket with his first delivery in Test cricket. In fact, he had a thoroughly miserable debut, with figures of 45-7-150-1 in India's only innings, in which he was Australia's least economical bowler. In the next match, he returned figures of 23-2-78-0 over the two innings and was dropped for the fifth and final Test.

You (and everybody else) are probably thinking of Warne bowling Mike Gatting, which was his first ball in Test cricket [i]in England[/i].

  • 136.
  • At 01:55 PM on 07 Jan 2008,
  • William Ledger wrote:

If the Indian test side refuse to play the remaining two tests in Australia, do those forfeited tests count as Australian wins and hence extend the Australians' side of 16 consecutive victories?

  • 137.
  • At 02:08 PM on 07 Jan 2008,
  • eddy wrote:

Thank you to Satyajit and Surajk for your feedback on my piece on Tendulkar's and
lara's 232 test inning. i have corrected and updated for your pleasure or displeasure depending
on if your a Lara or Tendulkar follower (feel free to check stasguru advanced filter if in doubt) Eddy

Today (4th January 2008) shall be a day long remembered. Why?
Today Sachin completed his 232 inning in test cricket.
A brilliant 150 against world champions Australia.
Brian Lara retired on 232 test match innings.
Only now I believe you can make some general comparison between the two great batsmen.

A couple of things stand out straight away. Although Tendulkar has scored 4 more
tons in the same about of innings as Lara, (both have 48 half-centuries) he has
scored 433 runs less than Lara. 11520* compared to Lara’s 11953.
We can also see that Lara batted in more of the matches he played
in than Tendulkar has. 131 against 144 and counting. What does this tell us?
Tendulkar wasn’t needed to bat as often as Lara was. Does this not say as
much about their respective teams as it does about the individual players
but this also suggests that Tendulkar was denied the chance to complete 25
of his innings A further example of this can be seen in the ‘not outs’
each player earned in their careers. Very rarely did Lara come to the
crease having just 20 or 30 runs to knock of to win the match.
Lara’s not out total (6) is closer to that of an opener than it
is to a middle order batsman. People may say that when Tendulkar
and Lara were batting with their respective tails Tendulkar’s and
Lara’s attitude may have been quite different i.e. Lara –
let me get as much runs as I can before number 11 gets out, or Tendulkar –
number 11 will get out soon so why should I lose my wicket?. That is debatable and
not formed of any facts only conjecture.

There has always been this great debate about who was the better batsman.
Pundits have often stated that Lara’s genius is blighted by dips in form
and that Tendulkar is by far the more consistent player. The cold hard stats
do not suggest this is so cut and dry. Lara score 34 tons in 232 innings,
Tendulkar scored 38. That’s a hundred every 6.8 innings for Lara and 6.1 innings
for Tendulkar. They both scored 48 half-centuries, that’s one every 4.8 innings.
When you remove the not outs from each player’s stats you get the true picture
of how many runs each batsman actually made per inning. Lara made 51.52 runs per
inning, on average, in his Test career. Tendulkar has so far made 49.66 per inning.

Weak Opposition???
Tendulkar has played 9 test matches against Zimbabwe making nearly a 1000 runs
and three tons, one of them a double. Lara played 2 matches against Zimbabwe making
200 runs with 1 ton. Tendulkar has played 5 test matches against Bangladesh scoring
550 runs with 3 tons , one of them a double. Lara played 2 matches against Bangladesh
scoring 170 runs with one ton.
So against these weaker teams Tendulkar has played 14 matches scoring 1550 odd runs
picking up 6 tons. Lara played 4 matches scored 370 odd runs two tons. Now that’s
not Tendulkar’s or Lara’s fault but Tendulkar has played over 3 times as much cricket
against these weak teams as Lara did.

Strong opposition!!!
Tendulkar has played 23 matches against world champs Australia scoring 2090 runs making
8 tons (one double) and averaging 55.
Lara played 31 matches against Australia scoring 2850 runs making 9 tons (3 doubles)
and averaging 51.

And how did our two champion batsmen fare against the world champions finest bowlers?
Lara averaged 41.40 against Glen McGrath scoring 621 against him, Tendulkar averaged
22.16 scoring 133. And against the greatest leg-spinner of all time? Lara averaged
54.57 scoring 635, Tendulkar averaged 39 scoring 117.
so it would appear that Tendulkar has faired slightly better against Australia as a team,
but Lara performed much better against Australia's champions.

And what if we were to throw in their respective battings records?

Lara has broken the test record high score twice 375 and 400*. He holds
the record for the most runs test runs scored ever. He has scored more
runs in one over than any other in test history ,28.He is the only
player to hold all three high score records at the same time i.e. most runs in test,
high score in test, high score in first class cricket.
Tendulkar has scored more tons than any other player in test history, 38 and more
hundreds in international cricket than any other. for a more detailed
look at the records of these players Wikipedia is recommended. Tendulkar
is the undoubted king of one-day cricket and in the top 4 or five in test
cricket history. He will no doubt go on to break Lara’s most runs in test
cricket total. But Ricky Ponting will go further than him. Will, can, either
of these batsmen break the 400* or score match winning knocks like the 153* or
single handily carry their team for years on end?

Added 7th January 2008.
i kept the analysis to test cricket for obvious reasons. Tendulkar is by far the greatest
batsmen in that field and also u cannot compare two players that have played 100 odd games
more or less than each other. One last stat that i must bring to light is the Hundreds records
that Tendulkar holds at the time. In test cricket when you score a hundred it is classed as a hundred
scored on that particular inning. A double ton does not count as 2 tons. This seems mightly unfair
on a player how has scored twice as much but is only awarded a ton for his efforts. i believe there
should be a double ton category for such events or why not count a double ton as 2 hundreds (which it is!)
This would leave Tendulkar having 42 test tons, Lara would have 46 test tons and the Don with 43!

take your pick!


  • 138.
  • At 05:59 AM on 08 Jan 2008,
  • André from Paris wrote:

Answer to question #129 from Chris Self posted on 06-01-2008 at 10:54 am
Lowest score at the fall of the 6th wicket = 7 runs (Australia, vs England at Manchester in 1888)
at the fall of the 7th wicket = 14 runs (Australia, vs England at the Oval, in 1896)
at the fall of the 8th wicket = 19 runs (Australia, vs England at the Oval, in 1896)
at the fall of the 9th wicket = 25 runs (Australia, vs England at the Oval, in 1896)
For this match at the Oval, Australia went on to finish with 44 all out !!

André from Paris (France)

  • 139.
  • At 12:17 PM on 08 Jan 2008,
  • Alex Chapman wrote:

Where does a "yorker" get its name from?

  • 140.
  • At 05:07 PM on 08 Jan 2008,
  • Rakesh Patel wrote:

Hello Beardy.

How many Rakesh Patels have played cricket for Pakistan like me?

  • 141.
  • At 06:11 PM on 08 Jan 2008,
  • Denis wrote:

Is the term sporting embedded in the laws of Cricket and is there a description of what is and isn't sporting?

  • 142.
  • At 06:22 PM on 08 Jan 2008,
  • Denis wrote:

Is the term sporting embedded in the laws of Cricket and is there a description of what is and isn't sporting?

  • 143.
  • At 09:36 PM on 08 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 140 - Rakesh

well it appears that there has only been one first class cricketer named Rakesh Patel and he is not Pakistani, but Indian, although he has never played for India only for two first class teams in India

Full name Rakesh Bhanuprasad Patel
Born October 23, 1978, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Major teams Baroda, Gujarat
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium

he has played in 67 first class matches scoring 1481 runs (@18.51) and taking 234 wkts (@28.50), so he seems to be a bowling all rounder

cricinfo says this about him

"Rakesh Patel is one of those workhorse fast-medium bowlers in India who have come close to representing the national side but been ignored after missing out on a place in the final XI. In 2002-03, Patel was selected for the ODIs in New Zealand; he sat out the tour and hasn't made the Indian team on merit ever since."

question 139 - Alex

see answer 40

question 137 - Eddy

was that a question or an answer? it doesn't appear to be either

  • 144.
  • At 09:42 PM on 08 Jan 2008,
  • George wrote:

Bearders,

Here's a broad question.

Umpires or technology?

  • 145.
  • At 09:52 PM on 08 Jan 2008,
  • George wrote:

Bearders,

Here's a broad question.

Umpires or technology?

  • 146.
  • At 01:20 AM on 09 Jan 2008,
  • Michael Jones wrote:

1. George - the simple reason for all the Kolpak players in county cricket is the financial one: they earn more than they would playing domestic cricket anywhere else in the world. As far as spectator numbers go, I think those for inter-state cricket in Australia are quite high but I don't know the exact figures.

2. Matt - the fastest 50 or 100 in terms of balls received by an opener on the first morning of a Test would be impossible to determine for certain, since the number of balls received was often not recorded in early Tests. Only two openers, Victor Trumper and Majid Khan, have scored a century before lunch on the first day of a Test (Charlie Macartney and Don Bradman did so batting at number 3), and since Majid's score at lunch was higher (108 to 104) it's probable that he reached his century more quickly.

3/4. Andy - this question has come up numerous times: the match is over as soon as "wide" is called, so the stumping doesn't count.

5/7. Phil - Frank Tyson (27* from number 9, to New Zealand's 26) at Auckland in 1955; Sammy Woods (53 from number 8, to South Africa's 30 - Lord Hawke at number 10 scored exactly 30) at Port Elizabeth in 1896; Frank Milligan (38 from number 8, to South Africa's 35) at Cape Town in 1899; and Bill Lockwood (52* from number 10) and Wilfred Rhodes (38* from number 11) to Australia's 36 at Edgbaston in 1902 give a few more instances, and that's probably not an exhaustive list.

8. Bill - only the keeper can make a stumping. On one famous occasion Roger Harper stopped a straight drive from Graham Gooch and threw down the stumps with the batsman out of his ground (although not attempting a run), which went down in the scorebook as "run out", although some suggested it should have been "stumped and bowled"!

9. Graham/ 39. Dan/ 86. Joe - yes, Murali has more wickets than Warne against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, but the first time Warne played Bangladesh he ended up with 0/112 off 20 overs so you can't necessarily claim that if he'd played them more often his figures against them would have been as good as Murali's. Whether it's easier to take lots of wickets on a regular basis as the only top-class bowler in the team (less competition?) or operating as part of a pack (less pressure to perform?) is also debatable - should Richard Hadlee not be considered as good as Wasim Akram, for instance (they had similar records - 431Test wickets at 22.29, 414 at 23.62) because Hadlee usually played a lone hand while Wasim bowled alongside Imran, Waqar and others?

11. Cliff - the number of runs conceded by a bowler, as recorded in the analysis, includes wides and no balls. This hasn't always been the case - it used to be possible to bowl an over containing as many wides and no balls as you like, and it still to count as a maiden as long as no runs came off the bat.

14/15. Sam - Kumar Sangakkara's overall Test batting record is 6032 runs in 71 matches at an average of 56.37, with 16 centuries. This consists of 3093 at 41.24 with 7 centuries in 47 matches when he did keep wicket, and 2939 at 91.84 with 9 centuries in 24 matches when he didn't.

24. George - Australia vs West Indies series in 1960-61:

First Test, at Brisbane - WI 453 & 284, A 505 & 232. Match tied.
Second Test, at Melbourne - A 348 & 70/3, WI 181 & 233 (fo). A won by 7 wickets.
Third Test, at Sydney - WI 339 & 326, A 202 & 241. WI won by 222 runs.
Fourth Test, at Adelaide - WI 393 & 432/6 dec, A 366 & 273/9. Match drawn.
Fifth Test, at Melbourne - WI 292 & 321, A 356 & 258/8. A won by 2 wickets.

26. Divya - it's also possible to be run out or hit wicket off a wide, handled the ball or obstructed the field off either a wide or no ball, or hit the ball twice off a no ball. Obviously a run out is possible off a legitimate ball from which runs have been scored.

27. Aman - I don't know if the ICC has been rounded checking every bowler on the planet to back up this claim; they never tested me…

45. Roger - it would depend whether a fielder had also touched the ball at some point before it hit the stumps: if so, run out; if not, dead ball.

50. Prafull - the best ODI strike rate for a bowler who hasn't played a Test is that of Hiren Varaiya (33.4 - 31 wickets, average 19.58)

52. Daniel - there have indeed been four going simultaneously several times, most recently on 2nd December 2007 when there were Tests between India and Pakistan and Sri Lanka and England, and ODIs South Africa vs New Zealand and Zimbabwe vs West Indies.

56. Dave - not in a Test, although there probably has been in some form of cricket somewhere. In Damien Fleming's hat trick at Rawalpindi in 1994 the third victim, Salim Malik, had scored 237, but the second, Inzamam-ul-Haq, made a duck.

  • 147.
  • At 09:28 AM on 09 Jan 2008,
  • Vivek Srinivasan wrote:

How will a batsman's dismissal be recorded in a scenario such as this: The batsman is struck on his pad plumb in front. The fielders go up in appeal. Meanwhile the ball rolls on and dislodges the bails. At the instant of disloging, the umpire is in the process of raising his finger to signal lbw.
Now how is the dismissal recorded - bowled or lbw?

  • 148.
  • At 11:07 AM on 09 Jan 2008,
  • Colin, London wrote:

Hi Bill

One often hears commentators going on about the importance of a first innings lead but, statistacally, how important is a first innings lead? At least 2 of Australia's current unbeaten run saw them behind on first innings (SA and India). Is there a point at which a lead becomes 'significant'?

Thanks

PS Sorry if this comes through twice. Had a problem with submitting it first time.

  • 149.
  • At 02:14 PM on 09 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 143 - Vivek

the batsman is out BOWLED

bowled takes presidence over every other type of dismissal, see law 30, part 2

"Bowled to take precedence
The striker is out Bowled if his wicket is put down as in 1 above, even though a decision against him for any other method of dismissal would be justified"

question 140 - Rakesh

well it appears that there has only been one first class cricketer named Rakesh Patel and he is not Pakistani, but Indian, although he has never played for India only for two first class teams in India

Full name Rakesh Bhanuprasad Patel
Born October 23, 1978, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Major teams Baroda, Gujarat
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium

he has played in 67 first class matches scoring 1481 runs (@18.51) and taking 234 wkts (@28.50), so he seems to be a bowling all rounder

cricinfo says this about him

"Rakesh Patel is one of those workhorse fast-medium bowlers in India who have come close to representing the national side but been ignored after missing out on a place in the final XI. In 2002-03, Patel was selected for the ODIs in New Zealand; he sat out the tour and hasn't made the Indian team on merit ever since."

question 139 - Alex

see answer 40

question 137 - Eddy

was that a question or an answer? it doesn't appear to be either

  • 150.
  • At 04:38 PM on 09 Jan 2008,
  • Prashant wrote:

I recall a freak incident on India's 1986 tour of England when Maninder Singh was dismissed by a slip catch that was taken off the third or fourth attempt and involved two fielders. What is the record for the most number of fielders required to take a catch?

  • 151.
  • At 04:56 PM on 09 Jan 2008,
  • Matt wrote:

Bill,

I can not find Sachen Tendulkar's test match batting strike rate quoted anywhere but wanted to be able to compare with the other modern greats. Can you shed any light?

Matt, Bristol, England.

  • 152.
  • At 06:26 PM on 09 Jan 2008,
  • Ajay, UK wrote:

Hi Bill,

How many batsmen have batted in every position from opening through to 11 inclusive? I think that Jonty Rhodes did it for South Africa but I'm not sure if any others did.

  • 153.
  • At 09:47 PM on 09 Jan 2008,
  • Jimmy Chen wrote:

Hi Bearders, is it possible for someone to take a wicket without technically bowling a ball (stumping off a wide). Has anyone done this (in all forms, Test, ODI and Domestic) and if so, have any been first ball.

  • 154.
  • At 04:25 AM on 10 Jan 2008,
  • Beburg Zehri wrote:

Prashant(149), scorers don't record such incidents but I am sure Bill will come up with an interesting story related to your query.

  • 155.
  • At 07:56 AM on 10 Jan 2008,
  • wrote:

Regarding 128,Shane took a wicket with his first ball in an "Ashes" test not his debut which I believe was at home to India and his figures,if memory serves, were 1 for 150.

Regards

  • 156.
  • At 08:40 AM on 10 Jan 2008,
  • wrote:

Could anybody out there tell me the wicketing taking prowess of Warne and Murali viz a viz how many numbers one to eleven did they take,I would assume that with no McGrath at the other end and Murali often on early that Muralis top order wickets will be higher,apologies for my earlier answer didn't realise that it had already been answered.

Regards

  • 157.
  • At 10:56 AM on 10 Jan 2008,
  • wrote:

Maybe you can clear this one up. Reading the latest Wisden Anthology (1978-2006) I turned to the Centurion Test of 1999/2000 between SA and England - where a result was engineered - England winning by 2 wickets in what effectively became a 1 innings game after the forfeitures of innings. The Anthology gave the Man of the Match award to Chris Adams - for his solitary run. Elsewhere Michael Vaughan's 69 batting at no. 7 has been deemed to have been the Man of the Match performance. Which one was it?

  • 158.
  • At 11:18 AM on 10 Jan 2008,
  • SD wrote:

This happened in a local match.
Scenerio : After hitting the ball the batsman took off for a run, dived to reach the other end and slipped his bat which hit the stumps and dislodges the bails, batsman himself was out of the crease at that instant. meanwhile the fielder who threw the ball towards the same stumps also hits stumps (but only after the bat had already disloged the bails), batsman reached the crease after this incident so no further attempts by other fielders were possible.

Is the batsman out or not.(the bat disloging the bails was not delibrate by the batsman.)

I went through the laws given in
not able to get a satisfatory explaination.

  • 159.
  • At 10:41 PM on 10 Jan 2008,
  • Paul Stokes wrote:

Bill,
Can you answer the following question for me
Who made his test debut after playing 423 first class matches ?
Regards,
Paul Stokes
Folkestone,Kent

  • 160.
  • At 11:08 AM on 11 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 159 - PAUL

well you are asking this for a wisden quiz, so i'm not sure you should see the answer, that's cheating, but if you really want.....

WE ASTILL, better known as Ewart Astill

he went on to play 9 tests in total, and another 300+ first class games

  • 161.
  • At 04:06 PM on 11 Jan 2008,
  • Pat Costine wrote:

What is the highest number of consecutive centuries recorded in a test innings (beginning with the opening batsmen and continuing in sequence through numbers 3, 4, etc.). Many thanks - great blog!

  • 162.
  • At 05:04 PM on 11 Jan 2008,
  • Sam Streatfeild wrote:

Given that Shaun Pollck's first Test Match victim was Graham Thorpe, which batsman has the unenviable record of being dismissed the most times by a debutant/first time wicket taker?

Sam from Kent

  • 163.
  • At 05:28 PM on 11 Jan 2008,
  • James Emmerson wrote:

post 158

Batsman would be not out.

In the circumstance you describe the fielder would have to physically remove a stump whilst holding the ball in his other hand to be able to appeal for a run out (if the bails had been inadvertently dislodged by any means).
So, for example, a batsman could complete a single, turn for a second and in so doing catch the stumps with his bat or boot, dislodging the bails. The fielding side would then need to complete the above procedure to run out the other batter, who would be given out if he was short of his ground.

  • 164.
  • At 09:11 AM on 12 Jan 2008,
  • David Jones wrote:

A batsman is rapped on the pads and there is an LBW appeal. In the meantime the batsmen attempt a leg bye and the non striker is "runner out". Can the fielding side withdraw the LBW appeal and just go for the run out? If so and the "run out" is turned down may they go back to the LBW appeal.

In a recent One day International I saw run out appeals at both ends from one delivery. If both batsmen were out of their ground then it would seem that the fielding side could choose which player to be given out.

  • 165.
  • At 01:16 PM on 12 Jan 2008,
  • Beburg Zehri wrote:

How many toilet breaks are allowed for a batsman per innings? I remember couple of international players sprinting towards the dressing room and coming back after 10 minutes to resume their innings.

  • 166.
  • At 01:20 PM on 12 Jan 2008,
  • Anthony Sherrington wrote:

With talk of the 'Darrell Hair' Test Match having it's result changed to a draw I wondered how this would affect statistics, if this was approved?
Also, will the 'Mike Denness' Test between SA & India (NOV 2001) ever be given Test Match status?
If so, it would affect 'Records' dramatically & give Kallis & Boucher (especially) extra 100's & dismissals.
Thoughts please, Sir?

:-)

  • 167.
  • At 10:04 PM on 12 Jan 2008,
  • Jimmy Chen wrote:

How would a stumping off a wide be recorded? Would it be(if it is the first ball bowled) 0.0-0-1-1? Has anyone took a wicket without actually bowling a legitimate delivery in Tests or ODIs?

  • 168.
  • At 12:47 AM on 13 Jan 2008,
  • richard colbey wrote:

Last innings. Scores level. Nine wickets down. Wide bowled. Batsman hits wicket. Fielding side win by one wicket? Win by no wickets? Tie?

  • 169.
  • At 02:42 AM on 13 Jan 2008,
  • Beburg Zehri wrote:

168 - richard colbey

In that case the batting side wins by one wicket.

  • 170.
  • At 01:36 PM on 13 Jan 2008,
  • Kumar wrote:

#158.. Great Scenario.

#163.. reasonable answer.

But I somehow think it would be injustice to fielding side if the batsman is judged not out.
From fielders point of view.. when he released the ball while throwing to stumps, the bails were intact and in all fairness it hit the stumps and batsman was out of his crease.
moreover if the fielder is at a fair distance from stumps, it would be impossible for him to physically uproot the stumps in given time.

Bill your thoughts???

  • 171.
  • At 02:54 PM on 13 Jan 2008,
  • Michael Jones wrote:

Sorry Kumar, 163 is the correct answer, just or not!

  • 172.
  • At 03:49 PM on 13 Jan 2008,
  • André from Paris wrote:

Answer to question #161 from Pat Costine posted on 11-01-2008 at 04:06 pm

Two occurrences of FOUR CONSECUTIVE centuries :
For batsmen 1-2-3-4 : by India, vs Bangladesh in Mirpur, 25 to 27- May-2007
For batsmen 4-5-6-7 : by Pakistan, vs India in Faisalabad, 03 to 08-Jan-1983

Centuries for batsmen 1-2-3 : seven occurrences
By England, vs South Africa at Lord's, 28-June to 01-July-1924
By Australia, vs West Indies in Port of Spain, 11 to 16-April-1955 (6-day match)
By Australia, vs West Indies in Bridgetown, 05 to 11-May-1965 (6-day match)
By India, vs Australia in Sydney, 02 to 06-Jan-1986
By Australia, vs England at Lord's, 17 to 21-June-1993
By South Africa, vs Zimbabwe in Harare, 07 to 11-Sept-2001
By New-Zealand, vs India in Mohali, 16 to 20-Oct-2003

André, from Paris (France)

  • 173.
  • At 03:51 PM on 13 Jan 2008,
  • Prashant wrote:

This concerns the Australian team's 16 match winning streak, which could well be 17 when this post has been received. Considering that Steve Waugh didn't play one of the 16 tests, shouldn't the record already belong to Ponting at test 16 from the point of view of individual captaincy records?

  • 174.
  • At 03:57 PM on 13 Jan 2008,
  • Prashant wrote:

This concerns the Australian team's 16 match winning streak, which could well be 17 when this post has been received. Considering that Steve Waugh didn't play one of the 16 tests, shouldn't the record already belong to Ponting at test 16 from the point of view of individual captaincy records?

  • 175.
  • At 05:52 PM on 13 Jan 2008,
  • Keith O. Brown, Ramstein Germany wrote:

Concerning the recent test between Australia and India, isn't it written in the code of player conduct for the batsmen to aide the umpire's decision concerning a catch by walking when he knows he has legitametly made contact with the ball from the bat or glove. Likewise for the fielder if he knows the ball hit the ground before the catch,then the appeal for out should be withdrawn by the captain .

  • 176.
  • At 09:23 AM on 14 Jan 2008,
  • Rakesh, India wrote:

Hi Bill,

I heard in a match commentary that the bails are removed from the stump's groove during lunch or tea break started when WI was playing a test match and at the stroke of lunch, the umpires left the bails on the stumps. Due to the extreme hot temperature, the bails started melting and got stuck on the groove. For this reason no WI bastmen was given out eventhough the ball hit the stumps. Is it true?

  • 177.
  • At 10:58 AM on 14 Jan 2008,
  • andrew rawlinson wrote:

I recently looked up the scorecard of Railways v Dera Ismail Khan (2,3,4 Dec 1964), which is the biggest defeat in the history of first class cricket. DIK scored 32 in 15.3 overs, followed by 27 in 12.3 overs. I'm wondering if 59 is the smallest aggregate (and 28 the smallest number of overs) in the history of the game. Has any other team come close?

(I'm English but live in France. No games round where I live, though.)

  • 178.
  • At 07:56 PM on 14 Jan 2008,
  • Tim wrote:

Re question 129.

The first NZ innings in their test vs Australia in March 1946 is a good candidate for losing lots of wickets quickly. I guess the Kiwis hadn't had the chance of much practice during the war, for after a storming 3rd wicket partnership of 22 had taken the score to 37-2, they then lost their remaining 8 wickets for just 5 runs to be all out 42. That included wickets 3,4,5,6,7 that were all lost with the score on 37, and the 8th and 9th wickets went down at 39 and 40.
So that 5 wickets for 0 runs,
6 wickets for 2 runs,
7 wickets for 3 runs, in addition to the 8 wickets for 5 runs.

They didn't do much better in the 2nd innings being all out for 54.

  • 179.
  • At 08:44 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • peter duerden wrote:

hi bill

in a completed first class innings, has the first batsman ever got the highest score, the second batter the second highest score down to no 11 with lowest..??

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