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Ask Bearders #162

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Bill Frindall | 11:16 UK time, Tuesday, 15 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. 91Èȱ¬ Sport staff will choose a selection of them and send them to Bearders for him to answer.

Q. Who made his Test debut after playing in 423 first-class matches? Paul Stokes, Folkestone, Kent

Bearders' Answer: The answer is probably William Ewart Astill of Leicestershire. Having made his debut (against Hampshire at Southampton) on 23 August 1906, his tally of first-class appearances stood at 424 before he gained the first of his nine England caps, against South Africa at Johannesburg, on Christmas Eve 1927. His remarkable career extended to 733 first-class matches spread over 33 years, producing 22,731 runs at 22.55 and 2,431 wickets at 23.76. A champion billiards player, notable vocalist and capable musician on piano, banjo and ukulele, Ewart Astill served as an Army officer in both world wars.

Q. A previous questioner asked about an ancestor's distinguished cricketing career, and I am told my great great great uncle was J.T. Hearne. He played for Middlesex and England from the end of the 19th century into the 20th and was a fearsome right arm bowler. I believe he was the first Englishman to take a hat-trick against the Australians. Is this correct and can you tell me how he rates in the all-time great bowlers' list? Richard, Chalfont St Giles CC, England

Bearders' Answer: John Thomas (Jack) Hearne (1867-1944), was an off-break bowler who took 3,061 wickets average 17.75 in 639 first-class matches (1888-1923). Only three spinners have exceeded that career aggregate: Wilfred Rhodes, 'Tich' Freeman and Charlie Parker. His fairly long, rhythmic run-up prefaced a classic side-on delivery action. Exceptionally accurate, he varied his pace, interspersing sharp off-breaks with quicker outswingers. He thrived on long spells and bowled 10,016 balls in 1896. He took 100 wickets in a season 15 times - reaching that target as early as 12 June in 1896, a date that has never been surpassed. He took nine wickets in an innings eight times and 15 in a match on four occasions.

He was the fourth Englishman to take a hat-trick against Australia but the first to do so in England (Leeds 1899). He is one of the few Test cricketers to die in his place of birth (Chalfont St Giles).

Q. If I remember right, Jack Noriega (West Indies) took 9 wickets in the first innings of his debut Test. Has there been anyone else who did this on debut? Neville, United Arab Emirates

Bearders' Answer: Although I shall shortly be paying my first visit to Dubai and Sharjah, on a Lord's Taverners mission, and you might wish to vent your spleen in person, I have to tell you that your memory has failed you badly, Neville.

Jack Noreiga, a 34-year-old off-spinner from Trinidad, was playing in his SECOND Test match when he took 9 for 95 in 49.4 overs at Port-of-Spain in March 1971. Remarkably it was only his eighth first-class match and it came nine years after his first. His four appearances in that rubber provided his only Test caps, and, in a span of 13 years, he played in just 21 first-class matches, eight of which were in Trinidad's domestic competition. Incredibly, he remains the only bowler to take nine wickets in an innings for West Indies or for any team in a Caribbean Test match.

No bowler has taken nine wickets in an innings of his first Test. Four have taken eight on debut: Albert Trott (1894-95), Alf Valentine (1950), Bob Massie (in each innings in 1972), and Narendra Hirwani (in each innings in 1987-88).

Q. Has a player ever captured more than five wickets and also got a double century in an innings of a Test match? Aman Harees

Bearders' Answer: Denis Atkinson (219 and 5-56 for West Indies v Australia at Bridgetown in 1954-55) and Mushtaq Mohammed (201 and 5-49 for Pakistan v New Zealand at Dunedin in 1972-73) are alone in scoring 200 runs and taking five wickets in an innings of a Test match. No one has exceeded a five-wicket haul and also scored a double ton in the same match.

Q. Do you know who holds the original photos of the first English Cricket team to tour Australia in 1861-62? My ancestor, William Mudie, was a member of the team and I am looking to obtain some prints of the photos for my family history research. One photo (source the NSWCA) does appear on a website but they could not find it in their collection. Ryan Dudley, Australia

Bearders' Answer: I passed your query to David Frith who has an unrivalled knowledge of Victorian cricket photographs. He replied: "Reference to 'original' photos of the 1861-62 English team can realistically now only mean cabinet photographs, or cartes de visite. During very extensive research for my 'Trailblazers' book, and subsequently, I can't recall any indication that original photographs survive in any club or private collection. It's somehow not quite like the 1859 first-ever English overseas touring team, with that well-known photograph taken on the ship's deck well promoted and thus surviving and protected through the years - though most of the images of Parr's team on offer are actually second-generation copies or later."

Q. Following Andrew Symonds's decision not to walk in the recent Sydney Test, I was wondering what, if any, rules and/or guidelines are given about walking if you know you have been fairly dismissed? Joel Hockley, UK

Bearders' Answer: There is no Law about giving yourself out. Symonds acted completely within the Laws in waiting for and abiding by the umpire's decision. He didn't even infringe any of the itemised offences that contravene 'The Spirit of Cricket' preamble to the Laws of Cricket. 'Walking' is entirely a matter of personal conscience.

Q. I recall Gavin Hamilton making a pair on debut and going wicketless after being chosen as an all-rounder. Has this happened to anyone else, who has been taken on as an all-rounder? Prashant

Bearders' Answer: Hamilton is unique. He is the only player to bag a pair and bowl without taking a wicket (or holding a catch) in his only Test. He can also claim to be only the second England player after Robert Peel (Sydney 1894-95) to be dismissed by the same fielding combination - ct Pollock b Donald.

Q. What is D/L method? Fawad

Bearders' Answer: Devised by two statisticians, Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, and in use for the past decade, the Duckworth/Lewis method is accepted as the fairest formula for calculating revised targets in interrupted limited-overs matches. They provided an abbreviated (two-page) explanation for the current edition of 'The Playfair Cricket Annual' and they have updated it for the 2008 one.

Q. 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? Andy Lake

Bearders' Answer: Law 25, note 3 (a) decrees that, although an umpire cannot determine if a ball is a Wide until it passes the striker's wicket, once he has called it, it is considered to have been a Wide from the moment of delivery. In your scenarios the batting side has gained a penalty run for the Wide and, at that point, they have drawn or won the match. The 'stumping' occurred after the match was over and is not relevant to the action.

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

Bearders' Answer: The five-match rubber took place between 9 December 1960 and 15 February 1961. The First Test (Brisbane) was tied (WI 453 and 284; Australia 505 and 232). Australia won the Second (Melbourne) by seven wickets. West Indies won the Third (Sydney) by 222 runs. The Fourth (Adelaide) was drawn. So the teams returned to Melbourne for the final (six-day) contest with the rubber all square. The result remained in the hazard until late on the fifth day when Australia's ninth-wicket pair, Ken Mackay and Johnny Martin, scampered the winning bye. The second day was watched by a world record crowd of 90,800.

Q. 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)? Chris Wheatley

Bearders' Answer: As a former bowler I would certainly select the best gloveman. Only if their wicket-keeping skills were equal would I choose the better batsman. England's last two Test match keepers have cost England well in excess of 1,000 runs through missed chances. Such frequent errors demoralise bowlers who, in any event, are struggling to dismiss sides twice to win matches. Recent selections have confirmed a lack of confidence in England's specialist batsmen.

I certainly wouldn't pick Gilchrist who is well down my list of Australia's best post-war keepers. Because there was little to choose between Godfrey Evans, Alan Knott and Bob Taylor as the best glovemen I have seen, I would agree with you and choose Knotty because he averaged 32.7 compared with Evans's 20.5 and Taylor's 16.2.

Q. My Aunty is Wendy Wimbush, the former 91Èȱ¬ television scorer. I am also a keen scorer and wondered whether you have any tips as to how I could succeed in a similar career to you or my Aunty? James Wimbush, England

Bearders' Answer: Learn to score the linear way and gain experience by scoring for your local team and from radio or television broadcasts. Read as much as you can about cricket matches, teams and individuals from the mid-nineteenth century up to the present day and collect your own cricket library. Grow a beard and watch the obituaries.


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  • 1.
  • At 11:47 AM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • ted harrison wrote:

Was there once an Australian player called up to play a test by mistake? The selectors had in fact chosen someone else with the same name.

  • 2.
  • At 12:57 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • robert dalton-morris wrote:

Bill

In the stumping/wide answer, if the extra creates a draw (tie?) result does not the wicket become important...either the batting side is all out i.e a tie or there is another ball to face in which case the result is still in doubt. which is it?

  • 3.
  • At 12:59 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Nick Sykes wrote:

Do left handed - right handed combination batting partnerships score more on average that partnerships where both batsman hold the bat on the same side?

  • 4.
  • At 01:32 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Alison Bottomley wrote:

One of my ancestors is Bobby Peel, who played for Yorkshire and England but was (to put it bluntly) a drunk. He fell down the steps at either Headingly or Lords and Lord Hawke kicked him out of Yorkshire and England cricket. Can you shed any light on him, his life and his (ahem) misdemeanors please?

  • 5.
  • At 01:35 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Rob wrote:

Grow a bread and watch the obituaries.
Excellent answer.

  • 6.
  • At 02:08 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Mike Walton wrote:

2. If the wide is the winning run, then the game is over before the stumping takes place. If the run ties the score, then the stumping is valid. In the question it was stated that this was the last wicket, therefore the match is tied. If it was not the last wicket, then there would be one delivery left for the batting team to score the winning run.

  • 7.
  • At 02:33 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 1 - TED

well i believe you are thinking of PETER Taylor who was called up for the fifth test in the ashes series in 1986/7

the australian media (not the selectors note) thought it should be MARK taylor, and some papers even put him in the published squad lists, however the selectors had indeeed chosen PETER Taylor from the same NSW side

Peter Taylor was an offspinner and took 6 wkts in his debut innings, however although he played 12 more times for Aus he never really got any more wkts (another 21 spread over the 25 innings), but fared better in ODIs, playing in 83 taking 97 wkts

Mark Taylor, the opening bat, got his debut 2 years later against WI and went on to play more than 100 tests for Aus

Peter Taylor played in the same test when Mark made his debut

  • 8.
  • At 02:52 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Jim Gallagher wrote:

I love the "how to be an international scorer" bit - top class!

  • 9.
  • At 03:37 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • joe wrote:

Re entry 1. This may refer to Peter Taylor, whose surprise selection for Australia against England in 1987 made some think that it was a mistake - and that they meant Mark Taylor. They didn't, and Peter Taylor turned in a match-winning performance.

  • 10.
  • At 03:41 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Shames Tabraiz wrote:

has there ever been an england international who played his domestic career in australia first before being selected for the national team

  • 11.
  • At 04:08 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Lawrence Gillies wrote:

How does Andy Flower compare in the all-time stakes as a wicket-keeper. I've seen a number of people suggest him as 'keeper for an all-time XI.

  • 12.
  • At 04:12 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Rakesh Patel wrote:

Hi Beardy.

How many Rakesh Patels have played for Pakistan like me?

  • 13.
  • At 04:39 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 12 - RAKESH

in case you didn't see the answer when you asked this in the last blog here it is again

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."

  • 14.
  • At 04:52 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Olly Nicholson, Reading wrote:

Q: I am a member of a village cricket side and always keen to introduce new ideas. I've been trying to locate a company that supplies the equipment for a stump cam - do you have any suggestions or contacts please? Thanks for a great weblog!

  • 15.
  • At 04:56 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Ben wrote:

Hi Bill
of those batsmen who have scored 10 or more test centuries does Andrew Strauss with 147 have the lowest top score?

  • 16.
  • At 05:00 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Emmon Simbo wrote:

Hi Bill

If a batsman turns his body to play the reverse sweep and the ball pitches outside the leg stump and hits him plumb, can he still be given out lbw?

Emmon, UK

  • 17.
  • At 05:09 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Ashwin Mehta wrote:

What is the record for the most wickets taken in the 1st over of a test match innings ? Also, what is the recored for the most consecutive wickets to be taken including the 1st ball of a test match innings ?

  • 18.
  • At 05:34 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Tom wrote:

Re #17 - the batsman's stance as the bowler begins his run-up determines which is the leg side for that particular delivery. If he turns around at a later stage, that doesn't affect the definition of leg side for the purposes of the LBW law, or any other regulation, such as the restiction on leg-side fielders behind square.

  • 19.
  • At 05:44 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Stephen Miller wrote:

During the recent West Indies v South Africa test Graeme Smith scored a century on the first day despite the fact that his team bowled first.

How many other players have made a century on the first day of a test after bowling the opposition out? I can't imagine its happened very often.

  • 20.
  • At 05:54 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • david C wrote:

regarding the wicket keeper discussion, there must be a case for the competent WK who is also a top class batsman. Example Alec Stewart. In all his time there was not the current dilemma between only 5 batsmen and a long tail / or only 4 proper bowlers. Like a top all-rounder, a genuine WK-batsman is a bonus to the balance of the team like virtually an extra player. Gilchrist is in a class of his own in that respect.

  • 21.
  • At 06:53 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Laurens de Rooij wrote:

Hi Bill,

Peter Cantrell Played in the Brisbane test against England in the 1990-91 season. To pick him as a substitute was a contreversial decision as he was not the official 12th man but he was a better fielder than the official 12th man.
As far as I know he never played anymore test's or ODI's for australia but has represented the Netherlands. Could you please explain what exactly happened in that test and why to play him instead of the real no.12 was controversial?
Also how was it possible that he could play for the netherlands afterwards if he played a test for another country?

Thanks

Laurens de Rooij (English/Dutch Religious Studies Student in Leuven Belgium)

  • 22.
  • At 07:56 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Kenneth wrote:

No.19

I know Marcus Trescothick scored 151 on day 1 of the 2nd Test in 2005 after Bangladesh had been bowled out for 104.

For Bill, who scored the highest individual score during a victorious 4th innings of a Test Match? My guess would be Gordon Greenidge's 214 at Lord's in 1984. I wonder how many others have scored 200 plus, or even 150, in such a situation.

  • 23.
  • At 08:21 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Peter M wrote:

To the person who asked about Bobby Peel, there is a fair bit on Wikipedia about him

  • 24.
  • At 09:05 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Charles - Scotland wrote:

Has anyone developed a method like batting or bowling averages for ranking wicket keepers ? I've looked at catches per innings but on that basis Alan Knott is very average and Adam Gilchrist is fantastic. It may beg another question- are catches to the wicket keeper more common today than 30 years ago ?

  • 25.
  • At 09:30 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Alex Benedyk wrote:

Has anyone taken 5 wickets, 5 catches and made 5 runs in a match?
Alex
New South Wales, Australia

  • 26.
  • At 09:35 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Ben Wicks wrote:

hi bill, me and my mate are always arguing over who is the better team, i say England (obviouslt i am being biased) anmd he says Sri Lanka. so we though we would ask you. Which team is better based on averages and stats.

  • 27.
  • At 10:10 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • The Scribbler wrote:

>

Excellent.

  • 28.
  • At 10:19 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Wheatley wrote:

david c, comment #20.

My reasoning when I posed the wicketkeeper selection question to Bearders was that to win a cricket match you have to get the other side out twice. In any match in which a theoretical best-ever side was involved you have to assume the opposition would also have formidable batting strength, so you simply couldn't afford not to take every chance offered.

Scoring enough runs is likely to be far less of a problem, given the kind of batsmen such a team would include. Gilchrist is a wonderful bat, but my best-ever team
-
Barry Richards
Matthew Hayden
Don Bradman
Graeme Pollock
Viv Richards
Garry Sobers
Wasim Akram
Alan Knott
Shane Warne
Muttiah Muralitheran
Dennis Lillee
-
would already bat down to #9, with two of the finest all-rounders cricket has seen at #6 and #7.

Note I have selected left and right-handers alternately most of the way down the list. It's near impossible to choose between the greatest batsmen so I have adopted this left, right, left, right pattern since I believe it's more likely to upset opposition bowlers. Likewise left and right-hand opening bowlers, with Akram's second spell reverse swing also integral to his selection.

  • 29.
  • At 10:24 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • dazarama wrote:

I was wondering about Paul Collingwood's double century in the Ashes, Australia 06-07, where England lost. How many times have batsmen hit a double ton and gone on to lose?

  • 30.
  • At 10:38 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Nelson wrote:

Bit of an open question for you.

Is there any bizarre circumstance that could actually occur in a test or one day match that would make the result disputable that is not covered by the rulebook?

  • 31.
  • At 10:48 PM on 15 Jan 2008,
  • Duane Potter wrote:

Question:

What is the most a batsmen has scored in an innings without hitting a boundry in both test match and one day cricket

Hi Bill,

"Lost Ball" is reasonably regular issue in village games played in rustic settings, but what actually constitutes lost? There is an entry in "Carr's Dictionary of Extraordinary Cricketers" relating to a ball struck into a nettle patch. It could be seen and was therefore not lost and the batsmen continued to run until a fielder's father fetched a scythe.... 180 odd "self counted" runs later.
I guess it is less frequent now that formal boundaries are ubiquitous, but is it possible under modern rules? If it is more than 7 (no ball hit for 6), what is the highest number of runs scored off a single ball in first class cricket?

Charles
Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devon.

Hi Bill,
Can I know how many players represented England who were not actually born in England. I mean to say for the players who were born abroad to British parents or got qualified to play for England after getting their citizenship by marrying a British woman. Cheers!!!
Ramesh

  • 34.
  • At 09:46 AM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Tom wrote:

Re 31 - The "lost ball" law still exists, to cover the contingency of a ball disappearing down a rabbit hole or goalpost base etc. For this to apply, the ball must become lost within the field of play, and not in any obstruction that has previously been agreed as a boundary.

  • 35.
  • At 09:46 AM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • ravi ram wrote:

bearders when jonners went with tms for the england tour of india in late eighties early ninties his only vist to india was thier a book written about this tour

  • 36.
  • At 12:26 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 32 - Charles

the event you refer to was a single wkt game, played in a garden, by 3 school boys, so not really a "game" at all

however lost balls are indeed responsible for "mythical" enoromous single hit scores, as i answered in previous blogs (administrator please take note-a forum would stop these repeated questions, as i have mentioned before!), but never in 1st class cricket

this is a combination of two answers from the last blog, 161

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. 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 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."

however both of these included a boundary, so the ALL RAN test record 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

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" (or in your case a sythe) 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

  • 37.
  • At 12:42 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Andrew Mayer wrote:

re Post 15 - Mohinder Armanath has 11 test centuries and a top score of 138. If Andrew Strauss moves onto 12 test centuries, then he would need to "beat" 153 not out, which was Mark Waugh's highest score out of 20 test centuries.

  • 38.
  • At 12:43 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Sheps23 wrote:

"England’s last two Test match keepers have cost England well in excess of 1,000 runs through missed chances"

I hope you aren't including Chris Read in your stats there Bearders !

  • 39.
  • At 12:49 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Ian Shepherd wrote:

"England’s last two Test match keepers have cost England well in excess of 1,000 runs through missed chances"

England's last 2 test match keepers were Prior and Read, surely you mean Prior and Jones cost England all those runs ?

34: The only visit by England to India in the late 80s/early 90s was the ill-fated 1992/3 trip (tainted before it started by the Gower affair). Prior to that England's most recent tour was 1984. Johnners died in January 1994 so I wonder how much time he would have had to write a book if he did go on that trip.

Bearders: I think it is harsh placing Gilchrist 'well down' the list of post-war Australian keepers. You don't hold the catching record for nothing (and he doesn't have it purely by dint of matches played either). His batting is in a different league to Knott's altogether. Answer this simple question from his Wisden Cricketer of the Year article, written in the early days of his career: name a wicket keeper who has made as many test match-changing innings? My suggestion is: none by a wide margin. Just two highlights: his first-ever hundred to defeat Pakistan in a match Australia had no right to win, and his amazing assault that turned the first test in 2001, and masked how close the teams really were. Never mind the fact that he holds the record for the second-fastest double century and second fastest century of all time ...

  • 41.
  • At 01:01 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Roland Cox wrote:

Here are a couple of questions for you Bill.

1. How many "ducks" did Don Bradman have during his Test career?

2. Has any Test cricketer bowled both styles (left-arm and right-arm) in a match?

3. Has there been any Test cricketer who has never been "bowled" during his career?

4. In One-Day Internationals, five bowlers are normally used to bowl the allotted overs. Sometimes more bowlers are used. Has there ever been an instant in which all eleven (11) players of the fielding side have been used??

Bill, I am taking this opportunity to inform you that I am from Saint Lucia in the West Indies and that I find it much easier using your linear scoring system than the conventional one. All the best for 2008 and beyond. Looking forward to your answers re the above.

Roland Cox
Saint Lucia
West Indies.

  • 42.
  • At 01:09 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • pradyumna dhore wrote:

I think your answer about the player who took 8 wickets in his debue test match need one more name Lance Kluzner (SA) Vs India at Kolkata in 1996.

Thanks

Pradyumna Dhore
UK

  • 43.
  • At 01:12 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • pradyumna dhore wrote:

I think your answer about the player who took 8 wickets in his debue test match need one more name Lance Kluzner (SA) Vs India at Kolkata in 1996.

Thanks

Pradyumna Dhore
UK

  • 44.
  • At 01:30 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Bill Isham, West Sussex wrote:

Bill
A question to you or your knowledgable correspondants; I have played cricket all around England and in Scotland, but have never come across a ground which borders the beach, ie one of the boundrays is next to the sea. I cannot imagine there would be one on a cliff top! A lot of golf couses are built there, but I've never seen a cricket field. Does anyone know of one in the UK?

  • 45.
  • At 01:46 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Barnaby Robinson wrote:

Hi, Further to James Wimbush' question about learning to score, can you recommend any books that it would be worth investing in that teach the venerable trade? Possibly one that details the 'Linear Method' as well?
Thanks,
Barnaby

  • 46.
  • At 01:54 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Jeremy Orbell wrote:

Having read your description of the Australia v West Indes series of 1960-61 which featured a tie and a close finish in the deciding match in front of a world record crowd, I wondered what you considered to be the best Test series? Would it be England v Australia 1981 or 2005 or is there another that surpasses even these three?

  • 47.
  • At 02:51 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Arul Britto wrote:

I think it may be a record that the current Indian 3rd test team have a combined total of over 100 centuries between them.

Also, has any test team contained more than 9 players who have scored a test match century.

S.R.Tendulkar 38
R. Dravid 24
S. Ganguly 15
V. Laxman 12
V. Sehwag 12
W. Jaffer 5
M. Dhonni 1
A. Kumble 1
I. Pathan 1
R. Singh 0
I. Sharma 0
------------------
Total 109
------------------

  • 48.
  • At 02:58 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Roger Goodacre wrote:

in answer to #43 - one well-known seaside ground is North Devon CC at Instow near Bideford, founded in 1823 and the home club of David Shepherd and his brother. A lovely setting right on the seashore, with a thatched pavilion apparently dating back to the late 1700s, where they used to offer (1970s) an excellent lunch to the many touring teams they host. The wicket is said to change character according to whether the tide is in or out. There's a picture of the ground on the club's website

  • 49.
  • At 03:02 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • PeteB wrote:

Hi Bill,

What is the progress of lowest scores for fallen wickets. I.e lowest score with one wicket down, two wicket down,... nine wickets down, 10 wickets. I am pretty sure that I've read about 0 runs for 4 wickets so that progress starts 0,0,0,0, but has anyone ever been 0 for 5 or 0 for 6 at Test match level? At First-class level?

Many thanks

  • 50.
  • At 03:11 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Rob Mace wrote:

Hi Bill

Who holds the records for the fewest first class matches before their international debut, and at the other end of the spectrum, who has played the most first class matches before their international debut?

Thanks, Rob

  • 51.
  • At 03:18 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • ian mcgerty wrote:

Dear Bill,

In the recent NZ-Bangladesh test, Steve Fleming's 87 comfortably brought up his 43rd fifty but left him on his 9th century. Is there anybody in Tests who has more 50s and less 100s? And what are the best and worst conversion rates?

Best Regards.

Thank you.

Ian McGerty
Hong Kong

  • 52.
  • At 03:30 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Jat wrote:

The best series ever - it is easy the India vs Australia 2000-01.

The series that gave Australia-Indian rivalry new meaning. The visitors Australia strolled to a 10-wicket win in Mumbai and were headed for victory in Kolkata when Waugh enforced the follow-on. But VVS Laxman and Dravid put on 376 to turn the match and allow India’s bowlers to do the job. The third Test, in Chennai, was also a classic, as India won by two wickets. The stars were Matthew Hayden, with 549 runs for the series, and Harbhajan Singh, who took 32 wickets. Awesome

  • 53.
  • At 03:51 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Jeremy Orbell wrote:

In response to 44...

If you look on Google Maps for Lowestoft you'll find a cricket ground which is located just off the beach just 1km North of what is the country's most easterly point.

  • 54.
  • At 04:53 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Matthew Anderson wrote:

There is also a pitch in bude north cornwall must be 100m from the cliff. To what standered they play i dont know.

  • 55.
  • At 05:31 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Pixers wrote:

Bearders
How many Test Match Specials did Peter Baxter produce up to his retirement and how many producers of TMS have there been?
Pixers, France

  • 56.
  • At 05:52 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Finbar wrote:

1. Ted, you're probably thinking of the Taylor situation. Off-spinner Peter Taylor was a surprise - indeed, shock - selection for the Australian Test team in '86/87 at a time when Mark Taylor - later to captain the team - was expected to be selected. Mark had to wait until 1989.

  • 57.
  • At 05:58 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 51 - Ian

well nobody with more than 2000 runs (and to score 40+ 50s you'd need at least 2000 runs) has more fifties and less 100s

however of those with more than 2000 runs he is nowhere near the worst conversion rate (17.3%), that honour belongs to CPS Chauhan with 16 fifties and 0 tons, also a certain Shane Warne has 12 fifties and 0 tons

of people who've converted at least one 50 into 100 TL Goddard has 18 fifties and only the one 100 (5%)

the closest, in terms of number of fifties, to Flemming is Ranatunga of SL with 4 centuries but 38 fifties (9.5%)

a surprise on this table would be (for me anyway) Flintoff with a worse conversion rate than flemming (5 tons and 24 fifties or 17.2%)

at the other end of the table, but still with the minimum 2000 runs, is, unsurprisingly Bradman (29 tons just 13 fifties or 69%) followed by D Headley (10 hundreds and 5 fifties or 60%)

there are in fact 16 batters with higher than 50% and 2000 runs, the ones still playing are Hayden (52%), Hussey, Pietersen, Sehwag, Prince and Vaughan (all 50%)

question 42 - Pradyumna

Brilliant, a very rare thing indeed, catching out the Bearded Wonder!

at first i thought it was 8 wkts in debut innings, therefore ruling Klusener out, but quite clearly he states "No bowler has taken nine wickets in an innings of his first Test", and not the first innings only
anyway Trott only managed this in the 2nd innings of his Debut (so if anyone tries to wangle out of this by saying he meant Debut innings then Trott is wrong!)

BRILLIANT

  • 58.
  • At 06:44 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Julian Gray wrote:

Bill

In the latest Australia vs India Test match at Perth, India fielded a team with a combined 714 test caps, is this the most experienced side to play in a Test?

Julian
Houston,TX

  • 59.
  • At 08:37 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • David Oakley wrote:

Bearders,

Following Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori's 17 boundaries out of a 94-run total in the Second Test against Bangladesh, I was wondering, what is the record number of boundaries in a Test/First Class/One Day innings, where the batsman has failed to reach a century?

Thanks,

David Oakley,
Tunbridge Wells
Bells Yew Green CC

  • 60.
  • At 09:05 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • David Oakley wrote:

Oh, and in response to 44, Seaford CC in East Sussex have their ground just over the road from the seafront. And that's just up the road from a golf course!

  • 61.
  • At 09:30 PM on 16 Jan 2008,
  • Kuppai Wallah wrote:

Hi Bearders:
Has any cricketer's statistics and win-loss ratio improved after becoming a captain.
Thanks.
Kuppai
Albuquerque, USA

  • 62.
  • At 02:52 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Peter Steep wrote:

I've been listening to/watching cricket for more than 40 years. I can never remember the score being referred to as 100 for 2 as opposed to 2 for 100. And that is not just because I am Australian. I seem to recall my nights listening to Test matches on the radio from England where the scores were delivered the same "Australian' way. Do I have a bad memory? My great great grandfather, NSW cricketer Harry Hilliard definitely said the scores the "Australian' way, though I don't believe it is necessarily only Australian.

  • 63.
  • At 05:20 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Jawaad Kaleem wrote:

Saqlain Mushtaq is now eligible to play international cricket for England, How come unlike other sports, in Cricket players can change their International country they play for? When was this law passed and why has it not been introduced in other sports eg football?

  • 64.
  • At 08:07 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • James wrote:

Hi Bill - has anyone ever scored a century with out hitting a boundry? If not (as i suspect), what is the highest score made with hitting a boundry?
Thanks
James
UAE


Hi,

In reply to no 44, try Instow in North Devon, home to Shep - the Umpire not the Blue Peter dog....
It also has a wonderful thatched pavilion and scorebox. A most idyllic place to play cricket.

As the air photo available through the attached link shows, a pull/cut for 6 can land on the beach, or even in the sea if the tide is in... I know as I have done it!

Charles,
Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devon

If the link does not work, look up the UK postcode EX39 4LF.

  • 66.
  • At 09:12 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Phil Fenerty wrote:

Hello Bill,

Anil Kumble has just taken his 600th Test Wicket, and the report notes that there are only 5 men (including Kumble) in the '500 Club.'

I was just wondering how Kumble compares to the others in the '500 Club' in terms of bowling average, matches played, 5WI, 10Wm, etc.

Thanks in advance, and thanks also for an entertaining and informative column.

Cheers,
Phil Fenerty

  • 67.
  • At 09:20 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Martin Judge wrote:

A few years ago I played for my local cricket team and opened the batting and carried the bat making 88 not out (I ran out of partners and we still had five overs to go). When it was our turn to field I caught 5 catches, did two run outs and the captain decided to let me have a go bowling me dibbly dobbly medium pacers as we were so far ahead we could not lose even with me bowling. However to his suprise I bowled two out in sucessive balls and on the hat trick ball I had 9 slip fielders ( funny sight I have to say because I was a very slow medium bowler). The batsman defended a striaght ball even though it hit his bat first and then his pads the whole slip cordon appealed thinking it was LBW, the umpire rightly gave it not out. I did get him out two balls later bowled again to win the match. Has any international player featured so heavyily in a game where there name is everywhere and won the match single handed with bat and ball. (safe to say I never got close to repeating this feat again thankfully as my bank account could not take the bar bill!)

  • 68.
  • At 09:46 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Marius Roodt wrote:

Hi Bearders,

You mention in your column (Ask Bearders #162) that 4 men have taken 8 wickets in an innings on Test debut (No bowler has taken nine wickets in an innings of his first Test. Four have taken eight on debut: Albert Trott, Alf Valentine, Bob Massie, and Narendra Hirwani), but you have failed to list my compatriot, Lance Klusener. If memory serves, he took 8 wickets aginst India in Calcutta, in 1996, on debut, the only time he took five wickets in an innings in his career.

Thanks for an interesting column though.

Regards,
Marius Roodt,
Johannesburg, RSA

  • 69.
  • At 10:07 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Paul wrote:

Hi Bill

I was wondering at what point a ball is considered to have crossed the boundary. If, for example, a player catches the ball with his feet in the field of play but the ball was over the boundary would this be a six or would the batsman be out? Also, if a fielder were to jump to take a catch over the boundary and throw or flick the ball infield to a team mate before he landed would this be six or out?

Paul, Hull

  • 70.
  • At 10:29 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Alastair wrote:

Hello Bill

I've read a lot about how WG Grace had a high-pitched voice that seemed completely wrong for a man of his stature. Are there any recordings of his voice? I've not been able to find any.

Alastair
London

  • 71.
  • At 10:40 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Tom wrote:

#68 - the ball is considered to have crossed the boundary only when it touches the ground beyond the boundary, or something which itself is grounded beyond the boundary.

Therefore a fielder can lean over the bondary to take a catch, and providing he doesn't touch the boundary marking or anything outside this, the catch will be valid. Providing he jumped from within the field of play, and didn't tounch the ball while he was touching the ground outside the boundary, the volleyball-style "flick" that you refer to is also theoretically valid, if practically very difficult.

  • 72.
  • At 11:44 AM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Tom Rutherford wrote:

#63 - Players have always been able to change the country they represent going back to the 19th century when qualification restrictions were almost non-existent and several players played for both England and Australia at different times.

Cricket is unique among major sports in that it is played at the highest level by only 10 countries, and going back to the 1970s, only 6. Althought this doesn't apply to Saqlain, it is surely unfair to deprive a player with the ability to play Test cricket of that opportunity merely because he happened to be born in a country that doesn't currently play Tests.

  • 73.
  • At 12:51 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Shriram wrote:

Bearders,

Parthiv Patel is the only Indian Cricketer to debut in International Cricket without playing a single first-class match....Is there any other wicket-keeper with such record to his name.

  • 74.
  • At 01:08 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Douglas Feather wrote:

In response to 24. I used to be the scorer for my then University Department. I used Dismissals (Catches and Stumpings) per Over to rank the Wicket Keepers. This was because it was usual for us to change Wicket Keeper in most innings as the rules required (at least) 10 people to bowl and our best Wicket Keeper was a good bowler.

  • 75.
  • At 01:56 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Colin, London wrote:

Hi Bill

Commentators regularly go on about the importance of a first innings lead, but statistically speaking, how important is it? Is there a point at which it becomes significant - i.e. how far ahead do you need to be to have a decent chance of winning (although with cricket being the wonderful game it is there is certainly no 100% safe score!)

Cheers

Colin

  • 76.
  • At 02:06 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Laurie wrote:

I was interested in your comments about wicketkeepers and the current habit the English selectors have of picking for batting first and wicket-keeping second. How right you are.

I first became interested in cricket in the early 1960s. I recall the debate that raged at the time over J T (Murray) and Jim Parks, with Parks's superior batting often winning over J T's keeping. More recently, there has been the selectors 1990s vacillations between Jack Russell and Alec Stewart.

I have a feeling the West Indies have something of a similar problem from time to time, but the Australians always seem to be able to keep their eye on the bigger picture. Is it any wonder they have been so pre-eminent for so many years now?

I enjoy your columns; keep up the good work. Best wishes

  • 77.
  • At 02:12 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Steve Holdsworth wrote:

I don't understand the second part of Bill's answer to the Gavin Hamilton question, i.e. the reference to Robert Peel.

In the 1894/5 Test Match refered to, Peel was c Gregory, b Giffen in the first innings, and b Giffen in the second.

Steve
LONDON

  • 78.
  • At 02:22 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 65 - Phil

click on this

its cricinfos records of leading test match wkt takers

the 4 stats you asked for are

Name--Matches---Wkts----Ave---5---10

Murali---118-----732----21.77---62---20
Warne---145-----708----25.41---37---10
Kumble--124-----601----28.65---35---8
McGrath-124-----563----21.64---29---3
Walsh---132-----519----24.44---22---3

  • 79.
  • At 03:04 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • James Blackstock wrote:

I am hoping to travel in Asia this summer and hoped to be in Sri Lanka for the scheduled Indian Tour. Its posted in the ICC future tours programme but have been unable to find any actual fixtures. Can you tell me any more the series? And what is the timetable for nations to release tour itineraries?

  • 80.
  • At 03:15 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Rajiv Radhakrishnan wrote:

I noticed that Riki Wessels is playing for Nondescripts Cricket Club in Sri Lanka.

He plays for Nottinghamshire or Northamptonshire?

I do not recall any other county player representing an Asian first class team? Is this a first?

  • 81.
  • At 04:42 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Anonymous wrote:

Re no.30: I believe Idi Amin declared himself Uganda's heavyweight boxing champion. Mugabe (given his hallucinatory record on other subjects) could quite feasibly declare Zimbabwe the winners of a Test match, regardless of the "real" result. Bet there isn't anything in the rules about that!

  • 82.
  • At 04:59 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • joe wrote:

Re. wicket keepers. I agree with Bill on this one. As I've said before, England is obsessed with batsmen-who-bowl, bowlers-who-bat, spinners-who-carry-drinks. If we pick batsmen who can bat, that frees us to pick a wicket-keeper who can keep wicket. If we haven't got batsmen who can bat, we aren't going to compete against proper sides anyway.

  • 83.
  • At 05:06 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • david C wrote:

One thing that has always surprised me is how rarely a call of "short run" is made, especially in tight finishes with players scampering for quick runs. Given the current scrutiny and disrespect of umpires I foresee potentially a major rumpus over a call (or non-call), say where 2 runs are needed off the last ball. Would an umpire refer to the 'TV umpire' in such a case? or is it simply something they tend to not watch for? Have there been any famous instances where 'one short' has altered the result of a game? (incidentally the laws get fascinatingly complex where a player runs short twice in a 3, or when both players run short on the same run,... or when a player deliverately runs short. Plenty of absurd situations are possible.....Well worth a read.)

  • 84.
  • At 05:15 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • James Emmerson wrote:

response to 44, 53, 54 & 60

Gents, don't know if you travel on the M62 much but there is a cricket ground close to junction 24 eastbound that not only looks uncomfortably close to the motorway itself but is also precipitously placed on the edge of a hill and seems to have a sheer drop down towards Halifax only slightly beyond the boundary fence.

  • 85.
  • At 05:39 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • andrew smezlie wrote:

In the first over of an innings in a match, how it decided which end it will be delivered from?

  • 86.
  • At 06:02 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Ben wrote:

If a batsman plays a shot to a fielder and the fielder throws the ball back at the batsman to try and incur a run out (he is however in his ground) and the batsman hits the ball to the boundary is it given as dead ball, runs to the batsman or extras?

  • 87.
  • At 07:10 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Ally Howe wrote:

Is there any instance of a first class batsman playing throughout his career without either, being bowled, or having a wicket taken at all?

  • 88.
  • At 07:34 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • pedro, Spain wrote:

Regarding a wicket-keeper for the "world XI". How far do you go back. Surely Les Ames must come into the reckoning. 1991 Wisden describes him as the greatest wicket keeper/batsman of all time, averaging 40+ with the bat at both county and test level.

  • 89.
  • At 09:00 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Peter Steep wrote:

I have been playing, watching and listening to cricket for nearly 50 years, and I do not remember the scores being delivered as 100 for 2, as opposed to 2 for 100. I hear commentators saying that only Australians use this latter form. As an Aussie kid, I seem to recall the radio broadcasts from England where the scores were called in the so-called 'Australian' manner. Do I have a bad memory? I can't believe it is uniquely Australian.
Peter Steep
Sydney, now New York

  • 90.
  • At 10:28 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 72 - Shriram

there are 3 wkt keepers whose first class debut was also their TEST debut (not an A team, or under 19 team game, international as they are)

FW Smith (SA vs Eng 1889) in fact the whole SA team made their first class debuts in this test

EA Halliwell (SA vs Eng 1892) again a lot of his team, 5, also made first class debuts in the test

A Archer (Eng vs SA 1899)

of the 3 Archer didn't actually keep in the test, even though he did in some of his following 12 first class games

  • 91.
  • At 10:29 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Mike Robinson wrote:

Another vote for the received wisdom question please!
Everyone "knows" that left/right combinations upset the opposition - but do they?
Do L/R batsmen outdo their matched brethren, and, for that matter, do L/R bowlers fare better? Logically, a sinister pair should be more effective than the dexterous pair due to unfamiliarity, but less so than a mixed pair due to their variation.
(Feel free to leave the L/R bowling combination v L/R batsmen battle for another Ask Bearders! :-) )
Thanks for a fascinating column
Regards
Mike
Cheshire

  • 92.
  • At 11:07 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Anthony Smith wrote:

how can we express our concern with no cricket on terestrial TV to inspire youngsters, less opportunity for youngsters to play due to loss of playing fields, & management who do not pick the best players for their positions ie. Chris Reid and Mark Ramprakash? Why persevere with with Harmison if he refuses to play in one-dayers....a good test player should be able to adapt to any situation ...or he isn't a good player!! Why can we not pick the best 11 players in their positions and stick with them? We cannot reproduce another Gilchrist so just pick the best keeper we have!!

As often India starts an abroad Test series with a loss in the First Test. Wish know the loss percentage of a India in the first test match in abroad series in compared to other touring teams. And, series which India come back to atleast to face an abroad draw series.
Thanking you.

  • 94.
  • At 11:43 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Mark Mahoney wrote:

Can you answer a question for me please ?

Do more test batsmen get dismissed between 90-100 (the nervous nineties) or between 100-110 (the relief & relax phase) ??

I would like this answered and my bet is the latter. Mark Waugh used to always get 103 or 104 and then get lazy.

Many thanks, Mark

  • 95.
  • At 11:43 PM on 17 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Wheatley wrote:

pedro #87...
Les Ames was a great wicketkeeper/batsman, but Knott was a better pure keeper. The argument here is that you can pick at least six batsmen to score you enough runs, but only one keeper to do the equally important job of getting the other side out twice. If the six all-time best-ever batsmen can't fire, why would you expect Gilchrist (who wouldn't rate in the top 20 best batsmen of all-time) to be the hero? Gilchrist is a great player, but his match-winning has been in sides which feature significantly less batting power than a best-ever side would offer.

Peter Steep #88...
The commentator you heard from England giving the score with wickets taken first was probably the Australian, Alan McGillivray who was a regular member of the Test Match Special team (or whatever it was called in those days). Boy don't we miss them by the way ... Jonners, Arlo, Swanny and the rest who brought wit and eloquence to the game.

Today all we get is non-stop waffle, with the likes of Richie Benaud endlessly repeating his limited repertoire of anecdotes and technical explanations as if every one were addressed to a fresh, new audience.

Or, in the absence of wit and eloquence, give me Jim Laker any day. Jim would have to good grace to shut up and say absolutely nothing when nothing was happening. If only today's parrots would do the same!

  • 96.
  • At 07:49 AM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • arnab wrote:

How many times did australia chase over 300 in the 4th innings?

  • 97.
  • At 09:49 AM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • andrew mayer wrote:

re : Post 93

The figures show that 676 batsmen have been dismissed between 90 and 99 in test match history, whereas 608 were dismissed between 100 and 109. So on the surface it looks like Mark loses his bet.
However less batsmen reach 100 than have reached 90 (you lose those dismissed, as above, or stranded not out in the nineties). Therefore looking at it in percentage terms, 17.34% of batsmen reaching 90 then get dismissed as nerves take hold; whereas 19.31% of batsmen who reached 100 then get out as they relax.
So a win for Mark !

  • 98.
  • At 10:59 AM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Pommyrob wrote:

has anyone got any ideas ?

look at this !!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 99.
  • At 10:59 AM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Adam Stokes wrote:

Hi Bearders.

I've just been watching the 3rd Australia/India Test and seen Mahendra Dhoni get out mis-sweeping a pretty inoccuous Andrew Symonds delivery. It seems that whenever a batsmen gets out this way these days, they are roundly criticised by commentators (especially ex-players) for playing such a risky shot. Are there any statistics that support the theory that this type of shot is more hazardous than others and leads to more dismissals?

  • 100.
  • At 11:02 AM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Jon Bell wrote:

Who was the best all-rounder and how do you judge it?

Jon Bell
New zealand

  • 101.
  • At 11:04 AM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • David Manson wrote:

Re 32 and 36 above - most runs off a ball.

I have a memory of reading about an incidence of 8 runs (4 run + 4 overthrows) involving Australian Rick McCosker in the early 1980s. Or did I dream it?

  • 102.
  • At 11:59 AM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Steve Gwinnell wrote:

I wonder if Bill can suggest or recommend some scoring software for PC's. Looking at the ball by ball system as opposed to stats of innings etc. Fully understand Bill comments about learning to score the Linear way, but we have a lot of youngsters at our club and is difficult to get them to do it and finding time/people to teach them, wasn't sure if the PC way might be more attractive, as it shoukld be abit foolproof.. hopefully! Thanks Steve

  • 103.
  • At 12:23 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • joe wrote:

#99: We need to know what batting stats are equivalent to what bowling stats. The current ranking tables are an attempt to do that. Rather than re-invent the wheel, we can go to the rankings and add the points a player has in both tables. Highest total is the best all-rounder (until the tables are updated).

  • 104.
  • At 12:45 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Duncan Brundell wrote:

Re response to no 83 (which in turn is in response to nos 44, 53, 54 and 60.
The club referred to on the M62 is Outlane CC which plays in the Halifax Cricket League - and yes balls have been lost both on to the motorway and also over the cliff (largely I might add off my bowling!!!!)

  • 105.
  • At 02:00 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Andrew Mayer wrote:

Re best all rounders
One method is to subtract the bowling average from the batting average. Of those players who have completed 1000 runs and 100 wickets, then Kallis would be top with a +26.79 difference, with Sobers next on +23.75.
There are issues with this as a player may not take a full bowling role in every match as an all rounder surely should (for example Michael Clarke at the moment averages 44 with the bat and a little over 15 with the ball - but he only bowls occasionally).
So another approach might be to multiply their runs per match by their wickets per match. This puts Sobers top (218.24) and Botham 2nd (191.43).
Again being unbalanced in one discipline helps this calculation so a 3rd way would be to use those runs per match and wickets per match figures (over a career) to work out how long it would take to complete the double of, say, 2000 runs and 200 wickets.Here Imran Khan comes out on top (a notional 49 matches to the double double) with Botham 2nd (53).

  • 106.
  • At 03:53 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • ted harrison wrote:

One way of comparing all-rounders would be to divide the batting average by the bowling average. A player with a batting average of, say, 50 and a bowling average of 25 would thus have an all-round average of 2.

  • 107.
  • At 03:56 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Peter Wilson wrote:

Do you know what the record is for
the number of consecutive dismissal for lbw ? My son as an U15 was dismissed 9 times in a row LBW , just wondered if there was a record and if so what it is in first class
cricket ?

  • 108.
  • At 04:09 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Dan Murphy wrote:

Sewerby Cricket Club in North Yorkshire is situated very close to the edge of a cliff - having played their once a coupl eo fseasons ago I'm under the impression that they offer a cash prize for anyone hitting the ball into the sea.

Although I was batting at the time and their off-spinner told me that shortly before I was caught at deep mid-off...

www.sewerby.co.uk

  • 109.
  • At 06:57 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Adam wrote:

After looking through some archive scorecards i came across a match between england and the west indies (the game in which IVA Richards made 291) and spotted that of michael holdings 14 wickets in the match an astonishing 9 of them came via the bowled route, is this the most number of wickets taken in a match via the batsman being bowled or even the most by only one method of dismissal?

  • 110.
  • At 07:56 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Jim B wrote:

Bonjour,

Im living in France at the moment and with the weekend approaching and the promise of good weather we cricket fans are eager to take to the park for a match. Its seems clear though that I could travel the length and breath of continental Europe, let alone France, and not even be able to find a decent bat. Why do you think it is that the popularity of cricket has failed to extend beyond Britain and essentially a number of former colonies that were probably ordered to join in by their invaders anyway?

Cordialement,

JB

  • 111.
  • At 09:55 PM on 18 Jan 2008,
  • Huw Chambers wrote:

I think Idi Amin was actually the genuine Ugandan Army heavyweight champion.
I've read somewhere that Intikab Alam
once ran a 5 at the vast Oval of bygone days.
St Helens at Swansea was so close to the sea that the pitch was reputed to change character according to the tide.
In West Wales , Aberaeron Cricket Club play in a field sloping down to the sea.
In North wales, Prestatyn had to play all summer of 1991 on an artificial because of the sea damaging the square.
All 'sandbank' pitches have, of course, the sea as boundary on all sides.

  • 112.
  • At 09:38 AM on 19 Jan 2008,
  • ted harrison wrote:

During the exciting Australia v India Test which has just finished - which side were most England supporters cheering on?

  • 113.
  • At 09:46 AM on 19 Jan 2008,
  • Richard Place wrote:

The 3rd test between India and Australia yielded well over a thousand runs, without a single player making a century. Is this a record? If not, what's the highest ever total test score without a century being scored?

  • 114.
  • At 09:54 AM on 19 Jan 2008,
  • Raghav Narayanan wrote:

Hi Bill!!

In the Perth Test between India and Australia, we saw some pretty terrible over rates. I don't think there was a single day with the complete 90 over bowled. Then why didn't play start early on any of the subsequent days?

RN

  • 115.
  • At 10:58 AM on 19 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 109 - Jim B

by a decent bat you mean....

a. a good batsman?
b. a good bat, the wooden thing?
c. a good bat, the wooden thing, for sale?

both a and b are all over europe, just here in the north of portugal we have a team, a wicket, a pavaillion and club house and no end of equipment (well 8 or 9 club bats, pads and gloves, together with individually owned equipment) and the odd reasonable player

this is repeated all over europe, including france

if you mean c then why not, rather than travel all over europe, just buy a bat online (something even people in England do)?

there is a european tournament

so cricket is spreading, but so are many other sports, and there is less and less room for them all, which is why cricket has to try hard to lose its "colonial" stereotype

  • 116.
  • At 11:52 AM on 19 Jan 2008,
  • David Jones wrote:

Can a player be given out "obstructing the field" following a no ball if his actions are deemed to prevent him being run out?. If he were to obstruct the field in taking a catch he would not be given out anyway but he would be run out from a no ball

  • 117.
  • At 12:07 PM on 19 Jan 2008,
  • Pete Prior, Spain wrote:

In an incidence when all 10 wickets fell in all four innings of a test match, is there an occasion when nobody was out for a duck (i.e. everyone scored at least 1 run)?

  • 118.
  • At 06:53 PM on 19 Jan 2008,
  • Paul wrote:

My late father was given a bat by Tony Greig in 1972 after doing some plumbing for him, signed by that year's England players. There are two names on it that we could never work out. The ones we got are Boycott, Illingworth, Edrich, Snow, D'Oliviera, Willis, Knott, Underwood, Hampshire, Old, Arnold and Greig himself. One of the others appears to say Barry Wood, not a name I know of but 1972 is a bit before my time. The last is pretty illegible, something like Reg Murphy although I know that isn't right. Can anyone help, it's been bugging me for years. I guess they must have played for England that year.

  • 119.
  • At 12:31 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Wheatley wrote:

pedro #87...
Les Ames was a great wicketkeeper/batsman, but Knott was a better pure keeper. The argument here is that you can pick at least six batsmen to score you enough runs, but only one keeper to do the equally important job of getting the other side out twice. If the six all-time best-ever batsmen can't fire, why would you expect Gilchrist (who wouldn't rate in the top 20 best batsmen of all-time) to be the hero? Gilchrist is a great player, but his match-winning has been in sides which feature significantly less batting power than a best-ever side would offer.

Peter Steep #88...
The commentator you heard from England giving the score with wickets taken first was probably the Australian, Alan McGillivray who was a regular member of the Test Match Special team (or whatever it was called in those days). Boy don't we miss them by the way ... Jonners, Arlo, Swanny and the rest who brought wit and eloquence to the game.

Today all we get is non-stop waffle, from the likes of Richie Benaud who has perfected the art of stating the obvious as if delivering Delphic wisdom.

Or, in the absence of wit and eloquence, give me Jim Laker any day. Jim would have to good grace to shut up and say absolutely nothing when nothing was happening. If only today's parrots would do the same!

  • 120.
  • At 12:48 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Wheatley wrote:

pedro #87...
Les Ames was a great wicketkeeper/batsman, but Knott was a better pure keeper. The argument here is that you can pick at least six batsmen to score you enough runs, but only one keeper to do the equally important job of getting the other side out twice. If the six all-time best-ever batsmen can't fire, why would you expect Gilchrist (who wouldn't rate in the top 20 best batsmen of all-time) to be the hero? Gilchrist is a great player, but his match-winning has been in sides which feature significantly less batting power than a best-ever side would offer.

Peter Steep #88...
The commentator you heard from England giving the score with wickets taken first was probably the Australian, Alan McGillivray who was a regular member of the Test Match Special team (or whatever it was called in those days). Boy don't we miss them by the way ... Jonners, Arlo, Swanny and the rest who brought wit and eloquence to the game.

Today all we get is non-stop waffle, from the likes of Richie Benaud who has perfected the art of stating the obvious as if delivering Delphic wisdom.

Or, in the absence of wit and eloquence, give me Jim Laker any day. Jim would have to good grace to shut up and say absolutely nothing when nothing was happening. If only today's parrots would do the same!

  • 121.
  • At 01:07 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Wheatley wrote:

ted harrison #106
To divide the batting average by the bowling average would be unfair, since that would include stats from stages of a player's career when they were long past their best. I recall Botham's stats, for example, suffering badly during his latter tests when he was playing not on form but more by public demand.

Paul #118
The only England players from 1972 missing from the names you can identify do indeed include Barry Wood. the others are Geoff G Arnold, Brian W Luckhurst, Mike JK Smith, Norm Gifford, John SE Price, Peter H Parfitt and Keith WR Fletcher.

The only other name I can suggest would be John T Murray, England's keeper up until 1967, whose career didn't end until 1975. It's possible he was England's reserve keeper to Alan Knott in 1972.

  • 122.
  • At 01:12 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Wheatley wrote:

ted harrison #106
To divide the batting average by the bowling average would be unfair, since that would include stats from stages of a player's career when they were long past their best. I recall Botham's stats, for example, suffering badly during his latter tests when he was selected not on form but more by public demand.

Paul #118
The only England players from 1972 missing from the names you can identify do indeed include Barry Wood. The others are Geoff G Arnold, Brian W Luckhurst, Mike JK Smith, Norm Gifford, John SE Price, Peter H Parfitt and Keith WR Fletcher.

The only other name I can suggest would be John T Murray, England's keeper up until 1967, whose career didn't end until 1975. It's possible he was England's reserve keeper to Alan Knott in 1972.

  • 123.
  • At 02:04 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Vikram wrote:

I vaguely remember that Kiran More once representing a West Indian side against maybe West Zone or CCI in the late 80's as their keeper (Dujon??) either was injured or absent due to some reason on a tour to India. If I remember right More took some athletic catches off the West Indian quicks. Can you please search for the said match and let me know if this was a first-class fixture, why the regular keeper/reserve were not present and some details of the same if possible.
Thanks!

  • 124.
  • At 02:17 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Vikram wrote:

I vaguely remember that Kiran More once representing a West Indian side against maybe West Zone or CCI in the late 80's as their keeper (Dujon??) either was injured or absent due to some reason on a tour to India. If I remember right More took some athletic catches off the West Indian quicks. Can you please search for the said match and let me know if this was a first-class fixture, why the regular keeper/reserve were not present and some details of the same if possible.
Thanks!

  • 125.
  • At 02:36 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Keith O. Brown, Ramstein Germany wrote:

Bearders,
Can you help to ease the debate with my friends on the left handed versus right handed batsmen. Can you rank the 5 top left handers and then right handers in test crickets and also the top 10 batsmen ever according to test run, centuries made and average. Cannot get enough of your coloums.


Keith in Germany.

  • 126.
  • At 05:30 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Keith O. Brown, Ramstein Germany wrote:

Bill,
From reading your columns there seems to be a debate raging on the wicket keeper/batsmen issue. Can you put this to rest for us by ranking the top 10 in terms of batting average, dismissals and centuries made. I would put my money on Gilchrist of Australia followed by Dujion of WestIndies.

Keith

  • 127.
  • At 05:43 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Keith O. Brown, Ramstein Germany wrote:

Bill,
From reading your columns there seems to be a debate raging on the wicket keeper/batsmen issue. Can you put this to rest for us by ranking the top 10 in terms of batting average, dismissals and centuries made. I would put my money on Gilchrist of Australia followed by Dujion of WestIndies.

Keith

  • 128.
  • At 09:32 AM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Ian Hay wrote:

Just wondering why the Indian test team were wearing two different coloured caps in their match against the Aussies.

  • 129.
  • At 07:54 PM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Michael Shelton wrote:

With regard to post 37, and apologies if someone else has already mentioned this.

I was present at the third day of the England/Pakistan Test at Headingley during the infamous series of 2006. I recall one of the England fielders (Cook?) stopping the ball just inside the rope in front of the North East stand, before his momentum carried him over an advertising hoarding. No other fielder was within sixty yards of the ball, and by the time the fielder had recovered the batsmen had run 5 without even an overthrow.

  • 130.
  • At 08:18 PM on 20 Jan 2008,
  • Vikram wrote:

I vaguely remember that Kiran More once representing a West Indian side against maybe West Zone or CCI in the late 80's as their keeper (Dujon??) either was injured or absent due to some reason on a tour to India. If I remember right More took some athletic catches off the West Indian quicks. Can you please search for the said match and let me know if this was a first-class fixture, why the regular keeper/reserve were not present and some details of the

same if possible.
Thanks!

  • 131.
  • At 06:37 AM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Satish Devadas wrote:

Hello,
The Sydney Test saw close to 9 umpiring decisions against India. In the 16 "victory in a row" Ponting led, Steve Waugh led, how many tests have had Steve Bucknor standing? For that matter who were the umpires who were pressure sensitive?

  • 132.
  • At 09:12 AM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Mr.J.Morrall wrote:

Question.
If a batsman is stumped of a wide:1.How do you score it and 2.How do you enter it in the book?

  • 133.
  • At 10:59 AM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Tom Rutherford wrote:

116 - The fact that no-ball was called is irrelevant to any decision retgarding obstruction. If the batsman deliberately obstructs a fielder, he should be given out, regardless of whether the fielder was trying to effect a catch, a run out, or anything else.

132 - The standard symbol in a scorebook for a wide is a plus sign (+), with a dots added in quadrants for every additional run taken. If the batsman is stumped, a W is placed in the top-right quadrant of the plus sign.

Except in the unusual circumstances towards the end of a game, the one run penalty for a wide counts, along with the wicket. The bowler gets both credit for the wicket, and charged with the run conceded, as is the case for all wides.

  • 134.
  • At 11:37 AM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Arun wrote:

Cricket has seen tremendous progress over the decades and we have seen several rules altered or introduced. However, I remain perplexed over the stumping off a wide ball rule. Wide ball is an illegal delivery, so why should a bowler be able to take a wicket off an illegal delivery? I have of recent noted slow bowlers ( Sachin Tendulker has almost mastered it) who fire the ball wide when they see batsmen advancing, so the wicketkeeper can stump him.
A CASE OF ALLOWING ILLEGAL MEANS TO GAIN A WICKET! About time this rule was changed.

Off a wide delivery, can a batsman be out hit wicket??

  • 135.
  • At 11:40 AM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Ravi Kaza wrote:

#73 Sriram

Apart from Parthiv Patel, Ramesh Dwivecha and Vivek Razdan have played for India before playing a first class match.

  • 136.
  • At 12:11 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • ted harrison wrote:

To Chris Wheatley.

My point on the all-rounder average I think remains valid. The average could be used season by season, or to compare all rounders in a test series - it doesn't just have to apply to an entire career. And anyway aren't all batting and bowling averages similarly skewed when players hang on too long at the ends of their careers.

  • 137.
  • At 01:20 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Dave Bywater wrote:

#92:
how can we express our concern with no cricket on terestrial TV to inspire youngsters,

*totally agree here, have been stuck listenin to radio and text commentry from cricinfo since we lost the TV broadcast

less opportunity for youngsters to play due to loss of playing fields, & management who do not pick the best players for their positions ie. Chris Reid and Mark Ramprakash?

*Mark Ramprakash has been tried in the Test team many times, and EVERY time he proved to be an absolute failure. He is universally agreed as the worst ever batsman to have played more than 50 tests.

Why persevere with with Harmison if he refuses to play in one-dayers....a good test player should be able to adapt to any situation ...or he isn't a good player!!

*One day cricket is a totally different game. Some players are good at both forms, England have very few who fall into this category. For example, our best bowler (Hoggard), relies on accuratly bowling swinging length ball. In a Test match a good length ball is one of the best balls you can bowl and all coaches say the only way to play it is with a forward defence. In ODI cricket a length ball should be 6 runs to a decent batsman. In 20/20 cricket anyone that cannot hit a length ball for 6 should not be in the team, it is considered a gift just like a HV or LH in test cricket. Likewise our top Test batsmen bar Pietersen(Vaughan, Cook, Strauss, Bell) are coached stonewallers, who tend to go steady for 10 overs, then try to open thier shoulders and get out straight away coz they dont know how to.

Why can we not pick the best 11 players in their positions and stick with them? We cannot reproduce another Gilchrist so just pick the best keeper we have!!

*Because our top 5 batsmen are not consistent enough to guarantee a defendable total every time. The selectors look for a compromise with the keeper, remember a keeper CANNOT win you the game, a batsman can hit a double century and a bowler can take an 8-for, but the best a keeper can do is catch everything, which is expected of him anyway. They are tryin to find the best batsman amongst the keepers considered 'competent', ie ones that can catch. Read is an average keeper and a poor bat, thats why he isnt picked. You can go for the better keeper (Foster, who is a better bat than Read anyway) or the better bat (Ambrose) and hope he is competent with the gloves

  • 138.
  • At 02:30 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Tom Rutherford wrote:

Re #134 - Yes a batsman can be out hit wicket off a wide, but considering the paucity of hit wicket dismissals generally, this is very rare indeed.

Unlike a no-ball, where the bowler has gained an unfair advantage by either bowling from too close to the batsman, having an illegal field setting or some other infringement, a bowler gains no advantage from bowling a wide. A batsman doesn't have to do anything with a wide - he can just let it pass and know that he'll get the penalty run, plus an extra ball. If instead of doing this, he chooses to move out of his ground, the law-makers decided that he should remain vulnerable to being out.

  • 139.
  • At 02:32 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Benson wrote:

Dear Bill,

Ask Bearders ~162 contains a passing reference to Albert Trott. I vaguely remember reading that he once drove a ball over the pavilion at Lords. Is the correct, and do you know anything about this remarkable feat? Is it unique? And was the pavilion then much as it is now?

Grateful for any information...

  • 140.
  • At 03:05 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 134 - ARUN

yes, you can be out Hit Wkt from a wide

law 25. point 8

Out from a Wide
When Wide ball has been called, neither batsman shall be out under any of the Laws except 33 (Handled the ball), 35 (Hit wicket), 37 (Obstructing the field), 38 (Run out) or 39 (Stumped).

i see your point about stumping off a wide, but the ball is still in play, not dead, and so lots can happen...wouldn't it be more unfair if the batsmen ran off the wide with no danger of being stumped or run out?

question 131 - satish

shurely all the umpiring decisions "went against" one of the teams! in a full match i'd imagine 20 against one team and 20 against the other (excluding any clean bowled)

but in case you are really interested the list of umpires in Australia's last 16 run winning streak was

Benson (x2)
Bucknor (x6)
Bowden (x4)
Dar (x8)
Koertzen (x5)
Hill (x2)
Rauf
Doctrove (x2)
Ghauri
Howell

Make what you will of that, but please remember Bucknor (and Doctrove) was standing in the Test against SA before this run started

  • 141.
  • At 03:26 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • joe wrote:

#137. A keeper can't win you the game. Yes, but he can lose you the game. If one batsman gets out cheaply, another may get a score. If one bowler leaks a few runs, another may fare better. But if the keeper drops a chance, no-one else will catch it. The batsman gets a life and may get 100 more runs. Mistakes are costly in that position and that's why you need the best keeper.

  • 142.
  • At 03:30 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Vinod wrote:

What is the maximum number of 'all run' runs? I can imagine a scenario where fielders think the ball will cross the boundary and do not give chase. And then it happens that the balls stops before boundary ropes. That might give batsmen a chance to run 6 or 7 runs. Has that happened? You may bifurcate your answer into those that include multiple overthrows as well.

Vinod, USA

  • 143.
  • At 04:15 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • John Dee wrote:

Bearders,
I have recently moved to Holland and now play my club cricket here. My son, currently aged 5, is showing that he has a good eye and good coordination, and can hit a tennis ball with some power (relative to a five year old) and I think may turn out to be a good club cricketer. If he should develop into more than just that, and I remain in Holland for the duration, would he potentially be the first Englishman to represent Holland, allowing for residency rules etc being met ?
John Dee, 't Gooi, Holland

  • 144.
  • At 04:21 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Mark, Reading wrote:

Dear Bill,

With reference to the wide law what would happen if a ball pitched past the batsmen and well outside leg stump but then turned almost at a right angle and hit the stumps? Under law 25 the ball would be adjudged to be a wide as the striker could not reach it in their normal stance but it could not be called a wide until it passes the stumps. The law does not state that it cannot be a wide if it hits the stumps, only if it "touches the strikers bat or person".

Sounds far fetched but I once bowled a ball that was heading down to wide fine leg (fine leg started moving to intercept) but then pitched beyond the batsmen, the seam dug into a soggy ground on the next pitch, turned sharply and hit leg stump. The batsman was given out, was this the correct call?

Cheers,
Mark

  • 145.
  • At 04:30 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Mark, Reading wrote:

Dear Bill,

With reference to the wide law what would happen if a ball pitched past the batsmen and well outside leg stump but then turned almost at a right angle and hit the stumps? Under law 25 the ball would be adjudged to be a wide as the striker could not reach it in their normal stance but it could not be called a wide until it passes the stumps. The law does not state that it cannot be a wide if it hits the stumps, only if it "touches the strikers bat or person".

Sounds far fetched but I once bowled a ball that was heading down to wide fine leg (fine leg started moving to intercept) but then pitched beyond the batsmen, the seam dug into a soggy ground on the next pitch, turned sharply and hit leg stump. The batsman was given out, was this the correct call?

Cheers,
Mark

  • 146.
  • At 04:40 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

Question 139 - Chris

Trott managed this feat, hitting the ball clean over the lord's pavillion, on 31st july 1899

the mcc were playing australia, Trott launched Monty Nobel over the pavillion

from wikipedia

"Trott’s penchant for the spectacular did not fail him: he became the first (and to this day the only) batsman to hit a ball over the current Lord's pavilion, bludgeoning Monty Noble out of the ground in 1899."

or cricinfo

"In 1899, the year he hit M. A. Noble over the Lord's pavilion, he passed 1000 runs and took 239 wickets."

for the scorecard see

  • 147.
  • At 05:55 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Raj2008 wrote:

When was the last time Aussies were defeated in four days and when was the last time Aussies were beaten by visiting team at Perth?

  • 148.
  • At 06:16 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • greg purnell wrote:

Comment 85

In my experience a skipper just asks his fastest bowler what end he fancies. After a bit of the old double tea pot he chooses the downhill/wind assisted end. If it goes well then he regards it as his end for ever; if it goes badly it's your fault as captain for giving him the wrong end.

Comment 110

I have a French friend who says that cricket is simply not achievable in France as it is not possible to get 22 men together all of whom would treat the umpire's decision as final....a bit like Australia then? My theory is that the first Englishman did a deal with God and traded cricket in England against good weather, good food, good wine and innate style for France. It was cheap at the price. However any sport organised around food and sunshine ought to be a winner in France! Can you imagine if Albert Camus had been a wicket keeper rather than a goal keeper?

  • 149.
  • At 06:39 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Mark, Reading wrote:

Re #147 - in Feb 1997 WI beat Aus in 3 days at the WACA. Don't know about 4 day defeats (or less) at other grounds.

  • 150.
  • At 09:03 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • David Gunner wrote:

Hi Bill, excellent column as usual.

Two questions actually.

Namibia's Gerrie Snyman recently hit 196 against UAE in and ICC World League match. Is this the highest score ever made in a limited overs international match?

And also, I believe that the final (and possibly semis too) of the next ICC Trophy are going to be considered Full ODI's. Does that mean that the ICC will be played with coloured clothing and a white ball, or will they be first ODI's for some time to be played in whites with a red ball?

Thanks.

  • 151.
  • At 09:19 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • David Gunner wrote:

Re Comment 100.

Who was the best allrounder?

Has to be Sobers.

Simply because he was good enough to hold down a Test place as a Batsman, Opening Fast Bowler, Seam Bowler and as a Spinner (wrist and finger) alone. Put all those qualities together and you have a phenomenal player. And a great Captain too. Wonderful fielder. And I believe he could keep wicket too.

He was the best allround cricketer ever.

  • 152.
  • At 10:19 PM on 21 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 142 - Vinod

see my answer 36 (for example, it also exists in the previous blog and someone posted a similar answer in the blog before that)

question 150 - David

Bill himself answered the first part of your question in his answers in blog 160

/blogs/tms/2007/12/ask_bearders_160.shtml

(all this should let me rant again about the advantage of forums over blogs but i shall restrain myself)

  • 153.
  • At 05:12 AM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • Clive from Canada wrote:

I think I read recently that Australian captain Ricky Ponting had an average in the high 80s when batting in the fourth innings of a Test match. If true, that's an outstanding stat, considering that is when the pitch is usually at its worst.

I wonder if you can provide an all-time top 10 list of batsmen with the highest averages when only the fourth innings of a Test are considered.

I'd also be interested in learning how a player like Tendulkar fares in that list... not too well, I would imagine.

  • 154.
  • At 08:20 AM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • Andrew Mayer wrote:

Re 4th innings
Ponting averages 58.85 in the 4th innings of tests, scoring 1177 runs in the process - still the highest average of those who have reached 1000 runs in that innings.Boycott has 1234 @ 58.76 and Gavaskar 1398 @ 58.25. Bradman managed 734 @ 73.4, Bruce Mitchell 629 @ 89.85 and Jeff Stollmeyer 518 @ 86.33.

  • 155.
  • At 08:38 AM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • wrote:

On Sunday January 20, 2008, Steve Waugh captained an Australia XI vs. England XI at the Woodley Cricket Grounds in Los Angeles. This was the inaugural Hollywood Ashes game, to benefit Steve Waugh's Charity, and to kick-off Australia Week. The captain of the England team was Philip Lynch, a local Los Angeles cricketer (secretary of Corinthian C.C.), who lead his team to victory in the last over. Am I right in saying that Captain Lynch is only the 2nd Captain of England to lead his team to an Ashes victory against an Australian team captained by Steve Waugh ?
I believe the other instance was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 2,3,4,5,6 January 2003 and the winning captain then was Nasser Hussain.

  • 156.
  • At 08:56 AM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • wrote:

From: David Collicutt, Los Angeles


On Sunday January 20, 2008, Steve Waugh captained an Australia XI vs. England XI at the Woodley Cricket Grounds in Los Angeles.
This was the inaugural Hollywood Ashes game, to benefit Steve Waugh's Charity, and to kick-off Australia Week.
The captain of the England team was Philip Lynch, a local Los Angeles cricketer (secretary of Corinthian C.C.), who lead his team to victory in the last over.

Am I right in saying that Captain Lynch is only the 2nd Captain of England to lead his team to an Ashes victory against an Australian team captained by Steve Waugh ?


I believe the other instance was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 2,3,4,5,6 January 2003 and the winning captain then was Nasser Hussain.


  • 157.
  • At 12:18 PM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • JOHN PEPPER wrote:

Dear Bill,

please settle an arguement !!
i believe a batsman (i think playing for Nottinghamshire)scored a century in each innings and still ended up on the loosing side !!The match was a four day game against Kent.

Was this a unique event .

  • 158.
  • At 02:15 PM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • Michael H wrote:

Looking at the best test career batting averages, I am struck by the similarity between Graeme Pollock - 23 matches, 2256 runs, average 60.97 - and George Headley 22 matches, 2190 runs and average 60.83 . However Pollock had a career lasting 7 years and Headley's lasted 24 years. Even allowing for World war II and the fact that the West Indies did not play very often then, it seems Headley played very few tests. Did he actually miss many tests and if so why?

Michael.

  • 159.
  • At 02:22 PM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • Robin Blackburn wrote:

Bill, just a question on bowling a no-ball. We all know that there are rules for throwing, having too many fielders behind square on the leg side and, of course, overstepping, but is there a rule about bowling from too wide of the crease or from behind the crease?

One assumes that the umpire must be able to see the action to judge it fair else call it no-ball, but I've never known.

There is often discussion about bowling wicket to wicket so getting very close, but a change of angle to go very wide occasionally could be enough to confuse a batsman. Unfortunately, I am too hopeless to make use of it!

  • 160.
  • At 03:08 PM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 157 - john

well i'm not sure i fully understand the question, but if you are asking "is scoring 100 in each innings in a first class match and still losing unique?" then the answer is NO

there have been a few examples even in tests, the defining one being Andy Flower for ZIM scoring 142 and 199 NOT OUT against SA in 2001 and ZIM still losing by 9 wkts

if the question is "who?" was the batsman i'm sorry, i don't know, i've looked back 15 years for Kent wins against Notts and Northants, and also all Kent wins in the last 2 seasons, nothing...could you say when, more or less, or be more definite about the opposition?

  • 161.
  • At 04:38 PM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • Chris Rawson wrote:

Bill

I seem to recollect hearing it said that Wilfred Rhodes batted at every position in the batting order in Test Matches. Are you able to confirm this?

If true, has the feat been equalled by any other player?

  • 162.
  • At 08:23 PM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • Richard Ferrer wrote:

Hi Bearders.

Has a fielder ever been injured by a ball thrown in the air by a teammate celebrating a catch?

Thanks.

Richard Ferrer
London, UK

  • 163.
  • At 10:53 PM on 22 Jan 2008,
  • Andrew Mayer wrote:

Re 157
The batsman was Tim Robinson v Kent At Trent Bridge in 1989.
Notts made 377 - 7 declared (Robinson 128) and Kent declared their reply on 354 -7.
Notts then made 287 - 2 declared with Robinson making 146 unbeaten.
But Kent won by 4 wickets.

  • 164.
  • At 12:21 PM on 23 Jan 2008,
  • Porto Ian wrote:

question 161 - chris

he did indeed bat in all 11 positions

there are only 3 players who have batted in all positions in tests

Syd Gregory (aus)
Wilfred Rhodes (eng)
Vinoo Mankad (ind)

answer 163 - andrew

thanks....1 year before my cut off search until 1990!

  • 165.
  • At 12:22 PM on 23 Jan 2008,
  • Nigel Williams wrote:

Dear Bearders

On the night of the millenium I made a bet with a friend as to who would be the leading Test run scorer of the 2000' decade. He picked Tendulkar, I picked Ponting. I wondered whether your vast resources could tell us how we stand at the moment and who else is in the frame to be the leading scorer.

Thanks

  • 166.
  • At 02:19 PM on 23 Jan 2008,
  • Andrew Mayer wrote:

Top runscorers 2000 to date

Hayden 7878 @ 55.87
Kallis 7565 @ 64.65
Ponting 7544 @ 63.39
Dravid 7193 @ 57.54
Lara 6380 @ 54.06
Jayawardene 6338 @ 53.26
Sangakkara 6032 @ 56.37
Langer 5994 @ 48.73
Mohammad Yousuf 5873 @ 61.17
Trescothick 5825 @ 43.79
Tendulkar 5775 @ 53.97

  • 167.
  • At 09:06 PM on 23 Jan 2008,
  • Aman Harees wrote:

Hi bill, Imagine the below equation for a test match:

Number of centuries by a country/the number of innings by that country

What country would get the highest density/average? Could you please help me! I reckon it's India or Pakistan..

Aman Harees, Sri Lanka

  • 168.
  • At 11:07 PM on 23 Jan 2008,
  • David Gunner wrote:

Re: 152

Thanks for the answer to my question in 150, but Bearders only said that it was the highest score in any international match considered to be List A. However, many other matches have been played between other countries that aren't List A rated. The reason for my question is that I seem to remember an Asian tournament a few years back where a double hundred was scored. I think it was Malaysia against Nepal or somesuch?

  • 169.
  • At 08:42 AM on 24 Jan 2008,
  • Andrew Mayer wrote:

Re 167
In terms of centuries per individual innings batted then Australia would be top - they manage a century for every 17.32 innings (that is for every 17 or so batsmen who cross the line, 1 will return with his bat aloft having made a hundred). Pakistan are in fact 2nd, managing a 100 every 18.78 innings.
Then WI (19.01), Ind (20.02), SL (20.03), Eng (20.8), RSA (23.42), NZ (30.29), Zim (38.11), Ban (83.85).
The table alters slightly looking at centuries per match - but again Aus are top, the only country who have scored more hundreds than they have played matches .......
Aus (1.01), WI (0.93), Pak (0.91), SL (0.863), Ind (0.86), Eng (0.84), RSA (0.77), NZ (0.6), Zim (0.51), Ban (0.25).

  • 170.
  • At 05:32 PM on 24 Jan 2008,
  • Aman Harees wrote:

Andrew, Thank you so much mate much appreciated...How did you find this out....

Aman Harees, Sri Lanka

  • 171.
  • At 08:26 PM on 24 Jan 2008,
  • Heramb , India wrote:

Hi Bill,
Is there any record kept of batsmen wrongly given out due to poor umpiring,if it is I think Sachin's prize wicket will be again creating another record?

  • 172.
  • At 05:07 PM on 07 Feb 2008,
  • Alex Trickett wrote:

Test message.

  • 173.
  • At 04:30 PM on 23 Mar 2008,
  • Paul Buckland wrote:

In the recent Napier test, England recoved from 36 for 4 to reach 253 all out. What are the record test match innings' totals for 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 wickets down for less than 40 runs?
Paul Buckland USA

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