Gambhir's hundreds and Ponting's pair
The most hundreds in a row, the most innings without a duck, and more on the costliest drops
Steven Lynch
26-Jan-2010
Mark Taylor: dropped thrice on his way to 334 • Ben Radford/Getty Images
Gautam Gambhir scored a century for the fifth Test running, against Bangladesh. Has anyone ever done better than this? asked Mohan Chowdhury from Kolkata
Gautam Gambhir's century against Bangladesh in Chittagong last week made him only the third batsman to score hundreds in five successive Tests - and all of them have done it in this century: Jacques Kallis did it for South Africa against West Indies and New Zealand in 2003-04, and Mohammad Yousuf followed suit for Pakistan against England and West Indies during 2006. But there is one man who made centuries in six successive Tests - and regular readers of this column won't be surprised at his identity: Don Bradman reached three figures in six consecutive matches, all against England, in 1936-37 and 1938. His run came to an end when he was injured and unable to bat in the final Test at The Oval in 1938. Bradman made centuries in his next two Tests as well (in 1946-47), thus scoring hundreds in eight consecutive Tests in which he batted. For the full list, click here.
Gautam Gambhir's century against Bangladesh in Chittagong last week made him only the third batsman to score hundreds in five successive Tests - and all of them have done it in this century: Jacques Kallis did it for South Africa against West Indies and New Zealand in 2003-04, and Mohammad Yousuf followed suit for Pakistan against England and West Indies during 2006. But there is one man who made centuries in six successive Tests - and regular readers of this column won't be surprised at his identity: Don Bradman reached three figures in six consecutive matches, all against England, in 1936-37 and 1938. His run came to an end when he was injured and unable to bat in the final Test at The Oval in 1938. Bradman made centuries in his next two Tests as well (in 1946-47), thus scoring hundreds in eight consecutive Tests in which he batted. For the full list, click here.
Has Ricky Ponting ever bagged a pair in a Test? asked Manish Thaduri from India
Australia's Ricky Ponting has indeed suffered one pair of spectacles in his Test career, although it was a long time ago now. Against Pakistan in 1999-2000, at home in Hobart no less, Ponting was bowled third ball by Waqar Younis without scoring in the first innings, and in the second fell lbw to Waqar's famed opening partner Wasim Akram - fifth ball this time, but still no runs. Ponting had been lbw (to Shoaib Akhtar) for a duck in his only previous innings of that series, in Brisbane - but made up for it with 197 in the third and final Test, in Perth.
Australia's Ricky Ponting has indeed suffered one pair of spectacles in his Test career, although it was a long time ago now. Against Pakistan in 1999-2000, at home in Hobart no less, Ponting was bowled third ball by Waqar Younis without scoring in the first innings, and in the second fell lbw to Waqar's famed opening partner Wasim Akram - fifth ball this time, but still no runs. Ponting had been lbw (to Shoaib Akhtar) for a duck in his only previous innings of that series, in Brisbane - but made up for it with 197 in the third and final Test, in Perth.
Shahadat Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan both took five wickets in India's first innings in Chittagong. Has this happened before in Tests? And have two bowlers ever taken 10 for the same team in the same Test? asked Rajesh Subramanian from India
Rather to my surprise, I discovered that last week's Chittagong Test provided the 52nd instance of two bowlers both taking five wickets in the same innings. For a full list, click here. As for the second part of your question, there has not yet been an instance of two bowlers taking 10 wickets for the same team in a Test. Indeed, there have only been six occasions when two bowlers have shared all 20 wickets in a match: for that list, click here.
Rather to my surprise, I discovered that last week's Chittagong Test provided the 52nd instance of two bowlers both taking five wickets in the same innings. For a full list, click here. As for the second part of your question, there has not yet been an instance of two bowlers taking 10 wickets for the same team in a Test. Indeed, there have only been six occasions when two bowlers have shared all 20 wickets in a match: for that list, click here.
I know that Ross Taylor from New Zealand has never got a Test duck. Who has the record? asked Harrison Burnard from New Zealand
You're right: so far Ross Taylor has not been out for a duck, after 40 Test innings. The record for a complete career is 45, by Pakistan's Yasir Hameed (he played his last Test to date in 2007, so it's possible he might appear again: if he does, and makes a duck, the record would revert to Australia's Jim Burke, whose career comprised 44 duckless innings). For the full list, click here. The most innings by any player from debut before a duck is 78, by AB de Villiers of South Africa (for a full list, click here), while the only man to have had more than 100 innings without a duck in mid-career is David Gower, with 119 between 1982 and 1990-91 (for this list, click here).
You're right: so far Ross Taylor has not been out for a duck, after 40 Test innings. The record for a complete career is 45, by Pakistan's Yasir Hameed (he played his last Test to date in 2007, so it's possible he might appear again: if he does, and makes a duck, the record would revert to Australia's Jim Burke, whose career comprised 44 duckless innings). For the full list, click here. The most innings by any player from debut before a duck is 78, by AB de Villiers of South Africa (for a full list, click here), while the only man to have had more than 100 innings without a duck in mid-career is David Gower, with 119 between 1982 and 1990-91 (for this list, click here).
How many left-arm pacemen have taken more than 50 Test wickets? asked Kaustubh from India
Statsguru tells me that the answer is 25. Top of the list is Wasim Akram with 414, with Chaminda Vaas second with 355 and Zaheer Khan third with 225. Six further left-arm fast bowlers have taken more than 100 Test wickets, with Mitchell Johnson (currently 143) the latest to join them. Note that this list excludes Garry Sobers, as he mixed left-arm spin with quick left-arm bowling to take his 235 Test wickets - but I'd estimate that he took well over half of them with his faster stuff.
Statsguru tells me that the answer is 25. Top of the list is Wasim Akram with 414, with Chaminda Vaas second with 355 and Zaheer Khan third with 225. Six further left-arm fast bowlers have taken more than 100 Test wickets, with Mitchell Johnson (currently 143) the latest to join them. Note that this list excludes Garry Sobers, as he mixed left-arm spin with quick left-arm bowling to take his 235 Test wickets - but I'd estimate that he took well over half of them with his faster stuff.
Regarding last week's question about the most expensive dropped catch in Tests, wasn't Mark Taylor dropped early on during his 334? asked Tony Allison from Sydney
Ah, I did think we hadn't quite finished with this one! Yes, Australia's Mark Taylor was indeed dropped - twice - early on during his 334 not out against Pakistan in Peshawar in 1998-99. Wisden doesn't mention it, but Taylor admits in his autobiography that he was dropped twice by Saeed Anwar off Mushtaq Ahmed - "a tough one-handed chance" in the covers when he had 18, and "a sitter at bat-pad" when he had 25 (some sources say 27). "The next chance I gave was on 325," wrote Taylor. So Anwar's first drop cost 316 runs, which does seem to be the Test record - for a dropped catch. Several people have pointed out that a missed stumping - by Australia's Ben Barnett off Len Hutton - in the final Ashes Test at The Oval in 1938, cost even more: Hutton had 40 at the time and went on to score 364. Other notable drops (thanks to Charles Davis from Australia for this) include another one costing 297 runs, when Inzamam-ul-Haq was put down at 32 of his eventual 329 for Pakistan against New Zealand in Lahore in 2001-02, while Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara was given a life before he'd scored against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2003-04... and went on to make 270.
Ah, I did think we hadn't quite finished with this one! Yes, Australia's Mark Taylor was indeed dropped - twice - early on during his 334 not out against Pakistan in Peshawar in 1998-99. Wisden doesn't mention it, but Taylor admits in his autobiography that he was dropped twice by Saeed Anwar off Mushtaq Ahmed - "a tough one-handed chance" in the covers when he had 18, and "a sitter at bat-pad" when he had 25 (some sources say 27). "The next chance I gave was on 325," wrote Taylor. So Anwar's first drop cost 316 runs, which does seem to be the Test record - for a dropped catch. Several people have pointed out that a missed stumping - by Australia's Ben Barnett off Len Hutton - in the final Ashes Test at The Oval in 1938, cost even more: Hutton had 40 at the time and went on to score 364. Other notable drops (thanks to Charles Davis from Australia for this) include another one costing 297 runs, when Inzamam-ul-Haq was put down at 32 of his eventual 329 for Pakistan against New Zealand in Lahore in 2001-02, while Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara was given a life before he'd scored against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2003-04... and went on to make 270.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket. If you want to ask Steven a question, use our feedback form. The most interesting questions will be answered here each week