Four double-tons in a day, and a Eddie Redmayne lookalike
Also: the fastest Indian to 50 wickets, and Yasir Shah's unwanted "double-hundred"
Steven Lynch
26-Jul-2016
Fortunately for Yasir Shah, his 1 for 213 were not the worst figures by a Pakistan bowler in a Test innings • AFP
Apparently there was once a day when four Test double-centuries were scored around the world - when was this? asked Ranjit Prasad from India
The day in question was March 14, 1999. The first of them came when Herschelle Gibbs took his overnight 101 to 211 not out for South Africa (who declared at 442 for 1) against New Zealand in Christchurch. Then, in the final of the Asian Test Championship in Bangladesh, Ijaz Ahmed made 211 and Inzamam-ul-Haq 200 not out for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Dhaka. And finally, in the second Test against Australia in Kingston, West Indies' captain Brian Lara finished the day at 212 not out (he was out after adding one more run next morning).
The day in question was March 14, 1999. The first of them came when Herschelle Gibbs took his overnight 101 to 211 not out for South Africa (who declared at 442 for 1) against New Zealand in Christchurch. Then, in the final of the Asian Test Championship in Bangladesh, Ijaz Ahmed made 211 and Inzamam-ul-Haq 200 not out for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Dhaka. And finally, in the second Test against Australia in Kingston, West Indies' captain Brian Lara finished the day at 212 not out (he was out after adding one more run next morning).
How many Indians had scored a double-century in the West Indies before Virat Kohli? asked Raj Bhasin from India
Virat Kohli's superb 200 in the first Test in Antigua last week was actually the fifth double-century for India in Tests in the Caribbean. The first two came in 1970-71: Dilip Sardesai hit 212 in the first Test in Kingston, and Sunil Gavaskar made 220 in the fifth one in Port-of-Spain, which helped ensure the draw that gave India their first series win over West Indies. Since then Navjot Singh Sidhu made 201 in Port-of-Spain in 1996-97, and Wasim Jaffer 212 in St John's in 2006. There have been only three double-hundreds for West Indies: Everton Weekes hit 207 in Port-of-Spain in 1952-53, while Frank Worrell made 237 in Kingston later in the same series. Finally Carl Hooper hit 233 in Georgetown in 2001-02. Kohli's 200 was the fifth double-century by an Indian captain in a Test, but the first away from home: the previous-highest was Mohammad Azharuddin's 192 against New Zealand in Auckland in 1989-90.
Virat Kohli's superb 200 in the first Test in Antigua last week was actually the fifth double-century for India in Tests in the Caribbean. The first two came in 1970-71: Dilip Sardesai hit 212 in the first Test in Kingston, and Sunil Gavaskar made 220 in the fifth one in Port-of-Spain, which helped ensure the draw that gave India their first series win over West Indies. Since then Navjot Singh Sidhu made 201 in Port-of-Spain in 1996-97, and Wasim Jaffer 212 in St John's in 2006. There have been only three double-hundreds for West Indies: Everton Weekes hit 207 in Port-of-Spain in 1952-53, while Frank Worrell made 237 in Kingston later in the same series. Finally Carl Hooper hit 233 in Georgetown in 2001-02. Kohli's 200 was the fifth double-century by an Indian captain in a Test, but the first away from home: the previous-highest was Mohammad Azharuddin's 192 against New Zealand in Auckland in 1989-90.
Was the 213 runs conceded by Yasir Shah at Old Trafford a record for a Pakistan bowler? asked Ahmed Siddiqui from Pakistan
Yasir Shah's 1 for 213 at Old Trafford were the most expensive figures for Pakistan in a Test against England, beating Fazal Mahmood's 2 for 192 at The Oval in 1962. But there have been three higher instances for Pakistan in all Tests. The top two places are occupied by perspiring bowlers in the same innings, West Indies' 790 for 3 in Kingston in 1957-58 (when Garry Sobers made 365 not out): Khan Mohammad took 0 for 259, and Mahmood toiled through 85.2 overs to finish with 2 for 247. Saqlain Mushtaq took 3 for 237 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2002-03. There are two further instances of Pakistan bowlers conceding more than 200 runs in a Test innings: Saqlain took 1 for 204 against India in Multan in 2003-04, while Haseeb Ahsan finished with 6 for 202 against India in Madras (now Chennai) in 1960-61.
Yasir Shah's 1 for 213 at Old Trafford were the most expensive figures for Pakistan in a Test against England, beating Fazal Mahmood's 2 for 192 at The Oval in 1962. But there have been three higher instances for Pakistan in all Tests. The top two places are occupied by perspiring bowlers in the same innings, West Indies' 790 for 3 in Kingston in 1957-58 (when Garry Sobers made 365 not out): Khan Mohammad took 0 for 259, and Mahmood toiled through 85.2 overs to finish with 2 for 247. Saqlain Mushtaq took 3 for 237 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2002-03. There are two further instances of Pakistan bowlers conceding more than 200 runs in a Test innings: Saqlain took 1 for 204 against India in Multan in 2003-04, while Haseeb Ahsan finished with 6 for 202 against India in Madras (now Chennai) in 1960-61.
Was Joe Root's 254 the highest Test score made in Manchester - or did Don Bradman do better? asked Philip Murray from England
Don Bradman actually had a poor record at Old Trafford - in his three Tests there he made only 81 runs at 27, with a highest score of 30 not out in 1948. It's another Australian who holds the record for the highest score in a Test there: Bob Simpson extended his maiden century in 1964 to a massive 311. England's record - and the only other score higher than Joe Root's 254 in 2016 - came in the very same match: Ken Barrington compiled 256 for England, as England countered Australia's total of 656 by making 611 themselves. There have been only three other double-centuries in Old Trafford Tests. Gordon Greenidge made 223 for West Indies in 1984, Aamer Sohail 205 for Pakistan in 1992, and Gary Kirsten 210 for South Africa in 1998.
Don Bradman actually had a poor record at Old Trafford - in his three Tests there he made only 81 runs at 27, with a highest score of 30 not out in 1948. It's another Australian who holds the record for the highest score in a Test there: Bob Simpson extended his maiden century in 1964 to a massive 311. England's record - and the only other score higher than Joe Root's 254 in 2016 - came in the very same match: Ken Barrington compiled 256 for England, as England countered Australia's total of 656 by making 611 themselves. There have been only three other double-centuries in Old Trafford Tests. Gordon Greenidge made 223 for West Indies in 1984, Aamer Sohail 205 for Pakistan in 1992, and Gary Kirsten 210 for South Africa in 1998.
Was Mohammed Shami the fastest Indian bowler to reach the milestone of 50 Test wickets? asked Sunit Kumar from Pakistan
Mohammed Shami reached a half-century of wickets when he dismissed Marlon Samuels in the first innings of the first Test against West Indies at North Sound. It was his 13th match: seven Indian bowlers have made it to 50 in fewer games. Shami's current team-mate R Ashwin holds the national record, reaching 50 in nine matches, while Anil Kumble took 10, Harbhajan Singh and Narendra Hirwani 11. Three more famous spinners - Subhash Gupte, Erapalli Prasanna and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar - got there in 12 matches. Venkatesh Prasad, Pragyan Ojha and Ravindra Jadeja also needed 13 Tests, so Shami now shares the record for an Indian seamer with Prasad.
Mohammed Shami reached a half-century of wickets when he dismissed Marlon Samuels in the first innings of the first Test against West Indies at North Sound. It was his 13th match: seven Indian bowlers have made it to 50 in fewer games. Shami's current team-mate R Ashwin holds the national record, reaching 50 in nine matches, while Anil Kumble took 10, Harbhajan Singh and Narendra Hirwani 11. Three more famous spinners - Subhash Gupte, Erapalli Prasanna and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar - got there in 12 matches. Venkatesh Prasad, Pragyan Ojha and Ravindra Jadeja also needed 13 Tests, so Shami now shares the record for an Indian seamer with Prasad.
Has any Test cricketer looked more like an Oscar winner than Chris Woakes looks like Eddie Redmayne? asked Will Elsom from England
That's an unusual question - and one that Statsguru turned out not to be much help with! It's more a question for ESPNcricinfo's old "Doppelgangers" feature, I suppose. Chris Woakes certainly does look quite a bit like Eddie Redmayne, who won the Best Actor award in 2014 for his portrayal of scientist Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. I think the best thing is to throw the comments section open to suggestions about other Oscar lookalikes! The question did remind me of something Gideon Haigh wrote about Chris Lewis, in his tour book on the 1994-95 Ashes: "His physique is magnificent - broad shoulders tapering to the thin waist - and as he approaches he resembles nothing so much as an Oscar."
That's an unusual question - and one that Statsguru turned out not to be much help with! It's more a question for ESPNcricinfo's old "Doppelgangers" feature, I suppose. Chris Woakes certainly does look quite a bit like Eddie Redmayne, who won the Best Actor award in 2014 for his portrayal of scientist Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. I think the best thing is to throw the comments section open to suggestions about other Oscar lookalikes! The question did remind me of something Gideon Haigh wrote about Chris Lewis, in his tour book on the 1994-95 Ashes: "His physique is magnificent - broad shoulders tapering to the thin waist - and as he approaches he resembles nothing so much as an Oscar."
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Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes