RARE RECORDS – TESTS – II

1. The only instance when both captains took five wickets in an innings in a test match was in December 1959 at Karachi. RICHIE BENAUD took 5 for 93 in Pakistan’s first innings, then his opposite number, FAZAL MAHMOOD, replied with 5 for 74 when Australia batted.

2. BERT OLDFIELD of England holds the record of having made the most stumpings in Tests for more than 76 years now. He ended his test career with 52 Test stumpings. Next comes GODFREY EVANS (46), SYED KIRMANI (38), ADAM GILCHRIST (37) and currently M. S. DHONI (37).

3. The quickest thousand runs in Tests is completed by GRAHAM GOOCH of England. He did it in 1990 between June 21 and August 27 in just 68 days. This included his 333 and 123 in Lord’s against India. SUNIL GAVASKAR compiled 1000 runs in 78 days in 1978 – 79.

4. SYDNEY BARNES of England is the only player to take 14 or more wickets in a Test twice. No player has ever taken 15 or more wickets more than once in their careers.

5. The man with the most undefeated innings in Test Cricket is held by COURTNEY WALSH of West Indies. He had 61 not – outs in his long career. Next come MUTTIAH MURALITHARAN (56), BOB WILLIS (55), CHRIS MARTIN (52) and GLENN MCGRATH (51). The leading specialist batsman is STEVE WAUGH, who finished with 46 not – outs, two ahead of ALLAN BORDER.

6. May 27^th is the day that has “given birth” to the most runs with 26,050 runs. MICHAEL HUSSEY, MAHELA JAYAWARDENE, RAVI SHASTRI and FRANK WOOLLEY were born on this day. Next on the list is November 24^th with 25,070 runs.

7. NORMAN GORDON of South Africa holds the record for bowling the most number of overs in a Test Match when he bowled 92.2 overs (738 balls) in the Timeless test match against England at Durban in 1938 – 39. In the same match, his teammate CHUD LANGTON bowled 91 overs (728 balls). The match was abandoned as draw as England had to catch their boat home. GEORGE GIFFEN of Australia bowled 118 overs against England at Sydney in 1894 – 95, but bowled only 708 deliveries as they were 6 – ball overs. JOHN SHARPE sent down 105 overs (630 balls) for England v Australia at Melbourne in 1891 – 92.

8. SUNIL GAVASKAR of India is the only batsman to have scored a century in his debut innings and followed it with a double – century in his second innings in the same test match. He scored 124 in the first innings of Test in Port – of – Spain and followed it with 220 in the second. Six batsmen have scored the reverse, double – century in their debut innings and century in the next in the same test match.

KHALID HASSAN

9. The only instance when a batsman eclipsed the opposition total in both the innings of a test match was when JUSTIN LANGER of Australia scored 191 and 97, and Pakistan managed only 179 and 72 at Perth in December 2004.

10. The youngest cricketer to play in his last test match is KHALID HASSAN of Pakistan. He finished his career at the age of 16 years and 356 days when he last played against England at Trent Bridge in 1954 in his second test match. SANJEEWA WEERASINGHE of Sri Lanka comes next in the list when he won his only cap against India at Colombo in 1985.

  

-         Vandhiyadevan