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Test Match Special

The blog from the boundary

The Bearded Wonder's new home

  • Lewis Wiltshire
  • 13 Jul 07, 09:58 AM

From now on our popular "Stump the Bearded Wonder" feature will live on this blog. It's an overdue move - Test Match Special statistician Bill Frindall, aka the Bearded Wonder, sits alongside his colleagues such as Jonathan Agnew in the commentary box, and now joins them in this virtual TMS world too.

So you can see over on our main cricket section, but if you want to set Bill a tester for next week, you need to add it on this blog.

It's important to remind everyone that Bill can only answer a small selection of your questions, and will select a handful from this blog when he comes to give next week's answers. So feel free - if you can provide an answer to a simple question posed by another poster - to jump in and help. But probably best to leave the toughest questions to the man himself!

Comments

  1. At 10:37 AM on 13 Jul 2007, Nick Boddington wrote:

    Bill

    In terms of total caps won at the start of the match, in which Test did the most experienced Test team ever take the field ?
    I'm guessing it might be a recent Australian side, but I'm not sure.

    Nick

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  2. At 10:40 AM on 13 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Bill,

    Following the woeful weather this summer, where statistically, is the best place to buy sawdust for the pitch?

    My own attempt is recorded at the web site address attached.

    Thanks in advance.

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  3. At 11:35 AM on 13 Jul 2007, Lewis Cooper wrote:

    Hi Bill; as a fellow pogonophile, let me attempt to test you with this.
    In which first-class match were the greatest number of dismissals by "unusual" means? That is, not bowled, caught, LBW, run out or stumped.
    Any match with more than a couple of the others must have been interesting!

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  4. At 11:42 AM on 13 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Following the recent match of Notts v Essex - when both wicketkeepers Foster and Read both scored double centuries in the same match. I am sure this must be the first time that this has been achieved in the same first class match.

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  5. At 11:49 AM on 13 Jul 2007, DAVE HAWORTH wrote:

    Bill what is the record for the most consecutive innings in which a particular batsman failed to trouble the scorer

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  6. At 12:04 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Mike Akerman wrote:

    Notts recently scored 791 in reply to Essex's 700. Is the Essex total the largest first innings score when the side has not led on first innings? If so what was the previous?

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  7. At 12:12 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Darrell Frith wrote:

    Hi Bill,

    Are there any instances in 1st class cricket where batsmen have been timed out?

    I've been playing in the "locals" for 15 years and I've never seen this once.


    R

    DF

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  8. At 12:13 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Rakesh Pradhan wrote:

    Bill

    Whatis the highest score ever recorded by a batsman without hitting a boundary

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  9. At 12:14 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Tom Burridge wrote:

    Bill,

    Which England batsman had the lowest first class batting average when selected for the national side? I know Brearley had a fairly modest average when selected...

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  10. At 12:27 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Phillip Spode wrote:

    Bill,

    We all know that Sir Garfield Sobers and Herchelle Gibbs both hit six sixes in an over. But what is the record for the most consequetive sixes? My mate said that Kim Barnett hit nine sixes over two overs for the minor counties, but what is the record for first class cricket?

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  11. At 12:30 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Steve Jones wrote:

    Hi Bill, can you tell me please whether or not any player has ever taken a hattrick with the first 3 balls of a match or innings?

    Thanks, Steve.

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  12. At 12:35 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Andrew Ward wrote:

    This is not a statisical question, but thought you'd have a view on it.....

    Scenario:
    The bowler bowls a ball and hits the batsman's pad in front of the wicket. The ball goes straight into the hands of a fielder. The umpire thinks the ball may have hit the bat on the way through (before pad) but is not sure.

    What decision does the umpire give, and why?

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  13. At 12:36 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Pete Wainwright wrote:

    Alistair Cook is a prolific test match batsman but I do not recall him ever hitting a six, has he whilst playing for England

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  14. At 12:49 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Tim Bell wrote:

    Bill,

    Shiv Chanderpaul holds the record for most time batted between dismissals with 1513 minutes, but does this effort also give him the record for most test runs scored between dismissals?

    Thanks,
    Tim

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  15. At 12:51 PM on 13 Jul 2007, mark foley wrote:

    In Answer to Andrew's question the umpire would have to give him out caught as you cannot be out LBW if the ball hits the bat before the pad.
    All the best
    mark

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  16. At 12:51 PM on 13 Jul 2007, mark foley wrote:

    Hi Bill
    I seem to remember Alvin Kallicharran scoring a double century and then taking 5 wickets in a limited overs game against Oxford in the Nat West Trophy. Is he the only player to have achieved this feat in a first class limited overs game?
    Cheers Mark

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  17. At 01:23 PM on 13 Jul 2007, David Cousins wrote:

    reference the laws on Run Out / Appeals / Dead Ball / and probably several others. Striker hits a difficult return catch, which the bowler fails to hold but deflects it, on the full, onto the stumps. The non-striker, backing up, was out of his ground and there is an appeal from somewhere on the fielding side. Meanwhile the ball is deflected gently upwards off the stumps and is caught.
    Question: is the non-stricker run out; did the ball become dead at that point, or is the striker caught; or can the fielding captain effectively choose which batsman he wants out, by rescinding any runout appeal and going for the 'caught' ?

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  18. At 01:36 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Jim Pearson wrote:

    In the '60s as a teenager I was the scorer for Bradford in the Bradford League. It is the only time in my life I have had a chance to personally know past or future test and other first class cricketers. Back then we all used the box method. Now you talk about the linear method. Can you explain the main differences?

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  19. At 01:52 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Dave Harris wrote:

    To David Cousins: if the batsman is given run out, then the ball is dead immediately, and any subsequent action is irrelevant.

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  20. At 02:03 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Andrew Austen wrote:

    I was coached as a youngster by the Kent and England Leg Spin Bowler Doug Wright, I remember him relating a story that he was bowling to Don Bradman and dropped a caught and bowled chance, and Bradman went on to score 300 in a day, do you know when this might have been, and how many Bradman was on when Doug dropped him?

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  21. At 02:10 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Jack Luffman wrote:

    In teh recent Essex v Notts game both wicket-keepers scored double hundreds. Has this ever happened in a first-class match before?

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  22. At 02:12 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Bob James wrote:

    Hi Bill,

    Welcome to your new 'home'!

    Last week's high-scoring championship match at Chelmsford between Essex and Notts, produced a double hundred from each of the two wicket keepers. I wonder if this is the first such instance of both wicket keepers hoitting a double hundred in the same first class match.

    Regards.

    Bob

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  23. At 02:34 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Graham Bartram wrote:

    Many moons ago I was no-balled, as a wicket-keeper, by the square-leg umpire who was the only person in the ground who knew what was going on.
    My question is - has any wicket-keeper been no-balled in a test, or first-class, cricket match?

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  24. At 03:36 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Marc wrote:

    Bill,

    My college friend Lewis Dingle made an uncharacteristic 25 ball duck for Oxford in the Varsity Match, which got me wondering, we hear a lot about fastest hundreds and half centuries, who holds the dubious records for the longest ducks in Test and limit Overs cricket?

    Marc, Oxford

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  25. At 03:37 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Kerry Turner wrote:

    Who was responsible for the most run outs in his career? And what is the record for most run outs in one match (ODI)?

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  26. At 03:43 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Hugh Burney wrote:

    A few weeks ago I hope I sent this question: Who has played Test cricket for South Africa and also played (cricket) for the West Indies ? I haven't had an answer yet, but am still hoping...

    Could you at least confirm that Bill received my message, please.

    Thanks.

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  27. At 03:43 PM on 13 Jul 2007, andrew wrote:

    if a bowler comes up to bowl but instead spots the non-striker out of his ground, can he run the non-striker out by 'stumping' him? Similary if the striker is out of his crease, can the bowler intead of bowling it, he throws it at the stumps and run the striker out? (it might also be a no-ball)

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  28. At 03:53 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Paul Goode wrote:

    In answer to Andrew Ward's question surely the answer is not out because the umpire is not sure if the ball hit the bat or not, so benefit of doubt goes to the batsman.

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  29. At 04:21 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Danny Bartram wrote:

    Is it true Bob Willis never took 10 wickets in a Test match?

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  30. At 04:32 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Christopher Jones wrote:

    To no.23 Graham Bartram

    You were probably no-balled for having your gloves in front of the stumps.

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  31. At 04:38 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Elliot Metson wrote:

    In answer to Pete Wainwright's question, I have seen Alastair Cook hit a six, although it was against Sussex whilst he was playing for Essex in a 20-20 game.

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  32. At 04:42 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Katherine wrote:

    Try as I might to forget it, I remember one time in the last woeful Ashes series (I think it was the last test in Sydney) when Andrew Strauss took a bouncer to the head from Brett Lee and understandably fell down, being a bit dazed by this. He was of course OK to get up and carry on playing, but what would have been the official policy if the ball had been going any faster and had actually knocked him out? Would England have been given some bonus runs, or would Lee have been fined for bowling with malicious intent or whatever - or would Strauss have been given out, having been knocked unconscious? Seems unlikely, I know, with the helmet, but I'm just wondering . . .

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  33. At 04:45 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Joe Packer wrote:

    Dear Bill,

    I am a volunteer commentator for the RNIB and have just finished commentary on the MCC v. Sri Lanka 'A' match at Arundel (10th-12th July 07)

    In this game I saw Mohammed Nabi (MCC Young Crickets & Afghanistan) playing for the MCC. In both the first and second innings Nabi got "off the mark" with remarkable sixes.

    I am reliably informed that it was his first-class cricket debut as the game held first-class status and so wished to know if anyone had ever got off the mark twice with sixes on their first-class debut?

    Yours sincerely,

    Joe Packer

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  34. At 04:58 PM on 13 Jul 2007, philip bann wrote:

    Bill
    Can you tell me who said "the bowler's Holding the batsman's Willey" and at what match?

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  35. At 05:21 PM on 13 Jul 2007, orville carter wrote:

    Just love to read your column and wanted to know that it will always be there.

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  36. At 05:43 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Philip Wright wrote:

    For Bearders,

    I once was playing in a local village friendly on Bank Holiday Monday between Everton and Wiseton (Notts) which was a timed 2 innings game. I went to the wicket needing 10 to win and one ball to go, if no more overs were bowled, with the clock just a minute or so before the end of the game.

    The Everton captain was bowling and to extend the length of his over so that it was the last, he bowled 4 wides, then a wide and then another wide. The village church clock then struck the hour (7.00pm) and so he then bowled one I could reach, which I skied over point for four to win the match. Is this a record?

    The local Retford, Worksop and Gainsborough Times recorded the feat under "Wright hits 10 of last ball to win match" (not strictly true of course!)

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  37. At 05:53 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Murdo wrote:

    Hi Bill

    Owais Shah has played first class cricket for four sides this summer: MCC, Middlesex, England and England Lions. This must be a record!

    Murdo

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  38. At 06:03 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Richard Cridge wrote:

    Hi, Bill

    I play for a village team in Wiltshire called Dinton, you may know it Bill?

    I compile are club averages every year and this Wednesday I was unfortunate enough to have to retire hurt having top edged a sweep into my mouth knocking two teeth out!!

    I was opening the innings and the first wicket proper didn't go down until 96 runs had been scored.

    My two questions are do I get credited in this partnership so it involves three people? Also as I didn't return to the wicket am I classed as not out?

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  39. At 06:13 PM on 13 Jul 2007, David Dean wrote:

    Re Stump Bearders 150

    Regarding Bob Willis batting record, isn't the unbroken 117 he shared with Peter Willey against the W. Indies at the Oval the highest partnership he shared in? it was a 10th wicket record for the series and included his top score of 28no. I remember watching it and when the 9th wicket went down not long after lunch on the last day England were only 197 ahead, yet shortly into the partnership the W Indies seemed to give up and settle for the draw even though there was one test left for England to tie the series.

    Contrast that with the last test of 2005 when the Aussies were still chasing the match at tea on the last day when England were 227 ahead.

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  40. At 06:48 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Kizza wrote:

    to the guy who hit 10 off the last ball coz he was bowled 6 deliberate wides then hit a 4. shouldnt the umpire have stepped in and declared the bowling against the spirit of the game?

    if the bowler was gonna act like that, he shouldve tried this tactic: for the last ball, commence the run up but keep weaving around the outfield for a few minutes until the clock struck 7, then deliver it.

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  41. At 07:22 PM on 13 Jul 2007, martin chatwin wrote:

    dear bill

    as a member of warwickshire i noticed that our recent county match against lancashire was shown on the wccc web site as the 49,875 first class game, therefore how will the 50,000 match be determined if it is within a round of county matches, many thanks, Martin

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  42. At 07:37 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Steve Martin wrote:

    Bill

    Last season, whilst playing for my local village team (Priory Panthers), during one over we scored a single, a two, a three, a four, a five (a single plus 4 overthrows) and a six. Have you ever seen this before?

    P.S. I once faced your fearsome bowling back in around 1971 at 14 years of age playing for Addington 1743. Had the bruises to prove it for a couple of weeks LOL.

    Cheers, Steve.

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  43. At 08:33 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Anand Mamidipudi wrote:

    Has anyone every scored a test century without hitting a single boundary? Surely there must have been a few when the likes of Bapu Nadkarni bowled twenty plus maiden overs on the trot.

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  44. At 08:34 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Phillip Cowley wrote:

    As far as I can I ascertain my beloved Glamorgan are the only team to set their record wicket stand,Dale and Richards,in a losing cause is this the case.

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  45. At 10:21 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Evan (not Eifion) Jones wrote:

    It is well known that we have had a Welsh captain of England (A.R. Lewis), and a Scottish one (M. H. Denness). Can you please tell me if an Irishman has ever captained England ?

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  46. At 10:39 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Richard Whittle wrote:

    Please can you tell me of the current players playing county cricket, who has scored the most 50's. I believe it to be Graeme Hick. Am I right?

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  47. At 11:53 PM on 13 Jul 2007, Dave Bizzario wrote:

    Has anybody ever made more innings than Michael Vaughan in the top 4 of an ODI without recording a century?

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  48. At 01:08 AM on 14 Jul 2007, Oliver wrote:

    I'd like to answer 3 questions which have been posed here:

    Firstly, Darrell Frith's question (comment 7):

    Yes, four have been:

    1. Andrew Jordaan - Eastern Province v Transvaal at Port Elizabeth in 1987鈥88
    2. Hemulal Yadav - Tripura v Orissa at Cuttack in 1997
    3. Vasbert Drakes - Border v Free State at East London in 2002
    4. AJ Harris - Nottinghamshire v Durham UCCE at Nottingham in 2003

    Secondly, andrew's question (comment 27) is actually quite interesting, and the answer is in two parts.

    1) A bowler can run-out (note it wouldn't be stumped, as this is something can only be done by the wicketkeeper to the striker) the non-striker before bowling the ball. However he has to do so before entering his "delivery stride". That is to say the moment at which his back foot lands in his delivery action. If the striker is out of the ground then he will be given out, if not or the bowler simply misses the stumps then the umpire calls Dead Ball (the ball doesn't count in the over, as the striker hasn't had the opportunity to play it).

    2) Right, this is where it gets a little more complicated. Andrew poses a second question regarding running out a batsman who's stance means he is standing outside of his crease. Simple answer is yes (now I wonder how many people have seen this!). Right what should happen is this:

    a) Umpire calls no ball for bowler throwing ball.
    b) If ball hits stumps directly and striker still out of his ground then he is out Run Out (note to be out Run Out there is no requirement the batsmen are running!)
    c) If the ball misses the stumps but the keeper collects the ball and breaks the stumps the batsman is not out. This is due to the fact that he can't be stumped (due to it being a No Ball) and under Law 38.2(e) he has to be attempting a run in this circumstance to be given out Run Out.
    d) If the ball misses the stumps but goes to any fielder bar the keeper and then gets thrown onto the stumps then (assuming batsman still out of his ground) he would be out Run Out.

    Also worth noting that the normal warning procedure regarding a bowler throwing the ball is not applied in this circumstance (as it is specifically legislated for in the laws, so some bowler has clearly tried this in a match!)


    Finally, Philip Bann's question (comment 34): who knows!? No recording of the comment survives and there is debate as to whether it was ever said on air (or off it!). If it was said on air it would have either been Don Mosey or Brian Johnston who were commenting for 主播大秀 World Service at the time.

    Hope that helps, and now to think up a question for Bill!

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  49. At 04:04 AM on 14 Jul 2007, kissoon lall wrote:

    During TMS brosdcast recently I heard the term KOLPAK used to describe conterminous European cricketers playing in the UK. Is this a word or an acronym. If the latter is correcy can you tell me what it stands for.

    Thanks

    Kissoon, Toronto, Canada

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  50. At 07:44 AM on 14 Jul 2007, Matthew Howes wrote:

    This format doesn't work . This worked better as a straight question and answer format. Could the 主播大秀 please change this so that we can see the question and the associated answer together?

    I appreciate that this could make it difficult to set out as a blog.

    As it stands you need to look for Bill's answer and then refer back to the question(s) associated with it. Sometimes questions don't seem to get answers for some time, which makes The Great Bearded One look a little foolish

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  51. At 07:52 AM on 14 Jul 2007, ColinJMWalker wrote:

    Bill,

    Can you please advise if anyone else has scored 2 successive double centruies as Sri Lankan batsman Sangakkara has just achieved in the test series against Bangladesh, has anyone ever scored 3 double centuries in successive tests.

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  52. At 08:11 AM on 14 Jul 2007, PD Long wrote:

    In response to question 13:

    Alistair Cook has hit 158 fours but no sixes in his 15 Test appearances to date.


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  53. At 08:16 AM on 14 Jul 2007, PD Long wrote:

    CORRECTION!

    In response to question 13:

    Alistair Cook has hit 158 fours but no sixes in his 18 Test appearances to date.


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  54. At 08:52 AM on 14 Jul 2007, Rajan Mahadevan wrote:

    Bill,
    In the ongoing third test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Muralitharan stands out because he has taken more wickets in his test career compared to the total tally of wickets taken by the other 21 players. How rare is this feat?
    Rajan

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  55. At 09:04 AM on 14 Jul 2007, Steve wrote:

    To answer 49 - Maros Kolpak was a Slovak handball player. A search engine will tell you the rest.

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  56. At 10:40 AM on 14 Jul 2007, wrote:

    On 26 May 2007 I played for Ljubljana CC v Vienna Lions CC in an Austrian League game at Velden, Austria. Vienna Lions scored 603-7 in 50 overs, then bowled us out for 87, for a winning margin of 516 runs.

    My question, now that time has healed the emotional scars of this stuffing (a little anyway) is whether this is the biggest victory margin in a 50-over game.

    Here are some answers to other questions.

    Question 7:

    Four batsmen have been 'timed out' in first class cricket:
    1. Andrew Jordaan - Eastern Province v Transvaal at Port Elizabeth in 1987鈥88
    2. Hemulal Yadav - Tripura v Orissa at Cuttack in 1997
    3. Vasbert Drakes - Border v Free State at East London in 2002
    4. AJ Harris - Nottinghamshire v Durham UCCE at Nottingham in 2003

    In 1919, Sussex cricketer Harold Heygate was given out by umpire Alfred Street as "timed out" in a first-class County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton. The MCC later ruled that the umpire was correct in ending the Sussex innings when Heygate failed to appear within two minutes, but that the batsman should be marked as "absent", which is how it appears in the 1920 edition of Wisden. Under present rules, Heygate would have been recorded as "absent hurt", and this is how his 鈥榠nnings鈥 is now recorded in Cricket Archive.

    Question 10:

    In season 1984-85, Ravi Shastri hit six sixes in an over for Bombay against Baroda in a West Zone Ranji Trophy match. The bowler was left arm spinner Tilak Raj.

    Question 11:

    On 14 Feb 2003, Chaminda Vaas took a hat trick with the first three balls of a World Cup match for Sri Lanka v Bangladesh:

    Question 12, answers 15 and 28:

    Paul Goode is right. Not out. You can't be lbw if the ball hits the bat first. Regarding the catch, if the umpire's not sure, the benefit of the doubt goes to the batsman.

    Question 45:
    Fred Fane of Essex, who was born in Kildare, captained England in three tests v Australia in 1907-08.

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  57. At 10:53 AM on 14 Jul 2007, s dalfen wrote:

    Bill .

    Which bowlers have "been on a hat-trick" most times in tests . I would imagine some of the top wicket takers (murali , warne , mcgrath , etc.) but maybe not .

    Simon

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  58. At 10:59 AM on 14 Jul 2007, Rob Smyth wrote:

    Hello Bill,

    I asked you this question several times a year or two ago, and never saw a response:

    Who had the MOST first class innings before finally posting their maiden first class century?

    Thanks - I look forward to finally getting an answer - if not from you, then perhaps from another reader. (I do know the answer, will provide it if no-one comes up with it first.)

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  59. At 11:25 AM on 14 Jul 2007, Peter Smith wrote:

    Bill

    On a opening day of a test match which team batting first as taken the longest in time and / or overs to score off the bat.

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  60. At 11:31 AM on 14 Jul 2007, Martyn wrote:

    I seem to recall going to a women's Test Match at Headingley between England and New Zealand when one of the New Zealand women players scored very slowly from the start of play till lunchtime. Details, please, if you have them. Many thanks!

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  61. At 11:33 AM on 14 Jul 2007, Daffy Crawford wrote:

    Hi Bill, can you tell me if the following has ever occurred.
    When there is one ball to go in an innings, the batsmen in the pavillion with his pads on, starts taking them off, knowing that he will NOT get a bat. But you often hear people saying "Don't take your pads off, there might be a run out off a no ball!".........But it never happens!

    Has it happened at any level of cricket that you know of?

    Many Thanks

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  62. At 12:00 PM on 14 Jul 2007, mattjw wrote:

    I think the responses to question 12 have slightly missed the point. i think what andrew is trying to get at is this.

    The umpire is unsure as to whether the ball hit the bat. if it did then the batsman is out caught. If it didnt then the batsman is out plum lbw. therefore the umpire knows the batsman was out either caught or lbw

    However as the umpire is unsure if the ball did hit the bat he can say which way the batsman was out. So can he still give him out?

    Essentially it comes down to a benifit of the doubt issue. If the umpire gives the batsman the bod for the lbw decision then he must give him out caught and vice versa.

    My answer, which i am unsure of would be this. The umpire should give the batsman out and the method of dismissal should be given as follows.

    He should give the batsman the benifit of the doubt for the method of dismissal he feels is more unlikely. ie if he has more doubt that the batsman was out lbw then he must give the batsman out caught. This is because he cant give the batsman the benifit of the doubt for both decisions as by giving it to one then the other becomes a certainty

    i hope that makes more sense than i think it does

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  63. At 12:10 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Matthew Collins wrote:

    Re: Question 49

    KOLPAK is actually the name of a Slovak handball player, Maros Kolpak.

    He won a court decision based upon the idea that no resident of the European Union should be prevented from working in another part of the EU. This also applies to any player from any nation that has such a relationship with the EU (such as South Africa).

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  64. At 12:39 PM on 14 Jul 2007, jim, surrey wrote:

    Bill

    The England ODI side against West Indies included Ryan Sidebottom (son of Arnold) and Stuart Broad (son of Chris). Has an England side (ODI or test) ever taken the field before with TWO players who were the sons of former England players?

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  65. At 12:46 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Colin Howell wrote:

    Bill

    There used to be a "Lost Ball" rule whereby the fielding side could call "Lost Ball" - the batting side scored 6 runs.This rule seem to have disappeared but I'm certain it was in force as late as about 1970 because it appears in a booklet called "Know The Game -Cricket"
    Can you confirm that I am not imagining this rule and ,if so , can you say whether it has ever been invoked in a 1st class game

    Many thanks

    Colin Howell

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  66. At 01:09 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Geoffrey Swindale wrote:

    Re: Q12:
    The batsman must be out as:
    if the umpire is not certain that ball and bat made contact then the batsman gets the benefit of the doubt for that decision, but that the leads to it being a clear cut LBW decision for which the batsman is out.

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  67. At 01:15 PM on 14 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    In reply to question 24:

    the longest 0 in test matches was by G.Allot in 101 mins (NZ v SA 1998-99)

    i'm afraid I don't know in ODIs

    In reply to question 7:

    4 batsmen have been given out in first class cricket "Timed out"
    Andrew Harris 2003
    Vasbert Drakes 2002/3
    Hemulal Yadav 1997
    Andrew Jordaan 1987/88

    see this article for full infomation

    And a question from me,

    it is possible to be run out without facing a ball (a sort of pre-golden duck),but
    has this ever happened twice in one first class innings? (if so what is the record number of times)

    I ask as this happened a year ago in one of our games, the opening bat ran out his partner, and later the number 4 batsman, both without facing (making him unpopular in the pavillion when he finally got there after a 50)

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  68. At 01:27 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Penny wrote:

    Hi!

    I'd like to ask ...

    What was the last test match when no record of any significance was broken?

    (Obviously every ball bowled means somebody has reached a personal record of some kind so personal records should probably be discounted.)

    Thanks!
    Penny

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  69. At 01:36 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Tom Schneider wrote:

    My Great Grandmother Joyce Denning was a part of the England ladies 2nd XI I think but I am no sure quite what she did i.e. bowled, batted?
    Myself am a legspin bowler of 15 I wondered if she too was a legspin bowler?
    (Her era of playing would probably be late 1920's onto late 1940's)

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  70. At 02:11 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Jonathan Jones wrote:

    In the recent world cup I think all of Autralia's batsmen score at or better than a run a ball in the match against SA.
    Is this some sort of one day first class record?

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  71. At 02:28 PM on 14 Jul 2007, mark n wrote:

    During a World Cup match, during the run up the bowler accidently dislodged the bails at the bowlers end. He continued with the action & the umpire did not signal no/dead ball.

    If the batsman had taken a run, could he (or the non striking batsman) have been run out at the bowlers end of the pitch?

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  72. At 02:29 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Simon Wise wrote:

    Bill

    Is it compulsory for the fielding team to use a wicketkeeper?

    Foolhardy, I know. But in ice-hockey, a team a goal or two down with a minute or so to play will substitute its goalkeeper for an extra forward to try & save the game.

    I'm thinking of a situation where the fielding team will, with an over or so to play, and no concern about taking wickets, could try and save runs by putting an extra man - say the unpadded, ungloved wicketkeeper - out on the boundary.

    I've checked Law 40 but it doesn't seem to take this into consideration. What say you?

    Simon

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  73. At 03:04 PM on 14 Jul 2007, David Buttle wrote:

    Bill,

    On a more serious note , when and where did the Roses Match's start. Which Rose has the most wins?

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  74. At 03:19 PM on 14 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    in answer to question 71;

    the fielding team could run out the batsman by either removing a stump when in control of the ball, or by remaking the wicket and then removing a bail

    see law 28

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  75. At 03:23 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Rebecca Comley wrote:

    Replying to no. 13 by Pete, Alastair Cook has never hit a six for England in any of the three disciplines, and in the 50 and 20 over varieties only 26 fours, though fewer matches admittedly!

    Rebecca

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  76. At 03:39 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Saadaab Janab wrote:

    In test match cricket, what is the record of teams winning the test after winning the toss? And vice versa.

    Saadaab

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  77. At 03:45 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Saadaab Janab wrote:

    In test match cricket, what is the record of teams winning the test after winning the toss? And vice versa.

    Saadaab

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  78. At 05:02 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Tim Parkinson wrote:

    regarding Andrew Ward's question

    This is an elegant question and the aspect of it that occurs to me most of all is this idea of benefit of the doubt to the batsman. I cannot find the "benefit of the doubt" phrase in the Laws; if someone can I would be grateful. The lbw law is now succinct and very clear: if the ball would go on to hit the wicket (all the other caveats met) the umpire gives it out.

    I like the answer given that the bastman must be out; either it hit the bat (so caught) or didn't (so lbw). I don't know what decision the umpire gives, however. This dual appeal seems to happen a lot, i think, and more often than not it is given not out (I think because there is too much going on for the umpire to be sure of either thing and takes the route of uncertainty to give a not out decision).

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  79. At 05:30 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Lionel Rajapakse wrote:

    Bill,

    In the recent three-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka won all the three matches by an innings. The opposition being Bagladesh might take its gloss off a bit. Which country has the most consecutive Test wins by an innings please? Does that cover a series whitewash?

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  80. At 06:14 PM on 14 Jul 2007, AJ, Dallas, Texas wrote:

    Hello Bill,
    Of the 12 wickets that Murali took in the just concluded test against Bangladesh, 3 were Ducks. What is the highest number of Ducks claimed by one bowler in an innings and a Test. Stretching this a little further, what about first ball ducks?

    AJ

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  81. At 06:16 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Ryan Wilson wrote:

    Has there ever been an instance of each player of a certain team ending the innings with their scores all being unique prime numbers?

    Unique meaning that no two players finished on the same prime number.

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  82. At 06:33 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Jimmy Chen wrote:

    In response to question 67, it is possible to get run out before you even face a ball. The fate was suffered recently by Ryan ten Doeschate playing for Essex in the second innings against Glamorgan at Swansea on 30 May - 2 June. That is the only case I have heard of but I'm sure it has happened quite a few times before. There might also be sometimes when two batsmen have been ran out not facing a ball in first-class cricket.

    Now for my own question:

    Have Andrew Strauss or Ed Joyce ever taken a wicket in any forms of the game, if they have, could you tell me who are these most unfortunate people and have they both taken a wicket in the same match playing for Middlesex?

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  83. At 07:15 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Alan Cole wrote:

    With the Lords' test next week it has become customary to mention the dressing room honours board which bears the names of those scoring hundreds or taking five wickets in an innings.

    Could anyone suggest an England XI comprised of players not to have their names featured, and possibly for that matter a Rest of the World XI for them to play against? (Perhaps a qualification of 50 caps for their country would make a player eligible)

    To start the ball rolling Mike Atherton would be available as captain and opening bat for England.

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  84. At 08:02 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Naresh Bhatt wrote:

    Let's say both batsmen are running and fall over in the middle of the pitch and the fielding side runs them both out; can they both be dismissed or would it be the first player to be run out?

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  85. At 08:07 PM on 14 Jul 2007, mark foley wrote:

    The England ODI side against West Indies included Ryan Sidebottom (son of Arnold) and Stuart Broad (son of Chris). Has an England side (ODI or test) ever taken the field before with TWO players who were the sons of former England players?

    I'm sure Mark Butcher and Simon Jones played in the same England side.

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  86. At 08:52 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Alan Cole wrote:

    Responding to comment 84 Law 23 states that the ball is dead on the fall of a wicket so only one of the unfortunate floundering batsmen could be run out although I suppose the other may have to retire hurt due to the nature of the collision thereby giving the opportunity for two new batsmen to be present for the next ball bowled.

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  87. At 10:57 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Dan F wrote:

    Re: comment 83....
    With the Lords' test next week it has become customary to mention the dressing room honours board which bears the names of those scoring hundreds or taking five wickets in an innings.
    Could anyone suggest an England XI comprised of players not to have their names featured, and possibly for that matter a Rest of the World XI for them to play against? (Perhaps a qualification of 50 caps for their country would make a player eligible)
    To start the ball rolling Mike Atherton would be available as captain and opening bat for England.

    -------------------------------------------------------
    Surely a certain Shane Warne for the rest of the world team?? Am I right in saying he's not on the honours board
    -------------------------------------------------------
    My question is which players has the least caps and is on the honours board for bowling/batting?

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  88. At 11:07 PM on 14 Jul 2007, Gary B wrote:

    Has anyone ever been dismissed twice in a match without facing a ball, i.e. run out twice without facing a ball, or some other unfortunate dismissal?

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  89. At 12:12 AM on 15 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Danny Bartram (#29)

    It is true. Bob Willis only took 10 wickets in a match twice in his career and never in a Test. He took 9 wickets in a Test no less than 4 times, with:

    37.3-11- 92-9 in the 2nd Test v NZ in Eng 1983 at Leeds (and what's more, in a losing cause), was his best ever in a Test.

    9-118 v Australia (Lords, 1977), 9-147 v West Indies (Trent Bridge, 1980) and 9-142 v India (Lords, 1982) were his other 9-fors. Only the match v India was won, while the matches against NZ and the Windies were lost.

    The missing match that one would expect to find is his famous Headingley Test in 1981 where his 8-43 came after 0-72 in the 1st innings.; one of 3 Tests in which he took 8 wickets in the match.

    ---------------------------------------

    Bearder's, my own question is a curiosity. There have been cases of all 11 batsmen getting into double figures in a Test, usually in scores of 400+. However, in theory all eleven batsmen and extras can reach double figures in a total of just 120! What is the lowest team score that has featured every single batsman in double figures?

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  90. At 12:25 AM on 15 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Jimmy Chen (#82)

    Andrew Strauss has just one first class wicket in his entire career and none in one day cricket.

    Ed Joyce has bowled over 200 overs in first class cricket and has 10 wickets to his name (plus 4 more in List A limited overs matches). His best bowling figures are 2-10 in limited overs and 2-34 in a first class match. His most recent wicket was the luckless Montgonerie of Sussex, clean bowled for 82 in the Friends Provident match v Sussex on Jun 13th. His figures were 2-0-16-1.

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  91. At 12:43 AM on 15 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Simon Wise (#72):

    I remember vividly a case of something similar in a ODI in Australia in 1979. England were playing the West Indies in a tight finish and Mike Brearley caused controversy by sending (a padded and gloved) David Bairstow to the boundary to field the last ball, with the bowler the only player not ringing the boundary rope.

    This was the WSC match at Sydney on November 28th 1979, which England won by 2 runs after rain caused the West Indies target to be revised. I was listening to TMS on the radio (a real novelty to hear them broadcast ball by ball from abroad). An even greater novelty was that after England were hammered 3-0 in the Tests, they reached the WSC Final against the West Indies and gave them a tremendous fright in the first match, before finally losing 2-0 against possibly the greatest ever West Indian side.

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  92. At 12:55 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Dave K wrote:

    Bill

    With Mushtaq Ahmed having 99 first class five wicket hauls (possibly 100 by the end of today), I was wondering how many players have taken 100+ in their careers.

    Many thanks.

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  93. At 01:00 AM on 15 Jul 2007, L. Mills wrote:

    Re : Q 64 (The England ODI side against West Indies included Ryan Sidebottom (son of Arnold) and Stuart Broad (son of Chris). Has an England side (ODI or test) ever taken the field before with TWO players who were the sons of former England players?)

    I am guessing that Alec Stewart and Mark Butcher played in a test or two together

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  94. At 01:33 AM on 15 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Points 62, 66 and 78.

    Gentlemen, I hope I'm not being unfair in describing you as 'rocket finger' umpires.

    The question an umpire must answer in his own mind when evaluating an appeal is certainty.

    If the umpire is unsure whether the ball hit the bat or not, then the appeal, for lbw or caught, must be answered 'not out'.

    By the way, an umpire should, in such circumstances, ask the fielding team what they are appealing for.

    Question 51:

    No, is the answer. Everton Weekes got five hundreds in consecutive innings though, and WG Grace had a week to remember in August 1876. In first-class matches he got 344 for the MCC v Kent at Canterbury; two days later he made 177 for Gloucestershire v Notts, and two days after that 318 not out for Gloucestershire v. Yorkshire.

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  95. At 02:15 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Alasdair Green wrote:

    Five other players have scored double hundreds in consecutive tests: Sir Don Bradman, Wally Hammond, Graeme Smith, Vinod Kambli and Ricky Ponting.

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  96. At 03:00 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Cam wrote:

    Who to your mind after Bradman is the greatest batsman ever to have plyed Test cricket? Who is your no.3?

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  97. At 07:37 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Daniel Kelly wrote:

    Bill,

    If a bowler was to bowl a maiden in his first over, and then follow it up with a no-ball for instance first ball of his second over, with the opposition needing one to win, what would his figured read?

    Surely it isn't as simple as 1-1-1-0?

    Daniel Kelly

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  98. At 07:47 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Dan wrote:

    Hi Bill,

    Can you please list the amount of runs scored in International Cricket scored in sixes, along with the amount of sixes, for the England test side that started the final test against the west indies?

    Thanks A Lot

    Dan

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  99. At 08:10 AM on 15 Jul 2007, David Gratton wrote:

    Who is responsible for compiling and keeping the mass of official cricket statistics from all over the world?

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  100. At 08:45 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Michael Jones wrote:

    Answers to a few...

    Dave Haworth (5) - warning: do not use the phrase "failed to trouble the scorers" to refer to a batsman making a duck! Bearders detests it, as do I and most other scorers in existence; the fall of two or more wickets in quick succession in fact troubles the scorers greatly as half the time we haven't finished recording the details of one partnership before the next one is over. In answer to your question, I think Mark Robinson once failed to get off the mark in 18 consecutive innings, although 12 of those were not out.

    Mike Akerman (6) - Essex's total is not quite the record; in a County Championship match at the Oval in 1990, Surrey declared at 707/9 only to watch Lancashire pile up 863 in reply. The only other instance of both teams scoring over 700 in their first innings was the 1982 Ranji Trophy final, when Karnataka piled up 705 but still lost on first innings as Delhi scored 707/8.

    David Cousins (17) - the striker is out caught, since caught takes precedence over any other mode of dismissal except bowled. The order does not matter, since the ball becomes dead only when the umpire raises his finger, not when the act which leads to the appeal is accomplished; nor can the fielding captain choose what to appeal for, since in response to any appeal the umpire must consider all possible methods of dismissal.

    Philip Cowley (44) - the only other candidate which springs to mind is Alvin Kallicharran and Geoff Humpage's stand of 470 in a losing cause, but I'm not sure whether that was a county record.

    Rob Smyth (58) - couldn't give the exact number of innings but I'm fairly sure this was Derek Underwood.

    Jim (64)/Mark Foley (85) - Mark Butcher and Simon Jones played together in Tests, but never in ODIs because Butcher never played one.

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  101. At 09:40 AM on 15 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    in reply to question 82

    Andrew Strauss's only wicket in first class cricket appears to be Kevin Pietersen!

    see the 2nd Innings here

    and Ed Joyce did get a wicket in the same Innings (J.Gallien)

    somehow i feel you already knew all that!

    oh and your response to my question about run out without facing, thanks but my question was has it ever happened twice in one innings, i know it is possible (read my question again 67)

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  102. At 09:45 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Jeppe Lisdorf wrote:

    What is the term used for a player batting at number 2, who is run out without ever facing a ball? It must be some kind of duck, but what is higher than golden? Platinum?
    Has this ever happened in first-class cricket?

    -Jeppe Lisdorf,
    Aalborg, Denmark

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  103. At 11:31 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Harold Blow wrote:

    I am sorry but this is not a comment but a request.I have your Wisden book of Test Cricket volumes 1 and 2 but have never found a volume 3.Is there one and if so where can i purchase it, and if not will there ever be one.? Sorry about this but please indulge an old man

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  104. At 11:54 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Mark Taylor wrote:


    If you're run out going for a second run you are given a run, but if you are caught having already completed a run I'm told you don't. Is this true and if so why?

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  105. At 12:20 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Howard wrote:

    Oh Bearded Wonder!

    Assuming that Stuart Broad does play in the First Test against India, I was wondering how many Father and Sons have both played for their Country?

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  106. At 12:48 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Richard Long wrote:

    Which batter has scored the highest percentage of their test/ODI runs in sixes?

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  107. At 03:19 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Alex Benedyk wrote:

    Dear my good friend Bill,

    Can I ask if there are any international cricketers, past or present, that have played at every single ground in the world that is currently used for international cricket

    Thanks,

    Alex

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  108. At 03:59 PM on 15 Jul 2007, B Minton wrote:

    I know that there is a maximum width for cricket bats, but is there a maximum height, either for the blade or the handle? I have wondered ever since seeing Curtly Ambrose and Chris Broad batting,both of whom seemed to squat over the bat.

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  109. At 05:14 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Alex Newton wrote:

    for my school i played against eaton where thier wicketkeeper made six stumpings in our innings. as a wicketkeeper myself i was wondering is a keeper has ever taken 10 stumpings in an innings or has ever been involved in every wicket whilst his side was bowling in a test match.

    also what is the most amount of byes that a keeper has ever let through in a first class match or has a keeper ever not let a single bye through in a test match?

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  110. At 06:22 PM on 15 Jul 2007, andrew caseley wrote:

    what is the fastest ball bowled to actually take a wicket and who bowled it?

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  111. At 06:36 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Peter Gay wrote:

    In reply to Andrew Ward the answer is simple. If the umpire is in any doubt as to a potential dismissal then he will give NOT OUT. This will apply in this case to both options as the batsman cannot be out LBW if the umpire thinks he has hit it but equally will not be given out caught if there is a chance he did not. The implication that one way or another he must be out is not relevant as there is doubt in both cases.

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  112. At 07:22 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Arun Sharan wrote:

    What was Alan Davidson best performance against England. I consider him to be the worlds greatest medium pacer. Pity he did not play a lot of Test cricket.

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  113. At 07:47 PM on 15 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    lots of answers

    questions 85/93/105, about father and sons playing for england, here is the full list (i think)
    Fred&Maurice Tate
    Charlie&david Townsend
    Frank&George Mann
    Joe&Joe jn Hardstaff
    Jame&Jim Parks
    Leonard&Richard Hutton
    Colin&Chris Cowdrey
    Micky&Alec Stewart
    Alan&Mark Butcher
    Ryan&Arnie Sidebottom

    which makes 11...they could have a fathers vs sons game

    question 70, regarding teams scoring a run a ball all the way down, NZ managed the same feat against Canada in the 2002 world cup, I'm also pretty sure this must have happened often when chasing a small target but the Aus & NZ innings included all their recognised batters

    question 97

    for scotland against lancs in the C&G trophy last season Ian Stranger finished with figures of 1-1-6-0
    by bowling a no ball (counting as 2 in that comp.) which was struck for 4 winning the game as his opening ball of his second over

    phew....

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  114. At 07:57 PM on 15 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    sorry i should say my list of fathers and sons is for england TESTS not ODIs

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  115. At 08:26 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Hanif Lambat wrote:

    We need your assistance to sort out a little dispute that flared up last week at a match here in Malawi, Africa.

    A fielder was placed at Mid-off by the bowler who was bowling right arm over the wicket. The placement of the fielder was quite fine towards the line of the bowlers run. The batsman had previously targetted that area in previous balls. Once the fielder was put in place the batsman complained that the fielder was distracting his view of the sidescreen, yet the fielding captain was adament who should be allowed to place the fielder there especially since that particular area had been targetted by him.

    Who is given the decision in this case or does the umpire make a decision at his discretion which will be final?

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  116. At 08:26 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Peter Brent wrote:

    Hi Bill,

    What was the longest period of time from a first appearance in a test match for a player, and his second appearance and why?

    A secondary question related to that, what was the longest gap between a test player being 'dropped' and his subsequent recall? (and why?)

    Best , Peter

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  117. At 08:55 PM on 15 Jul 2007, Andrew Isaac wrote:

    Dear Bill,

    Are there any incidents over time where one of the opening batsmen have scored fifty to themselves before any one else has scored a run, or any extras have been conceded?

    Thanks
    Andrew

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  118. At 10:44 PM on 15 Jul 2007, james dowell wrote:

    Hi

    Do you know where I could find a copy of the 1744 laws of cricket on the web? The same goes for the MCC 1788 edition. Thanks

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  119. At 10:52 PM on 15 Jul 2007, jim, surrey wrote:

    Thanks to those who answered my fathers/ sons question. I really should have remembered Mark Butcher and Alec Stewart, for obvious reasons.

    This got me to thinking about brothers playing together for England. Chris and Robin Smith both played tests but I don't think they played together for England. Does anyone know who were the last brothers that did?

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  120. At 10:59 PM on 15 Jul 2007, jim, surrey wrote:

    Referring to my own recent question about brothers, does the Surrey connection coem up again? Did the Hollioakes ever play together for England, at least in a ODI?

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  121. At 12:25 AM on 16 Jul 2007, Keith O. Brown wrote:

    I love your website and gets knowledge from your answers.

    Questions: Which brothers in test cricket has been the most successful for their country? My guess is the Chappell brothers from Austraila

    Who is the most successful opening pair in test cricket (details please)

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  122. At 03:23 AM on 16 Jul 2007, Justin O'Reilly wrote:

    Hullo Bearders

    I have a sketchy recollection of the 1976 observer book of cricket noting that the record distance for a bail to fly having been hit as a batsman is bowled, is 65 yards and 4 inches. Is this correct and does this record still stand?

    Justin

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  123. At 08:28 AM on 16 Jul 2007, simon wrote:

    Bill

    if the scores are level towards the end of a match and the batting side are 9 wickets down, what happens if the last wicket falls, stumped off a wide? Has this ever happened?

    Simon

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  124. At 09:06 AM on 16 Jul 2007, Simon Corlett wrote:

    re- fathers and sons playing for England, what about Alan and Simon Jones ?

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  125. At 09:57 AM on 16 Jul 2007, Pete Golland wrote:

    Bill

    I recently went to see Essex v Notts at Chelmsford. In this match both teams scored 700 + and both wicket keepers scored double hundreds - is this a record in first class cricket?

    Pete

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  126. At 10:20 AM on 16 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Simon Corlett is partially right. Simon Jones's father was Jeff Jones and he played 15 Test Matches for England between 1964 and 1968.

    Thus, remarkably, Simon Jones's debut in 2002 against India featured three sons of former England Test players (Mark Butcher, Alec Stewart and Jones himself). This must be some sort of record?

    They played together in one other Test Match before Stewart retired (against Australia at Brisbane in November 2002).

    p.s. Until I found this out I was thinking that Stuart Broad and Ryan Sidebottom potentially playing in the same Test team was going to be a father-son record.

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  127. At 10:38 AM on 16 Jul 2007, Lingard Goulding wrote:

    I have always thought that two of the LBW criteria are mutually contradictory. Consider: a full toss hits the batsman on the front foot; it is in line with the middle-and-off stump, no problem with height. Although the umpire knows full well that the delivery is a prodigious leg-break and would, had it bounced (well short of the wicket), have deviated past the stumps towards slip, he is instructed by the law to assume that it would have gone straight on and hit the stumps. However, he does NOT think that it would have hit the stumps. Surely the most important criterion, indeed the raison d'etre, of the LBW law is that, in the umpire's opinion, the ball would have hit the stumps. How should the umpire adjudicate? One or other of the criteria must be ignored.

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  128. At 10:49 AM on 16 Jul 2007, Matthew Aylmer wrote:

    Statistically, how dangerous are the "nervous nineties" for a batsman? Do batsman more frequently get out in the 90s than in the 80s or 100s? And is there any evidence to suggest that batsman get run out more often when near three figures?

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  129. At 11:35 AM on 16 Jul 2007, stuart hardie wrote:

    Bill
    Until 1951 only 4 batsmen had been given out 'obstructed the field'. This included T Straw twice in 1899 and 1901 both for Worcestershire against Warwickshire. i have been unable to find any report in Wisden and wondered if you could tell me anything about these dismissals.
    Stuart Hardie

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  130. At 12:07 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Rick wrote:

    Yorkshire, Lancashire and now Durham, are the most northerly first class counties and on average, presumably get the worst of the weather (not-withstanding Worcestershire this year). Are there any statistics collected to show how many days per county season are lost each year due to the weather and if so, which county loses the most days of it's home matches? This would presumably make it harder to get a result and hence win the championship, as Yorkshire are finding at the moment. I live on the correct side of the Pennines and everytime I've been to a match at Old Trafford it has rained, so I'd have to suggest Lancashire.

    Thanks,
    Rick, Hull, East Yorkshire.

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  131. At 12:39 PM on 16 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    thanks to simon corlett (124), how could i forget about Simon Jones (maybe 'cos his father was so welsh i hear in my mind, but thats no excuse)

    regarding cricketing brothers (in fact all relationships) see

    i'm not sure how "complete" this list is but it seems a good start

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  132. At 12:43 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Ian Burnell wrote:

    With the advent of 4 day county cricket we have seen more wickets prepared in favour of the batsman.
    I would like to know what is the lowest number of wickets taken in a first class match of 3, 4 or 5 days that has suffered no interuptions.

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  133. At 01:13 PM on 16 Jul 2007, anthony wrote:

    If a batsman scores a double hundred, it is recorded as a single 100 in his stats. If he scores a ton in each innings, each 100 is counted separately.
    If a bowler takes 6 in one innings and 4 in the second, it is recorded as a '10-for'. Quite right. But if he bags a 5-for in each innings, it's still counted as a 10 wicket haul. If five wickets are worth a ton, why isn't the bowler credited with an extra 5-for along with the 10-for, when this is clearly better than a bog-standard tenner?

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  134. At 01:17 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Rakesh Pradhan wrote:

    Bill

    which player has been selected the most times for a test squad without actually getting a game.

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  135. At 01:59 PM on 16 Jul 2007, John Knape wrote:

    Bill

    I'm sure you must have been asked this before so forgive me and feel free to ignore me if you have already answered this.

    Are there any instances of all four possible outcomes of a Test Match being possible as the final ball was bowled?

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  136. At 02:53 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Tim Statham wrote:

    Hi Bill,

    In the early 80鈥檚 whilst playing minor cricket I took a hat-trick of catches fielding at second slip. I鈥檝e often though this may be a pretty uncommon occurrence and wondered how many other recorded instances there have been in both first class and minor cricket?

    Thanks for your help

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  137. At 03:28 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Stephen Hedges wrote:

    Stephen harmison's recent injury caused the name of andrew caddick to once again (briefly) come into the frame as a potential replacement. Since he has never played another test after his matchwinning haul in the Sydney test match I have a question. Are his figures in that match the best in the history of test cricket by a bowler in his last test?

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  138. At 03:37 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Stephen Jackson wrote:

    Bill,

    I once shared an opening stand of 42 with a colleague and was the first man out - for 42.

    What are the highest first class and test opening stands where the first man out has scored all the runs ?

    Thanks,
    Stephen

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  139. At 03:46 PM on 16 Jul 2007, David Gregory wrote:

    Since a bowler with one or two wickets at the end of a match is on a hat-trick when he comes on to bowl in his next match, has anyone ever taken a hat-trick involving taking the wicket of the same batsman more than once? And, in the sme spirit, what is the longest elapsed time a hat-trick has taken?

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  140. At 04:33 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Martin Dilleigh wrote:

    After a memorable over at the weekend that lasted for 15 balls with the 6 that counted almost taking 3 wickets I wondered what the longest over with wickets in it was?

    Also what the largest number of wickets taken in a 10+ ball over is?

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  141. At 04:36 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Neil Campbell wrote:

    Using youir best knowledge, in either test or first class cricket, what has been the longest time a player has been on the field and not touched the ball in "open" play ? I can envsiage that a bowler may be stationed at third man or long leg for a number of overs, but ( eventually ) the ball must have been played to him.

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  142. At 05:14 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Rob Forrester wrote:

    Bill,

    In the recent Notts v Essex match, both wicket keepers hit double centuries. Is this the first time it has happened in a first class game?

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  143. At 05:45 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    In response to No. 135, from John Knape;

    At Lords in 1963, England drew with the West Indies drew with England 6 runs short of their target with 1 wicket in hand, so on the last ball, all four results were definitely possible. There may be more instances, though I don't know about them.

    Interestingly enough, BOTH Tied Tests ended on the last over of play, so for a few minutes all four results were possible. however, BOTH tests ended on the second-last ball available, not the last one.

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  144. At 06:52 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Denis Matthews wrote:

    I've been hearing for years about the slope at Lord's but have never really understood what exactly is " the slope". Is the pitch itself sloped or just the ground, or both?

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  145. At 07:08 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Vijay Immanuel wrote:

    Hello Bill,

    I was looking at Tendulkar's stats, and noticed he now has 37 test hundreds and 63 first-class hundreds. Do first-class statistics include test matches? Or - unlikely as it may seem - has Tendulkar's 100th hundred last week, gone unnoticed?

    Thank you

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  146. At 07:10 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Peter wrote:

    If, as looks likely, Stuart Broad plays against the West Indies, he and his dad will be the twelfth instance of a father and son playing for England. But of the other 11 instances, how many have had different disciplines? In other words, are batsmen most likely to beget batsmen, bowlers beget bowlers, (and keepers beget keepers)?

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  147. At 08:19 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Milind Phadnis wrote:

    Hi Bill,
    Must an umpire always wait for an appeal before giving a batsman out ? For example, in a close bat and pad catch, if none of the fielders appeal but the umpire thinks the batsman nicked, will he give him out ?

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  148. At 08:54 PM on 16 Jul 2007, David Wright wrote:

    I know over the years the combination of Bob Taylor behind the stumps and Ian Botham bowling took lots of test wickets c Taylor b Botham.
    But which combination of wicketkeeper/bowler is responsible for most test match wickets taken?

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  149. At 09:28 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Jack Byrne wrote:

    Bill

    Two bizarre incidents I have noticed in recent years.
    At Derby, Sun stops play. At Lords in the MCC match against the County Champions (I think it may have been last season), Snow stopped play. What is the most bizarre reason for a stoppage in play from your knowledge?!

    Jack Byrne

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  150. At 09:45 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Henry Ashman wrote:

    Hi Bill

    Could you tell me the most common dismissal with the same bowler (and fielder in catches) in test cricket e.g. ct. Gilchrist b. McGrath, LBW Panesar, or b. Lillee.

    I'm guessing it would be a bowler/keeper combination, though i'm not sure

    Hope you can solve this one for me
    Henry

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  151. At 09:58 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Brendan wrote:

    Can you please help me clarify something? While I was being being called through for a run from the non-strikers end, the fielder at backward square leg threw the ball to the keeper, whose foot dislodged one of the bails. The keeper then took off the other bail with the ball in his gloves and I was given out (I was definitely short of my ground). Am I right in saying the umpire was incorrect? Once one bail is gone, does the keeper need to start taking stumps out of the ground? Or is he ok just removing the other bail? Anybody else who knows this either, your help would be much appreciated!

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  152. At 10:02 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Answers to 148 and 150

    For Test matches,

    The most common combination is ct. Marsh b. Lillee (95 times).
    The highest combination still currently playing is
    ct. Boucher b. Pollock (79)

    But the most common scorecard result is simply
    b. Muralitharan - 153 times in all.

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  153. At 10:09 PM on 16 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    reply to 148

    the most successful Bowler/Keeper combination in tests was Lilee/Marsh, with 95 dismissals (Botham/Taylor 60)

    all the others are here

    reply to 139

    hattricks do NOT carry across matches, only within the same match so the max possible wait would be less than 5 days

    reply to 147

    an appeal is always needed, even in clean bowled, although no batsman waits for this one

    see law 27

    reply to 137

    i don't know if this is THE best but it is certainly better than Caddick's 7 for 94

    Hugh Trumble took 7 for 28 (off 6.5 overs) against england in his last test for aus in 1904

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  154. At 10:26 PM on 16 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    in reply to 150

    the figures are

    Murali 158 bowled

    Warne 418 caught (of which 324 by fielders other than 'keeper, sorry don't know the most common fielder)

    Murali 30 caught and bowled

    lillee 95 caught by marsh as keeper (most by bwl/fielder combo)

    Kumble 138 lbw

    Murali 37 stumped

    and finally, and rather few, Mckenzie 4 ...well what could that be? a teaser for you

    so the answer is Murali bowled, followed (as next bowled is warne with 116) by Kumble lbw

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  155. At 10:32 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Ben Goldenberg wrote:

    Bill,

    If a batsman comes in to bat and faces his 1st ball and the 6th ball of an over and gets nothing off it and then gets run out next over without facing another ball, he would be out for 0 off 1 ball. Would this technically still be a "golden duck" as he is out for 0 off 1 although he has faced out his 1st ball without incident? any insights?

    Ben, Woking

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  156. At 10:35 PM on 16 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    sorry in my last post that should read

    murali bowled 153 .. not 158, i'm anticipating

    but it is still the most common dismissal

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  157. At 10:55 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Alan Cole wrote:

    Re question 108 Law 6 gives maximum overall length for the bat as 38" as well as defining maximum width as 4.25". It also states it shall be made of wood, (following Dennis Lillee's use of an aluminium bat in the late 1970's?)

    As for question 151 you were correctly given out, Law 28.2 deals with putting down the wicket as follows "If one bail is off, it shall be sufficient for the purpose of putting the wicket down to remove the remaining bail, or to strike or pull any of the three stumps out of the ground".

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  158. At 11:11 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Tim Mansfield wrote:

    About 10 years ago I was flummoxed by an umpiring decision in a county match between Lancashire and Surrey at Southport. Fielding on the boundary Stephen Titchard took a catch but aware that his momentum would take him over the boundary threw the ball into the air and another Lancashire fielder caught the ball. The Surrey pair (one of whom was Brendan Julien) had completed a single. From my perspective the umpires had two options - six or out. For some reason after much deliberation they signalled TWO to the scorers and the game resumed. Julien proceeded to hit a number of sixes and was greeted each time from the crowd by the call of TWO from the wags. I have never been able to find anyone to explain what happened, can you?

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  159. At 11:30 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Will wrote:

    If a batsman was to trip while making a run and knocked his wickets, would this be counted as hit wickets?

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  160. At 11:30 PM on 16 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Further answers to 150 (adding information to 152 and 154).

    Mark Taylor has 51 catches off Warne's bowling, but the most common non-wicketkeeper pair is ct, DPMD Jayawardene bowled Muralitharan


    PS to PortoIan : McKenzie has 4 hit-wicket dismissals :-). Nice find.

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  161. At 05:54 AM on 17 Jul 2007, suneel wrote:

    i heard that sachin tendulkar is the highest run getter oversea, in test match cricket.
    could you please confirm that

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  162. At 09:54 AM on 17 Jul 2007, Dave irving wrote:

    In response to Marc of Oxford, I don't know about first class/minor counties etc, but I once opened the batting in a match where I was last man out, having scored zero in a total of 52 all out. I batted for over an hour and a quarter for this and must have played and missed at more than every other ball.

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  163. At 09:56 AM on 17 Jul 2007, peter bromley wrote:

    Hi Bill,

    I was a rather successful amateur cricketer, played for Manchester and Cambidge 11's. I could ball RA off breaks, and medium pace out and in swingers, and left hand slow, all with considerable success. My best return was 6 wickets for 3 runs in 11 overs.

    How many players in first class cricket have bowled both RA and LA in an innings and taken wickets with both?

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  164. At 10:02 AM on 17 Jul 2007, Sandeep Deepak wrote:

    Congradulations on the new slot!

    I remember years ago when Courtney Walsh was bowling his last over, a commentator had roughly worked out how many miles he had 'run up' to bowl in test match cricket.
    My question is this, as it is hard to calculate a bowlers run up. Which batsmen has run the furthest between the wickets (so excluding boundarys). If possible Including Test Matches ODIs etc.

    Regards

    Sandeep

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  165. At 10:33 AM on 17 Jul 2007, Grant wrote:

    Bill,

    In one day games what is the most amount of overs bowled before the batting team have scored a run?
    I only ask as we played a game this weekend and the other teams took 4 overs to score a run and it got us thinking.

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  166. At 10:40 AM on 17 Jul 2007, Dan Roberts wrote:

    Bill,

    After Sri Lanka beating Bangladesh by an innings in each of their test matches in the recent series, can you advise as to if this has ever happend before.
    i.e. has a team won by over an innings in each of the test matches they played within a series

    Many thanks

    Dan

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  167. At 10:47 AM on 17 Jul 2007, Mustafa Tahseen wrote:

    As an ex cricketer and avid radio commentary listner and folower of TV coverage of cricket I have been tremendously impressed with Bill Frindle's knowledge of cricket and the information at his fingertips is most impressive. I hope there are others half as good as him to take over should he choose to retiire. Computer data bases will obviously be there but an icon like Mr.Frindle would be hard to replace. Long may he continue to be the encylopedic source in the world of ccricket.

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  168. At 11:00 AM on 17 Jul 2007, Sanjay Mazumder wrote:

    Just to add to item 10, Ravi Shastri also scored six 6's in an over.

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  169. At 11:10 AM on 17 Jul 2007, Sanjay Mazumder wrote:

    In response to Andrew (no. 27) the answer is no. You can no longer be "Mankaded". The umpire will simply warn the batsman as it is not in the spirit of the game.

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  170. At 11:31 AM on 17 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Following-on from Mike Akerman and Jeremy Freeman in the Essex vs Notts match where records tumbled and I was a fortunate spectator for the first three days, four batsman reached their centuries with sixes (in order: Foster, Wagh, Patel and Read). Has this ever occurred before in a first class match??

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  171. At 12:34 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Ian Russell wrote:

    Bill,

    Whilst playing in a recent 5 overs a side tournament the batting side needed one more run to win. The bowler bowled a no ball (giving them the required run) but the batsman hit the ball back to the bowler who deflected it on to the wicket, where the non facing batsman was out of his ground. Is this batsman declared run out for the record, or is the game effectively over once the no ball was called and the required target met?

    thanks

    ian.

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  172. At 12:56 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Mike Chester wrote:

    There have been only four occasions in all forms of First-Class cricket where a batsman has been given out Timed Out. These are: A Jordaan - Eastern Province v Transvaal at Port Elizabeth in 1987-88, H Yadav - Tripura v Orissa at Cuttack in 1997-98, VC Drakes - Border v Free State at East London in 2002 and AJ Harris - Nottinghamshire v Durham UCCE at Nottingham in 2003

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  173. At 12:57 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Ian Sullivan wrote:

    Who is the king of the starters?? which bowler has taken the most wickets in their very first over of a test match?

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  174. At 01:08 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Raza wrote:

    Bill

    Is Muhammad Yousaf is the only batsman in the history of the game who got more than 900 points in ICC ranking system for test batsman and still never become highetst rank test batsman ?

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  175. At 01:15 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Garreth Duncan wrote:

    Bill

    I was watching the archive of Graham Gooch's 333 and saw he was dropped by Kiran More on 36. Is this the most expensive dropped catch in Test history?

    Garreth

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  176. At 01:52 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Yamunan Kannan wrote:

    Can a bowler start an over as a right arm bowler and also switch to bowling left arm in the midst of a innings / over?

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  177. At 02:04 PM on 17 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    Sorry not a question or answer just a comment

    Would not this board be better as a forum? With different "threads", for example "bowling", "laws", etc.. and answers to the questions kept with the questions

    i've noticed a lot of repeated (or very similar) questions and even some repeated answers (me being guilty once)

    if anyone knows how to contact the owner (Lewis Wiltshire?) please let me know...i really can't believe The Bearded Wonder is going to read all this just to find unanswered questions he can answer

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  178. At 02:38 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Duncan Thomson wrote:

    Hi Bill/Anyone,

    It always seems to me that batsmen don't score many when tey have to have a runner (with Marus Trescothick's recent exception). So my question is, What is the most number of runs anyone has scored with a runner at the crease with him?

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  179. At 04:22 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Matt Coles wrote:

    Dear Bill,

    Has there ever been a designated Test match wicket keeper (selected as a Wicket Keeper) who has failed to be involved in a dismissal - Caught at the Wicket, Stumped or Run Out?

    Thank you in advance,

    Matt Coles

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  180. At 05:42 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Tim Statham wrote:

    In reply to 34. I believe it was Jonners at the 1976 Headingley Test match. Peter Willey was subsequently involved in a piece of commentary almost as famous: Lillee caught Willey bowled Dilley, Perth 1979.

    As an addendum to 149, Snow stopped play in a CCC match at Buxton on 2 June 1975 where Derbyshire were playing Lancashire. The remainder of that summer was pretty special I recall apart from, that is, the pitch being dug up at Headingley Test match.

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  181. At 06:40 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Phillip Cowley wrote:

    Many thanks to Michael Jones (no 100)for his answer re my question regarding record stands in losing causes,the 470 by Humpage and Kallichiran is indeed a county record by 5 runs and was in a losing cause,the only thing that maybe Glamorgan are still unique is that Dale and Richards were not out and Humpage was,there's a tester for you Mike,thanks,hope your Welsh,if your not you should be.

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  182. At 09:40 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    In response to 171, Ian Russell;

    The second option you suggested is correct.

    Law 24.12 says that the one run is added instantly on the call of the no ball.

    Law 21.6a says that as soon as a result is reached, the match is at an end. Nothing that happens thereafter (with some exceptions for scoring errors and penalty runs) will count as part of it.

    So, for the record the non-striker is not out as the match had been won (and hence over) the instant the no-ball was declared.

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  183. At 10:12 PM on 17 Jul 2007, John Edwards wrote:

    Re: Post #171

    Whilst playing in a recent 5 overs a side tournament the batting side needed one more run to win. The bowler bowled a no ball (giving them the required run) but the batsman hit the ball back to the bowler who deflected it on to the wicket, where the non facing batsman was out of his ground. Is this batsman declared run out for the record, or is the game effectively over once the no ball was called and the required target met?

    Once calling "No Ball", the next word out of the umpire's mouth should be "Time", as the game is over. The non-facing batsman would be not out.

    This is also the answer to the question in post #128 (scores tied with 9 down, batsman stumped off a wide). The wide ends the game, so the stumping didn't happen.

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  184. At 10:38 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Milind Phadnis wrote:

    In response to #149 and #180, I recall a sandstorm temporarily halting play in Sharjah in a match involving India, although I don't recall who the other team was. May have been Pakistan or Australia.

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  185. At 11:39 PM on 17 Jul 2007, Joe wrote:

    Do women cricketers wear a jock strap and a box?

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  186. At 08:17 AM on 18 Jul 2007, William B wrote:

    Apparantly my grandmother kept wicket for her school team - the boys' team. What is the most senior level at which a mixed cricket team has played that was not in designated mixed events?

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  187. At 10:38 AM on 18 Jul 2007, Kemlo wrote:

    Regarding the question about the number of sixes hit by Don Bradman, should you not point out that the rule for sixes in his day was different from now?

    I don't know what actual rule was in effect exactly, but I believe you had to strike the ball out over the fence on the full to get a six. Sometimes, you'd only get a sixwhen you hit it out of the ground entirely.

    Compare it to today's rule, when you only need to hit it over the rope. I remeber seeing shots at the MCG going over the rope, which was brought in twenty metres before the fence, which in the old days would have been fielded on the boundary and only brought two runs.

    Does that not make the sixes hit by players in the past more impressive?

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  188. At 11:39 AM on 18 Jul 2007, Luke Gasper wrote:

    Which player has scored test centuries at the most test match venues?

    Luke

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  189. At 12:02 PM on 18 Jul 2007, wrote:

    In reply to Kemlo (#187), Law 19.2(d) allows the umpires and captains to agree what consitutes the boundary as they see fit. On a number of small grounds that I have played on this has meant that a six is not scored unless the ball clears the fence on the full. It's a local issue, decided for a given match by the umpires and captains.

    Whether the average playing area of a Test Match ground has decreased since the Don's time is another issue - I seem to remember the full playing surface being used at a number of grounds that now usually have boundary ropes well inside the fence.

    You may be right in saying that maximums were harder to come by in the Don's era, but that doesn't mean that the Law has changed.

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  190. At 12:22 PM on 18 Jul 2007, David Anelli wrote:

    In the recent Notts v Essex match both Chris Read and James Foster made double centuries. Have opposing wicketkeepers both made double centuries in a first class match before?

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  191. At 12:22 PM on 18 Jul 2007, Den Parratt wrote:

    Dear Mr Frindall,

    When and why did the touring England team cease to be known as the MCC?

    Yours Den Parratt (Glos)

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  192. At 04:31 PM on 18 Jul 2007, Jon Kaye wrote:

    Hi Bill,
    I was wondering if you knew of the greatest number of changes that has been made to a test team for consecutive matches.

    In 1988, England made SEVEN changes to the team that had been defeated heavily by the West Indies in the third Test at Old Trafford. For the fourth test at Headingley, the captain and wicket-keeper were changed and the team was so heavily packed with batsmen that only three specialist bowlers were selected (GR Dilley, NA Foster and DR Pringle)!

    I would be grateful of any reponse and would be interested to know of any occasion when less than three specialist bowlers were selected.

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  193. At 05:15 PM on 18 Jul 2007, Phillip Spode wrote:

    Hi Bill.
    Can a fielding team have any one of its players wear the keeping gloves, for example could the keeper go bare handed and say the first slip wear the gloves? or are the gloves only allowed to be worn by the fielder in the wicket keeping position?

    Cheers

    Phil

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  194. At 05:15 PM on 18 Jul 2007, Derek Fey wrote:

    Last week Foster(Essex) & Read(Notts) both wicket-keepers both scored double centuries in the same match.
    I've watched cricket & reports since 1945 and I can't recall this happening before in England.
    It may have happened abroad.
    Was it a record ?

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  195. At 07:15 PM on 18 Jul 2007, Steve Mounfield wrote:

    Re Andrew Ward's query (12)

    Umpires are never 'not sure'.

    If the umpire believes there was bat first (as you indicate) he cannot be LBW.

    Thereafter, provided the ball does not touch the ground before being held by the fielder, he is out caught.

    Steve

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  196. At 09:12 PM on 18 Jul 2007, Joss wrote:

    Just to say, in reply to earlier question, Alistair Cook has never hit a six on england duty, although i dont know about first class!

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  197. At 12:04 AM on 19 Jul 2007, Alan Cole wrote:

    Re question 193 Law 40 is quite explicit that the wicket keeper is the only member of the fielding team allowed to wear gloves and 'external leg guards'. Any fielder may of course opt to wear a helmet and any items of protective equipment, (box, shin pads etc.) which fit under their cricket clothing.

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  198. At 02:55 AM on 19 Jul 2007, Dub wrote:

    Bill

    If a team batting second need 1 run to win off one ball and one wicket remaining, score the first run and for some reason decide to run for a second but get run out, how will their victory be recorded in the books?

    I tried this in a computer game, and the final result said:

    AUSTRALIA 249/10

    ENGLAND 250/10

    ENGLAND WIN BY 0 WICKETS.

    I'm guessing there is some protocol for this happening in real life, so what would the official records say?

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  199. At 04:10 AM on 19 Jul 2007, wrote:

    I am eagrly waiting for Match in between England VS India.

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  200. At 08:13 AM on 19 Jul 2007, Rupert wrote:

    Hello Bill.
    Often after taking a catch a fielder will throw the ball high in the air as team mates gather to congratulate. Has there ever been an incident when a player, umpire or spectator has been hit by the falling ball?
    Cheers
    Rupert

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  201. At 09:34 AM on 19 Jul 2007, Alex Banks wrote:

    Bill,

    I was wondering how many batsman have managed to score a century on the first morning of a test match. I know that Victor Trumper was the first, but how many players have managed this feat since?

    Thanks

    Alex

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  202. At 10:17 AM on 19 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    In reply to 201

    there have only been 4 instances in Tests of a batsman scoring 100 before lunch on the 1st day, several have scored 100 in the first session on other days

    the four were

    103* VT Trumper Aus v Eng Manchester 1902
    112* CG Macartney Aus v Eng Leeds 1926
    105* DG Bradman Aus v Eng Leeds 1930
    108* Majid Khan Pak v NZ Karachi 1976-77

    for a full list of all batsman achieving this on any day see

    btw i still think all this would be better in a Forum, with Threads for each subject, keeping all answers and questions together, and avoiding too much repetition

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  203. At 11:26 AM on 19 Jul 2007, dave woodall wrote:

    To no 23. Graham Bartram

    I also suffered the same fate once only to be told afterwards by the umpire that my cap was infront of the stumps.

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  204. At 12:02 PM on 19 Jul 2007, Paul Turner wrote:

    As a schoolboy wicketkeeper, I once took a hat trick of stumpings - has this ever been achieved at test or county level.

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  205. At 12:50 PM on 19 Jul 2007, Peter Bolt wrote:

    Seeing your stat concerning Hedley Verity, kia in WWII, whilst not strictly a cricket stat, do we know how many first class cricketers were killed in WWI & 2 ?

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  206. At 12:54 PM on 19 Jul 2007, Phillip Spode wrote:

    Hi Bill

    In a recent match while playing for my university, one of our bowlers bowled 4 no balls in a row. it turns out that the umpire kept calling no ball due to the bowler not declaring his action to the umpire. Is this rule correct and has it ever happened in a first class match?


    Cheers

    Phil

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  207. At 01:17 PM on 19 Jul 2007, Martin Hodgson wrote:

    If someone were to be given out 'obstructing the field'. Would their wicket be marked down as the bowlers? or in a similar vein to RUN OUTs. Any light you could shed would be much appreciated.

    Martin

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  208. At 01:17 PM on 19 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Playing for Sutton 3rd XI 2 weeks ago, Lee Betteridge took 10 for 21 v Caterham CC 3rd XI(8 bowled and 2 caught behind.
    Some years ago, playing in Birmingham, his father took 10 for 22.

    Has a father and son taken 10 wickets before?

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  209. At 02:03 PM on 19 Jul 2007, Murdo wrote:

    Hi Bill - Much has been made of the Lord's honours board and, as noted by Alec Stewart in his blog, two of the best batsman of the modern age (Tendulkar and Lara) are not there. Just out of interest then,are there any batsmen whose only test centuries were achieved at Lord's? Many thanks

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  210. At 02:16 PM on 19 Jul 2007, Sandeep Deepak wrote:

    So Many question flying in I thought I'd ask a second.

    How many times has Extras been top scorer in an innings, Whats the highest score it has ever achieved and has it ever been the highest score in the match?

    Im sure it must be a team from the Subcontinent with the highest.

    Cheers

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  211. At 03:26 PM on 19 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    in reply to 206

    in can only be a no ball if the bowler changes in the middle of the over, from over to round the wicket for example, at the start of the over
    the laws quite clearly state that it is up to the umpire to enquire about the bowlers action, not wait for the bowler to give it

    see law 24

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  212. At 05:07 PM on 19 Jul 2007, Jon Mason wrote:

    Probably not an easy thing to research, but what's the highest number of initials you've been aware of a player having? I just noticed UWMBCA Welegedara playing for Sri Lanka A, and his 6 (7 including surname) beats WPUJC Vaas, who had the most I'd previously seen, although I imagne there are many others with 5. Sri Lankans seem particularly partial to excesses in the name department!

    Cheers,

    Jon

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  213. At 07:56 PM on 19 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    in reply to 207

    obstructing the field is never credited to the bowler

    see law 37

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  214. At 12:43 PM on 20 Jul 2007, Richard Price wrote:

    Did Godfrey Evans, probably England's best keeper ever, really go through a complete Oz tour without conceding a bye? I think a few leg-byes wides etc did get past him ....

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  215. At 04:02 PM on 20 Jul 2007, Greg Smith wrote:

    Hi Bill,

    Could you please advise how many schools have produced two or more England or MCC captains? My old Grammar School supplied Tony Lewis and C.F.Walters, are there any other Welsh schools that have had two?

    Many thanks,
    Greg

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  216. At 04:03 PM on 20 Jul 2007, kissoon lall wrote:

    Is Tremlett, who is taking part in the Test against India at Lords, related to M Tremlett who I was previleged to see at Bourda,Georgetown,British Guiana, in March 1948 with Gubby Allen's Team

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  217. At 04:09 PM on 20 Jul 2007, Niall Sullivan wrote:

    Reply to posting 198

    Dear Dub

    The correct score for the theoretical innings mentioned is: England 250/9 England win by one wicket. The game finishes with the first winning run. The second run wouldn't score anyway, and you can't be run out when the game has already finished. The only time extra runs count when one is needed to win is when the batsman scores a boundary; or when the ball finds the boundary for 4 byes; legbyes etc.

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  218. At 04:21 PM on 20 Jul 2007, Niall Sullivan wrote:

    Re: Andrew (posting 12) and reply by Mark (15)

    Andrew said in his scenario that the umpire was unsure if the bat had made contact with the ball. In that case he must give the batsman the benefit of the doubt and he cannot be out caught. In fact if he's not sure whether the bat made contact before hitting the pad, he can't give him out LBW either, again because the batsman gets the benefit of the doubt. So the decision would have to be not out, even though it is clear he ought to have been out by one or other method.Obviously in top-class cricket, the video umpire may be able to assist in sorting out what actually happened.

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  219. At 04:25 PM on 20 Jul 2007, Jeremy D wrote:

    Hi Bearders

    As there will no doubt be plenty of time spent watching the rain in the coming days, here is one I thought up to keep your nose in your Wisdens.

    When was the last time that an England XI took the field with eleven players, all representing different first-class counties ? Who were the players, and which were the counties ?

    Good hunting

    J

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  220. At 04:27 PM on 20 Jul 2007, mary wrote:

    hi bill , i 'm so sorry your all mates were in hurry to day i think prior not well prepaid to face international bowling he did only good aginst westindies it not mean he is more better i think englan shuld dig up some profestional bats man come wiket keeper like halik sterit in lord never any team lost 6 wickets in 30 scores if they got great start of 250 plus in 2nd innings you guys shuld bate with patience not in hurry

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  221. At 06:06 PM on 20 Jul 2007, Richard Tarleton wrote:

    Had Broad been selected ahead of Tremlett then England would have fielded a team of eleven players from eleven different counties. I've been following Test Match cricket since 1955 and I can't remember this happening. Can you confirm this?

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  222. At 06:43 PM on 20 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Reply to 216, kissoon lall

    Yes, they are grandfather and grandson.

    Charles Tremlett (current player, is the son of Tim Tremlett, the former Hampshire seamer and current coach, and the grandson of Maurice, who played for Somerset and England in the 1940s and 50s.

    Maurice Tremlett played three tests for England in the West Indies, including the one in Georgetown in March 1948.

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  223. At 06:51 PM on 20 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Reply to 216, kissoon lall

    Yes, they are grandfather and grandson.

    Charles Tremlett (current player, is the son of Tim Tremlett, the former Hampshire seamer and current coach, and the grandson of Maurice, who played for Somerset and England in the 1940s and 50s.

    Maurice Tremlett played three tests for England in the West Indies, including the one in Georgetown in March 1948.

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  224. At 02:44 PM on 21 Jul 2007, Jim Longworth wrote:

    Hello Bill,
    I have a jpg picture of a game in the sub-continent (I think) in which every fielder, apart from bowler and keeper, is in the slips!
    There is a Rothmans billboard in the background.
    Remarkably, the bowler appears to be spearing the ball down the leg-side!
    Is there a way in which I can send you the picture, and you and your TMS colleagues can enjoy and inform us where - when - who?
    ATB and thanks for sharing all your knowledge,
    Jim

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  225. At 03:53 PM on 21 Jul 2007, Graham Rowley wrote:

    In response to Jon (212) I can go one better. Also Sri Lankan, there is MMBRSTC Wanigaratne. Don,t ask me to write his full name, there is not enough room.

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  226. At 03:53 PM on 21 Jul 2007, Paul Branley-Jones wrote:

    Bill

    If 'Extras' were an player, what would his stats be?

    PBJ

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  227. At 06:24 PM on 21 Jul 2007, Calum Birch wrote:

    How many times has the fourth innings in a test match been the highest scoreing innings

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  228. At 06:50 PM on 21 Jul 2007, Michael Jones wrote:

    Taking a deep breath, here goes with some more answers...

    Harold Blow (103) - Bearders's Wisden Book of Test Cricket volume 3, covering the period 1996-2000, does indeed exist (published in 2000). Amazon lists it as out of stock so your best bet is probably scouring second-hand cricket booksellers.

    Mark Taylor (104) - if a batsman is out caught, any runs completed before the catch was taken are indeed disallowed; don't know if there's any particular reason for this though.

    Richard Long (106) - the highest proportion in Tests is that of Michael Holding, who hit 36 sixes (216 runs), 23.74% of his total of 910; the ODI record is held by Shahid Afridi, with 27.08% - 229 sixes (1374 runs) out of a total of 5072 runs.

    Alex Benedyk (107) - the best I can find are Bobby Abel, Johnny Briggs and George Ulyett, who played Tests at Lord's, the Oval, Old Trafford, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town at a time when they were the only grounds to have staged them (Briggs also played at Headingley, and Abel in the only Test ever to take place at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, but neither played at Edgbaston, Trent Bridge or Johannesburg which had also staged Tests by then). Without actually having checked, I鈥檓 almost certain that no current player has achieved it, because each country has so many Test grounds these days that to do so would require at least two or three tours to each to play at every ground, and very few players have toured every other country even once.

    Alex Newton (109) 鈥 no wicketkeeper has ever made ten stumpings in an innings in a Test or first-class match; the respective records are five (by Kiran More for India vs West Indies at Madras in 1987-88) and six (by Hugo Yarnold for Worcestershire vs Scotland, can鈥檛 remember the exact date and venue鈥 sometime in the 1950s I think). No keeper has had his name on the scorecard (ie caught/stumped) for every dismissal in a completed innings - the Test record is seven, made on four separate occasions, and the first-class record nine by Wayne James in a domestic match in Zimbabwe; it鈥檚 possible that someone may have caught/stumped, say, seven or eight in an innings and had a hand in running out the rest, but as the fielders involved in run-outs are not usually recorded it would be impossible to establish this for certain. I think the record for most byes in a first-class innings is 48 鈥 again, can鈥檛 remember the details but I seem to recall this was because the regular keeper was ill/injured and the replacement was someone who鈥檇 never done it before. There have been many instances of a keeper conceding no byes in a Test innings; the highest total in such an innings is Sri Lanka鈥檚 713/3 declared vs Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in 2004, when Tatenda Taibu was the keeper. The first-class record is 746/9 declared by Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire in 2002, with Jack Russell behind the stumps. In West Indies鈥 751/5 declared against England at St. John鈥檚 in 2003-04, which included Brian Lara鈥檚 world record 400*, Geraint Jones (no relation) conceded only four byes, which didn鈥檛 come until the score had reached 730 and Jones had been keeping for more than two days 鈥 and on his Test debut too. There have even been a few occasions on which neither keeper conceded a bye in the match; the highest aggregate involved was 1,299 in West Indies vs New Zealand at St. John鈥檚 in 1995-96, with Courtney Browne and Lee Germon the keepers.

    Arun Sharan (112) 鈥 Alan Davidson鈥檚 best performance against England with the bat was 77* at Old Trafford in 1961, and with the ball 6/64 at Melbourne in a performance spread over two years: he took three wickets on New Year鈥檚 Eve 1958 and three more on New Year鈥檚 Day 1959.

    Peter Brent (116) 鈥 the longest gap between two Test matches was 22 years 222 days, by John Traicos, because the last Test of South Africa鈥檚 series against Australia in 1969-70 was their last before being banned from Test cricket, and his next appearance (vs India at Harare in 1992) was Zimbabwe鈥檚 first ever Test. The longest gap in terms of most matches played by his country (assuming that, unlike in Traicos鈥檚 case, the two appearances in question were for the same country) was the 117 (I think 鈥 not absolutely sure of the exact number) played by England between Martin Bicknell鈥檚 first two appearances, against Australia in 1993 and his next (and last) two, against South Africa in 2003 鈥 you鈥檇 have to ask the selectors for the reason behind that one! The longest gap between a player鈥檚 first and second Tests which I can think of offhand is Ryan Sidebottom鈥檚 six years and five days, but I鈥檇 expect that there have been some longer than that.

    Andrew Isaac (117) 鈥 Andrew Ward鈥檚 book 鈥淐ricket鈥檚 Strangest Matches鈥 records a club match in which the side batting second, chasing 49 to win, got them without losing a wicket and with one batsman, Alma Hunt, scoring all of them; I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 been anything similar in first-class cricket.

    Keith Brown (121) 鈥 the most successful Test-playing brothers were probably Steve and Mark Waugh, with 18,956 runs between them. For some reason the vast majority of the sets of brothers to have played Tests were batsmen; the most successful bowling brothers were Richard and Dayle Hadlee (431 and 71 wickets respectively). Shane Lee took 48 wickets in ODIs but, unlike his brother Brett, never played a Test. Can鈥檛 find the exact statistics for this, but I think in terms of most runs added together, the best opening partnership was Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer, but in terms of highest average partnership it was Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe.

    Pete Golland (125)/Rob Forrester (142)/David Anelli (190)/Derek Fey (193) 鈥 there have been two previous instances in first-class matches of both sides scoring over 700, see my previous post (100) for the details. Both keepers scoring double centuries is a unique occurrence in FC cricket.

    Ian Burnell (132) 鈥 I haven鈥檛 fully checked, but the fewest I can find over three days is 7, by Cambridge University (594/4 dec.) and the West Indians (730/3) at Fenner鈥檚 on 17th-19th May 1950, and over five 14, by India (537/8 dec.) and Sri Lanka (952/6) at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 2nd-6th August 1997.

    Anthony (133) 鈥 if a bowler takes five (or more) wickets in each innings it goes down in his career record as two hauls of five wickets in an innings AND one of ten in a match.

    Tim Statham (136)/Paul Turner (204) 鈥 there have been a few instances of a hat-trick of catches in a first-class match, all by wicket-keepers; Jack Russell is unique in taking one spread across two overs (from Courtney Walsh and David Lawrence). William Brain, for Gloucestershire vs Somerset in 1893, is the only keeper to achieve a hat-trick of stumpings (off Charlie Townsend).

    David Gregory (139) 鈥 to count as a hat-trick the three wickets must be taken in the same match 鈥 but not necessarily in the same innings, so it would be possible for the same batsman to be involved twice and I鈥檝e a vague recollection that this did actually happen in a FC match once, when the follow-on was enforced and, to save time, the batting captain sportingly agreed to let the two batsmen already in the middle open the second innings; not absolutely sure of that though.

    Vijay Immanuel (145) 鈥 statistics for first-class matches do indeed include those for Tests, so Tendulkar still has some way to go for his hundredth hundred.

    Peter (146) 鈥 Charlie Townsend was an all-rounder and his son David an opening batsman; Jim Parks senior an all-rounder and Jim junior a keeper; Len Hutton an opener and Richard an all-rounder; Chris Cowdrey also theoretically an all-rounder, although four Test wickets at an average of 77 didn鈥檛 show it; Micky Stewart spent his entire career as a specialist batsman, while Alec started off that way but ended up keeping wicket; of the others, both Hardstaffs, Manns, and Butchers were batsmen, and both Tates, Joneses and Sidebottoms bowlers.

    Ben Goldenberg (155) 鈥 no, this wouldn鈥檛 count as a golden duck.

    Will (159) 鈥 no, a batsman is only out hit wicket if some part of his person or equipment breaks the wicket in the act of playing the ball or the immediate follow-through.

    Garreth Duncan (175) 鈥 as far as I can see the record for the most expensive dropped catch is held by Saeed Anwar, who, in the Australia vs Pakistan match at Peshawar in 1998-99, dropped Mark Taylor on 18, after which he added a further 316. There are two instances of more expensive misses: in the course of his innings of 364, Bert Oldfield missed a stumping chance off Len Hutton when he had made only 40, and in Mahela Jayawardene鈥檚 374, Andre Nel missed a chance to run him out before he had scored. The first-class record goes to Durham keeper Chris Scott, who dropped Brian Lara when he had made just 18 of his eventual 501*; legend has it that Scott turned to the slip fielder and remarked 鈥淚 suppose he鈥檒l go and get a hundred now.鈥.

    Yamunan Kannan (176) 鈥 yes, this would be permitted as long as he first informed the umpire of his intended change of action (the same rule as for changing from over to round the wicket or vice versa 鈥 failure to do so would result in a call of no-ball).

    Duncan Thomson (178) 鈥 in the same match as the Humpage-Kallicharran partnership of 470 mentioned earlier, Graeme Fowler made a century in each innings, batting with a runner (Ian Foley) throughout; one of the Warwickshire fielders recognised Foley鈥檚 part in the achievement by shaking his hand when the second century was reached.

    Matt Coles (179) 鈥 under the laws of cricket, only the wicket-keeper may make a stumping; if any other fielder breaks the wicket with the batsman out of his ground, the dismissal is recorded as run out, even if the batsman was not attempting to run 鈥 the most famous example of this was probably when Roger Harper not only stopped a straight drive from Graham Gooch which had looked like a certain four, but fired it straight back past him to effect a dismissal which someone suggested should have been recorded as 鈥渟tumped and bowled Harper鈥. 鈥淐aught at the wicket鈥 is generally taken to mean a catch by the wicket-keeper, although it could possibly be used as a description of a batsman hitting the ball straight up in the air to be caught by, say, silly mid-off within a yard or two of the stumps. There have been plenty of instances when the keeper was not involved in a run-out, either because it was at the bowler鈥檚 end or because a fielder hit the stumps directly (Gary Pratt鈥檚 dismissal of Ricky Ponting for one example, although there are countless others).

    Philip Cowley (181) 鈥 you鈥檙e welcome, and as far as I know Dale and Richards鈥檚 partnership is indeed the highest unbroken one in a losing cause. And I鈥檓 partly Welsh: I was born in England but most of my family hail from west of the border.

    Luke Gasper (188) 鈥 not certain of this but my best guess would be Sachin Tendulkar.

    Jon Kaye (192) 鈥 for the one-off Test against West Indies at Bridgetown in 1991-92 South Africa made 11 changes from their previous match, although that had rather a lot to do with the fact that it was 22 years earlier; England also once played two Tests simultaneously 鈥 vs New Zealand, starting on 10th January 1930, and West Indies starting on the following day - so if these were counted as consecutive they would provide another example of a whole team being changed.

    Sandeep Deepak (210) 鈥 the first-class record for most extra in an innings is 99, and this did indeed come on the subcontinent (a domestic match in Pakistan sometime in the 1990s I think 鈥 not sure exactly), although a close second came in a County Championship match between Northamptonshire and Essex. It wasn鈥檛 the highest score on that occasion as David Sales made 303, but it probably has been sometime.

    Jon Mason (212) 鈥 I think the record here is held by another Sri Lankan player, Amunugama Rajapakse Rajakaruna Abeykoon Panditha Wasalamudiyanse Ralahamilage Rajitha Krishantha Bandara Amunugama (known as Rajitha), who merited a paragraph in Wisden鈥檚 鈥淣otes by the Editor鈥 which concluded 鈥淵ou can call yourself what you like 鈥 but not if we have to delete the Laws again to make room.鈥.

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  229. At 09:38 AM on 22 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    in reply to 224

    this is the photo of 9 slip you have i assume

    The occasion is New Zealand v Australia, 2nd Test at Eden Park, 1976/77. NZ was nine down in its second innings, the facing batsman being Peter Petherick partnered by Ewen Chatfield

    it has happened quite often, here is a much more recent image with aus vs zim


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  230. At 05:43 PM on 22 Jul 2007, Chrs wrote:

    Whilst sitting watching the test match yesterday, the question was posed that there have only been 11 people who have batted left-handed for england since the war.

    Within a few minutes we got about 14 or 15, including Andy Strauss, Nick Cook, Marcus Trecothick, David Gower, Graham Dilly, John Lever, Chris Broad, Graham Thorpe, Jack Russel, Brian Close... (and I'm struggling to remember the others just now!)

    So... my question is... how many players have batter left handed for england since the war and who are they all?

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  231. At 07:33 PM on 22 Jul 2007, Chris M wrote:

    Nick Knight and Neil Fairbrother(?) would be 2 more lefties

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  232. At 07:37 PM on 22 Jul 2007, Chris M wrote:

    Nick Knight and Neil Fairbrother(?) would be 2 more lefties

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  233. At 09:42 PM on 22 Jul 2007, Steve Ransome wrote:

    Bill,I was fortunate to witness Otis Gibson 10for 47 in the LVCC match at Chester le St today (sunday) - a record for a Durham bowler.Also the Hants opening batsmen ,M.J.Brown,carried his bat for 56 not out.

    Has a ten for and a batsmen carrying his bat in the same innings been achieved before in the County Championship or in any other 1st class game?

    Also, when Hants took the field at the start of the Durham 2nd innings thay fielded a 12th man in place of Brown ,presumably to give him a rest-poor thing. Later on another Hants player,I think it was Benham, left the field and Brown replaced him only to leave the field again when Benham re-entered the field of play i.e Brown played as 12th man for the whole of the post tea session .Is it within the laws for a selected player to be substituted and then come on later as 12th man? What restrictions will there be on Brown when Hants have to bat again,weather permitting,on
    Monday?


    Thanks

    Steve

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  234. At 12:43 AM on 23 Jul 2007, Michael Jones wrote:

    Back to Philip... now armed with the records section of Wisden, I can now provide a list of all the unbroken partnerships equalling or beating Dale and Richards, and the result in each case:

    574 Walcott & Worrell (4th) - drawn (just - Trinidad were set 672 to win and finished on 576/8, the third highest fourth innings total in a FC match and the second highest to draw, after England's 654/5 in the timeless Test of 1938-9)
    502 Worrell & Goddard (4th) - drawn
    487 Headley & Passailaigue (6th) - won
    465 Jameson & Kanhai (2nd) - won
    464 M Waugh & S Waugh (5th) - drawn (thanks to WA's own unbroken partnership of 242 for the 8th wicket, after following on and still being behind at the fall of the 7th)
    462 Hookes & Philips (4th) - won
    451 Desai & Binny (1st) - won (one of only four instances of a team winning a first-class match without losing a wicket)
    438 Hick & Moody (3rd) - won
    436 Maddy & Hodge (3rd) - won
    429 Dewes & Doggart (2nd) - drawn
    429 Rudolph & Dippenaar (3rd) - won
    425 Garrick & Gayle (1st) - won

    Thus Dale and Richards's effort is indeed the highest unbroken partnership to end in defeat. Incidentally, of the eight higher unbroken partnerships which led to victory, in only two cases - Hick & Moody, Garrick & Gayle - was it by less than an innings, in the latter because the partnership in question was made in the second innings.

    When I next have too much time on my hands I'll check all the partnerships over 470 to confirm (I presume) that Humpage and Kallicharran do hold that record.

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  235. At 10:16 AM on 23 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Bill, whats the record for all County twenty20 games played to date for most wickets, as i can only find the international records. In a recent Czech Republic league game, one bowler took 5 for 10 for Vinohrady CC . How does that rate with the professionals?

    scott

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  236. At 10:27 AM on 23 Jul 2007, Chris M wrote:

    School-boy omission from the english lefthanders list... how could we possibly have forgotten the current and effective english tail of Sidebottom, Panesar and Anderson!

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  237. At 01:58 PM on 23 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Response to 233, Steve Ransome, second part of the posting

    As for the answer to the second part of your post,
    I'm not 100% sure but it would seem that
    1. The first player (A) was substituted and the substitute (S) came on for him.
    The second player (B) went out and A came back on to the field. Since A is a player in the playing XI, the substitute S is now substituting for B.
    When A went back out and B came on to the field, S is once again substituting for A.
    So both A and B have been substituted by S for varying amounts of time.

    2. Law 2.5(i) states that "Absence or penalty for time absent shall not be carried over into a new day's play". So both A and B (in your case Brown and Benham) will have no restrictions when it comes to batting/bowling the next day.

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  238. At 02:33 PM on 23 Jul 2007, Mark wrote:

    As things stand in the Durham v Hampshire match, Ottis Gibson has taken all 12 Hants wickets to have fallen (including 10-47 in the first innings).

    Now, the record for wickets in a match is Jim Laker's 19, of course. But suppose Hants lose (say) another 3 wickets but force a draw, and Gibson takes all 15 of the wickets that Durham got. Would that be the the record for the number of wickets taken by a bowler who took all the wickets for their team?

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  239. At 03:27 PM on 23 Jul 2007, Michael Jones wrote:

    Highest partnerships:

    624 Sangakkara & Jayawardene (3rd) - won
    577 Hazare & Gul Mohamed (4th) - won
    576 Jayasuriya & Mahanama (2nd) - drawn
    574* Worrell & Walcott (4th) - drawn, see above
    561 Waheed Mirza & Mansoor Akhtar (1st) - won
    555 Holmes & Sutcliffe (1st) - won
    554 Brown & Tunnicliffe (1st) - can't find the scorecard but it seems fairly improbable that they would have lost
    502* Worrell & Goddard (4th) - drawn
    490 Bowley & Langridge (1st) - won
    487* Headley & Passailaigue (6th) - won
    475 Zahir Alam & Rajput (2nd) - won (by an innings and 472!)

    So unless the Brown and Tunnicliffe partnership ended in defeat, which is rather unlikely, Humpage and Kallicharran are the record holders there. Incidentally, the equivalent Test record is 363 by Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf at Headingley last year; after 129 years of Test cricket yielded no partnership of 300+ in a losing cause, there was a second a few months later (Collingwood and Pietersen at Adelaide).

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  240. At 08:16 PM on 23 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    In response to 209.
    Quite a few batsmen have made their only century at Lords. The list is below.

    Robert Key(ENG) with 221 and Ajit Agarkar(IND) with 109* are current players and may remove themselves from the list. Key's is the highest score of all the batsman on the list.
    Robert Key(ENG) 221 - Current player
    Martin Donnelly (AUS) 206
    Harry Trott (NZ)143
    Vernon Ransford(AUS) 143*
    Bill Athey(ENG)123
    Gubby Allen (ENG)122
    Percy Chapman (ENG) 121
    Reggie Spooner(ENG) 119
    Percy Sherwell (SA) 115
    Ajit Agarkar (IND) 109* - Current Player
    John Hampshire(ENG) 107
    David Holford (WI)-105*
    Curly Page (NZ) 104
    Nasim-ul-Ghani (Pak) 101
    Trevor Franklin (NZ) 101
    Maurice Tate (Eng) 100*

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  241. At 09:35 PM on 23 Jul 2007, David Wright wrote:

    With England just only just missing out on victory in the 1st test v India, I was wondering if there has been any cases of a test match being won on the very last scheduled ball on the final day?

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  242. At 10:13 AM on 24 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Bill, which player has picked up the most "pair of spectacles" in Test Matches?

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  243. At 04:30 PM on 24 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Answer to No. 14: Tim

    Bill already answered this in his column(No.133) and I'm reproducing the answer below in detail:
    (The questioner had guessed it was Lara with his 400*)

    "The highest tally of runs between dismissals is 497 by Sachin Tendulkar of India in 2003-04. Having scored 241* and 60* against Australia at Sydney, he made 194* and 2 against Pakistan in his next two Tests at Multan and Lahore. Brian Lara scored 53 against Bangladesh in the innings following his 400* against England in 2003-04 and is one of only five batsmen to have enjoyed a sequence of 450 runs or more between dismissals. The other three are Gary Sobers (490 for West Indies in 1957-58), Rahul Dravid (473 for India in 2000-01, and Jacques Kallis (456 for South Africa in 2001-02)."

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  244. At 05:04 PM on 24 Jul 2007, Niall Sullivan wrote:

    At 11:54 AM on 15 Jul 2007, Mark Taylor wrote:
    If you're run out going for a second run you are given a run, but if you are caught having already completed a run I'm told you don't. Is this true and if so why?

    The reason is that the catch is taken off the initial hit and is effectively part of that hit, and overrides all other consequences of that hit. On the other hand throwing or using the ball for a run out constitutes a further and separate phase of play, triggered, in this instance, by the batsmens' decision to go for another run when they could have stayed in their ground.

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  245. At 05:06 PM on 24 Jul 2007, Niall Sullivan wrote:

    Re 240 above (reply to 207)

    One point - Martin Donnelly was NZ not AUS.

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  246. At 08:50 PM on 24 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Apologies for the typos in post 240.

    Thanks for pointing one out in 245, Niall Sullivan

    Post 240 should have listed Martin Donnelly from NZ and Harry Trott from Australia, not the other way around.

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  247. At 09:14 PM on 24 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Re: 242 Mike Farley,

    So far the most "pairs" anyone has is four. Five players are on this list. Two are retired, but three may yet add to their tally.

    Leading the way is, unsurprisingly, Courtney Walsh(WI) who has the world-record career-total of 43 ducks in 132 Tests.
    Bhagwat Chandrashekhar(IND) also has four.

    The three current players have one surprise member.
    Chris Martin (NZ) with a mere 17 ducks in 33 Tests (both the lowest on this list) and Merv Dillon(WI) are bowlers, but top-order Sri Lankan batsman Marvan Atapattu makes this list as well. The unfortunate start to his Test career, with 5 ducks in 6 innings (including two pairs) helps propel him to this list.

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  248. At 11:33 AM on 25 Jul 2007, Paul Frost wrote:

    Bill,

    In the 1st Test, India were 'saved by the weather'
    Which test playing nation has been saved the most times?
    I would think that England come bottom of the pack !

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  249. At 12:51 PM on 25 Jul 2007, Adam wrote:

    Watching Tendulkar, Dravid & Ganguly and co at Lord last week, I wondered whether their batting line features players with the highest aggregate number of test centuries to their names.

    If it is not this team which is it?

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  250. At 04:45 PM on 25 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    RE; No. 249 Adam

    The current Indian batting lineup has Tendulkar (37) Dravid (24) Laxman(10) Ganguly (13) centuries for a total of 84 from the middle order"quartet". Wasim Jaffer (4) and Dinesh Karthik (1) and Dhoni (1) make it 90 centuries.

    When Sehwag (12) was in the lineup instead of Dhoni in the last Test against South Africa in Cape Town from Jan2-6 that made it 101 by the end of the test (including Jaffer's 4th century in that test)

    I'm not sure what is the most ever but the Australian lineup for the last Ashes test in Sydney had Ponting(33), Hayden (27), Langer (23), Gilchrist (17), Hussey (5), Clarke(4), Symonds(1) for a grand total of 110. Anyone knows of a lineup with more?

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  251. At 09:32 PM on 25 Jul 2007, Gideon Eames wrote:

    Bill

    I have a question about Garry Sobers that I have not been able to find the answer to anywhere. It's well known that he bowled both seam and spin on a regular basis in Test cricket, but which style did he bowl most often and which style brought him the most wickets? I would be most grateful if you could find an answer!

    Gideon

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  252. At 11:00 PM on 25 Jul 2007, Ben Croucher wrote:

    Hi Bill

    Following Ottis Gibson's recent 10 wicket haul for Durham, I was wondering if there have ever been 2 X 10 wicket hauls in the same match?

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  253. At 11:07 PM on 25 Jul 2007, Ben Croucher wrote:

    Hi Bill

    Following Ottis Gibson's recent 10 wicket haul for Durham, I was wondering if there have ever been 2 X 10 wicket hauls in the same match?

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  254. At 04:36 PM on 26 Jul 2007, Sanjay wrote:

    Dear Bearded Wonder

    I think I have stumbled on a most freaky, unique cricketing occurrence: In April 2005 West Indies vs South Africa Test at Antigua, two specialist Test Match wicket-keepers each managed to take Test Wickets in the same innings: AB De Villiers got 2 (who was playing as a specialist batsman in that game but has played as a specialist Test 鈥榢eeper against England) and Mark Boucher got one (all 11 SA bowlers bowled in that innings!):

    How many Test Match wicket-keepers have Test wickets (let alone two in the same innings!)? Surely this has never happened before in Test Cricket 鈥 maybe even in the first class game?

    Thanks in advance for your help

    Sanjay

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  255. At 07:08 PM on 26 Jul 2007, Michael Jones wrote:

    After answering everyone else's questions, I've got one of my own...

    There are several well-known instances of captains' decisions to field first backfiring spectacularly (Hutton and Hussain at Brisbane, Azharuddin at Lord's, Ponting at Edgbaston), but what about the other way round - what are the lowest totals by sides winning the toss and choosing to bat first?

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  256. At 10:55 AM on 27 Jul 2007, Lee M wrote:

    My friend says that kevin pietersen has the most test ducks in his first 25 tests out of every test match player in the world.

    I disagree with this and would like to know who has the most test ducks in their first 25 test matches? and how does kevin pietersen compare with this

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  257. At 11:43 AM on 27 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    by "all his tests" in mean the first 50...so in fact he only had ONE duck in his first 25!

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  258. At 11:44 AM on 27 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    reply to 256

    well Pietersen only has 3 ducks so far in all his tests, so i doubt that he has the most in his first 25

    i have easily found 2 players who only played 20 and 25 innings each and both had 10 ducks (AG Hurst Aus & A Nehru Ind), so they both beat KP

    i was sure there are current players who also beat KP, and just a quick look at Steve Harimson comfirmed this, 9 ducks in his first 25 inns, although 2 were not out

    so i don't know who is the worst offender in their first 25 tests, this would take a lot of searching, but it certainly isn't KP

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  259. At 01:41 PM on 27 Jul 2007, Pat wrote:

    re 256: There are porbably worse, probably non batsmen, however Ken Rutherford's first 12 test innings were 0, 0, 4, 0, 0, 2, 1, 5, 65, 0, 0, 50, 0.

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  260. At 07:33 PM on 27 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Reply to 255: Michael Jones.

    New Zealand won the toss, and opted to bat against England in Auckland in 1955 and scored the very lowest Test total of them all, 26 all out.

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  261. At 08:16 PM on 27 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Correction to my previous response to 255.

    In the lowest Test score, New Zealand did win the toss and opted to bat, but (as I neglected to check earlier) scored 26 in their second innings (The match's 3rd innings).

    The lowest score in the first innings by a side winning the toss and opting to bat was South Africa's 36 at Newlands against Australia in 1931-32.

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  262. At 01:47 AM on 28 Jul 2007, Arvindh wrote:

    Is there any instance of a batsman being given out caught in a Test/ ODI after the shot bounced off the non-striker (or his/her equipment) into a fielder's hands?

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  263. At 12:29 PM on 28 Jul 2007, Rich wrote:

    Bearded Wonder,

    What is the most number of test matches an outfielder has gone without taking a catch?

    What is the most number of matches a wicket keeper has gone without getting a stumping?

    Rich

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  264. At 08:21 PM on 28 Jul 2007, Bob Hayes wrote:

    WHICH ARE THE TWO TESTS (OR TEST) WHERE 1)THE TOTAL CAREER TEST RUNS OF ALL 22 PLAYERS AND
    B) THE TOTAL CAREER TEST WICKETS OF ALL 22 PLAYERS
    HAVE BEEN THE HIGHEST OF ALL TESTS?

    I suspect a recent Australia vs Sri Lanka match may qualify for both.

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  265. At 07:33 PM on 29 Jul 2007, Roger Thomas wrote:

    Of all the catches taken by England's slip cordon, what percentage have been caught by each slip position? Are the equivalent figures very different for other test countries' teams?

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  266. At 01:09 AM on 30 Jul 2007, Harvey wrote:

    Is a JOINT top score of 4 a record??

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  267. At 10:35 AM on 30 Jul 2007, Mike O'Brien wrote:

    Bill
    India scored 481 in this test match without any batsman recording a century
    As a matter of interest what is the highest innings achieved without a batsman scoring a century

    regards

    Mike

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  268. At 11:59 AM on 30 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    in reply to 267

    High team scored without 100s
    this is lifted straight from CRICINFO

    India scored 524 for 9 against New Zealand at Kanpur in 1976. The highest score of the innings was Mohinder Amarnath's 70 while five others got past fifty.

    Highest team score without a hundred - Tests
    Team Score Result Opposition

    India 524/9d drawn v New Zealand
    SA 517 drawn v Australia
    Pakistan 500/8d won v Australia
    Bangladesh488 won v Zimbabwe
    Australia 485 won v New Zealand
    India 485 drawn v Sri Lanka
    SA 479 won v India
    England 477/9d drawn v South Africa
    Australia 476 lost v England
    West I 475 won v India

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  269. At 01:11 PM on 30 Jul 2007, Dan Bray wrote:

    My father thinks that the result of cricket matches are too dependent on the result of the toss. Do you know how many test matches have been won by the toss winning captain and how many have been won against the toss.

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  270. At 02:11 PM on 30 Jul 2007, PortoIan wrote:

    reply to 269

    i'm afraid you'll have to read all this....

    but basically

    No of matches 1834

    Matches where the other team is invited to bat first 473 (25.8%)

    Out of these 473 matches

    Teams playing at home 247
    Teams playing away 226

    Matches lost by toss winning captain 142 (30.0%)
    Matches won by toss winning captain 168 (35.5%)
    Matches drawn 163 (34.5%)
    This summary indicates that the toss winning captains have not been wholly succesful in their decision to insert the other team in

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  271. At 02:49 PM on 30 Jul 2007, David Nash wrote:

    On the question of no. 11 batsmen scoring test centuries. If one extends it a little to no 11s coming in as nightwatchmen - how many are there now? I recall Winston Davis scoring a century for the West Indies at Old Trafford - are there others?

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  272. At 03:32 PM on 30 Jul 2007, Derek French wrote:

    Can you name 5 england batsmen who have scored a thousand test match runs without scoring a century?

    And how many other international players fit this category?

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  273. At 03:40 PM on 30 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Reply to 269, Dan Bray:

    If you look at aggregate statistics, it seems winning the toss makes almost no difference, on aggregate to the touring team and appears to give a slight advantage for the home team:

    Briefly, (as of the time of writing)
    主播大秀 teams have won 40.9% of matches after winning the toss and won only 36.6% of matches after losing the toss. The key appears to be the home team knowing when to send the opposition in to bat, winning 47% of the time when they do so.

    For touring teams, the corresponding statistics are 26.61% (winning toss) and 24.82% (losing toss).

    You can find exact totals for any time period, by home and away test matches and by the captain's decision on winning the toss here:

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  274. At 03:59 PM on 30 Jul 2007, Tony Fellowes wrote:

    I have a question for the bearded wonder.
    I recall Geoff Boycott being on the field of play for the whole of the 1977 Headingley Test vs Australia, which admittedly only lasted 4 days, but how many other instances are there in Test cricket of a player having been on the field throughout?
    Thanks, Tony Fellowes

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  275. At 07:21 PM on 30 Jul 2007, Porto Ian wrote:

    in reply to 272

    the 5 england batsmen with more than 1000 runs but no century are

    Brearley/Emburey/G Miller/RW Taylor/Titmus

    Miller must be kicking himself as he had a 98 not out!

    Warne is the leading scorer with no tons in the world, but not so sure he's a batsman (same goes for 1 or 2 of the england 5 too)

    for all unhappy players in this group see

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  276. At 07:43 PM on 30 Jul 2007, Porto Ian wrote:

    actually i see i've missed Ashley Giles from my list

    maybe i only named five cos you only asked for 5, but there are infact 6

    (oh and there are 2 more whose highest scores are exacly 100...i'll keep them to myself tho)

    sorry ashley!

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  277. At 06:21 AM on 31 Jul 2007, Michael Jones wrote:

    Ryan M - thanks!

    Rich - I'm not sure how many Tests he played in getting there, but Dave Richardson had made over 100 dismissals before his first stumping - he spent most of his career keeping to Donald, Pollock, McMillan, Symcox, de Villiers etc. and didn't get a stumping until Paul Adams came along.

    David Nash - the highest score by a nightwatchman is Jason Gillespie's 201* against Bangladesh, but when he wasn't nightwatching he usually went in at 8 or 9 - it's rare that a number 11 is sent in as nightwatchman because the captain would want someone he could rely on still to be there at stumps!

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  278. At 01:55 PM on 31 Jul 2007, Tom wrote:

    If a batsman hit the stumps at the non-striker's end with his shot and the non-striker was out of the crease, should the non-striker be given out?

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  279. At 08:42 PM on 31 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Reply to No, 278, Tom

    The answer to your question, is "no", if the ball hits the opposing wicket directly. However, if a fielder (or the bowler) touches the ball (other than a rebound only off the helmet) then the non-striker is run out if he is out of his ground.

    The relevant law, Law 38.2 states

    "A batsman is not Run Out if....

    (b) the ball has not subsequently been touched again by a fielder, after the bowler has entered his delivery stride, before the wicket is put down.

    (c) the ball, having been played by the striker, or having come off his person, directly strikes a helmet worn by a fielder and without further contact with him or any other fielder rebounds directly on to the wicket. However, the ball remains in play and either batsman may be Run out in the circumstances of 1 above if a wicket is subsequently put down.

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  280. At 08:44 PM on 31 Jul 2007, Joel Smith wrote:

    If the batting team need one to win with one wicket in hand and the batsman is stumped of a wide, how many wickets does the batting team win by

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  281. At 09:50 PM on 31 Jul 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    In reply to Joel, Post 281

    Under Law 25.5, the one run is added instantly when the wide is called.

    Under Law 21.6a, the result has been reached and the match is over. The stumping does not count as part of the match and the batsman is not out.

    So the batting team wins by one wicket.

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  282. At 12:14 AM on 01 Aug 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Reply to 274 Tony Fellows,

    There don't seem to be a lot of candidates for this as a player would have to be an opening batsman and bat for every ball of his side's innings - both innings if they played two.

    Len Hutton's 364* at the Oval in 1938 and Matthew Hayden's 380 are possible candidates, but I can't tell (maybe someone else has more detailed access) if either player was substituted as a fielder in the course of the match.

    I did find one instance, of Bryan Young of New Zealand having been on the field for the every ball of the New-Zealand Sri Lanka Test at Dunedin in 1997. He carried his bat, scoring 267* in New Zealand's only innings and the cricinfo scoreboard notes specifically mention he was on the field for every ball. This match only went into the fourth day.

    Does anyone know of any others? Especially one of a player being on the field for every ball of a full five-day (uninterrupted by rain) match?

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  283. At 09:46 AM on 01 Aug 2007, Justin wrote:

    Has it ever occured that a fielding time have been able to get rid of both batsmen at the crease at the same time? Like a catch and a run out?

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  284. At 12:28 PM on 01 Aug 2007, Simon wrote:

    Reply to Sanjay post 254

    I think two wicket keepers taking wickets in the same match could well be unique, but it is certainly not unique for keepers to take test wickets. The first occasion I know of was the 16th ever test when Alfred Lyttleton took off the gloves (being the 10th bowler used - all 11 eventually bowled) and took the remarkable figures of 4-19 from 12 four ball overs of "underarm lobs". Being the last 4 Australian wickets to fall in a total of 551 all out. WG Grace deputised behind the stumps and took a caught behind for Lyttleton's first wicket. He bowled on a few other occasions in first class cricket, but these remain his only wickets.
    He also represented England at Football, was an excellent ametuer tennis player. He later became an MP.

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  285. At 02:20 PM on 01 Aug 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    reply to 283, Justin

    Law 23.1a (iii) states that the ball becomes dead when a batsman is dismissed. So the scenario you described (two dismissals off the same delivery) cannot occur.

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  286. At 03:40 PM on 01 Aug 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Reply to Rich of 263 and further to Michael Jones of 267

    I can't say definitively either, about the most tests as a wicketkeeper between stumpings (searching would take too long).

    However, a quick search among top wicketkeepers with very few stumpings (i.e. kept primarily to fast bowlers) reveals an astonishing THREE wicketkeepers who went exactly 32 consecutive Tests without achieving a stumping.

    As Michael Jones correctly pointed out, Dave Richardson (SA) (2st ,150 ct) indeed did not achieve a stumping till his 33rd Test. Second on this list is Adam Parore (NZ) (7st, 194ct) who also didn't stump anyone for 32 tests, after his 6th test, only making one in his 39th.
    Jeff Dujon (WI) had a mere 5 stumpings in his total of 270 dismissals across 81 Tests. His last stumping was in his 49th Test, making it 32 consecutive Tests without any stumpings for him as well.

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  287. At 04:27 PM on 01 Aug 2007, Ryan M wrote:

    Re: Post No. 128 Matthew Aylmer,

    --Warning- long answer!-------
    It seems, from a brief analysis, that there are no 'nervous nineties'. If anything, batsman concentrate more in the 90s and 190s. Perhaps there are the 'relieved 100s' (and especially relieved 200s) though.

    Statistically speaking,from historical records, the probability of a batsman being dismissed in the 60s given that the batsman has achieved 60 runs is 24.09%. For the 70s, it drops marginally to 23.94%. I should note that it has been barely over 25% and slowly decreasing since the 30s, indicating that after batsman are settled, the likelihood of getting out doesn't change much. Rabbits are unlikely to reach this stage often and shouldn't effect the analyses much)

    However, once we reach the 80s, this drops more sharply to 21.54%. The figure for the 90s is marginally lower, at 21.12%. Possibly the concentrating 90s is a more accurate, if less alliterative term.

    However, the figure for the 100s (getting out between 100 and 109) jumps up to 24.04% and for the 110s even higher at 25.77%. It then starts dropping again over the 120s, 130s and so on quickly reaching 80s levels. Perhaps batsman are trying harder for a big score.

    The 190s are even less 'nervous' with the probability of a batsman being dismissed (given that he reached 190) being only 19.37% which shoots up to 28.32% in the (even more relieved?) 200s. Above this, scores (already rare) are almost certainly too rare to make easy comparisons.

    The dismissals at each score are available here
    for anyone keen to do their own analyses. This is available by country but not by type of dismissal, so I can't answer your question about run-outs. I suspect that they are even less common as risk-averse batsmen attempt to get their century.

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  288. At 09:50 PM on 21 Aug 2007, Gareth Martin wrote:

    Dear Bill,
    I have been wondering for some time now which player has the greatest number of wicket maidens to their name? Thanks in advance.

    Best wishes,
    Gareth.

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  289. At 11:29 AM on 12 Sep 2007, Robbie Baker wrote:

    Bill,

    Is Kenya's innings of 73 all out (7.4 overs), against New Zealand in the world twenty20 championships today, the shortest innings of an international team in any form of the game?

    Robbie

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