Dismissing Tendulkar, and an U-19 triple
Also, what's the record for most matches without scoring a run?
Steven Lynch
18-Apr-2017
Yuzvendra Chahal is yet to get a chance to bat in internationals • Associated Press
What is the earliest Test match in which a cricketer who is still alive played? asked Allan Alexander from the United States
The answer to this interesting question was a remarkably close-run thing. The oldest Test match in which a player still alive at the time of writing took part started on January 21, 1948 in Bridgetown: local boy Everton Weekes made his debut for West Indies, against England. Two days later, on the other side of the world, Australia gave a first cap to the 19-year-old Neil Harvey, in the fourth Test against India in Adelaide. Three other men who played Test cricket in the 1940s are still alive: the New Zealander John Reid, who made his debut in England in July 1949, and the South African pair of Jack Nel and John Watkins, who both played in the first Test against Australia in Johannesburg on Christmas Eve, 1949. Their team-mate Ronald Draper won his first cap in the fourth Test of that series, at the Wanderers in February 1950. Watkins, who's now 94, is the oldest living Test player at the moment.
The answer to this interesting question was a remarkably close-run thing. The oldest Test match in which a player still alive at the time of writing took part started on January 21, 1948 in Bridgetown: local boy Everton Weekes made his debut for West Indies, against England. Two days later, on the other side of the world, Australia gave a first cap to the 19-year-old Neil Harvey, in the fourth Test against India in Adelaide. Three other men who played Test cricket in the 1940s are still alive: the New Zealander John Reid, who made his debut in England in July 1949, and the South African pair of Jack Nel and John Watkins, who both played in the first Test against Australia in Johannesburg on Christmas Eve, 1949. Their team-mate Ronald Draper won his first cap in the fourth Test of that series, at the Wanderers in February 1950. Watkins, who's now 94, is the oldest living Test player at the moment.
Who bowled one ball to Sachin Tendulkar in international cricket, and got him out with it? asked Frank Simpson from Australia
The owner of the 100% record against Test cricket's top run-scorer is none other than the current Australian captain, Steven Smith, who started his international career as a legspinning allrounder, although he doesn't bowl much anymore. The first ball he sent down to Sachin Tendulkar, in the third Test in Mohali in 2012-13, had him caught at short leg by Ed Cowan for 37 - and Smith never bowled to Tendulkar again. Greg Matthews, another Australian spinner, had an even better record against the Sri Lankan batsman Marvan Atapattu: he bowled two balls to him (both in Colombo in August 1992), and got him out twice.
The owner of the 100% record against Test cricket's top run-scorer is none other than the current Australian captain, Steven Smith, who started his international career as a legspinning allrounder, although he doesn't bowl much anymore. The first ball he sent down to Sachin Tendulkar, in the third Test in Mohali in 2012-13, had him caught at short leg by Ed Cowan for 37 - and Smith never bowled to Tendulkar again. Greg Matthews, another Australian spinner, had an even better record against the Sri Lankan batsman Marvan Atapattu: he bowled two balls to him (both in Colombo in August 1992), and got him out twice.
Jasprit Bumrah of India has played 35 white-ball matches now for India and still hasn't scored a run. Is this a record? asked Piyush Patel from India
Jasprit Bumrah's remarkable international career now extends to 11 one-day internationals and 24 T20 games - and he still hasn't scored a run. One reason for that is that he's only batted six times, facing just three balls in total so far. Although there's still time for Bumrah to edge a four and ruin everything, it's easily a record for a complete career: next comes the Jamaican Krishmar Santokie, who never scored a run in 12 appearances for West Indies. But one of Bumrah's team-mates is giving him a run for his money: legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal has played nine internationals now, and hasn't batted at all!
Jasprit Bumrah's remarkable international career now extends to 11 one-day internationals and 24 T20 games - and he still hasn't scored a run. One reason for that is that he's only batted six times, facing just three balls in total so far. Although there's still time for Bumrah to edge a four and ruin everything, it's easily a record for a complete career: next comes the Jamaican Krishmar Santokie, who never scored a run in 12 appearances for West Indies. But one of Bumrah's team-mates is giving him a run for his money: legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal has played nine internationals now, and hasn't batted at all!
Who's the only person to score a triple-century in an Under-19 Test match? asked Stuart Peake from Australia
Given your surname, I have a sneaking suspicion you might know the answer to this - because the gentleman concerned is Clinton Peake, from Victoria, who racked up 304 not out for Australia Under-19 against India Under-19 at the MCG in 1994-95. Sadly, this didn't translate to a stellar first-class career: Peake, a diminutive left-hander, played only nine matches, with a top score of 46. One of his team-mates from this match didn't have a bad international career, though, despite taking 0 for 99 in the first innings: Brett Lee went on to take 310 wickets in Tests and 380 in one-day internationals.
Given your surname, I have a sneaking suspicion you might know the answer to this - because the gentleman concerned is Clinton Peake, from Victoria, who racked up 304 not out for Australia Under-19 against India Under-19 at the MCG in 1994-95. Sadly, this didn't translate to a stellar first-class career: Peake, a diminutive left-hander, played only nine matches, with a top score of 46. One of his team-mates from this match didn't have a bad international career, though, despite taking 0 for 99 in the first innings: Brett Lee went on to take 310 wickets in Tests and 380 in one-day internationals.
Who has scored the fastest hundred in a T20 match? asked Clive McDonald from England
It's not a great surprise to learn that the fastest hundred in T20 cricket was scored by Chris Gayle, who's about to become the first to complete 10,000 runs in the format (he has 9997 as I write). Gayle reached three figures in just 30 balls for the Royal Challengers in an IPL match against Pune Warriors in Bengaluru in 2013; the hundred included 11 sixes and eight fours. He finished with 175 not out and 17 sixes, both still records for a T20 innings. Before Gayle's onslaught, the record was held by the Australian Andrew Symonds, who blitzed a century from 34 balls for Kent against Middlesex in Maidstone in 2004.
It's not a great surprise to learn that the fastest hundred in T20 cricket was scored by Chris Gayle, who's about to become the first to complete 10,000 runs in the format (he has 9997 as I write). Gayle reached three figures in just 30 balls for the Royal Challengers in an IPL match against Pune Warriors in Bengaluru in 2013; the hundred included 11 sixes and eight fours. He finished with 175 not out and 17 sixes, both still records for a T20 innings. Before Gayle's onslaught, the record was held by the Australian Andrew Symonds, who blitzed a century from 34 balls for Kent against Middlesex in Maidstone in 2004.
Who called his life story Under the Southern Cross? asked Keerthi Nagarajah from India
My first thought was that this was the recent (2013) retirement volume from Michael Hussey, but on closer inspection that turned out to be called Underneath the Southern Cross. The one you're after came from an Australian batsman of an earlier generation: David Boon's 1996 autobiography was called Under the Southern Cross, with no "neath" to be seen. Just in case anyone doesn't know, the Southern Cross is the constellation of stars that appears on the Australian flag, and it's mentioned in the team song the Aussies like to sing after each Test victory*: "Under the Southern Cross I stand/ A sprig of wattle in my hand/ A native of my native land/ Australia you little beauty!" The tradition is said to have started with Rod Marsh. Both Boon and Hussey were charged with leading the team singalong in the dressing room, a duty now performed by Nathan Lyon.
My first thought was that this was the recent (2013) retirement volume from Michael Hussey, but on closer inspection that turned out to be called Underneath the Southern Cross. The one you're after came from an Australian batsman of an earlier generation: David Boon's 1996 autobiography was called Under the Southern Cross, with no "neath" to be seen. Just in case anyone doesn't know, the Southern Cross is the constellation of stars that appears on the Australian flag, and it's mentioned in the team song the Aussies like to sing after each Test victory*: "Under the Southern Cross I stand/ A sprig of wattle in my hand/ A native of my native land/ Australia you little beauty!" The tradition is said to have started with Rod Marsh. Both Boon and Hussey were charged with leading the team singalong in the dressing room, a duty now performed by Nathan Lyon.
Post your questions in the comments below
*April 18, 11.55GMT: The answer was amended to include the fact that Australia's team song is sung after each victory and not each Test
Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes