By Kersi Meher-Homji
September 2nd 2009 @ 4:33am
Related coverage
Bradman, Tubby and the beauty of numbers
NSW Cricket Association Southern Tour in December 1927. Don Bradman is in the back row 3rd from right. AAP Photo/ Mortlock Library of South Australia
As I was walking this morning, thinking furiously for a unique idea for The Roar, I saw a parked car with a registration plate 334 and I had a mental image of Don Bradman and Mark Taylor scoring 334 in a Test 68 years apart.
Bradman’s was against England in the 1930 Leeds Test, and Mark Taylor’s 334 not out was versus Pakistan at Peshawar in 1998-99.
But what a contrast!
Bradman was then a 22 year-old prodigy at his supreme best. Skipper Taylor, at 34, was passing through a horror patch.
After being unbeaten on 334 overnight, Taylor declared the innings closed.
Was it out of deference for the legendary Don or was it for a chance of snatching a victory for Australia?
The high scoring Test was drawn.
When Taylor visited Bradman at his home a few weeks later, the Don thanked him – as he had in a letter – for not exceeding his score
This gave me an idea for an interesting Roar story.
334 has become a historical number. However, it is not the most recognized number in the game’s history.
Mention 99.94 to even a cricket non-tragic and you will get the answer, Bradman’s Test batting average, of course. ABC radio has the Postal address, GPO Box 9994.
Last August, Bradman’s 99.94th birthday was celebrated on 4 August with splendour. His birth centenary came 23 days later as he was born on 27 August 1908.
Bradman is also associated with another joint-figure of cricket curiosity, 234.
Sid Barnes and Bradman established a fifth wicket Test record of 405 runs with both scoring 234 runs in the Sydney Test of December 1946 against England. This record still stands after 63 years.
There is a belief – perhaps a myth – that Barnes, a true character, threw away his wicket after Bradman was dismissed so that he would be remembered the same way as the Don.
Mark Waugh has two nicknames, Afghan (for being a forgotten Waugh) and Audi. He was nicknamed Audi after scoring four ducks in a row against Sri Lanka in Colombo and Moratuwa in 1992-93. (0000, as you know, is the logo for the Audi car).
One more zero and he could have been nicknamed Olympics!
Can Roarers come up with more such historic numbers?
From historic to downright trivial:
In the Oval Test of 1972 against England, Australia’s Ian and Greg Chappell became the first brothers to hit Test centuries together. At one stage during their 201 run partnership, the scoreboard read: IM Chappell 34, GS Chappell 34, Last wicket 34. No. of overs 34.More on the Chappell brother saga: at one stage on the final day in the Brisbane Test of November 1975, the scoreboard read: IM Chappell 64, GS Chappell 64. Total 2-164.
And finally, on the 3rd day of the 3rd Test in the “3” sponsored Test series on 28 December 2003 in Melbourne, Australia was at one stage 3-333, trailing India by 33 runs.
Figures are fun. But at times they make you fume!
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Greg Russell said | September 2nd 2009 @ 11:27am | Report comment
Hi Kersi, I can’t leave this article without a comment. Numbers are my life, but since The Roar is today carrying a story about a Socceroo called Danny Invincible, what about some names?
My favourite cricketing name of recent times is Napoleon Einstein, a young Indian who won the U19 World Cup in 2008, and picked up an IPL contract on the back of this (haven’t heard anything of his progress since then).
sheek said | September 2nd 2009 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
In the 1901/02 Ashes series, Aussie bat Clem Hill hit successive scores of 99, 98 & 97!
He hit 15 & 99 in the 2nd test, followed by 98 & 97 in the 3rd test.
During the WSC test between Australia & the World in Perth in 1977/78, Windies opener Gordon Greenidge retired hurt, just after completing his century. The scoreboard showed he was 101 not out. His World, South African & fellow Hampshire opener Barry Richards was also 101 not out. There 6 extras for a total of 0-208.
In this match, the world smashed the Aussies bowling. Barry Richards went on to score 207; Viv Richards scored 174, while Greenidge returned to complete 140. Dennis Lillee finished with 4-149 & Ray Bright 4-124.
And back to names, from the “golden Age”, what wonderful names were Victor Trumper, Monty Noble, WG Grace & CB Fry.
In more recent times, there were those majestic Pakistani cousins – Majid & Imran Khan.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | September 2nd 2009 @ 1:53pm | Report comment
Greg,
Nom-cidence (name coincidence) is my favourite topic! Apart from Napoleon Einstein, three first-class cricketers had historical names, Julius Caeser (1830-78, played 194 matches for Lancashire and Surrey from 1849-67), William Shakespeare (1893-1976, 25 matches for Worcestershire from 1919-31) and George Bernard Shaw (1931-84, 16 matches for Glamorgan from 1951-55).
During the final Ashes Test at The Oval last month, when Marcus North was batting, England had a substitute fielder whose surname was Northwest! (It could be Northeast, I was too sleepy!)
In 1970s Warwickshire found that there was something Amiss [Dennis] and Essex’s motto was: “Go East [Robert], go west, boys will be [Keith] Boyce.
Want more?
In county cricket, there have been meaningful scorelines; East b. Southern, Lamb b. Butcher, Holmes b. Watson.
And there is more. MORE??? Mann c Serjeant b Judge, Darling c Hands b Love, Lamb c Kurie b Rice (in a Currie Cup match), Chappell
Ga(e)tting Old in Lord’s Centenary Test, Barber c Beard, Baker Street, Sleep Walker, Gunn Hunt, Carr Parkes, Dav – Whatmore do you want?
Kersi Meher-Homji said | September 2nd 2009 @ 2:10pm | Report comment
Sheek,
Thanks for the valuable additions. Here are two more:
Australian leg-spinner Arthur Mailey wrote a book titled “10 for 66 and All That” in 1959. He had taken 10-66 off 28.4 overs for touring Australians against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham in 1921.
England’s off-spinner Jim Laker captured 19-90 in the 1956 Manchester Test against Australia. Pity he did not title his autobiography 19 for 90 and All That!
Greg Russell said | September 2nd 2009 @ 4:18pm | Report comment
It’s curious that Mailey’s book appeared 38 years after the event. How times have changed. These days there would be a book about such an event by the following Christmas!
sheek said | September 2nd 2009 @ 4:56pm | Report comment
Greg,
Mailey drew his book out as long as possible.
(He was a noted cartoonist!).
sheek said | September 2nd 2009 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
Kersi,
Aussie keeper Bert Oldfield began the 1924/25 series with 39no, 18, 39no, 39.
Frank Worrell began the famous 1960/61 series with a pair of 65s, followed by a pair of ducks.
Adam Gilchrist in India 2001 scored 122, followed by a pair of ducks, followed by a pair of ones – 122, 0, 0, 1, 1.
Were Gilly’s scores some kind of binary numbers???
Kersi Meher-Homji said | September 2nd 2009 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
Sheek,
I’d describe Gilly’s 0011 in India in 2001 as a prefix for an overseas telephone number!
David Boots said | September 2nd 2009 @ 5:27pm | Report comment
I have an article idea for you Kersi. What about coming up with a new set of statistics. Stats that have real meaning and predictive power. Here is what I would like to see various stats measure:
1. ‘the rock’ – how much a batsman can be relied upon to not fold under pressure;
2. ‘the contributor’ – how much a batsman contributes to the team; and
3. ‘the edge’ – how effective a batsman is at winning the match.
GB said | September 2nd 2009 @ 5:34pm | Report comment
Speaking of names, what about the commentary during an England v West Indies Test at the Oval in 1976 by Brian Johnston: “The bowler’s Holding, the batsmen’s Willey”. Apparently though, Johnston says it never happened.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | September 2nd 2009 @ 7:45pm | Report comment
GB,
Another oldie but a goodie is attributed to John Arlott. He commentated about “Mann’s inhumanity to Mann” during the Johannesburg Test in 1948-49 when South Africa’s Norman Mann dismissed England’s captain FG (George) Mann for 7.
And how about this more recent classic? South Africa’s VD Philander played in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20. Quite a contrast from Roy Virgin who played for Somerset against Australia at Bath in 1972. This made a local barracker croon:
“You Aussies have your Chappells stout and lean
But Somerset – face it – has the purer team. We have a Virgin.”
Now to your triple challenge, David Boots.
I don’t have stats at hand to answer your googly, doosra and carromball deliveries. But here are my personal observations. As a ten year-old in a village in India, I heard the running commentary on radio when India played England in the 1952 Leeds Test. India was 4 down for 0 runs, when their injured captain Vijay Hazare came out to bat and scored 56 runs against a debutant “terror” Fred Trueman and the iconic Alec Bedser, adding 105 runs for the 6th wicket with Dattu Phadkar.
The same pair had added 188 runs against Australia’s Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller at their fastest in the 1948 Adelaide Test. Hazare followed his 116 in the first innings with 145 in the second. He was called the crisis specialist and Rock of Gibralter as he held together India’s weak batting.
Sunil Gavaskar was another Indian who faced up to the Windies and Aussie super quickies in 1970s and 80s without a proper helmet and became the first to amass 10,000 Test runs at an average of over 50.
There were others of course but these two answer your first question.
But as India lost both the 1952 Leeds Test and the 1948 Adelaide Test, Hazare cannot qualify for your questions 2 and 3. Same for Gavaskar’s lone-handed and lion-hearted efforts which seldom led to victories.
The cricketer I put in the highest class for your queries 2 and 3, David, was Australia’s Steve ‘Tugga’ Waugh. He had it all. He was the rock, a contributor and had the “edge” in winning matches which appeared lost causes.
These are only opinions without proper statistical analyses.
Greg Russell said | September 3rd 2009 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
And yet, Kersi, Steve Waugh was regarded as a selfish cricketer by his peers, so much so that David Hookes often said so on his radio show.
So let me suggest Adam Gilchrist. I never saw a batsman as willing to throw away his wicket for the sake of fast runs, if that’s what the team needed (e.g. prior to a second-innings declaration). At one stage someone produced some statistics showing “percentage of times that a team wins after a batsman scores a century”. Gilchrist headed the all-time list on 80%, even ahead of Bradman. I think it was either Ponting or Hayden who was second on something like 75%. At the other end of the scale, Inzy was 33%, and Sachin was the lowest on 25%. Dravid had the highest percentage of the current Indian greats (something like 50%), which confirmed my feeling that he has been India’s key batsman for the last decade. Now Gambhir seems to be taking over that role.
Of course this statistic is not a precise guide – whether a team wins depends also on the strength of the other players in the team, and sometimes a key innings does not get as far as 100. But I have always felt that this statistic provided great insight. (Apologies if I have misremembered any details.)
Dave said | September 3rd 2009 @ 7:39pm | Report comment
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/09/1052280443839.html
“…….Television and radio commentator and former Test batsman David Hookes is known for views that have angered Waugh.
“He’s probably been a bit sensitive to some people’s criticism, but we all are,” Hookes said. “I’ve never had a problem with Steve . . . [but] I think we’ve had a bit of a tepid relationship occasionally. I haven’t been critical of him because of that, but I think he’s probably felt that for some reason.”
Hookes, though, did say there were some points for which Waugh deserved criticism: He should have been quicker in deciding his future after his Sydney Test ton last summer. Should have gone to the West Indies as a player, handing the captaincy to Ricky Ponting. Should have batted higher when younger.
“But they’re minor things over an 18-year career,” Hookes said……..”
whiteline said | September 2nd 2009 @ 8:36pm | Report comment
How about the odds regarding the results of the centenary tests 1877 and 1977? Australia win by 45 runs…amazing
sheek said | September 2nd 2009 @ 9:04pm | Report comment
Kersi,
I know I’ve mentioned this several times before, but it tickles my fancy all the same. In 1973 when Australia toured the West Indies, the Caribbean folk had high expectations of paceman Uton Dowe.
However, in his opening spell of the first test, he was despatched by Keith Stackpole to all parts of the ground. Skipper Rohan Kanhai then banished him to the outfield for several hours.
Later in the day when Kanhai montioned to Dowe to return to the bowling crease, a wag in the crowd shouted, “Hey Kanhai, don’t you know the eleventh commandment? Dowe shalt not bowl”!
Kersi Meher-Homji said | September 2nd 2009 @ 9:16pm | Report comment
Thank you, Whiteline and Sheek, for the interesting additions.
Keep them coming!
Mary Percy said | September 3rd 2009 @ 11:18am | Report comment
Whilst talking about cricket names, don’t forget the Dilley-Willey-Lillee dismissal in Melbourne (I think — my rememberer doesn’t work too well these days!). I’m not guaranteeing spelling (other than Lillee) either. But it was certainly good fun for the commentators at the time.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | September 3rd 2009 @ 11:59am | Report comment
Your spelling of all three cricketers is perfect, Mary.
Yes, Lillee c. Dilley b. Willey provided many laughs on air and amid listeners in 1980s.
Here are more interesting score-lines; some real, some imaginary:
Headley c. Hadlee b. Hadlee
Angel c. Priest b. Chappell
Rose c. Flower b. Flower
Prince c. Raja b. King
Phil Jaques c. Jacques Rudolph b. Jacques Kallis. (It nearly happened on Boxing Day in the 2005 Melbourne Test between Australia and South Africa).
whiteline said | September 3rd 2009 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
Greg
You are spot on regarding Gilchrist. I lost count of the amount of times (especially in the Ponting captaincy era) that Gilchrist went out and was dismissed for 0 or half a dozen trying to hit the ball into next week and then Ponting would immediately declare. This demonstrates the unselfishness of the man, especially when such fuss was made (by everyone except him) that his average was above 50 for much of his career.
This also translated into one-day cricket where he could easily have pushed ones or twos after reaching 100 in the 28th over or thereabouts and scored the elusive 200 in an ODI. My mates and I used to laugh at how many times he ‘threw it away’.
I’ve never seen anyone show such disregard for their personal statistics as this man did throughout his illustrious career.
sheek said | September 3rd 2009 @ 5:19pm | Report comment
In 1980 an English commentator, Christopher Martin Jenkins or Henry Blofeld, made the timeless comment:
“The batsman’s Holding…the bowler’s Willey”.
Apparently stunned silence was followed uproarious laughter.
BTW, Kersi, Crininfo have finalised their alltime England XI, & are now starting on NZ. What do you think of the English selection, as Follows? Hobbs, Hutton, Hammond, Pietersen, Barrington, Botham, Knott, Larwood, Trueman, Underwood, Barnes, Compton(12th).
I would love to see Compton in the XI but it’s hard to argue who should make way out of Pietersen or Barrington. I think Underwood’s selection is wrong. As good as he was, I think Laker or Verity might have better claims, especially Laker.
Also, it’s been traditional in past alltime selections to play Rhodes as a lower order bat (coming in at say no.8) & 2nd spinner. But that would mean dropping either Larwood or Trueman, another thankless option.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | September 3rd 2009 @ 7:02pm | Report comment
Greg and Whiteline,
I agree that Gilchrist was a glorious contributor and a match-winner. But he was not a rock. So he satisfies David Boot’s criteria 2 and 3 but not the first crirerion. To me, Steve Waugh and Ian Chappell satisfied all three criteria. Paradoxically, it was Chappelli who called Steve Waugh selfish.
Sheek,
To select an all-time great national XI is oh so tough. And Cricinfo has done a good job. But I would have Compton for Pietersen and Peter May or Colin Cowdrey for Barrington. And I agree with you, Laker or Verity for Underwood. And what about Alec Bedser, John Snow, Brian Statham? Unless there is a sound statistical criterion, to select 12 out of about 30 strong candidates is never going to satisfy everyone.
whiteline said | September 3rd 2009 @ 7:13pm | Report comment
Hi Kersi
It depends how you define folding under pressure. Often pressure is defined by commentators and journalists…it would be interesting to get opponents and team mates call on that in regards Gilchrist (except Warne of course!!).
Ian Chappell has made a living out of criticising in public those who he doesn’t like personally. As I’ve said before, he slips into Steve Waugh when given any opportunity and Steve has never made comment. Bradman also was a favourite whipping boy of Chappells; and he got the same response from him as Waugh gives. I suppose it tells you a bit about Chappell, does it not? On that subject, what has Ian Chappell ever done for Australian cricket post retirement besides criticise? He reminds me of a modern day Neil Harvey.
sheek said | September 3rd 2009 @ 11:25pm | Report comment
Whiteline,
Just some historical perspective. As a captain, Chappelli led from the front, as all great leaders should. He stood up for his players, not only on the field, but especially off the field – demanding better overall conditions.
Even though he & his team mates have been retired now for 25-30 years, pretty well most of them who served under Chappelli still idolize him today.
At the beginning of the 70s, cricket, especially test cricket was burgeoning, attracting massive media & sponsorship interest. But administrators still expected players to make sacrifices giving up careers, to play cricket. It was incredibly unreasonable.
Every well paid cricketer today owes their livelihood to the guys who sacrificed their careers for WSC (1977-79). They made the break that allowed players to move from indentured serfs to earning a comfortable living from cricket.
Chappelli was at the forefront of that movement. He rubs people up the wrong way because of his forthright, abrasive manner. He tells it like it is. He once or twice told Lillee, when he thought he was bowling like a girl, if he wanted a spinner, he would toss the ball to Mallett, or Jenner, or O’Keeffe.
But make no mistake, in my eyes he is a legend. I respect & admire Ian Chappell so much, if I went to war with him, I would willingly follow him anywhere.
Since I started following cricket circa 1968, Chappelli is the best Aussie skipper I’ve seen – better than R.Simpson, W.Lawry, G.Chappell, K.Hughes, A.Border, M.Taylor, S.Waugh or R.Ponting.
As a batsman, he wasn’t in the very top order, but he often played his best innings when his team needed him most. A little anecdote:
In 1975/76, Ian Chappell had surrendered the captaincy to brother Greg, for the series against West Indies. The Windies interestingly considered Ian’s wicket more valuable than Greg’s, even though Greg was a 10 points better average batsman. Their reasoning was that Ian was the heart & sole of the Australian batting, irrespective of averages.
You may not like Chappelli’s persona, but make no mistake, he’s a lion of a human being, & he’s done great deeds for cricket, both Australia & international.
Move beyond his abrasive, forthright manner, & you might begin to appreciate Ian Chappell better. I actually felt the same way as you about Neil Harvey, but when I understood him better, I understood the way he was, & was more accepting.
Dave1 said | November 21st 2009 @ 5:24pm | Report comment
I wouldn’t say “At the beginning of the 70s test cricket was burgeoning”,
In the 1970s, In Australia it really only had two big seasons 1974/75 and 1975/76 and there was a bigger first day crowd for the West Indies team in 2000 at Brisbane than in 1975.
http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/92606.html
“………19878 people saw first day’s play. It was the biggest first day crowd in Brisbane since Test against England 68 years ago…..”
Whiteline said | September 4th 2009 @ 10:56pm | Report comment
Sheek
A fair response. Thanks for your perspective on the issue. You certainly know your cricket, which I respect. I look forward to more of your posts.