At the New Zealand Cricketers’ Night organised by the Australian Cricket Society in Sydney on Monday, Spiro Zavos put me on the spot. Spiro was one of the five New Zealanders interviewed by Ronald Cardwell, the founder of the Society and publisher of rare cricket books, including the award winning Baggy Green by Michael Fahey and Mike Coward.
The other interviewees were former New Zealand Test cricketers Bruce Murray, Bruce Edgar, Richard Collinge and Bill Playle. They recalled their playing days with nostalgia and humour, teasing each other with reminiscences of their Test and first-class careers.
Colin Cowdrey was their hero and Geoff Boycott “the villain”.
Tall, big, fast-medium bowler Collinge is still the holder of a Test record in batting. With Brian Hastings (110 runs), Collinge (68 not out) added 151 runs in 155 minutes for the 10th wicket.
This was against Pakistan at Auckland in February 1973. Even after 37 years, this record remains intact.
Spiro remembered his first-class match for Wellington against MCC in March 1959 at the Basin Reserve. He was 20 then and faced the fury of Fred Trueman and Frank Tyson. His opening partner in that match was Bruce Murray, sitting on his right on Monday.
Spiro’s readers would like to know the score of that memorable and forgettable match: bowled Tyson, 3; caught Dexter bowled Tyson 5. But what trembling memories, even after 50 years for both Spiro and Murray.
But I am digressing.
Spiro said that in the Wellington Test against India in March 1968, Murray bowled a single over in his entire Test career (13 Tests from 1967-70, 598 runs at 23.92, top score 90) and took a wicket without conceding a run.
His Test career bowling reads 1-1-0-1. His sole victim? Opening batsman Abid Ali.
It was in his third Test and he did not bowl again in his remaining 10 Tests, perhaps to keep his record unblemished [Loud laughter!]
That’s when Spiro put me on the spot: “Has anyone else taken a wicket without conceding a run in his entire Test span, Kersi?”
I felt as non-plussed as Mike Gatting was when clean bowled by that Warney monster leggie in the Manchester 1993 Ashes Test.
I came home and opened several Wisdens and the on-line Cricinfo record section but drew a blank. Then I e-mailed the world-renowned statistician Rajesh Kumar. And he did not let me down.
There are two other such instances (one wicket for no runs) in a cricketer’s Test career.
The first one in the “One for None Test Club” is England’s Albert ‘Monkey’ Hornby.
In his Test debut in Melbourne against Australia in January 1879, he bowled seven 4-ball overs and dismissed Francis Allan without conceding a run. His figures? 7-7-0-1. He played two more Tests, but did not bowl. Probably because he was the captain.
England’s Wilfred Barber is the second one in the Elite Club. In the first of his two Tests, he bowled two balls and took HB ‘Jock’ Cameron’s wicket; stumped Ames bowled Barber.
Barber retired with a quirky bowling spell of 0.2-0-0-1.
What batsmen won’t do to get in a Roar post as a bowler!
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vinay verma said | April 14th 2010 @ 7:44am | Report comment
Kersi, statisticians like Rajesh Kumar are the auditors’ of cricket history. I would go so far as to call them Cricket’s Anthropologists. It shows a love of the game that will outlast the visual.
sheek said | April 14th 2010 @ 8:10am | Report comment
Kersi/Vinay,
It was an enjoyable evening, & good to see you both.
I missed the opportunity to tell Richard Collinge he is in my best Kiwi XI of the past 40-odd years!
I would have a 4 pronged pace attack of Richard Hadlee, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns & Collinge. Danny Vettori would be the lone spinner. Since Vettori, Cairns & Hadlee can all handle a bat as well, plus a wicket-keeper batsman (Brendon McCallum over Ian Smith), I only need 5 specialist batsmen.
Collinge was a tall, nagging left-arm fast-medium pacer as you know, & he came across as a very genuine, humble, intelligent & humourous individual. Indeed, all the ex-Kiwi internationals – Playle, Murray, Edgar & Collinge – came across as outstanding human beings.
For the record, by best Kiwi XI 1968-present: G.Turner, J.Wright, A.Jones, M.Crowe(c), J.Reid jnr, C.Cairns, D.Vettori(vc), B.McCallum(wk), R.Hadlee, S.Bond, R.Collinge. J.Coney or B.Congdon(12th man).
Another guest remarked to me how humble & sincere the Kiwi cricketers were. He further said the Kiwis had it right – gentlemen at cricket & bastards at rugby, while we Aussies had it the wrong way around – bastards at cricket & gentlemen at rugby!!!
It was also great to finally meet Spiro face to face. He looks 10 years younger than his age. Must be that Greek meditation! I saw a photo of a young Spiro, & he looked remarkably like the Aussie-Greek character Carbo out of ‘Packed To The Rafters’.
But without the muscles…..
vinay verma said | April 14th 2010 @ 8:17am | Report comment
Sheek, I remarked to Kersi that we needed more young people at the Australian Cricket Society. Every society needs young blood to regenerate. As a society we must not become an Old Boys’ Club. When the old and young converse there is a mutual enlightenment and both go away feeling younger.
sheek said | April 14th 2010 @ 8:23am | Report comment
Vinay,
I’m all for feeling younger …..!
Brett McKay said | April 14th 2010 @ 8:40am | Report comment
Kersi, batsmen love nothing more than getting one over bowlers in the wicket-taking stakes!! I still have fond memories of our captain in a lower grade premiership about ten years ago (and the captain was and is someting of an ACT cricket legend) throwing me the ball in a semi when a big partnership was ‘in’ and with the bowlers getting some curry. He very deliberately brought me on with the “encouraging” words, “this’ll stuff your average..”
3 overs later and with both batsmen back in the sheds with the ignominy of “b. McKay” in How Out column, he removed me from the attack and never bowled me again!! (And yes, I bring it up at every opportunity…)
Kersi Meher-Homji said | April 14th 2010 @ 9:16am | Report comment
Sheek and Vinay, Very nice meeting you two too at the Society meeing. And of course Spiro. It made a rare Roar Quartet!
Brett, Did you get 3-0 in that match? Richie Benaud once took 3-0 (3.4-3-0-3) against India in Delhi in December 1959.
Although Hornby, Barber and Murray are the only Test cricketers to grab 1-0 in their entire Test career (as stated in my post), there are 35 instances of bowlers taking 1-0 in a Test innings. The latest is Raqibul Hasan, 1-1-0-1, Bangladesh vs. India, Dhaka, January 2010.
There are few more instances of bowlers taking more wickets than runs conceded in a Test innings. Five captured 2-1, latest being Daniel Vettori, 2.4-2-1-2, NZ vs. Zimbabwe, Harare, August 2005. Ernie Toshack took 5-2 in 2.3 8-ball overs for Australia vs. India, Brisbane November 1947 — the inaugural Test between Aus and Ind.
I have left the best till the last, England’s George Lohmann, one of the best bowlers of all time, took 8-7 (9.4 five-ball overs, 5 maidend 8 for 7, vs. South Africa, Port Elizabeth in February 1896. In the very next Test he took 9-28 in Johannesburg. In the 3 Test series, he had figures of 7-38, 8-7; 9-28, 3-43; 7-42, 1-45. Thus he captured 35 wickets at 5.8 in 3 Tests. Bamboozling figures!
Rajesh Kumar said | April 14th 2010 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Hi Kersi,
Great stuff indeed! Highly impressive piece.
Many thanks to you and Vinay Verma for kind words.
Rajesh Kumar
Rugbywits said | April 14th 2010 @ 2:15pm | Report comment
1-0 none in a test career. That is a great story to tell the kids/grandkids.
I played cricket in comp/school until I was 18 and in the first grand final I ever bowled in my figures were 2-0 off 8 overs.
That was a great day for me bowling. Got their two best batsmen out. But as good as it was for me bowling it was shocking for me in the field for a long hot day. They declared 4-320.
Why not bowl me more!? haha
How often do people from the Cricket Society meet and where?
Kersi Meher-Homji said | April 15th 2010 @ 9:46am | Report comment
Sheek,
Bert Sutcliffe would certainly be in my All-time NZ XI. I realise you have selected the Best from 1968 to now, so he cannot be included.
Rugbywits,
The Australian Cricket Society (NSW branch) was founded in 1973 and we meet about four to five times a year with quality guest speakers from Australia and New Zealand. Also overseas cricketers like Alec Bedser when in Australia (in 1990s, I think). Ronald Cardwell organises all the meetings. For more information you may e-mail me on kersi5@bigpond.com
Kersi
Jameswm said | April 15th 2010 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
I started playing for my old boys team and got a wicket with my first ball. They were trying to work our if anyone else had done that. In fact I think I had 2-0 after 1 over.
I should have stopped there!
I also recall playing reps at school. I had something like 2 for 8 after 6 overs, having dismissed a Waugh (Dean) and a bloke who went on to play Shield cricket for SA. My captain then proceeded to replace me – you’ve had your 6 overs! He was my school captain too – thanks very much! The other bowlers got belted. Those were the days…