Cricket throws up many interesting statistics and glorious or infamous if you want to find it, someone’s recorded it. Shane Warne has the ignominy of having scored the most Test runs without converting an innings to triple figures, while with over 11,400 runs in the bank Jacques Kallis had the record for the most runs without a double century.
England’s Alec Stewart now holds that record, just ahead of the regal and frivolous Australian Mark Waugh after Kallis at Centurion last night broke the double century duck in his 142nd Test.*
As Kallis further outlined his class and shook a monkey off his back, South Africa slammed world number one India all over the park for a domineering 4/620 declared.
The big Afrikaner was not out on 201 when AB de Villiers, who had played a crusading innings (129 off 111 balls), finally gave away his wicket prompting the Proteas’ declaration.
Kallis’ durable career has somewhat been overshadowed by the fact it coincided with a domineering Australian outfit, along with legendary batting icons Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara.
But he is certainly a modern great of the game, have no doubt.
Kallis has now scored 38 Test centuries, his previous top score was 189* against Zimbabwe (2001).
Prior to this he had four scores over 170, the most recent being 173 against India at Nagpur earlier this year. Interestingly only four of his 38 centuries have come against Australia, including his debut hundred in his seventh match in 1997.
Kallis’ restrained nature, which is reflected by his dour batting, have seen him, possibly unfairly, labelled selfish by some observers.
However, the response from his team-mates and home crowd upon his milestone give the best indication of how they truly feel about him – he is a favourite.
In sporting circles those two factors often provide the truest indicators.
The crowd hailed Kallis’ double century with a standing ovation that extended longer than usual for such a milestone, while his team-mates embraced him wholeheartedly upon his return to the shed minutes later.
Captain Graeme Smith was so quick to get his mate’s helmet off it appeared he was going to kiss him, something that would have been one totally out of the box for both of the South African strongmen.
Smith made do with an exuberant head ruffle which clearly showed his affection for South Africa’s highest Test runscorer.
Kallis’ milestone, along with knocks from De Villiers and Hashim Amla, has put South Africa in the box seat to win this Test with India, having crumpled for 136 in the first innings, needing an unlikely marathon effort to save the match or make the home side bat again.
*For the record, Stewart recorded 8463 runs and Waugh 8029. Other players in the top 10 list of players who did not score double centuries are former world record runscorer Colin Cowdrey (7624), West Indian firebrand opener Gordon Greenidge (7558) and Indian skippers Mohammed Azharuddin (6215).
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December 19th 2010 @ 6:53am
waterboy said | December 19th 2010 @ 6:53am | Report comment
Gordon Greenidge scored 4 double centuries.
I think you might be referring to Richie Richardson
December 19th 2010 @ 7:03am
Vinay Verma said | December 19th 2010 @ 7:03am | Report comment
Rob,Kallis batting at 3 certainly is a modern great. Unassuming and modest,almost to a fault. He has scored crucial runs for SAF and is a big part of their ascent to the top.And he plays all three forms. However his new head of hair is straight out of the Warne and Vaughn school. Doesn’t quite sit right.
December 19th 2010 @ 9:02am
Rob McLean said | December 19th 2010 @ 9:02am | Report comment
Apologies – Gordon Greenidge did indeed score a double.
Poor form on my part.
December 19th 2010 @ 11:17pm
Lolly said | December 19th 2010 @ 11:17pm | Report comment
Good on him. Fantastic player.
December 20th 2010 @ 3:54am
Jimmy said | December 20th 2010 @ 3:54am | Report comment
On stats – easily the best all rounder to have played the game. And remember he had to face Warne and McGrath many, many times. And again, the stats do not lie, he is often described as ‘dour’ yet his scoring rate per balls faced are as good as anyone who ever played the game. Just a quiet and self effacing cricketing great.
December 20th 2010 @ 5:29pm
JohnB said | December 20th 2010 @ 5:29pm | Report comment
First off, let me say I’ve pointed to Kallis’ sheer contribution in previous posts when people have criticised him – something I find very puzzling – so if this comes across as critical of Kallis that is not what I intend. However, on stats, he’s not easily the best all-rounder to have played – easily in the finals to decide that, sure, but not easily the best. The obvious one he’s not easily in front of is Sobers, who was also more a batsman than a bowler (at least across his whole career), and then you have to decide how you compare players whose bowling was stronger.
I think Sheek wrote a piece in the last year or so suggesting a formula to come up with a numerical score for all-rounders’ batting and bowling contributions – unfortunately, I can’t find it using the search function! Someone else may recall it and be able to find it?
December 20th 2010 @ 5:41pm
JohnB said | December 20th 2010 @ 5:41pm | Report comment
Here is a link to the Sheek article:
http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/03/03/sobers-still-best-all-rounder-on-most-days/
December 21st 2010 @ 9:30am
amazonfan said | December 21st 2010 @ 9:30am | Report comment
On stats, perhaps, but the greatest all-rounder to have played the game was Gary Sobers. He was a quadtriple threat; one of the very greatest batsmen of all time, a terrific bowler, a great fielder and a highly respected captain. Some would argue that he, not Bradman, was the greatest cricketer of all time.
Still, Kallis is superb, and it’s an amazing thing that he finally scored a double.