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Chris Rogers closing in on little-known Test record

7th January, 2015
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Chris Rogers will play his last Test, but all the focus has been on Clarke.
Expert
7th January, 2015
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Australian opening batsman Chris Rogers has gone 38 Test digs without a duck, just six shy of Jimmy Burke’s world record 44.

Burke opened the Australian batting from 1951 to 1959, so he has held this little-known Test career record for 56 years.

Rogers has a possible second innings against India at the SCG, plus two Tests against the West Indies in June, and five Ashes Tests in July-August. That gives him a minimum eight more innings to pass Burke, and a maximum 15 to take the record to 53.

That will take some catching, and I hope I’m not putting the cricket writer’s curse on the left-hander.

Burke’s 44 Test career digs without a duck had five close shaves, scoring just one run twice, scoring two twice, and three twice.

Second on the list is another Australian, Reggie Duff (1902-1905), who had 40 visits to the crease without a duck, with one run twice, two runs once, and three twice.

Rogers shares third spot with 38 career Test digs without a duck with Indian Brijesh Patel (1974-1977) who scored one run twice, two once, and three runs twice.

Rogers has scored one run twice, two runs twice, and no threes.

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Three other Australians are on the no career ducks honours list:

Herbie Collins (1920-1926) went 31 Test digs in scoring one run three times, no twos, and one three.

Tommy Andrews (1921-1926) had 23 digs without a duck that included one run once, no twos, and four threes.

And Matthew Wade (2012-2013) had 22 digs without a duck, with one run once, one two, and no threes.

On the partnership side, Rogers and David Warner are now fifth on the all-time best Australian opening pair averages per innings.

Bill Lawry and Bobby Simpson top the averages list with 60.94, that includes nine three-figure stands, and 18 half-centuries.

Simon Katich and Shane Watson are a surprising second with an average 54.39 per innings, including three century stands, and 10 half-centuries.

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Matt Hayden and Justin Langer have scored the most runs (5655) of Australian opening pairs but are third on averages with 51.88, featuring a staggering 14 century stands, and 24 half-centuries.

Fourth are Mark Taylor and Michael Slater who averaged 51.14 as an opening pair, with 10 century stands and 16 half-centuries.

Then Rogers and Warner averaging 49.45 with six century stands, and five half-centuries.

Sixth are David Boon and Geoff Marsh who averaged 46.77, with five century stands, and eight half-centuries.

Seventh are Geoff Marsh and MarkTaylor with a 45.00 average, including four century stands, and nine half-centuries.

Eighth are Bill Lawry and Keith Stackpole with 44.89, including no century stands, but 13 half-centuries.

Ninth are Ed Cowan and Warner who averaged 44.85, with three century stands and six half-centuries.

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And tenth are Jimmy Burke and Colin McDonald with a 39.68 average, that included three century stands, and three half centuries.

So Chris Rogers has been a quiet achiever, and likely to continue in that role for sometime to come, despite his 37 years.

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