Depending on what happens at the MCG today, England’s opening batsman Alastair Cook can set a record that can’t be broken.
He’s already set a new record of 244 not out in this Test as the highest score in history to carry his bat, erasing the previous mark of 223 not out set by Kiwi opener Glenn Turner against the West Indies at Kingston in 1972.
But if everything falls Cook’s way today, he can become the only cricketer in 2289 Tests to be on the field for every minute of the five days play.
He’s already fielded throughout Australia’s first dig of 327, carried his bat in England’s 491, and has so far fielded throughout Australia’s second dig of 2-103.
There are three obvious alternatives today: Australia bats all day, Australia declares and Cook remains not out at stumps in reply, or it rains all day.
The first and third options gift Cook the every minute record on a platter, but he’ll have to work for the second option.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
If the unheard of record does fall Cook’s way, it will rank as one of the most amazing.
Pakistani opener Hanif Mohammad went close in 1958 against the West Indies at Bridgetown.
He was second out in Pakistan’s first dig for 17, but he batted for 16 hours 10 minutes, a tick under three days, for his unbeaten 337. Scorers didn’t count the balls faced in that era – just the 970 minutes, and 24 boundaries.
That is still the longest Test dig in history.
Eight others have batted on all five days of a Test, but haven’t been on the field for every minute.
Indian Motganhalli Jaisimha was the first in 1960 against the Australians at Calcutta, with scores of 20* and 74.
Geoff Boycott was the second against the Australians at Trent Bridge in 1977, with scores of 107 and 80*.
Kim Hughes scored 117 and 84 against England at Lord’s in the 1980 Centenary Test, and became the only Test batsman in history to smack at least one six on all five days.
Allan Lamb scored 23 and 110 for England against the Windies at Lord’s, in 1984.
Ravi Shastri scored 117 and 7* for India against England at Calcutta, also in 1984.
West Indian Adrian Griffith scored 114 and 18 against the Kiwis at Hamilton, in 1999.
Englishman Andrew Flintoff scored 70 and 51 against India at Mohali, in 2006.
And South African Alviro Petersen’s 156 and 39 completed the eight batting on all five days at Wellington, in 2012.
So this final day of the fourth Ashes Test at the MCG is full of interest for so many reasons.
It’s up to Mother Nature to butt out, and let it happen.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
I think TMS set the criteria at (five-day?) Tests in which 200 overs were bowled, i.e. Tests that might have been affected by rain delays. But yes, plenty of players have been on the field for the duration of a Test match. The real criteria should be whether they were out there for every ball that was bowled, rather than the number of minutes.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
Hah! 1980 is nothing, DaveJ. The day before yesterday. Like millions of others, you've never witnessed my party trick in which I recite, from memory, the names, countries and playing positions of the 33-strong British and Irish Lions rugby team that toured Australia and New Zealand in 1959. I'd write more, but can't remember where I put my glasses.
Brainstrust
Guest
Even with the 45 minutes taken off Cook is still leading the others, and being on the field is an artificial concept anyway, I think you can have some poetic licence with this record. was there someone there to watch if the others left the field for a pee between overs for example.
Toth
Guest
Well he left the ground for 45 mins after getting hit in the jatz anyway. Record over before it began.
JGK
Roar Guru
I guess if he were the first to do it, no one else could be. But it doesn't even seem that that is the case.
mattyb
Guest
Tyrone,rain was a factor in this test. Hopefully Lord comes to explain how he's submitted an article that is once again factually incorrect. C'mon David,explain yourself. Few people read you anymore but an explanation would be great.
tyrone
Guest
and this "or it rains all day." If rain is included as a deciding factor then I would imagine there are players, at least 11 of them who have fielded on day one then had a test rained off who share the honor
Brainstrust
Guest
Looking at the records Haynes first innings lasted 276 minutes. opposition batted 397 minutes Haynes second inning 435 minutes opposition batted 225 minutes. Kurupu batted 777 minutes The opposition batted 788 minutes Australia batted for 519 minutes Cook batted for 634 minutes Australia batted for 533 minutes. So Cook by a big margin and if they bring 4 day tests in that cannot be broken.
Kangajets
Guest
I don’t think David bothers with research for any article these days .
Pedro the Maroon
Guest
you and your facts! piffle I say.
Keggas
Guest
Even if the original premise was correct , which it isn't because Des Haynes definitely did it in NZ ( unless David didn't count it because of the rest day?) why would it have been a record that "can't be broken" What would make so special?
Keggas
Guest
Game earlier this year finished inside 3 days, Cooks first time in 2011 I think was done inside 4 days. I don't like defending David Lord but he may have talking about games that went a full 5 days, which probably means we need to discuss the significance of the day 4 rain delays.
mattyb
Guest
Just checked the scorecards and Young wasn't on the field for day 5 as NZ won in 4 days.
mattyb
Guest
Taslim Arif from Pakistan was also on the field for the entire test match vs Australia in 1980. Bryan Young was on the field for NZ for the entire test match vs SL in 1997
Gormon Kinchley
Guest
It's amazing how you can go from 'terrible batting average after three tests' to 'great average after 4 tests' by one not out innings.
JohnR
Guest
BBC test match special discussed the same topic and stated that 27 players have been on the field for the duration of a test match and if Cook does succeed in achieving this today it will be the 3rd time he’s done it. He actually did it earlier this year. So unsure how that lines up with the premise of the article
DaveJ
Guest
Interesting David, do you concur that Haynes and Kuruppu might have done it too? But some of those examples of people batting every day of a Test look odd - eg Shastri 117 and 7*? Only makes sense if he started at the end of day one, got out on Day 3, then his 7* spanned days 4 and 5 with a declaration or washout presumably. In fact most of those scores only look possible with weather interruptions so they seem to be a statistical quirk rather than having any significance. In fact a look at the Shastri match confirms it - India scored only 6 runs on Day 2 with the rest being washed out, so Shastri’s first innings spread over 4 days.
DaveJ
Guest
Man, what a memory, if you can recall whether or not Windies used sub fielders 37 years ago!
Mattyb
Guest
Makes the article kind of silly if it's incorrect regarding actual facts.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
The Haynes and Kuruppu Tests both lasted for five days.