Ask The Spider #61

What is the longest over bowled in a ODI match in terms of most balls bowled?

It was 17, by Mohammad Sami for Pakistan against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup in 2004. His third over included seven wides and four no-balls (fortunately for Sami, this was a little while before the free-hit rule was introduced to ODIs). The over went: wd-4-2-nb-wd-nb1-0-wd-wd-0-wd-nb-wd-wd-nb-0-4, a total of 22 runs. His opening spell thus read, bizarrely, 2 overs 1 maiden 22 runs 1 wicket, as his first had been a wicket-maiden.

How can I find a summary of all ODIs, with home, away, and neutral ground results?

At the conclusion of Pakistan’s “home” ODI series against Australia in Abu Dhabi, the tables read thus:
Home: played 1948, won 1078, lost 780, tied 17, 73 started but not completed.
Away: played 1948, won 780, lost 1078, tied 17, 73 started but not completed (obviously, the direct inverse of home)
Neutral: played 901, 870 with wins or losses, 6 ties, 25 started but not completed

What’s the most consecutive not-outs for England in Test cricket?

Five – a record shared by Harry Howell, Richard Illingworth, Derek Shackleton, John Snow, Derek Underwood and Bob Willis. Of these, only Snow was a batsman of any note at all.

And how about the most at the start of a career? For all teams.

It’s five again – this time shared by Australia’s Alan Connolly, New Zealand’s Frank Cameron and South Africa’s David Terbrugge and James Blackenberg.

Did Dayle and Richard Hadlee ever open the bowling together in a Test? And if so are they the only brothers to do so?

Yes, just once – against Australia at Adelaide Oval in 1973/74. This is the only time two full brothers have opened together in Tests, though Pedro Collins and Fidel Edwards, who are half-brothers, also did it against England at Kensington Oval in 2004.

What’s the most number of consecutive ODIs missed between appearances?

Jeff Wilson, the Kiwi all-rounder and (much more famously) All Black winger, appeared in 1992/93, but due to his rugby career did not play again until 2004/05. In between New Zealand’s ODI side competed in 271 games. He is well ahead of his nearest current rivals, Errol Stewart (218 for South Africa) and Sairaj Bahutule (196 for India).

Who is the oldest cricketer to captain for the first time in a Test?

Australia’s Warren Bardsley had never led in a Test before when his side begun the Third Test of the 1926 Ashes in England, despite a long and distinguished career – he was aged 43 years 216 days old at the start of the match. But with Herbie Collins unfit, he was asked to lead the side, and did. The next-oldest first-time captain is Nelson Betancourt, who was 42 years 242 days old when he led West Indies in the Second Test of their inaugural home series against England in 1930 (this series was not recognised as Test cricket at the time). It was Betancourt’s only Test.