Ask The Spider #21

Which batsman has the lowest strike-rate in ODIs (given a certain qualification of matches/innings)?

As the question stipulates “batsman” we’ll limit this to the top of the order and to a minimum of 10 innings. Within these restrictions the lowest SR is 37.61 by Grant Paterson, who opened for Zimbabwe in six games during the 1983 World and a further four in the 1987 one.

What will be the World ODI XI prepared for years as follows: 1975; 1979; 1983; 1987; 1992; 1996; 1999; 2003; 2007. Eligibility criteria: For one to seven, more than 500 runs in last 2 years; for eight to eleven, more than 150 overs in last 2 years. Selection Criteria (based on performance in last 2 years): one-four, batsmen having highest average among those with more than 70 strike-rate; five-six, the remaining batsmen having best SR with more than 30 avg; seven, wicketkeeper with best SR with avg >25; eight-eleven: two bowlers with best averages among those with economy-rate <4.7-an-over and two among the remaining bowlers with best economy-rate and avg <35.

This week it’s 1999. Using the same criteria as 2003, here is the team. Dates: 1st January 1998 to 13th May 1999.

BATSMEN
The top four with highest avg and >70 SR are:
Michael Bevan 1470 @ 77.36, SR 81.80 5-7
Sachin Tendulkar 1762 @ 58.73, SR 103.70 1-2
Lance Klusener 740 @ 46.25, SR 94.62 6
Ricky Ponting 1562 @ 45.94, SR 74.80 3
The next two are chosen with the best SR, >30 avg:
Ijaz Ahmed 1159 @ 38.63, SR 90.90 3-4
Hansie Cronje 1106 @ 42.53, SR 89.33 4-6

WICKETKEEPER
AC Gilchrist 1557 @ 37.07, SR 91.26 1-2

BOWLERS

Top three averages with ER <5 are: Saqlain Mushtaq 199 ov, 42 @ 20.35, ER 4.29 9 SM Pollock 236.1 ov, 42 @ 21.54, ER 3.83 8 [Hansie Cronje, already picked as a batsman, has 162 ov, 30 @ 22.63, ER 4.10] Damien Fleming 220.5 ov, 42 @23.35, ER 4.44 10 The last bowler is chosen with the lowest ER and avg <35: Anil Kumble 322 ov, 44 @ 30.45, ER 4.16 So the final line-up is:- 1 Sachin Tendulkar 2 Adam Gilchrist 3 Ricky Ponting 4 Ijaz Ahmed 5 Michael Bevan 6 Hansie Cronje 7 Lance Klusener 8 Shaun Pollock 9 Saqlain Mushtaq 10 Anil Kumble 11 Damien Fleming Cronje qualified both as a batsman and as a bowler, and would also be the likely captain of this side. Gilchrist and Pollock appear in all of the 2007, 2003 and 1999 WC XIs. Who is the current oldest Test cricketer?

India’s Anil Kumble, born on the 17th October 1970, is the oldest left now.

What’s the lowest 50-over ODI total where the full allocation has been used?

Sri Lanka accrued 118 for 9 versus New Zealand at Carisbrook, Dunedin on the 2nd March 1983.

Following on from last week’s question about most successful captains at the toss – which current captain has the highest win percentage for matches where he won the toss?

As of this column, Australia’s Ricky Ponting (who has won 18 Test tosses) comes out on top, with 15 victories from them. Fairly close behind is Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene (10 toss victories) with 7 victories. Next is Michael Vaughan with 13 victories from 22 toss-winning games.

Who are the most successful Test captains of all time if you apply a system of 2 points for victory, 1 for draw and 0 for loss, points divided by games captained?

1.66 Ricky Ponting
1.56 Stephen Waugh
1.53 Douglas Jardine
1.50 Sir Donald Bradman
1.45 Michael Brearley
1.42 Lindsay Hassett
1.40 Sir Frank Worrell
1.39 Percy Chapman
1.38 Sir Vivian Richards
1.35 Michael Vaughan
1.35 Shaun Pollock
1.33 Ian Chappell
1.32 Clive Lloyd
1.30 Sir Leonard Hutton
1.30 Hansie Cronje
1.29 Richie Benaud
1.28 Bill Woodfull
1.26 Mark Taylor
1.24 Peter May
1.24 Mahela Jayawardene

Who are the most successful ODI captains in terms of win % of all time?

If a minimum of 20 ODIs as captain is taken, and players whose ODI careers are over only are considered, the top ten are:
76% Clive Lloyd
71% Hansie Cronje
70% Mike Gatting
63% Sir Vivian Richards
63% Stephen Waugh
61% Shaun Pollock
61% Salim Malik
60% Allan Border
60% Michael Brearley
60% Wasim Akram