Ask The Spider #36

Looking at the hat-tricks mentioned last week, have any players been victims in more than one hat-trick?

This has happened to Romesh Kaluwitharana, Stuart MacGill and Tommy Ward. Ward?s is the most interesting, as he was the final victim twice in the same match, to the same bowler, on the same day, and on his Test debut.

Which batsman has scored the most First-Class double-centuries without being chosen for a Test?

John Langridge made 76 centuries in his career, including eight doubles, but was never chosen for a Test match.

What?s the record for consecutive 10-wicket hauls in Tests?

Muttiah Muralitharan is the only player to have attained four consecutive ten-fors, and he has actually done it twice. Previously Clarrie Grimmett achieved three in succession.

Has anyone taken a catch off their first ball as a wicketkeeper in Tests?

Very surprisingly, the answer to this question is WG Grace. In a Test against Australia in 1884, the English wicket-keeper Alfred Lyttelton had two spells as a bowler, with WG keeping wicket in the second. Grace caught Billy Midwinter from the first ball he faced as ‘keeper.

What?s the highest individual score in the fourth-innings of a First-Class match?

In 2006, Cameron White made 260 for Somerset as they chased a total of 579 against Derbyshire, falling short by 80 runs.

Have any players batted at all eleven positions in Tests?

Yes, there have been three – Wilfred Rhodes (who was mentioned in the opening edition of this column), and also Syd Gregory and Vinoo Mankad.

What?s the highest Test score by a player aged 40 or older?

South Africa?s Eric Rowan scored 236 against England at Headingley in 1951.