For the statistically challenged..

[rogernumber10]

A couple of years ago I went through and made a list of players who'd only played one test for Australia and also a list of wicket-keepers.

If I can dig them up, I'll put them on here.

A mate and I were talking the other day and trying to figure out who was the last player selected in the Australian side to play as a batsman, but not score a century.

It seems a long time ago, but I could only think of Stuart Law who was an unbeaten half century at Perth against Sri Lanka when Ponting debuted.

Law was stiff too to only get that many. The Sri Lankans were never going to get him out and he got declared on when Ponting got fired on 96 by Khizer Hayat. Taylor was looking for the declaration that day, but Australia still won by an innings inside four days. That was also the innings when Michael Slater could have had a crack at a triple ton, but got out for a double century, and australia batted another two hundred odd runs after he went. Sri Lanka made about 250 and 300 while we made 4-600 odd batting once, and it was all over inside four days with nearly 1200 runs on the board.

[Dogwatcher]

Personally, I hope no Australian batsman on debut ever makes more than 165. Jackson, Phillips and Wessels all ran it close, but it's a great thing that one record from the very first day of Test cricket still stands, in highest score by an Australian on debut.

I agree with you there. The romance of Bannerman's tonne can never be topped for mine.

I also hope that the highest score is never, ever again against the likes of Zimbabwe or Bangladesh (well not at least while they are at their current strengths).

[rod_rooster]

And, I guess to continue on a rain-man obsessive theme, the history of the highest score in test cricket is:

400* -- B Lara, v Eng 03-04.
380 – M Hayden, v Zim 03-04.
375 - B Lara, v Eng 93-94.
365* - G Sobers, v Pak 57-58.
364 - L Hutton, v Aus 38.
336* - W Hammond, v NZ 32-33.
334 - D Bradman, v Eng 30.
325 - A Sandham, v W Ind 29-30
287 - R Foster, v Aus 03-04.
211 - W Murdoch, v Eng 84.
165* - C Bannerman, v Eng 76-77 (first day of the first test).

Personally, I hope no Australian batsman on debut ever makes more than 165. Jackson, Phillips and Wessels all ran it close, but it's a great thing that one record from the very first day of Test cricket still stands, in highest score by an Australian on debut.

I know i'm being picky but Mark Taylor should be on that list with his 334* against Pakistan.

[Dogwatcher]

Rod, that's the order in which the highest test score has been held in the game's history.

[rod_rooster]

Rod, that's the order in which the highest test score has been held in the game's history.

[rogernumber10]

Strange thing in everything you read in the history of cricket is that Bradman walked up to Hutton in '38 and congratulated him when he went past 334, saying well done he broke his world record etc etc. Hutton also quoted about how great it was to pass Bradman, albeit that he batted so much longer. Seems almost as if the players, the media at the time didn't count Hammond's runs v New Zealand (as a much lesser opponent), and ignored that score.

[Dogwatcher]

Interesting point Rog.

Hammond only passed 334 by two, so was it just another example of Bradman being 'The Man'?

[MAY-Z]

Strange thing in everything you read in the history of cricket is that Bradman walked up to Hutton in '38 and congratulated him when he went past 334, saying well done he broke his world record etc etc. Hutton also quoted about how great it was to pass Bradman, albeit that he batted so much longer. Seems almost as if the players, the media at the time didn't count Hammond's runs v New Zealand (as a much lesser opponent), and ignored that score.

yep that got me the only the other day when a group of us were having a discussion on the same topic i had also discarded hammonds score based on what i had read about everyone congratulating hutton for beating bradman.

[Dogwatcher]

we really are cricket nerds aren't we????

[rogernumber10]

many worse things you could be.

[Dogwatcher]

you're right, one that I can think of (going by the stats) is a cricketing suicide.