Razzaq's double and most nervous nineties

Pakistan's Muhammad Yousuf completed his 7000 runs in ODIs. He achieved this feat when he scored a single during the third match of the series against India at Lahore. He became only the 21st batsman overall to reach this milestone. It is interesting to note that Yousuf is yet to score 7000 ODI career runs while playing for Pakistan. After the third match of the ongoing series, his tally of runs now stands at 6953 runs from 206 games. The remaining 47 runs are those which he scored while playing for Asian XI and World XI in 2005. Table 1, 2, 3 & 4 gives statistical analysis of Yousuf's ODI batting career.

* Shoaib Malik smashed his third successive 90-plus score in as many as matches. He has now totaled 293 runs in eight days since the start of the ODI series on February 6, 2006. This is now the eleventh highest aggregate of runs by a Pakistani batsman in eight consecutive days. See Table 5.

* Abdul Razzaq became the fifth all-rounder to achieve the double of 200 wickets and 4000 runs in one-day internationals. Curiously enough, he is yet to complete this feat while playing for Pakistan because 49 of his 4030 runs came for Asian XI and World XI, just as in Yousuf's case above.

* Sachin was dismissed in the 90s for the tenth time in his career. This created a new world record of most nineties by a batsman in ODIs. He shared the previous record of nine 90s with Aravinda de Silva and Andy Flower. Had Sachin not missed any of these ten century making opportunities he would have been just one short of his 50th ton in ODIs today.Click to see the tables

One man, different arts

Man is mortal but not his art. I sometimes feel if I get a chance to rebirth I would beseech my Allah to recreate me as an artist. My cricket writing, captivation for records, statistics and programming on my cricket stats database is perhaps just another way of satisfying the never ending desire to remain in the world of creativity. My blog is mainly for my cricketing reasons but there are some exceptions in life. My friend Malik Talal Hussain spared his special time to produce this sketch. Although, a non-professional artist, who has never attended or studied fine arts, but it was just his natural fascination with the canvas’ alongside with his various tools, which lets him escape from the world of sorrow, grief and despair to the realm of art. But Talal thinks otherwise, his poetic remarks are enthralling: “Writing poetry doesn’t make you a poet, drawing sketches doesn’t make you an artist, and driving bikes doesn’t make you a GP racer. It’s not what people think or say who you are, its what you think you should be that really matters.� He is an ardent lover of bikes and can travel miles to know and share his passion for the same. That’s not all about him. So, if you are interested to know more about him or have an interest in bikes then my friend would love to listen from you.Visit him

Unusual dismissals and successful run-chases

* Inzamam-ul-Haq became only the third batsman and the second Pakistani to be dismissed obstructing the field in the annals of ODI cricket. Almost eighteen years ago on November 20, 1987, during the second game of the three match series against England at Karachi, Rameez Raja had the double agony of being dismissed on 99 and that too by obstructing the field. On the final ball of the match Pakistan required an impossible 25 runs and Raja was unbeaten on 98. He set off for two runs after pushing the last ball of the day to mid-wicket but while completing his second run he deliberately stopped the ball with his bat, thus preventing wicket-keeper Bruce French, who had rolled the ball in an attempt to break the wicket at the bowler's end, from running him out. Interestingly, Raja completed a hat-trick of unusual dismissals against England in 1987. First he was incorrectly given run out when walking for a catch off a no-ball in a Benson & Hedges Challenge Cup mach at Perth, and then run out without facing a ball at The Oval in a Texaco Trophy game in May, before becoming the first batsman on the planet to be given out obstructing the fielder in ODIs six months later. The second batsman after Rameez was, India’s Mohinder Amarnath who did so against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad on October 22, 1989. After playing defensively to Sri Lankan pace bowler Kapila Wijegunawardene, Amarnath stepped out of the crease to take a run but seeing the bowler charging down the track, kicked the ball in order to prevent the bowler from running him out. He was given out by Pakistani umpire Khizer Hayat.

* The match aggregate of 639 runs was sixth occasion when 600 runs or more in an ODI on Pakistan soil were registered. Pakistan also registered its sixth 300 (or plus) score while batting second in a one-day international. It was their third such performance against India and the fourth by any side overall. See Table 1, 2, & 3.

* Sachin Tendulkar became he first batsman in ODI cricket to post 14000 runs. He also extended his world his world record number of centuries to 39 after his superb innings at Peshawar. Table 5, 6 & 7 gives statistical analysis of Sachin’s ODI batting career.Click to see the tables

Younis second quickest to complete 1000 runs against India

* Younis Khan completed his 1000 runs against India when he reached 16 during his unbeaten knock of 25 on the second day of the Karachi Test. Younis became the sixth Pakistani batsman to achieve this feat against the arch-rivals. See Table 1

* Younis Khan’s took just 11 innings to knock 1000 runs against India. He thus became the second fastest after Everton Weekes to aggregate 1000 runs against India in Test cricket. At the age of 28 years and 62 days he also became the seventh youngest cricketer to do so against India. See Table 2 & 3.

* Younis Khan when reached 24, crossed another significant milestone. This was his 500th run in the current series. He had also scored 508 runs in his previous series against India in their backyard last year. He thus became only the fourth batsman to score 500 or more runs in a series against India on two or more occasions. See Table 4.

* Muhammad Yousuf crossed the 5000 career run-mark when he reached 22 on the second days play. He became only the fifth Pakistani to reach this milestone. He is also the second quickest Pakistani in terms of innings to accumulate 5000 runs. See Table 5.Click to see the tables

Of hat-tricks, batting recoveries and most sixes in a series

* Irfan Pathan became only the second Indian after Harbhajan Singh to perform a Test hat-trick. This provided the very first instance of a bowler claiming three wickets off successive balls in the first over of a Test match. However, there have been three instances where the show began in the first over of an innings and was completed in the third - Merv Hughes first did so against West Indies at Perth in 1988-89, Wasim Akram against Sri Lanka at Dhaka in 1999, and Jermaine Lawson against Australia at Barbados in 2003. Nuwan Zoysa of Sri Lanka still remains the only bowler to take a hat-trick off the first three balls he bowled in a Test match - against Zimbabwe at Harare in November 1999. Overall it was the 36th hat-trick by the 33rd bowler and the fifth against Pakistan, all of which have been on Pakistan sol.

* Only for the fourth time in a Test innings a team lost its first three wickets without disturbing the scorers. The worst ever start to a Test innings, in terms of most wickets fallen without a run, belongs to India when they collapsed to 0 for 4 against England at Leeds in 1952. Pakistan’s eventual recovery today to 245 all-out is now the highest innings total by a side after such a start. It was also the second such instance on the first day of a Test match. See Table 1.

* Pakistan created a new world record of most runs added by a side after being six wickets down for 40 or less runs. The previous record in this regard was held by Australia against England when Aussies were six down for 38 before being bundled out for 184. Pakistan’s total of 245 is also the highest by any side after such a collapse. See Table 2.

* Kamran Akmal has now scored four hundreds as a wicketkeeper. He now equalled Moin Khan’s record of most hundreds by a Pakistani wicketkeeper in Tests. He also became only the 12th keeper to score four or more hundreds in Test cricket.

* Akmal crossed the 1000 Test career runs mark when he reached 45 during his splendid innings of 113. It was the 35th innings of his 21st Test. He thus became the second quickest Pakistani glove-man, after Imtiaz Ahmed who did so in 31 innings, to reach 1000 runs. Overall he is the sixth Pakistani keeper to reach this milestone. At the age of 24 years and 16 days, Akmal also became the youngest Pakistani and only the third youngest keeper overall to do so. See Table 3 & 4.

* Akmal equalled Kumar Sangakkara’s world record of most Test 100s by a wicketkeeper before his 25th birthday. Sangakkara had scored four centuries before crossing the silver jubilee of his life. Akmal was aged 24 years and 16 days on the first day of the Karachi Test. See Table 5.

* The 115-run partnership between Kamran Akmal and Abdur Razzaq is now the highest ever by any side for the seventh wicket after being six down for 50 runs or less. The previous record in this regard was of 84 runs between Salim Malik and Moin Khan, in quite a same situation as it was today, against India at Calcutta in 1999. See Table 6.

* Shoaib Akhtar’s solitary six today created a new world record of most sixes in a three-match series by both sides. This was actually the 41st hit over the ropes in the on-going series. It broke the previous record of 40 sixes set by England and New Zealand during the three Test series in 2001-02 season. See Table 7.

* India left out Harbhajan Singh for the third Test. This means the world record of most balls bowled without a wicket in a Test series is still intact. Harbhajan had bowled 486 balls in the first two Tests of the series without a solitary success. This is now the second worst effort without a wicket, in terms of balls bowled, in two matches of a series by a bowler. John Emburey of England holds the world record of bowling 642 balls without a wicket in any Test series. Just for record, Harbhajan has already earned the dubious distinction conceding most runs (355) in a Test series without a wicket. See Table 8.

* Pakistan is playing a Test without Inzamam for the first time since last May when they were thrashed by West Indies at Bridgetown by 276 runs. Without Inzamam, Pakistan has a 50-50 win-loss record ever since the giant has made his Test debut in June 1992. In 14 matches without Inzamam during that period Pakistan has won 6, lost 6 and drew 2.Click to see the tables

Drawing every match of a series and the sixes blitz

* If Karachi Test is also drawn then it would be the first occasion in the last four years and the third in the last 10 years when every match of a three-Test rubber is drawn. It would also be the fifth such instance involving India-Pakistan and overall the sixth on Pakistan soil. So far in the history of Test cricket there have been 20 instances when all the matches of a three or more Test rubber were drawn.

* 40 sixes have been smashed so far in the two India-Pakistan Tests. This has now equalled the world record of most sixes in a three-match series (by both sides). Curiously enough, it is now just 18 short of the world record of most sixes in any Test series (by both sides). Of these 40, Shahid Afridi has alone hit 13, just one less than Wasim Raja, Mathew Hayden, Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Peterson's tally of 14 sixes, the most by any batsman in a Test series.

* Of the 37 Tests at Karachi’s National Stadium 17 have been draws. Pakistan only loss here, apart from 19 wins, was against England in 2000-01. While India’s last Test here was 16 years ago, a match in which Waqar Younis and Sachin Tendulkar made their Test debuts. Overall, Indians are yet to win here. They have lost twice and drew thrice in the five games at the venue.

* Teams winning the toss and electing to bat first have met a poor fate – winning only three times, whereas teams batting second have won 17 times. Teams bowling first have won five matches and lost once.

* The highest individual innings still remains of 211 by Javed Miandad against Australia in 1988-89. While Imran Khan has the best bowling analysis in an innings - 8/60 against India in 1982-83. Fazal Mahmood’s tally of 14 wickets for 114 runs in 1956-57 against Australia are the best match bowling analysis.

* The highest team total is 565-9 dec by Pakistan against New Zealand> The lowest is 80 by Australia in 1956-57. The highest run chased achieved in the fourth innings is 315 for 9 by Pakistan against the Aussies in 1994, a match where Inzamam and Mushtaq Ahmed shared a breathtaking partnership of 57 runs for the last wicket to take Pakistan home. Click to see the tables

Inzamam, Afridi make merry

* Shahid Afridi smashed a brilliant 156 studded with 20 fours and six sixes. He became only the fourth Pakistani batsman to score two more hundreds in successive innings against India. See Table 1

* By reaching his century with a huge six off Irfan Pathan, Afridi became the ninth Pakistani batsman to reach three-figures with a six. It was also the 13th such instance against India. See Table 2

* The 251-run partnership between Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq is now the highest against India and the third highest for Pakistan for the fifth-wicket in Test cricket. Inzamam and Afridi had put on 163 overnight, but at the start of second day’s play Afridi was joined by Razzaq after Inzamam was injured and the two added a further 88 runs. See Table 3

* Inzamam-ul-Haq scored his 25th century. He is now only the tenth player to score 25 or more Test hundreds. This was also Inzi’s fifth three-figure knock as captain after turning 35. He became only the eighth captain in Test cricket to score five or more tons after his 35th birthday. Just for record, Graham Gooch holds the record of scoring most hundreds in this regard. See Table 4 & 5.

* Inzamam’s brilliant hundred was his third against India as captain. He has now equalled Imran Khan as the most by a Pakistani captain against India. Now only Clive Lloyd and Don Bradman have scored more centuries while leading the side against India. See Table 6

* This was also Inzi’s fourth ton in his post 100th Test match. He joined Allan Border with four or more tons after the 100th Test match of the player career. Interestingly, Steve Waugh has scored an astonishing 15 centuries when he got past his centenary Test. See Table 7

* Pakistan by being bundled out for 588, just missed chance of becoming the first side in Test cricket to score three consecutive 600 plus scores in as many innings. They have now equalled Sri Lanka’s record of most 550-plus scores in consecutive innings. Sri Lanka had registered three scores of above 550 against India, Bangladesh and West Indies in 2001-02 season. See Table 8. Click to see the tables

Younis’ record run and consecutive 600 totals

* Pakistan’s total of 379 for four at stumps is now its second highest on the opening day of a Test match after their 388 for 3 against England at Manchester way back in 1992. It is also the highest for Pakistan and the fourth highest by any side on the first day against India. See Table 1, 2 & 3.

* The total of 370/4 also surpassed the highest first day score on Pakistan soil by India [356/2] at Multan in 2004.

* Younis Khan has now scored 633 runs in his last four Test innings against India. In his last match in India in March 2005 against the arch-rivals, the Pakistan vice-captain smashed 267, 84*, 199 at Lahore and 83 today on the first day of Faisalabad Test. His tally of 633 runs are the third most by any batsman against India and second most by a Pakistani batsman in four or more successive (fifty plus) innings. See Table 4 & 5.

* Younis Khan has now added 863 runs for the third wicket in his last four innings against India. This includes two triple century (324 with Inzamam-ul-Haq at Bangalore – 2004-05, 319 with Muhammad Yousuf at Lahore 2005-06), one century (142 with Muhammad Yousuf at Faisalabad 2005-06) and one fifty-plus (with Inzamam-ul-Haq at Bangalore – 2004-05) stand.

* Pakistan have now accumulated 1694 runs for the loss of 19 wickets in its last three Test innings. If Pakistan go on to reach 600 tomorrow, it would become the first side in the annals of Test cricket to score three consecutive 600 plus scores in as many as innings. Just for record, there have been three occasions when a side totaled 600 or more runs in two successive innings while there are two other occasions when 600 runs in an innings were achieved in two successive Test matches by the same side. Scores: (636/8 v England 3rd Test at Lahore 2005, 679/7 v India 1st Test at Lahore 2006 and 379/4 overnight v India 2006 2nd test at Faisalabad.

* With three more sixes Shahid Afridi has now smashed 44 sixes in his 22-match Test career. Since January 01, 2005 he has hit 66 sixes, the most by any batsman during the same period in international cricket (ODIs sixes: 37, Tests sixes: 29). The next batsman on the list is Adam Gilchrist 43 sixes (ODIs 19, Tests 24) followed by Kevin Peterson 42 sixes (ODIs 22, Tests 19, Twenty-20 1).

* The fifth-wicket unbroken partnership of 163 runs between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi is now the second highest for the fifth wicket for Pakistan against India. The best still remains of 213 between Zaheer Abbas and Mudassar Nazar at Karachi in 1982-83.Click to see the tables

Afridi and Akmal make India bleed

It was murder at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. The executioner was Pakistani hero Shahid Khan Afridi and the sufferers were Indian bowlers. The savage assault on the hapless Indian bowlers has to be seen to be believed. They were smashed all over the park to the delight of a boisterous crowd.

With Eid-ul-Azha just passed, Afridi must not have completed his religious rites so brutally by slaughtering the sacrificial animal as he butchered the Indian bowling three days later. The manner in which Afridi has maltreated the Indian bowlers he is liable to be reported to Human Rights Commission for violating the rights of Harbhajan, Kumble, Agarkar and Pathan. Surely, he is man who can hit any ball out of the planet.

* Inzamam-ul-Haq had a rare failure yesterday and still Pakistan went past 650-mark. It was for the first time since Inzi’s Test debut (in 14 years) that Pakistan have made 600 or more runs in a Test innings without having the giant contributing a significant score. It was also only the fourth instance of Pakistan making above 500 during the same period with Inzamam not getting a major score. The previous three occurrences are: Pak 505 v Eng, Old Trafford 1992 - Inzamam 26; Pak 537 v Aus, Rawalpindi 1994- Inzamam 0; Pak 521 v Eng, The Oval 1996- Inzamam 35. There have been 10 other 500-plus scores by Pakistan since Inzi’s debut and the lowest contribution he made in those totals was 97 against Australia at Peshawar in 1998.

* The third-wicket partnership of 319 runs between Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf is the eighth highest for any wicket for Pakistan and the best at Lahore. It is also the third-highest partnership for the third wicket against India by any side. The 451-run stand between Javed Miandad and Mudassar Nazar at Hyderabad still remains the best.

* Younis Khan became the first batsman in Test annals to be run-out on 199. He however provided the sixth instance of a player being dismissed in nervous 199s with Andy Flower the only one who left-stranded at the same score. Younis also became the third Pakistani after Mudassar Nazar and Muhammad Wasim to be dismissed in 190s.

* Younis also became the first Pakistani to share a century and a triple century partnership in the same innings of a Test match. He first shared 124-run stand with Shoaib Malik for the second wicket before putting on 319 for the third wicket with Yousuf. There have been 17 other occurrences of a century and a triple-century stand by one player in the same Test innings.

* Afridi crushed Harbhajan to pulp. He accumulated 27 runs from off-spinner’s over which included a four sixes, a double and a single. Only Brian Lara has now scored more runs in an over Test cricket (28 off Robin Peterson at Johannesburg in 2003-04). Afridi though became the first batsman on the planet to smash four sixes off the first four balls of an over in Test cricket. He is also only the second man after India’s Kapil Dev to score 24 runs from sixes alone in an over. Kapil hit the last four balls of EE Hemmings over for sixes at Lord’s in 1990.

* Afridi's hundred off 78 balls was the joint ninth-fastest in the annals of Test cricket and the second fastest by a Pakistani after Majid Khan’s 74 ball ton against New Zealand at Karachi in 1976-77. Afridi had scored a century off the same number of balls against West Indies at Bridgetown last year.

* Kamran Akmal created a new world record for the fastest century by a wicketkeeper in Test cricket. His magnificent ton came off 81 balls which bettered Adam Gilchrist’s record of two separate hundreds off 84 balls each, against India at Mumbai (2000-01) and Zimbabwe at Perth (2003-04) respectively. Curiously enough, this was also the 12th fastest by any batsman in the longer version of the game.

* Shahid Afridi has now smashed 41 sixes in his 21-match Test career. He is now only the fifth Pakistani batsman to hit 40 or more Test sixes after Wasim Akram (57), Imran Khan (55), Javed Miandad (48) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (46).

* The total of 679 for 7 is now the second highest by any side on Pakistan soil after Pakistan’s 699-5 dec against India at Lahore in 1989-90. Since then, in 16 years upto to this day, no side has plundered such a huge total against India (except Sri Lanka’s mammoth 952-6 at Colombo in 1997-98) then Pakistan did yesterday.Click to see the tables

A day of two Y's

* Pakistan’s total of 326 for two at stumps was its highest on the opening day of a Test match for the loss of just two wickets. The previous best opening day score losing the same number of wickets was also against India at Bangalore (in the last Test between the two sides). See Table 1.

* It was also the ninth highest by Pakistan in all Test cricket on the first day’s play. The best still remains of 388 for 3 against England at Manchester in 1992. Table 2 has the details.

* Younis Khan has now scored 498 runs in three successive Test innings against India. In his last match at Bangalore in March 2005 against the arch-rivals, the Pakistan vice-captain smashed 267, 84* and now an unbeaten 147 at the end of first day’s play. His tally of 498 runs are the ninth most by any batsman against India in three or more successive innings. See Table 3.

* Younis Khan’s last three Tests against India has now yielded 645 runs in five innings. It thus broke the 57-year old record of most runs by any batsman against India in three or more successive Tests including atleast a century in each of them. Everton Weekes scored 585 runs in three Tests against India between November 1948 and Jan 1949. See Table 4.

* Younis has now made ten hundreds and 11 fifties in the 70 innings of his Test career. His fifty to hundred conversion rate of 47.62 % is now the third best by any Pakistani with atleast 10 centuries in Test cricket. See Table 5.

* Muhammad Yousuf was unbeaten on 95 at stumps on first day. He became only the sixth Pakistani batsman for the ninth time to be not out in 90s overnight against India. Mudassar Nazar has achieved this feat four times while Javed Miandad holds the world record of adding most runs to a nervous-ninety overnight score. See Table 6.Click to see the tables

Most hundreds without an ODI fifty

During the third match of Pakistan-England ODI series at Karachi, Kamran Akmal equalled Dennis Amiss’ world record of most ODI hundreds before a fifty. Akmal has now scored three centuries in ODIs without ever failing to convert a fifty into hundred so far in his 32-match career. England’s Dennis Amiss scored three tons before he finally made his first fifty score of 88 against East Africa on June 14, 1975. Kamran is however the first wicketkeeper to perform such feat. There are still 12 other players who have scored atleast one century in ODIs but no fifties while there have been 28 who scored their first 100 before their first half-century. See Tables 1 & 2.

* It was also Akmal’s third ODI and fifth international hundred this year. With that he joined Australia’s Adam Gilchrist as only the second wicketkeeper to score three ODI centuries in a calendar year. Gilchrist had performed such feet in 1998. He also equalled Gilchrest’s world record of most hundreds in both Tests and ODIs in a calendar year. See Table 3 & 4.

* Akmal’s brilliant 109 made him only the second wicketkeeper after England’s Alec Stewart to score two successive ODI hundred in as many as matches. He is also the seventh Pakistani for the 10th time to register two tons in consecutive ODI games. See Tables 5 & 6.

* Shahid Afridi has now hit 35 sixes in 2005, the most by any batsman. India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni has also smashed 34 sixes this year. See Table 7.Click to see the tables

From Bannerman to Lara..

Click to enlarge the spider-chart

At 1221 hrs local time (0050 GMT) on November 26, 2005, the second day of the third Test against Australia at Adelaide, Brain Charles Lara, fifteen years after taking guard for the first time against Wasim Akram, daringly swept Glenn McGrath’s delivery to fine-leg for a single that made him the most prolific batsman of all time taking him ahead of Allan Border [11,174 runs] in the hall of fame.

So far, the record of most Test career runs has changed hands 21 times between 16 players from four nations since Australia's Charles Bannerman scored the first run in Test cricket against England on March 15, 1877 at Melbourne. Bannerman extended his innings to 165 before being forced to retire hurt with a hand injury. He dominated Australia's innings in this inaugural Test, scoring 67.3% of his side's total - still a Test record for a completed innings.

* During the first 95 years of Test cricket it was either an Australian or an Englishman who held the record until a West Indian, Sir Garry Sobers surpassed Colin Cowdrey on March 26, 1972. [For complete details see the accompanying table of progressive record holders].

* Clem Hill, who lost the record twice during 1902 before finally holding it for 22 years until Jack Hobbs broke it in 1924, is the youngest ever player to hold the most Test career runs batting record when he first claimed it from Archie MacLaren in July 1902. He was aged 25 years and 108 days.

* Jack Hobbs was aged 42 years and 6 days when he broke Clem Hill’s record of 2412 runs at Sydney in December 1924. He is thus the oldest player to break the record.

* Wally Hammond held the record for the longest span of 33 years and 156 days. Hammond broke Hobbs record of 5410 runs on June 26, 1937 and then extended it to 7249 before his last Test in March 1947. Due to the WWII, between 1939 and 1945, there was no Test cricket for six years and 219 days. More than three decades later, it was England's Colin Cowdrey who battered Hammond’s tally against Australia at Brisbane in November 1970.

* On the other end of the scale, two players, Sydney Gregory and Clem Hill jointly hold the record of being Test cricket's highest run-scorer for the shortest time span of a single day. The first such event was registered during the fifth day of the 1902 Ashes Test at Adelaide when Australia's Sydney Gregory eclipsed Arthur Shrewsbury's record of 1277 runs and extended it to 1282 before getting dismissed for 23. Next day, his captain Joe Darling, unbeaten on 40 overnight, needed just 19 runs to snatch the record form Gregory, which he did and totaled 1293 runs before his innings and the match ended. Five Tests later, in July 1902 at Sheffield, Hill exceeded MacLaren's 1432 run-figure but the later took it back on the very next day. Interestingly, it was quite cat and mouse game in the year 1902, when the Test aggregate run record swapped almost with every innings between Gregory, Darling, MacLaren and Hill, before Clem finally made it his own for 22 years. Curiously enough, the title changed hands nine times between these four players during the calendar year 1902.

* Of the 16 players who have held the record so far since 1877, only 11 were able to hold it to the end of their Test career.

* Joe Darling, Clem Hill, Gary Sobers, Allan Border and Brian Lara are the only left-handed record holders in the list.Click to see the table

A first in four years

* The last Test between these two sides at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium was a bizarre affair. A match which Australia’s Steve Waugh described ‘the most boring Test I've ever seen’. A lame draw where 958 runs were scored off 392 overs @ 2.44 R/o in five days. Graham Thorpe took monotony to new heights as he reached a century that included only two boundaries, the fewest in Test history. Saqlain Mushtaq alone bowled 74 overs and took all eight wickets that fell in England’s first innings before Nasser Hussain declared and denied Saqlain’ a chance to register only the third 10-for in the history of Test cricket.

* For the first time in four years Pakistan is going into the last Test’ leading a three-match series. The last time they did so was against New Zealand in their backyard in 2001. Under Moin Khan, Pakistan won the first match at Auckland, drew at Christchurch before losing the third Test at Hamilton in Inzamam’s debut match as Pakistan captain. Since then Pakistan have played only five’ three-match series and with an exception against Bangladesh, where they won all three in 2003, they have never been able to lead any 3-Test series.

* Going into Lahore Test, Inzamam has accumulated 902 runs in six Tests this year. With the kind of form he is in, there is an opportunity for him to become the only Pakistani to cross the 1,000 run mark In Tests during calendar year 2005. Younis Khan, not playing in today’s game due to the sad demise of his brother, finished the year with 899 Test runs in 8 games. Surprisingly, the next two highest run scorers for Pakistan this year are quite far. Shahid Afridi, also not playing today due to his own antics, is third with 510 runs followed by Salman Butt with 438.

* After going wicket-less in Faisalabad Test, Danish Kaneria now needs only seven wickets to reach 50-wicket mark this year.

* Overall 35 Tests have been staged at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Pakistan won 10, lost and drew 19. Against England they have won just one, lost one and drew five in eight Tests at the same venue.

* Inzi’s monumental 329 is the best individual batting effort while Abdul Qadir’s 9 for 56 against Englishmen in 1987 and Imran Khan’s 14 for 116 vs Sri Lanka in 1982 still remains as the best bowling innings and match bowling analysis respectively.

* Highest team Innings score is 699 for 5 by India in 1989. Lowest innings total is 73 by New Zealand in 2001. Highest fourth innings score successfully chased is 209 for 5 by England in 1961.

Twin-fifty stands and winning targets

* Shoaib Malik and Salman Butt’s 54-run partnership for the first wicket, in Pakistan’s second innings, was their second fifty-plus stand of the match. It was for the first time in two years and seven series that any opening pair has put on two fifty-plus partnerships in a Test match for Pakistan. It was also only the 17th such occurrence for Pakistan in 53 years of Test cricket. See Table - 1 for more details.

* With a lead of 199 runs and just four wickets remaining at the end of day four, any of the three results (four if a tie is included!) are possible on the last day. If the last four Pakistani wickets add another 50 to 70 runs then it would be a fascinating tussle. Statistically speaking, Pakistan has a good record of defending low totals in the fourth innings. They have registered 13 victories while defending scores of 275 runs or less in the last innings - eight of which were during the 90’s - thanks to the two W’s. On the other end of the scale, Pakistan have lost seven games after setting the target between 200 and 275 while on 11 occasions they managed to draw the match. Tables 2, 3 & 4 have the complete details.Click to see the tables

Afridi's moment of madness

* Shahid Afridi’s moment of madness, on the second day of the Faisalabad Test, has cost him a three match ban. A look back into his nine-year old international career reveals some interesting facts. It is for the first time that he has been penalized for violating any ICC Code of Conduct. Though, it was the second occasion for him to be reported to the match referee - after against India in 2nd Test at Delhi from February 4th to 8th 1999 – when he was severely reprimanded and warned (for future conduct) for not leaving the crease immediately after being given out caught behind off Anil Kumble. No penalty was imposed by referee C Smith then. Curiously enough, Afridi became the fifth Pakistani to breach ICC’s Code of Conduct for the ninth time in the calendar year 2005. Table 1 gives the complete details.

* On the day of mixed fortunes, Afridi set some interesting records which went virtually unnoticed. His brutal 92 off 85 balls provided only the sixth instance of a Pakistani smashing six or more sixes in a Test innings. It was the second such performance by him. It was also the joint-third most by any batsman against England. See Table 2 and 3.

* Afridi has now hit 19 sixes in 11 Test innings during the calendar year 2005. The world record of most sixes (in Test cricket) in a year is held by Adam Gilchrist whose 22 sixes were also registered in 2005. See Table 4.

* Inzamam-ul-Haq has equalled Miandad’s and Imran Khan’s record of most hundreds by any Pakistani captain. It was Inzi’s fifth ton in his 16th match as skipper. Interestingly, his five hundreds in 28 innings are almost twice as fast as compared to the other two captains. See Table 5

* Ian Bell’s and Kevin Pietersen’s hundreds, on the third day, provided the 12th instance of two Englishmen making centuries in the same Test innings against Pakistan. Click to see the tables

Forgetting the rule-book

It is a volatile time in history, when the authorities are trying to assist the on-field umpires by the use of more efficient technology; the men-in-white are still getting it wrong. Though, this time the trouble is not with science but ignorance on the part of umpires to follow the rule-book. One cannot teach each and every cricket rule to technology. That’s why there are umpires to give their verdict after consulting it. This is the basic limitation of human created mind (the technology) and the hallmark of divine creation (the human brain).

At 10.45 am PST today at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad, Steve Harmison’s first delivery of the 96th over of Pakistan’s innings to Inzamam-ul-Haq drove firmly back to the bowler. Harmison fielded and flung back at the stumps, the batsman took an instinctive evasive action and that led him to jump a little, so that his back foot came off the ground. An appeal was made and Darrel Hair, standing at square-leg, refereed to the third umpire. The third-umpire, Nadeem Ghauri, after viewing it from different angles declared the batsman run-out!

THE LAWS OF CRICKET 38.2 (2) states:
Batsman not Run out
A batsman is not out Run out if:
(a) he has been within his ground and has subsequently left it to avoid injury, when the wicket is put down."

Clearly, this was a poor case of referrer because if Hair knew his rules well then he would not have signaled it to Ghauri. Ironically, the third umpire, who got much more time to judge the event, trusted his eyes more than his brain. The purpose of third umpire is more than just pressing the red or green button. It is very strange that all the three umpires forgot the rule book and put an end to a magnificent innings which could have took Pakistan beyond 500-run mark.

Two other dismissals, both preceding Inzamam’s one – of Yousuf and Afridi - were also poor umpiring decisions. Afridi’s dismissal required replay assistance which was not used.

Well, one remembers the same of kind incident happened almost 11 years ago in a Test match at Napier between Sri Lanka-New Zealand. Dulip Samaraweera had regained his ground after attempting for a run, but Ken Rutherford’s, New Zealand captain, throw fired straight at the stumps and Samaraweera’s feet. The batsman had no choice but to jump into the air to avoid being hit on the toes. Replays showed him run out with both feet about 10-inches in the air. The umpires involved in that case were Doug Cowie (NZ – square leg umpire) and Evan Watkin (NZ - tv umpire).

Pakistan stun England

Pakistan’s sensational 22-run win over England in the Multan Test, earned them a 1-0 lead in the three match series. Pakistan conceded a lead of 144 runs to England after being bundled out for 274 in their first innings. It thus provided only the 40th instance in Test cricket when a side won despite having a first innings deficit of 100 runs or more. It was also the fourth such instance for Pakistan. See Table 1.

England’s first innings score 418 is the second highest first innings total by any side against Pakistan in a lost match after India’s 449 at Bangalore three Tests ago. See Table 2.

* Marcus Trescothick’s fabulous knock of 193 runs in the first innings is also the second highest by any player against Pakistan in a lost cause after Virender Sehwag’s 201 in Bangalore earlier this year. Trescothick innings is thus the highest by any captain while losing to Pakistan. Table 3 has the details.

* Interestingly, in Pakistan’s last three Test victories, the highest individual scores by the opponent team in the first innings have been quite high: Sehwag’s 201 - Pakistan won by 168 runs, Lara 153 - Pakistan won by 136 runs, Trescothick 193 - Pakistan won by 22 runs

* Correspondingly in all those victories, the opponents scored more than 400 runs in the first innings - India 449, WI 401 and now England 418.

* It's after four years, that Pakistan have won two consecutive Test matches against teams other than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The last such occurrence was against West Indies at Sharjah in 2002 (Pak won 2-0). Pakistan have now won three of their last four Tests.

* The last time Pakistan won the first Test of a series, was two years and 7 series ago, against South Africa at Lahore by 8 wickets. Pakistan went on to win the two-Test series 1-0. Discounting the series’ against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since the turn of the century (after 01 Jan 2000), Pakistan have registered victories six times in the opening Tests of the 17 series they played. Five times they also went onto win the series while the remaining one was drawn. See Table 4.Click to see the tables

Dhoni scales new peak

During the recently concluded seven-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni created a new world record of most sixes by a batsman in an ODI series. He broke the previous record of 16 sixes shared by three master blasters - all from subcontinent – Shahid Afridi, Santh Jayasuriya and Sourav Ganguly. While Dhoni’s new record is created in a bilateral ODI series, the three previous record holders still share the title of most sixes in a multi-team event.

Ten of Dhoni’s 17 sixes came in a single innings when he made a stunning unconquered 183 off 145 balls during the third match of the series at Jaipur. For reader’s interest the accompanying table has the complete details.Click to see the table

Australia following-on atlast

Australia were made to follow on for the first time in 17 years as England dismissed the visitors for a paltry 218 on the third day of fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge. The last time they had suffered such fate was on 19th September 1988 at Karachi against Pakistan. Allan border was leading the side at that time and since then Border(61), Mark Taylor (50), Steve Waugh (57), Adam Gilchrist (6) and Ricky Ponting (16) never led a side that was asked to bat again by the opposition captain until Michael Vaughn asked Ponting (in his 17th match as captain of Australia) yesterday morning. Interestingly it was only for the 39th time that Australia have been followed on in the last 128 years and for the 18th time in last 50 years. For readers interest the accompanying table presents the list of follow on enforced on Australia in the last 50 years.Click to see the table

Most runs in a day's play

New Zealand amassed 452 for 9 against Zimbabwe on the first day of the recently concluded Harare Test. It was the fifth highest number of runs scored by a side on the first day of a Test match and the ninth most by a side in any day’s play. Interestingly, the world record of most runs for both sides in a day is 588 (for the loss of 6 wickets) on the 2nd day of the Old Trafford Test between England and India in 1936 [Scores: England 398-6; India 190-0]. For reader’s interest the accompanying tables have the complete details.Click to see the table