Ask Steven
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Clarke's tattoo, and Ponting's record
Most sixes in a World Cup innings, unbeaten zeroes, uninterrupted by zeroes, and starting and finishing with ten-fors
Steven Lynch
March 22, 2011
Do you know what the tattoo on Michael Clarke's left arm says? asked Ahsan Raja from the United States
The original tattoo on Michael Clarke's left arm said "carpe diem", which is Latin for "seize the day". A couple of years ago another tattoo appeared there, seemingly in Arabic: a report in the Australiannewspaper in January 2008 suggested it meant "The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of disappointment," which was apparently a phrase occasionally used by Justin Langer (perhaps just after he was sconed by Makhaya Ntini in his 100th Test!). However, I'm not sure that Clarke has ever confirmed this - or explained why he apparently chose to have it translated into Arabic.
The original tattoo on Michael Clarke's left arm said "carpe diem", which is Latin for "seize the day". A couple of years ago another tattoo appeared there, seemingly in Arabic: a report in the Australiannewspaper in January 2008 suggested it meant "The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of disappointment," which was apparently a phrase occasionally used by Justin Langer (perhaps just after he was sconed by Makhaya Ntini in his 100th Test!). However, I'm not sure that Clarke has ever confirmed this - or explained why he apparently chose to have it translated into Arabic.
Is Ricky Ponting the first player to finish on the winning side in 250 one-day internationals?asked Krishna from India
Australia's captain is indeed the first man to be on the winning side in 250 one-day internationals. He reached the landmark earlier in this World Cup, with Australia's victory over Kenya in Bangalore and got to No. 251 at the same venue three days later against Canada. Sanath Jayasuriya is next - he ended up on the winning side in 233 ODIs. Next at the moment is Sachin Tendulkar, whose 227th victory (out of a record 450 matches) came against West Indies in Chennai on March 20. The others with 200 or more one-day international wins under their belt are Inzamam-ul-Haq (215), Adam Gilchrist (202), Jacques Kallis (the win over Bangladesh last week was his 201st) and Muttiah Muralitharan (who also got to 200 last week, with a win over New Zealand). Wasim Akram had 199.
Australia's captain is indeed the first man to be on the winning side in 250 one-day internationals. He reached the landmark earlier in this World Cup, with Australia's victory over Kenya in Bangalore and got to No. 251 at the same venue three days later against Canada. Sanath Jayasuriya is next - he ended up on the winning side in 233 ODIs. Next at the moment is Sachin Tendulkar, whose 227th victory (out of a record 450 matches) came against West Indies in Chennai on March 20. The others with 200 or more one-day international wins under their belt are Inzamam-ul-Haq (215), Adam Gilchrist (202), Jacques Kallis (the win over Bangladesh last week was his 201st) and Muttiah Muralitharan (who also got to 200 last week, with a win over New Zealand). Wasim Akram had 199.
Ross Taylor hit seven sixes in his hundred against Pakistan. Is this a record for the most sixes in an innings in the World Cup? asked Shubham Goyal from India
During his 131 for New Zealand against Pakistan in Pallekele Ross Taylor became the seventh batsman to clout seven sixes in a World Cup innings. The others are Viv Richards (1987), Sourav Ganguly (1999), Herschelle Gibbs, Brad Hodge, Sanath Jayasuriya and Yuvraj Singh (all in 2007). But three men have hit eight sixes in the same innings in the World Cup, and two of those came in finals: Ricky Ponting, in his superb 140 against India in Johannesburg in 2003, and Adam Gilchrist in his helter-skelter 149 from 104 balls against Sri Lanka in Bridgetown in 2007. Earlier in the 2007 tournament, Imran Nazir hit eight sixes in Pakistan's group match against Zimbabwe in Kingston.
During his 131 for New Zealand against Pakistan in Pallekele Ross Taylor became the seventh batsman to clout seven sixes in a World Cup innings. The others are Viv Richards (1987), Sourav Ganguly (1999), Herschelle Gibbs, Brad Hodge, Sanath Jayasuriya and Yuvraj Singh (all in 2007). But three men have hit eight sixes in the same innings in the World Cup, and two of those came in finals: Ricky Ponting, in his superb 140 against India in Johannesburg in 2003, and Adam Gilchrist in his helter-skelter 149 from 104 balls against Sri Lanka in Bridgetown in 2007. Earlier in the 2007 tournament, Imran Nazir hit eight sixes in Pakistan's group match against Zimbabwe in Kingston.
I believe Runako Morton has the record for the slowest duck - in terms of balls faced - in one-day internationals. But who has faced the most balls in an ODI before remaining 0 not out? asked Stefan Hemmings from Trinidad and Tobago
The Nevisian Runako Morton does indeed hold the record for the longest duck in one-day internationals - he was dismissed for 0 by the 31st ball he faced for West Indies against Australia in the DLF Cup final in Kuala Lumpur in September 2006. The record for the longest 0 not out appears to belong to Zimbabwe's Christopher Mpofu, who survived for 20 balls without being dismissed - or scoring a run - against Bangladeshin Mirpur in December 2006. We don't have full balls-faced details for some early matches, so it's difficult to be positive that Mpofu is the record-holder, although it does seem likely!
The Nevisian Runako Morton does indeed hold the record for the longest duck in one-day internationals - he was dismissed for 0 by the 31st ball he faced for West Indies against Australia in the DLF Cup final in Kuala Lumpur in September 2006. The record for the longest 0 not out appears to belong to Zimbabwe's Christopher Mpofu, who survived for 20 balls without being dismissed - or scoring a run - against Bangladeshin Mirpur in December 2006. We don't have full balls-faced details for some early matches, so it's difficult to be positive that Mpofu is the record-holder, although it does seem likely!
Has anyone ever taken 10 or more wickets in both their first and last Tests? asked Conrad Chater from Oxford
Two people have managed this unlikely feat. The first was Tom Richardson, the great Surrey and England fast bowler, who took 10 for 156 in his first Test, against Australia at Old Trafford in August 1893, and 10 for 204 in what turned out to be his last, in Sydney in 1898-99. The other one was the legendary Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett, who took 11 for 82 on his debut - aged 33 - against England in Sydney in 1924-25, and 13 for 173 in his last Test, against South Africa in Durban in 1935-36. Grimmett, in fact, took 10 or more wickets in each of his last three Tests - and even though he was 44 when he did it, many were astonished when he was left out of the home Ashes series in 1936-37 and the 1938 tour of England - not least his long-time spinning partner Bill O'Reilly, who blamed his mate's omission on Don Bradman, Australia's captain at the time. There's also one bowler who collected a ten-for in his only Test: the 37-year-old Kent legspinner Charles "Father" Marriott took 11 for 96 against West Indies at The Oval in 1933, but never played for England again (he was a schoolmaster at Dulwich College, and rarely played a full season of county cricket).
Two people have managed this unlikely feat. The first was Tom Richardson, the great Surrey and England fast bowler, who took 10 for 156 in his first Test, against Australia at Old Trafford in August 1893, and 10 for 204 in what turned out to be his last, in Sydney in 1898-99. The other one was the legendary Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett, who took 11 for 82 on his debut - aged 33 - against England in Sydney in 1924-25, and 13 for 173 in his last Test, against South Africa in Durban in 1935-36. Grimmett, in fact, took 10 or more wickets in each of his last three Tests - and even though he was 44 when he did it, many were astonished when he was left out of the home Ashes series in 1936-37 and the 1938 tour of England - not least his long-time spinning partner Bill O'Reilly, who blamed his mate's omission on Don Bradman, Australia's captain at the time. There's also one bowler who collected a ten-for in his only Test: the 37-year-old Kent legspinner Charles "Father" Marriott took 11 for 96 against West Indies at The Oval in 1933, but never played for England again (he was a schoolmaster at Dulwich College, and rarely played a full season of county cricket).
Which players hold the record for the most consecutive innings without a duck in Tests and ODIs? asked Abdulla from South Africa
The only man to have gone more than 100 Test innings without being out for a duck is David Gower, who had 119 innings for England between August 1982 and the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 1990-91 in which he was never out for nought. The West Indian Richie Richardson is next, with 96 duckless innings between November 1984 and July 1991. For the full list, click here. The record for the most innings in a complete Test career without ever bagging a duck is currently held by Ross Taylor of New Zealand, with 55. If he does get out for 0 at some point the record will revert to the 1950s Australian opener Jim Burke, who had 44 innings in his career without a duck. The record for successive innings without a duck in one-day internationals is 120, by India's Rahul Dravid: he beat the New Zealander Martin Crowe by one. Kepler Wessels also had more than 100 ODI innings - 51 for Australia and 54 for South Africa - without ever being out for nought. For that list,click here.
The only man to have gone more than 100 Test innings without being out for a duck is David Gower, who had 119 innings for England between August 1982 and the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 1990-91 in which he was never out for nought. The West Indian Richie Richardson is next, with 96 duckless innings between November 1984 and July 1991. For the full list, click here. The record for the most innings in a complete Test career without ever bagging a duck is currently held by Ross Taylor of New Zealand, with 55. If he does get out for 0 at some point the record will revert to the 1950s Australian opener Jim Burke, who had 44 innings in his career without a duck. The record for successive innings without a duck in one-day internationals is 120, by India's Rahul Dravid: he beat the New Zealander Martin Crowe by one. Kepler Wessels also had more than 100 ODI innings - 51 for Australia and 54 for South Africa - without ever being out for nought. For that list,click here.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket. If you want to ask Steven a question, use our feedback form. The most interesting questions will be answered here each week. Ask Steven is also now on Facebook
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