In a game where bat dominated ball almost right from the start, both teams will probably look back at the last six overs of the Indian innings as the phase which turned out to be the most critical

On the Ball with S Rajesh06-Feb-2006In a game where bat dominated ball almost right from the start, both teams will probably look back at the last six overs of the Indian innings as the phase which turned out to be the most critical. After 44, India were cruising along at 300 for 4 – a run-rate of 6.82. In the next six overs, that rate fell drastically to 4.67, as Pakistan nailed six wickets, starting with the crucial scalp of Sachin Tendulkar in the 45th over. No over fetched more than seven, and a total which appeared headed towards the 340-plus mark finished up only on 328.Even that total was a huge one, but Pakistan’s batting, led by Salman Butt, ensured that the Indians were on the back foot very quickly. The most impressive aspect of his batting was the manner in which he scored runs almost equally off all the Indian bowlers – the bowler who finished up with the best economy rate against him was Zaheer Khan, and even he went for 15 from 18 balls.

Zaheer Khan 18 15 5.00 Irfan Pathan 42 37 5.29 Ajit Agarkar 14 13 5.57 Murali Kartik 18 18 6.00 S Sreesanth 15 18 7.20The performance which would have most pleased the Indian fans was Sachin Tendulkar’s hundred. Plenty had been written about him after his failure in the Tests, but he answered the critics in the manner he knows best – with runs off the bat. Tendulkar didn’t start as fluently as he normally does – against the fast bowlers (Naved-ul-Hasan, Asif, Gul and Razzaq) he only scored 41 off 66 balls. Against the slow bowlers, though, Tendulkar was in his elements, milking 59 from 47. With the confidence back, he could well be more aggressive against the fast bowlers through the rest of the series.

Cricinfo looks at the careers of Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock as they reach 100 Tests

Andrew McGlashan15-Apr-2006

Shaun Pollock made the more impressive start, and went onto become South Africa’s leading wicket-taker © Getty Images
1995-96
Pollock made his debut against England, at Centurion Park, claiming Graham Thorpe as his first Test wicket and ending as the pick of South Africa’s attack in the rain-ruined game. Kallis debuted two matches later, at Durban, but was less successful making just 1. Pollock played a key role as South Africa clinched the series against England 1-0. He took 5 for 32 in the second innings at Cape Town, setting up a 10-wicket victory.1996-97
Both players missed South Africa’s next Test series, away to India, through injury but returned in the following home season. Pollock played all season, and scored his first Test half-century against India, at Johannesburg, but Kallis had to wait for the visit of Australia for a recall and still struggled to make an impression.1997-98
Kallis hit his first half-century at Rawalpindi and 1997-98 turned into his breakthrough season when he made his maiden century against Australia, at Melbourne, and guided South Africa to a fighting draw. Pollock, meanwhile, found golden form with the ball with 5 for 37 bowling South Africa to a 53-run, series-levelling win, against Pakistan at Faisalabad then took 7 for 87 against Australia at Adelaide, completing his first 10-wicket haul in Tests.1998
Kallis hit 132 against England at Old Trafford, the Test where England famously hung on for a draw before claiming the series 2-1. Pollock missed that match and was unable to carry South Africa home at Headingley, being left stranded when the last wicket fell.

Once Jacques Kallis found his feet at Test level he became a run-scoring machine © Getty Images
1998-99
The two allrounders played leading roles in the 5-0 demolition of West Indies. Kallis enjoyed an outstanding series with bat and ball scoring 485 runs and taking 17 wickets. This included a stunning performance at Cape Town where he scored 110, 88 not out and took seven wickets in the match. Pollock was no less impressive as his 29 wickets came at just 16 runs apiece.
1999-00
Kallis’ 105 put South Africa on track to claim the series against England at Cape Town then, in the following tour to India, batted for over seven hours at Bangalore for 95 as they won the series 2-0.
2000
Pollock was thrust into the captaincy after the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal and draws his first series, against Sri Lanka, thanks to a seven-run win at Kandy. Kallis contributes a vital 87.2000-01
Kallis started the South African season in style with 160 against South Africa at Bloemfontein and later that summer Pollock struck his first Test century – 111 against Sri Lanka at Centurion. He didn’t have to wait long for his second as he made 106 at Bridgetown, on the tour of West Indies, while Kallis switched the focus from bat to ball with a 10-wicket haul in the same match to seal the series.
2001-02
Kallis began a wonderful run of form with unbeaten scores of 157 and 189 (still a career-best) against Zimbabwe. Pollock scored a century in the Test-that-never-was against India, at Centurion, after the third match of the series was stripped of official status. Pollock had taken 10 wickets in the first match at Bloemfontein.
2003
Pollock lost the captaincy to Graeme Smith following a poor World Cup. Kallis missed the tour of Bangladesh then the first two Tests against England, but returned to take 6 for 39 as South Africa won at Headingley. Pollock took 6 for 39 in a losing cause at Trent Bridge.

They have formed the heart of the South African team for a decade © Getty Images
2003-04
Pollock becomes South Africa’s leading wicket-taker when he dismisses Michael Papps at Auckland, overtaking Allan Donald’s tally of 330. Kallis amassed four centuries in four Tests against West Indies and added to his extraordinary run of form with an unbeaten 150 against New Zealand at Hamilton.2004-05
Runs continued to flow for Kallis as he struck three centuries against England. However, wickets started to dry up for Pollock although he took 4 for 65 in the second innings at Cape Town – South Africa’s only win of the series. Kallis hit the fastest Test fifty – 24 balls – against a depleted Zimbabwe before two more tons in West Indies, where he became South Africa’s leading Test run-scorer by passing Gary Kirsten’s 7289 in Antigua.2005-06
Both were selected for the Super Series – Kallis made the starting XI for the Test but Pollock was twelfth man. A tough winter of cricket followed for the pair against Australia. Kallis made gutsy centuries at Sydney (111) and Durban (114), while he regained the knack of picking up useful wickets and sustained his place at the top of the allrounder rankings. He was named captain when Smith missed the final Test against Australia at Johannesburg.

Will Luke looks at how Canada fared in 2007

Will Luke23-Dec-2007

Umar Bhatti celebrates his hat-trick in the Intercontinental Cup final. It was about the only cause for celebration in a wretched match© ICC
It was a mixed year for Canada both on and off the pitch. They struggled in one-day cricket with four wins out of 16 matches while in the ICC Intercontinental Cup they lost four out of five. And as they move into 2008, the lack of money continues to blight their progress.Their performance at the World Cup was predictably dire, only ever showing glimpses of potential and competitiveness. After losing to Kenya, they took on England and made a decent stab at chasing 280 with Ashif Mulla cracking a quickfire 58. In their final match against NewZealand, John Davison – Canada’s bristling opener and only batsman with the gumption and class to take on the best – smashed 52 from 31 balls in his farewell ODI.Things didn’t improve in four-day cricket either when they were humiliated by Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup final at Leicester carried over from the previous season. Their preparation was poor, blighted by lost baggage and missed flights, and lost a horribly one-sided contest inside five sessions. They struggled in subsequent matches from patchy availability and a lack of preparation as players, already struggling to take time off, often found themselves underprepared on unfamiliar surfaces.The coach, Andy Pick, left in May and urged Canada’s board to appoint his replacement quickly, to aid their path to qualifying for the next World Cup. Pubudu Dassanayake was finally chosen five months later, and he has a battle on his hands to squeeze what little money he canfrom a ring-fenced set-up.New man on the block
A familiar name in Canada’s youth squads, Trevin Bastiampillai is one of the next generation and in 2007 put together some useful scores. He made 71 in Canada’s innings victory over UAE, adding 141 with Mulla.Fading star
John Davison, Canada’s standout batsman, played his last match in the Intercontinental Cup final rout, and two months earlier he bowed out of ODIs at the World Cup with a typically audacious 52 from 31 balls. He might yet return but, at 37, and with Canada’s selectors looking to thefuture, it appears unlikely. They, and Canada’s fans, will sorely miss him.High point
Ashish Bagai shone in the World Cricket League in Nairobi. He scored 137 not out – his first hundred in senior cricket – against Scotland and added a second ton against Ireland four days later. His 345 runs at 86.25 meant he ended the tournament as the leading run scorer and was named Player of the Tournament. He was later shortlisted for the ICC Associate Player of the Year.Low point
Canada’s loss to Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup final summed up their year. Dismissed for 92 and 145, the only crumb of comfort they gained was the performance of Umar Bhatti who took a hat-trick (and very nearly four in four) as Ireland’s first innings fell away. The news that Bagai had taken up a work position in London and was likely to largely unavailable in 2008 was another blow.What the future holds
With the appointment of Atul Ahuja as Canada’s first chief executive, hopes of the government funding Canadian cricket have increased. Like other Associates, they receive a payout from the ICC but, as Pick found out, access to the funds is limited – and this is one area that Ahuja might be able to help in his first year as chief executive. Similarly, Pubudu Dassanayake, Pick’s replacement, has a tough task on his hands to improve consistency.

ODIs 16 4 12 0 Twenty20 – – – – Intercontinental Cup 5 1 4 0

If there are two specialist spinners in a 15-man squad with a pitch like the Oval, someone offering variety should be allowed to absorb some overs and take some pressure off the faster men

Kern De Freitas06-Apr-2008

Sri Lanka found the escape hatch against West Indies yesterday at the Queen’s Park Oval on a pitch that looked wonderful for shot-making, but still provided a bit of assistance for the bowlers.With two days left in this intriguing contest, Sri Lanka reached 268 before Muttiah Muralitharan offered a catch to Daren Powell off Jerome Taylor to bring the innings to a close and set the home team a tricky target of 253.Just after lunch, though, they were languishing at 99 for 6 when the dangerous Chamara Silva had departed. It was a 138-run partnership between Thilan Samaraweera and lower-order left-hand batsman Chaminda Vaas that kept the Sri Lankans in the game and frustrated West Indies for the better part of the day. Thus, the case of the missing spinner again resurfaced.With due respect to captain Chris Gayle – who, to prove my point, eventually separated the duo – he cannot be considered the answer to West Indies’ need for variety in their attack. In fact, this ‘one-track’ attack, though not lacking pace, looked a little bit flat at times, once the Sri Lankan pair had played themselves in.Gayle has not shown the propensity, or at least the desire, to bowl several overs on the trot as a specialist spinner would, like, say the ultra-successful Muralitharan. Murali accounts for a big chunk of Sri Lanka’s over rate on a constant basis, a huge part of the reason he recorded his 63rd five-wicket haul at the Oval yesterday.Suffice to say that the region cannot truthfully boast of a spinner of the calibre of Murali. With that being said, if there are two specialist spinners in a 15-man squad with a pitch like the Oval – which has something for batsman, fast bowler, and spinner – someone offering variety should be allowed to absorb some overs and take some pressure off the faster men.The closest a specialist spinner got to the West Indies team was 12th man Sulieman Benn, bringing his team-mates water. Why pick them if you won’t play them?Then there’s hometown hero Amit Jaggernauth, who put Trinidad and Tobago into the Carib Beer Challenge Final against Jamaica with simple figures of 10 for 79, only his personal-best figures in regional cricket, last weekend against Barbados.Perhaps they’re worth a shout, or even a look in. Otherwise, spin might just be the next creature on the endangered species list in the Caribbean.

The South Africa fast bowler has had a serendipitous and unexpected path to cricket and now his first IPL

Shashank Kishore28-Mar-2024Nandre Burger didn’t think he’d play professional cricket. But when a trial earned him admission to University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), with a full scholarship to pursue a psychology major, he decided to give it a crack.That decision in 2014 proved life changing. Today, Burger, 28, is an all-format fast bowler for South Africa. He featured in the SA20 for Joburg Super Kings last month and earlier this week, he made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals in their win over Lucknow Super Giants.At 15, Burger was among the top players in the age-group regional tennis championships. At 17, he competed in South Africa’s squash national championships. But when a persistent back injury flared up, he turned his attention to cricket.”Sounds strange, right,” Burger asks. “WITS offered a scholarship for those who played cricket. I thought it was cool. I didn’t want to be a cricketer, but I was getting a free way to study, so I thought why not? Cricket was actually my back-up to academics ().”Burger, a left-arm quick, had just recovered from his injury and Neil Levenson, the university coach, thought he’d glimpsed a future South Africa fast bowler when he saw the 18-year-old bowl.Related

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But Burger didn’t rate himself highly. “I laughed it off at first. I was like, ‘Man, I bowl at 125kph. I can’t do this for a living. I’ve seen guys bowl 145kph.’ Neil would have none of that. I said to him, ‘Okay, I’ll give this a go.’ And within a few weeks, I was excited to train. I’d miss classes to be at training, wanting to work batters over.”Then I got the chance to be a net bowler at the franchise team in Jo’burg – Highveld Lions. I’d always played cricket in the backyard with friends and parents, but wouldn’t say I ever had the desire to be a professional.”In 2016-17, when Burger was six months short of completing his psychology major, he had a tough decision to make. Cape Cobras offered him his first franchise contract, but it would mean moving to Cape Town immediately.”The one thing I love about the IPL is that it’s a family. And I’m big on family”•AFP/Getty Images”I discontinued my degree and left Jo’burg,” he says. “The course didn’t allow me to pursue it remotely. My contract needed me to be available in Cape Town. So I went all in on cricket.”That decision stood vindicated last December when he earned his South Africa cap during the third T20I against India in Johannesburg.”It’s funny how life works out, isn’t it?”Funnier things continued to happen.In only his second ODI, on December 19 in Gqeberha, Burger picked up 3 for 30 as India were bowled out for 211. Those were his first set of wickets in the format.”As I walked off the field, Pommie [Mbangwa] and Shaun Pollock were like, ‘Well bowled, and congrats,’ and I’m thinking, congrats for taking three wickets? Congrats for bowling ten overs? It wasn’t even my debut, so I’m confused. I go in, change and come back down again.”Shaun was like, ‘I’m sure you’re so excited.’ I still didn’t get it, so I said, ‘Yeah, it’s cool, I think I got my first [ODI] wicket, so it’s a great feeling.’ Then he’s like, ‘No man, I mean for the IPL. You’re going to play for Rajasthan Royals’.”Burger had been picked by Royals at the IPL auction in Dubai for INR 50 lakh (US$ 60,000 approx).”Everyone was saying ‘Congratulations’ and I was oblivious to what was happening. After the game, when I put my phone on, all I read was ‘congrats, congrats, congrats’ and ‘well done, well done’. I didn’t know if it was for the game or IPL.”As it is I’m terrible on my phone; if nothing has happened, I’ll take like a week to respond to messages. You can imagine how long I would’ve taken. I’m pretty sure there are people I still haven’t responded to, but I may have probably seen them and thanked them [in person].”If the news of his IPL selection was dramatic, his Test selection story is even more so.In his first Test series, Burger picked up 11 wickets in the two Tests against India•AFP/Getty Images”We were playing a four-day game against Titans. I’d just got to Newlands, and we were getting ready for the second day. Just before I was about to enter the field, I get a phone call from Shukri [Conrad, South Africa men’s head coach].”He said, ‘I’m just letting you know the Test team for the India series is going to be announced on Monday. Your name will be in it, congrats.’ This is just before I’m about to enter the field. I was like ‘Woah, no pressure’. ()”By the time I actually got to bowl, I was so emotionally tired. It felt like I’d played ten days of cricket. Keeping the secret to myself was the hardest part. My team-mates were like, ‘Oh, you seem happy today’ and I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m just a happy person’. It was really cool.”He almost kept his Test debut in Centurion a secret from his parents too. “My brother-in-law, niece, parents, girlfriend – everyone was around. I told them I wasn’t playing, so that it’d be a nice surprise when they saw me get the cap.”But when my dad saw me mark out my run-up, he knew. He signaled to me from afar with a thumbs-up, as if to say, ‘Don’t worry, I see you, you’re playing’.”Getting to wear the Test cap, earning a win on Test debut was great.” As a bonus, he took seven wickets in the innings win.From not having played any cricket for a year until October 2022 due to a lumbar stress fracture to earning debuts across all three formats all in the space of a month was a turnaround he didn’t see coming, but is grateful for.”For the first four months [after the injury], I had to sit still, not move a lot and that was the toughest part. I had a lot of time to reflect on time away from cricket. The desire and hunger built up inside me.”I had nothing to lose when I first started playing, I was simply playing to enjoy it. But when I was close to being picked internationally, I realised I was putting way too much pressure on myself. That year away kind of helped me slow down and give me the focus back. I learnt to just enjoy bowling again.”I’ve now played two Tests. If I never play another Test, I’ll still be fine with it because I enjoyed and lived every moment of those two. Those were the biggest lessons I took from missing a whole year. I follow it religiously. At times, I can get extra competitive on the field, but it’s who we are, right?”

****

Back now in his hotel room in Jaipur, Burger’s face is still pink from the Holi celebrations hosted by Royals. He’d never played it before, but warmly embraced an afternoon of fun and games.Colour me surprised: Burger had a blast at his first Holi party•Rajasthan Royals”It’s been amazing,” Burger says of his IPL experience. “The one thing I love is that it’s a family. And I’m big on family – for me, it’s a core principle. Everyone celebrated Holi. You’re seeing a bunch of pink men walking around.”Moments like those are cool to help with team bonding. Everyone got to act like a kid for an hour. No matter what pressure you have on the field or what you’re going through in life in general, for that one hour they were a bunch of kids, throwing water and colour on each other.”He also loves exploring new places and had just returned from a short walk with his girlfriend, Ashley, visiting a few monuments in and around Jaipur.”My girlfriend is an architect and she’s excited to see all the buildings,” Burger says. “We went to Patrika Gate, the clay-colour monument down the road. She looked at it and went very technical with some of the construction. I really didn’t understand anything (). Guess it’s the same when I talk cricket with her.The other great thing about being at the IPL has been an opportunity to learn and chat with a player he grew up admiring.”Ah, Boulty [Trent Boult]. I wanted to be like him. Understand what he thinks when he opens the bowling. He always takes a wicket in the powerplay. Just to be able to chat with him, understand his processes and how can I try and incorporate some of his methods into my thinking.”I’ve had so much time to pick his brain, trying to observe how he goes about things. I’ve been like a crazy fan boy around him. But it’s okay, I think (). It’s amazing to open the bowling with him. It could be pretty fun to do it for an entire season.”His all-time bowling hero, though, is closer to home.”It’s clichéd I guess, but it’s Dale Steyn. He always wanted to be the guy to turn the game, no matter what the situation was. He always made things happen. I liked that.”I’ve been fortunate enough to open the bowling in a few games with him. I’ll cherish that forever. If there’s anyone I can look up to, he’s right up there in the way he competed. That’s all I want to do.”

Steel bands, soca music, and a game that was decided off the last ball. Fun? You bet

Lloyda Garrett09-May-2010The game
I chose this match mainly because it was part of the fun-filled cricketing weekend I had planned with family and friends. It did not disappoint as it swung to either side and was either team’s to win.Team supported
I was backing Pakistan since I tend to go for the underdogs, and would have loved to see them win despite all the upheaval in their cricket recently. I also love the passion that their players and fans bring to the game. As a West Indian fan, it is easy to enjoy a fantastic cricket match when I don’t have to worry about the agony of watching my home team lose again.Key performer
If Pakistan had won, I would have definitely said Abdul Razzaq was the Player of the Match. He stabilised the Pakistani innings and almost took the game away from New Zealand. Mohammad Sami also bowled very well for Pakistan. But since New Zealand won, I am going with Ian Butler, because he bowled that last delivery off which Pakistan needed two to win. He was not afraid to tempt Abdur Rehman to go for a big hit, getting him to send a simple catch to square leg.One thing I’d have changed
I’d have had Pakistan win.Wow moment
The last ball. I screamed as I watched the catch being taken. It must have been agony for Pakistan to be so close yet so far, but brilliant for New Zealand. Neither team was ever completely out of the game, and it kept the crowd involved all the way through.Shot of the day
The murderous hit for six by Razzaq in the 15th over.Player watch
Sami fielded at the boundary near us and we tried in vain to get him to turn around for a photograph. I don’t remember who fielded there during the New Zealand innings, I just remember wishing Daniel Vettori would come this way. For the most part, the crowd where I was sitting left the players alone since we were entertained by a local band from Barbados.Crowd meter
There was a big crowd, though the stadium was not sold out. There was a fair mix of West Indians, Indians, English, Pakistanis and some New Zealanders. I really enjoyed the Pakistani crowd. They danced and waved for the entire match and I was happy to see the Indians supporting them. The English were firmly behind the New Zealanders, as were most of the West Indians. I was sitting in Hewitt and Innis, right behind the boundary line, and we partied for the entire game, even joining in with the band near us. Fancy-dress index
There were quite a few people with body paint, face paint and body art. The dancing girls in carnival costumes seem to be a feature that all the men love. There were stilt walkers in the party stand and all around the ground there were people waving flags of all descriptions.Entertainment
There were drums, rattles, horns and makeshift percussion instruments all over the ground. There were several bands, and the DJ played Caribbean soca, which kept us jumping during the breaks. Allison Hinds, a popular soca singer, and a steel pan orchestra provided entertainment for the crowd at the end of the match.ODIs or Twenty20s?
I still prefer ODIs even though Twenty20 is clearly the game of the future.Marks out of 10
8.5. It was a great atmosphere with very good cricket. There is nothing like cricket in the Caribbean. As one banner said: “Sun, Sand and Cricket… that’s the life”.

And what’s the lowest score a batter has a Player-of-the-Match award for?

Steven Lynch14-Jun-2022I spotted that Mustafizur Rahman took 28 wickets in his first ten ODIs. Was this a record? And what’s the most by anyone in any spell of ten ODIs? asked Khaled Hossain from Bangladesh

Mustafizur Rahman’s tally of 28 wickets in his first ten one-day internationals for Bangladesh – starting with 5 for 50 and 6 for 43 against India in June 2015 – has been bettered only by another left-arm seamer, New Zealand’s Mitchell McClenaghan, who managed 29; the West Indian Ottis Gibson also took 28.The purplest ten-match patch at any stage in ODIs belongs to Pakistan’s Waqar Younis, who claimed 35 wickets in ten games between April and November 1990, a run that included five five-fors, three of them in succession, and even one wicketless match. Ajantha Mendis once took 34 wickets in ten ODIs for Sri Lanka, while Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and Oman’s Bilal Khan (earlier this year) have both managed 32.All nine Bengal players who batted reached 50 in their recent match against Jharkhand – is this a record? asked Peter Dayson-Smith from England, among others

This was reasonably fresh in the memory, as a few weeks ago I answered a similar question after seven Surrey players reached 50 in an innings against Kent. And so it’s easy to confirm that Bengal’s nine half-centuries against Jharkhand in Bengaluru last week is a record for any first-class innings, beating eight by the Australian tourists in their match against Oxford and Cambridge University Past and Present in Portsmouth in 1893. There have been 26 instances of seven scores of 50 or more in an innings, including Surrey’s total of 671 in that match in Beckenham in May, which remains the highest in first-class cricket without an individual century.In the same round of Ranji Trophy quarter-finals, in Alur, Mumbai thrashed Uttarakhand by 725 runs, another first-class record: the previous-heaviest defeat by a runs margin was 685, by New South Wales against Queensland in Sydney in 1929-30, in the match in which Don Bradman made 452 not out, the highest score in first-class cricket at the time. There have been heavier innings defeats, the grand-daddy of them all being Pakistan Railways’ victory over Dera Ismail Khan in Lahore in 1964-65, by the little matter of an innings and 851.What’s the lowest all-out Test total that included a 200-run partnership? asked Vipul Shah from India

There have so far been four completed innings in Tests which were less than 300 but nonetheless featured a partnership of 200 or more. Lowest of all is Australia’s 284 against West Indies in Brisbane in 1968-69, which included a stand of 217 between Bill Lawry and Ian Chappell (no one else made more than 17).When Pakistan made 288 against West Indies in Georgetown in 1999-2000, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Abdul Razzaq put on 206, quite a recovery from 39 for 5. India’s 293 against England at Headingley in 1952 included a partnership of 222 by Vijay Hazare and Vijay Manjrekar, while South Africa made 296 vs India in Kolkata in 2009-10, with a stand of 209 between Alviro Petersen (who was making his debut) and Hashim Amla. New Zealand’s 283 against West Indies in Kingston in 1984-85 included a stand of 210 between Geoff Howarth and Jeff Crowe – but only nine wickets fell in that one as Jeremy Coney had broken his arm and was unable to bat.If we look at innings which were not all-out, Pakistan’s 230 for 3 to beat New Zealand in Hyderabad in 1984-85 included a partnership of 212 between Mudassar Nazar and Javed Miandad.Asif Ali faced only seven balls and made 25 runs in his Player-of-the-Match performance against Afghanistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup•ICC via GettyI noticed that Aiden Markram has played 31 Tests, and has not yet taken part in a draw – is this a record? asked Keith McKenzie from South Africa

You’re right that the South African batter Aiden Markram has so far taken part in 19 Test victories and 12 defeats – and no draws yet. This is indeed a record: Jason Gillespie took part in 26 Tests before playing in a draw, while his Australian team-mates Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden had 22 and 21 respectively; the 19th-century England allrounder Johnny Briggs played 20 Tests before his first draw.Markram currently has the most Tests in a complete career without a draw, although he might yet lose that distinction. George Lohmann, another 19th-century Englishman, played 18 Tests without ever featuring in a draw; next comes Alok Kapali, who played 17 Tests for Bangladesh and lost them all. Keaton Jennings has so far appeared in 17 Tests for England, all of which ended in definite results, while Shimron Hetmyer has played 16 for West Indies.In the second match in Sri Lanka, Matthew Wade was Man of the Match for his 26 not out from 26 balls; he didn’t bowl, or make any catches or run-outs. Has anyone won the award after scoring fewer than this as their only formal contribution to a T20 international? asked Rohan Kennedy from Australia

Australia’s Matthew Wade won the match award in the second T20 international against Sri Lanka in Colombo last week for his run-a-ball 26, which came after he entered at a tricky time – 80 for 5 in the ninth over, chasing only 125. You’re right that he didn’t otherwise feature on the scorecard, although that wouldn’t show, for example, any particularly good pieces of fielding; Wade did keep wicket through a Sri Lankan innings that included no extras.However, Wade’s 26 balls is a long way from the smallest involvement by a player who ended up with the match award in a T20 international. Playing for Pakistan against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup in Dubai in October 2021, Asif Ali was given the award after having an active involvement in only seven deliveries, from which he hammered 25 not out. Brad Hodge (21 not out) faced eight balls for Australia against South Africa in Durban in 2013-14, as did Dinesh Karthik (29 not out) for India vs Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy final in Colombo in 2017-18 (he did also complete a run-out while keeping wicket). Against England at The Oval in 2009, Ramnaresh Sarwan won the award for his nine-ball 19 not out as West Indies chased a rain-reduced target.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes has taken Major League Baseball by storm, and he has a chance to become the second player to ever win the Cy Young award as a rookie.

Fernando Valenzuela is the only other player to complete that feat, but Skenes' odds to win Cy Young have skyrocketed this month, pushing him into the No. 3 choice at DraftKings at +300 odds. Back on July 11, Skenes was +1200 to win Cy Young, but that number has shrunk all the way down to 3/1 after he tossed 8.1 innings of two-run ball on Tuesday night.

Based on implied probability, Skenes has gone from a 7.69 percent chance to win the award (+1200) to 25.0 percent (+300) in less than two weeks!

Skenes has dominated night in and night out, and it appears that he's in a three-man race with Zack Wheeler and Chris Sale for the NL Cy Young at this stage in the season.

2024 NL Cy Young Odds

• Chris Sale +140
• Zack Wheeler +175
• Paul Skenes +300
• Tyler Glasnow +2500
• Logan Webb +3500
• Ranger Suarez +4000
• Dylan Cease +5000
• Reynaldo Lopez +5000

Our own Jennifer Piacenti recently broke down Skenes' case for the NL Cy Young award, but his odds have moved even more since then (he was +500) after throwing 8.1 innings of two-run ball on Tuesday night.

The body of work for Skenes so far in 2024 can't be denied. He's allowed three or fewer earned runs in all 12 of his starts, striking out a ridiculous 97 batters in 74.2 innings of work.

Does he have enough time to truly catch Wheeler or Sale? It's not impossible, especially if Skenes can keep a pace close to the one he's set through 12 starts.

The rookie has 1.93 ERA (better than Wheeler and Sale who are at 2.55 and 2.70), a 2.58 FIP, and he ranks in the 97th percentile in expected ERA. Not only that, but the Pirates star ranks in the 91st percentile or better in strikeout percentage, walk percentage opponent expected batting average against and pitching run value.

That's the profile of a Cy Young candidate.

Pittsburgh is also 8-4 in Skenes' 12 starts (he has a 6-1 record in games he's earned the decision), and it is in play for a playoff spot in the NL, sitting just 1.5 games back of the final wild card spot.

If Skenes keeps up this pace over the final two months of the season, he's going to have a real case to win the Cy Young in 2024.

Declan Rice has provided insight into how Arsenal view their title defeat from last year as they prepare for another run at the trophy this year.

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Rice talks about title chancesDiscusses Arsenal's title slip-up last seasonBelieves they will be better prepared this timeGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Rice's summer acquisition has contributed to the Gunners' improved performances this time out. After leading the league for most of the previous season before faltering in the last two months of play. Rice now asserts that his team is better prepared to try and win a first championship since 2004 because they have learnt from the mistakes they made in the previous campaign.

AdvertisementWHAT RICE SAID

Speaking at the London Football Awards, Rice said [via The Mirror]: "I think last year, Arsenal were the best team in the league. They slipped up at the end and obviously, City always come on so strong. I think the word that they said now is that they can't believe they lost the league obviously eight points ahead."

He added: "This year, I feel everyone including the manager and the staff, everyone’s learned from their mistakes. Everyone’s stronger, they have more belief. If we go a goal down, there’s still that confidence and mental strength in us that we can push on and win games.

"Like I said, the league is so strong this year and anything can happen and there are 12 games to go. The main thing is, we’re right in it. Because at Christmas we had a little wobble, we lost two games on the bounce which wasn’t good."

(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mikel Arteta's team has been dominant in 2024, with the highest defence and goal differential in the league, despite a concerning decline in performance in December. With 12 games remaining, the Gunners are well-positioned in the title chase. Arteta's side are one point behind second-place Manchester City and two points behind league leaders Liverpool.

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WHAT NEXT FOR THE TITLE RACE?

With the Gunners visiting the Etihad, March may prove to be a pivotal month in the title fight. However, first, City must meet Liverpool at Anfield. Arsenal's two competitors for top spot also have local derbies to fight in; if Arteta's team wins, they might be leading the pack at the beginning of April.

Dustin Silgardo, Sidharth Monga and Yash Jha analyse the talking points from India’s ODI series win against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2025Did we see a new version of Virat Kohli? Can Ravinda Jadeja and Washington Sundar fit in the same ODI XI? Who impressed the most among the seamers? Dustin Silgardo, Sidharth Monga and Yash Jha get together on the Rock and Roll it podcast to discuss all that and more in their wrap of India’s ODI series against South Africa.