da pixbet： Unfortunate, but largely true – a high-scoring, tamely drawn Testmatch sometimes produces the most glittering of statistical nuggets
Staff Reporter15-May-2002Unfortunate, but largely true – a high-scoring, tamely drawn Testmatch sometimes produces the most glittering of statistical nuggets.Antigua, after the fourth Test between the West Indies and India, willnow be in the record books for much more than Brian Lara’s 375 againstEngland.
© CricInfoAjay Ratra, Man of the Match possibly for disproving GeoffreyBoycott’s assessment of his batting skills, had a hand in both of themore unique records set during the course of the Test. His century inthe first innings – one, incidentally, that made the 20-and-a-halfyear-old the youngest wicket-keeper to score a century – was followedby Ridley Jacobs’ hundred, making the Antigua match the only one inwhich the regular wicket-keepers of both sides reached three figures.The fact, no doubt, will come as a surprise to many, especiallyconsidering the calibre of wicket-keepers who have played in the sameTest. Alec Stewart and Adam Gilchrist, Andy Flower and KumaraSangakkara, Alan Knott and Rod Marsh, Farokh Engineer and Imtiaz Ahmedare just some names that instantly emerge from cricket’s rich trove ofstumpers.There was, however, another occasion on which men who kept wicket alsoscored hundreds – double hundreds, in fact. When Australia playedPakistan at Faisalabad in 1979/80, Greg Chappell slaughtered theattack to the tune of 235 runs, and his side was bowled out for amammoth 617.
© CricInfoThat happened only on the fourth day, and a draw loomed decisively inthe offing. Taslim Arif, Pakistan’s wicket-keeper and opening bat,took the opportunity to hit 210 not out. With any result absolutelyout of the question, Australia decided to have some fun. Chappelldonned the wicket-keeping pads himself and let Marsh bowl 10 overs for51 runs.Australia, thus, used 11 bowlers in that innings, but in this uniquefeat, they were pre-empted by the old enemy, England, who did soagainst the visiting Australians at the Oval in 1884. The Hon. AlfredLyttleton, England’s wicket-keeper for the match, was actually thehighest wicket-taker in the first innings, taking four for 19.Ratra, thus, was instrumental in creating another notable highlightwhen he bowled the penultimate over of the Test. He may not have hadLyttleton’s stunning success, but India became the third side to use11 bowlers in an innings.