Ducking for Cover: A Statistical Deep Dive into Test Cricket's Quirks

Did the recent West Indies-South Africa Test match set a new record for ducks? And what about the highest score on Test debut from No. 9? We delve into these cricket curiosities and more.

A recent Test match between West Indies and South Africa saw a staggering 11 ducks, four for the hosts and seven for the Proteas. This feat, however, did not break any records. There have been 14 instances of 11 ducks in a single Test match, with the first occurring in an Ashes Test at Old Trafford in August 1888. The most recent example was a match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Mirpur in May 2022.

The recent series also saw Keshav Maharaj dismissed three times without scoring a run. While this is a rare occurrence, it's not unprecedented. Eleven players have been dismissed for a duck three times in a Test series, including England's Ben Stokes in the 2014 home series against India.

However, only two players have achieved the dubious distinction of being dismissed for four ducks in a Test series: Pat Pocock for England against West Indies in 1984 and Nuwan Pradeep for Sri Lanka against Pakistan in the UAE in 2017-18. Four others have also been dismissed four times for ducks in a series: Iqbal Qasim for Pakistan in England in 1978, Danny Morrison for New Zealand in Australia in 1993-94, Phil Tufnell for England in Australia in 1994-95, and Dinanath Ramnarine for West Indies in Sri Lanka in 2001-02. Notably, Ramnarine batted six times in the series, scoring two not outs alongside his four ducks.

Turning to Test debut performances, while it's true that there have been centuries from lower-order batters, these have actually come from No. 10. Australia's Reggie Duff achieved a century at this position against England in Melbourne in 1901-02. Years later, Bangladesh's Abul Hasan also scored a century (113 not out) on debut against West Indies in Khulna in 2012-13. New Zealand's Tim Southee, meanwhile, blasted a remarkable 77 not out, including nine sixes, on his debut against England in Napier in 2007-08. While he has played 99 more Tests since, he has yet to surpass that score.

The highest score by a No. 11 on Test debut remains a remarkable 98 by Ashton Agar for Australia against England at Trent Bridge in 2013. No other player has reached 50 on debut batting at this position.

Looking beyond the Test format, the 2014 T20 World Cup final saw a unique scenario: all 22 players either batted or bowled, but none did both. India, despite five batsmen making it to the crease, only scored 130 for 4. The remaining six Indian players then bowled as Sri Lanka won by scoring 134 for 4, with the five non-batting players all contributing with the ball.

Finally, we examine the rare feat of opening the batting and bowling in all three international formats. Only six players have achieved this: Irfan Pathan of India, Mohammad Hafeez of Pakistan, Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka, Glenn Maxwell of Australia, Shoaib Malik of Pakistan, and Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe. Interestingly, three of them – Pathan, Hafeez, and Dilshan – achieved this feat at least once in the same match across all three formats.

These statistical quirks and oddities highlight the unique and unpredictable nature of cricket, showcasing the remarkable achievements and challenges faced by players at all levels of the game.