Tuesday, September 20, 2005

400,000 runs and more Stats!

When Strauss hit Lee for a 4 in the 57th over of the first innings of the Oval Test, the English score moved to 223/4 (Strauss to 97 and Flintoff was batting on 44). What is significant about this is that it was the 400,000th run scored by England in Test cricket!!!

And in the second innings, when Peitersen eaised Warne through cover for a single in the 46th over, England moved on to 172/5. Again what is significant about this score is that it was the 400,000th Test run scored in England by all Test Teams including the Neutral SA/Aus games played in 1912. If you exclude these games, the total stands at 397,937. That means, the 2063 runs required should be scored sometime in the series against Sri Lanka next year.

Watch out for another 400,000 milestone for England!!!

Another interesting stat: When Trescothick flicked Anwar Hossain Monir of Bangladesh for a single in the 1st Test at Lord’s to move to 149 (eng 335/1), it was the 100,000th Test run scored at Lord’s in games involving England!

And talking of Bangladesh, they are also created a ‘bit’ of history by taking the 50,000th Test wicket. It happened in the 1st Test at Dakha between Bangladesh and West indies in the 2002/03 series. And it wasn’t a bowler who took that wicket, but a fielder who ran out Darren Ganga on 40 (West indies 417/6).

Friday, September 02, 2005

New Zealand: 278/9. Can India Win?

Statistically speaking, highly unlikely!

Why?

Because of the 55 times India has been set a target of 275 or more in a 50 over match, they have lost 46 times and won only 8 times (one was a no result). A Win/Lose ratio of 0.174 does not look promising!

Against New Zealand, they have only won once chasing more than 275 (in 1988/89 at Vadodora chasing 281) and lost 3 times (1995/96 Nagpur, 1998/99 Christchurch and 1999/00 Rajkot).

And to make it worse, they have won only once chasing the 275+outside the sub-continent (against england in the famous 2002 Natwest finals) .

And if 270+ seems too much, here is some more stats regarding run chases:

Chasing 250+, won 25, Lost 83.
Chasing 260+, won 18, Lost 65.

If I were a betting man, I would bet on India losing this game. But they say, cricket is a funny old game....