1st March, 2002

Name: Ramesh
Question: How many times have the lower order contributed significantly (Atleast 100) in an India one-day win?

Answer: No Indian lower order batsman has scored a ODI hundred while batting from position number seven and below.

In fact out of the seven scores of 70+ made by the lower order Indian batsman, India has won only one ODI match against New Zealand at Bangalore during the 1987 World Cup, when Kapil Dev scored an unbeaten 72. The rest of the performances have came for lost causes.

Name: Arshad Hussain
Question: When was the first official Test match played? Who were the cpaitains?

Answer: The official Test match was played from 15-19 March 1877 between Australia and England at Melbourne, which the former won by 45 runs. The captains were Dave Gregory (Aus) and James Lillywhite (Eng).

Name: Marutheesh Bellary
Question: There is a first class team in India - Board of President's eleven. Why is this team called so? Who selects the players for this team? What is the qualification to be a player in this team?

Answer: As the name suggests the team is called the Board President's XI in honour of the existing president of the BCCI. The team is selected by the Indian selection committee members. Normally fringe players or upcoming youngsters are selected to represent this team against visiting teams.

Name: Dharmender
Question: Dear Sir, could you please inform me which one is the most man of the match & series taker in the world?

Answer: In both categories it is Sachin Tendulkar.

Name: Tobypaul
Question: Can you tell me how many bowlers have been reported for chucking by umpires on the field?

Answer: There have been several instances in first-class & Test cricket when bowlers have been reported for chucking (throwing) by umpires on the field. Intrestingly the first bowler J Willes for Kent v MCC at Lord's in 1822, was no-balled for bowling then illegal round-arm. The first bowler to be called in a Test match was Australian paceman Ernie Jones against England at Melbourne in 1897-98, while the last one was Zimbabwean left-arm spinner Grant Flower against New Zealand at Bulawayo in 2000-01.

Name: N Gopi
Question: Dear Sir, recently the Australian opening pair of Hayden and Langer set a new record by being involved in maximum 200+ opening partnerships in Tests. Whose record did they beat?

Answer: Actually the pair of Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer equalled the Test record of being involved in most double-hundred partnerships, which is four. They now share this record with the West Indian pair of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. For the record, the other opening pair with three double hundred partnerships are: England's Graham Gooch and Mike Atherton; Australians Bill Lawry & Bob Simpson and Mark Taylor & Michael Slater.

Name: Wasim
Question: Can you give me Pakistan vs India Test and one-day record? I mean would u tell me how many matches they have played so far and how many each of them won (both Test and ODI)?

Answer:

	Played	Ind Won	Pak Won	Drawn
Tests	47	5	9	33
ODIs	85	29	52	4

Name: Darryl van Vugt
Question: Name top ten cricketers who have hit 100 sixes in One-Day internationals?

Answer: The batsmen with maximum sixes in ODIs are:

Name: Anil Tembey
Question: How many runs Sachin had scored for Yorkshire? Was he offered contract by any other county? Was Yorkshire club happy with his performance?

Answer: His performances for Yorkshire in three-day and one-day games in 1992 are given below. The Yorkshire CC was happy with his performance. However due to international committments Tendulkar could not continue playing for Yorkshire.

	M	Runs	Avg	HS	100	50	Cts	Wkts	Avg	Best
First-class	16	1070	46.52	100	1	7	10	4	48.75	2-35
Sunday league	13	464	38.66	107	1	1	1	3	34.00	2-28
B&H	2	23	11.50	16	0	0	1	3	21.66	1-46
Natwest	2	53	53.00	32*	0	0	1	0	-	-

Name: Vishal
Question: Tendulkar's 176 against Zimbabwe at Nagpur (2002) provided the ninth instance of a score of 150+ from him. How many batsmen in the history of Test cricket have more scores of 150+ than Sachin?

Answer: The 176 by Tendulkar against Zimbabwe at Nagpur was his 10th score over 150+ and not the ninth as mentioned by you.

The list of batsmen with most scores of 150+ are:

Name: Dipayan
Question: Mr.Menon, I think you have missed the name of Hemant Karnikar in the list of wicketkeepers representing India. If I am not wrong, he played two matches for India. Thanks Dipayan
- Click to read the question mentioned

Answer:
Dear Dipayan

Hemant Kanitkar did play in two Test matches for India v WI in 1974-75. However was never the original keeper in the side. He deputised Engineer (hit over eye) during the West Indies second innings at Bangalore in November 1974.

We therefore cannot consider such cases to be as regular keepers. There have been other instances of Sanjay Manjrekar and Vinod Kambli keeping wickets in Test matches for some time, but they are not considered regular keepers.

Mail Cricket Editor