Cricketing prime ministers, and Ganguly's record
A catch off your first ball in the field, the last England-born England XI, highest average at No. 6, and more
Steven Lynch
05-Oct-2010
Ojha: into the action right away on debut • AFP
Which Australian prime minister was also a first-class umpire? asked Glenn Barnes via Facebook
This was Edmund (later Sir Edmund) Barton, who was actually the first prime minister of the Commonwealth of Australia when it was constituted in 1901. Before his political career got into full swing he had been a keen cricketer, and he later turned to umpiring: in 1879 he was one of the officials in a famous match between New South Wales and Lord Harris's England touring team in Sydney, when an umpiring decision by Barton's colleague sparked off a crowd invasion. Barton helped to calm the situation down, which did his aspiring political career no harm: the following year he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, and in 1882 became its speaker.
This was Edmund (later Sir Edmund) Barton, who was actually the first prime minister of the Commonwealth of Australia when it was constituted in 1901. Before his political career got into full swing he had been a keen cricketer, and he later turned to umpiring: in 1879 he was one of the officials in a famous match between New South Wales and Lord Harris's England touring team in Sydney, when an umpiring decision by Barton's colleague sparked off a crowd invasion. Barton helped to calm the situation down, which did his aspiring political career no harm: the following year he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, and in 1882 became its speaker.
Which British prime minister also played first-class cricket? asked Terry Bartram from Cheadle
This is another regular question on the quiz circuit, and some people plump for John Major, whose love of cricket is well known: but actually it's an earlier Conservative PM, Sir Alec Douglas-Home. He played 10 first-class matches (as Lord Dunglass) for Oxford University, Middlesex and MCC in the 1920s: Gubby Allen, a contemporary at Eton, thought he was a decent fast-medium swing bowler. Many years later he became leader of the Conservative party after Harold Macmillan resigned through ill health: Douglas-Home was prime minister for a year from October 1963. He retained a love of cricket and was president of MCC in 1966.
This is another regular question on the quiz circuit, and some people plump for John Major, whose love of cricket is well known: but actually it's an earlier Conservative PM, Sir Alec Douglas-Home. He played 10 first-class matches (as Lord Dunglass) for Oxford University, Middlesex and MCC in the 1920s: Gubby Allen, a contemporary at Eton, thought he was a decent fast-medium swing bowler. Many years later he became leader of the Conservative party after Harold Macmillan resigned through ill health: Douglas-Home was prime minister for a year from October 1963. He retained a love of cricket and was president of MCC in 1966.
Which current Test player took a catch off the first ball he spent in the field on his debut? asked Jeremy Richardson from London
This was the Indian slow left-armer Pragyan Ojha, who took a catch - Tillakaratne Dilshan off the bowling of Zaheer Khan - from the first ball of the first innings he spent in the field on his Test debut, against Sri Lanka in Kanpur last November. Luke Ronchi, the Australian wicketkeeper, achieved a similar feat on his one-day international debut, against West Indies at St George's in June 2008.
This was the Indian slow left-armer Pragyan Ojha, who took a catch - Tillakaratne Dilshan off the bowling of Zaheer Khan - from the first ball of the first innings he spent in the field on his Test debut, against Sri Lanka in Kanpur last November. Luke Ronchi, the Australian wicketkeeper, achieved a similar feat on his one-day international debut, against West Indies at St George's in June 2008.
England have had some great players who were born in other countries, such as the current crop of players born in South Africa. When was the last time England fielded a team of which all 11 were born in England (and/or Wales)? asked Murdo Mistry
The last Test in which all England's 11 players were born in Britain was the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in December 2003. It would not have happened then had not Nasser Hussain (who was born in India) missed the match with illness. For the record, that team was Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Chris Read, Gareth Batty, Ashley Giles, Richard Johnson and Matthew Hoggard. After that Hussain returned; then, since he retired in 2004, England have usually had Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen (both born in South Africa) in the side.
The last Test in which all England's 11 players were born in Britain was the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in December 2003. It would not have happened then had not Nasser Hussain (who was born in India) missed the match with illness. For the record, that team was Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Chris Read, Gareth Batty, Ashley Giles, Richard Johnson and Matthew Hoggard. After that Hussain returned; then, since he retired in 2004, England have usually had Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen (both born in South Africa) in the side.
Sourav Ganguly averaged 66 in Tests when he batted at No. 4. Is this the best average for that position, given a minimum of 1000 runs scored there? asked Kalyan Sovan from India
Sourav Ganguly's average of 66.00 from 20 innings at No. 4 is indeed the highest average there in Tests, given your qualification of 1000 runs (he scored 1188). Five others have averaged more than 60 at No. 4: Garry Sobers made 1530 runs at 63.75 there, Everton Weekes 3372 at 63.62, and Graeme Pollock 2065 at 62.57, plus the current players Jacques Kallis (7183 at 62.46) and Mahela Jayawardene (7570 at 60.07). The most Test runs scored at No. 4 is 11,629 (at an average of 57.85) by Sachin Tendulkar (before the Mohali Test against Australia). For the full list, click here.
Sourav Ganguly's average of 66.00 from 20 innings at No. 4 is indeed the highest average there in Tests, given your qualification of 1000 runs (he scored 1188). Five others have averaged more than 60 at No. 4: Garry Sobers made 1530 runs at 63.75 there, Everton Weekes 3372 at 63.62, and Graeme Pollock 2065 at 62.57, plus the current players Jacques Kallis (7183 at 62.46) and Mahela Jayawardene (7570 at 60.07). The most Test runs scored at No. 4 is 11,629 (at an average of 57.85) by Sachin Tendulkar (before the Mohali Test against Australia). For the full list, click here.
I noticed that Rubel Hossain of Bangladesh was born in January 1990. Was he the first player born in the 1990s to play Test cricket? asked Colin Appleton from Hastings
The Bangladesh fast bowler Rubel Hossain was 19 when he made his Test debut, against West Indies in Kingstown on July 9 last year - but he was beaten to this particular accolade by five days, by someone even younger. Mohammad Amir won his first Test cap for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Galle on July 4, 2009. He was born in April 1992, so was only 17 at the time. You can find more details about the youngest from previous decades in this The List column from Cricinfo. It was written in April 2009, so doesn't include Mohammad Amir.
The Bangladesh fast bowler Rubel Hossain was 19 when he made his Test debut, against West Indies in Kingstown on July 9 last year - but he was beaten to this particular accolade by five days, by someone even younger. Mohammad Amir won his first Test cap for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Galle on July 4, 2009. He was born in April 1992, so was only 17 at the time. You can find more details about the youngest from previous decades in this The List column from Cricinfo. It was written in April 2009, so doesn't include Mohammad Amir.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket. If you want to ask Steven a question, use our feedback form. The most interesting questions will be answered here each week. Ask Steven is now on Facebook