135 years of Test cricket – an overview Part 2
Continued from Part 1:
Alan Border of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 holds the record for playing most matches as a captain. Australia played 93 Test matches under his leadership out of which they won 32 and lost 22 while 38 matches ended as a draw.
South African batsman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GC-Smith-c1473, looks good to break this record and become first cricket to lead his side in 100 Test matches, as the left-hander’s tally stands at 90 and he still has a couple of years of cricket left in him.
There is often a debate, on who the best skipper in Test cricket is, some say that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RT-Ponting-c2377. However, keeping in line with the winning ratio of 71.92 and the
win/loss percentage of 4.55, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stephen-Rodger-Waugh-c91216 of Australia is heads over heal above others.
Waugh, who was an aggressive captain and did not fear losing, led Australia a total of 57 times out of which they emerged victorious on 41 occasions while they suffered defeat in 9 instances.
Sir Don Bradman of Australia is widely regarded as the best batsman that has ever come out to bat in the field. The right-handed batsman maintained a remarkable average of 99.94 from 52 Test matches and scored 6996 runs with a
highest of 334.
West Indian batsman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Brian-Charles-Lara-c48471, is another prominent name in the world of cricket. The stylish left-hander was known for playing big innings. He is the only batsman in Test history to score 400 runs in an innings. The West Indian
did that against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 at St John's on April 10, 2004.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Dravid-c2229, another
Indian cricket, is placed second in the list with 13288 runs to his name. Dravid is followed by Ponting who has notched 13200 Test runs.
Tendulkar has also scored the most number of centuries in Tests, which stand at 51.
From best batsmen to the worst, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 holds the record for scoring most ducks. Though, the right-armer was a master with the ball but he clearly lacked batting skills and on 43 occasions got out without
adding a single run to his tally.
Though, fast bowlers are considered a team’s prime weapon but it is the spinners who are ahead in the leading wickets column. Sri Lankan spin wizard, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Muralitharan-c1864 leads the pack with 800 Test wickets while leg-spinners
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750) follows with 708 and 619 Test victims.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 has the safest pair of hands in Test cricket. The wicket-keeper has 551 dismals out of which 528 have been caught while 23 are stumped.
The popularity of Test cricket in recent times has declined a great deal. Some think that the advent of Twenty20 has to do with it, as it offers more thrill to the followers while Tests are a game of patience.
Cricketing pundits believe that the format is near its end and it’s only a matter of time before the limited over formats consume it. No matter what the predictions are and what they say, the fact remains that, Test is the ultimate
form of cricket; it has survived 135 years and will continue to do so.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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