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The 100-Test men

Rajneesh Gupta | November 01, 2004 16:55 IST
Last Updated: November 01, 2004 22:33 IST


In the third Test against India at Nagpur on October 26, Glenn McGrath became the 30th cricketer, the eighth Australian and the sixth bowler to play 100 Tests.

It was a memorable Test for McGrath as Australia conquered the final frontier. He scored 11 not out with two fours -- his first double-digit score in the year 2004, captured 5 wickets for 106 runs (including those of Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid in the first innings and Sachin Tendulkar's in the second) and also took one catch.

During this Test, McGrath also became only the fourth bowler after team mate Shane Warne, Sri Lanka's Mutthiah Muralitharan and West Indian Courtney Walsh to complete 450 wickets in Test cricket.

The exclusive club of cricketers with 100 or more Test appearances includes eight Australians, seven Englishmen, seven West Indians, four Indians, three Pakistanis and one South African.

Test cricket was more than 91 years old when it produced the first centurion, Colin Cowdrey. In the next less than 37 years, 29 have joined him, an indication of mushrooming of Test matches since the 1970s.

The 100 Test-men include 21 specialist batsmen, four all-rounders, two wicket-keeping batsmen and three specialist bowlers. India's Sachin Tendulkar, at 29 years 134 days, was the youngest to appear in his 100th Test, whereas England's Geoff Boycott at 40 years 254 days, was the oldest.

Table I lists all players with 100 or more Test appearances in chronological order. It is observed that:

a) Cowdrey, Boycott, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Alec Stewart and Carl Hooper all played their first as well as 100th Test against the same opponent.

b) Allan Border, Javed Miandad and Hooper made their first and 100th Test appearance on the same ground.

c) Mark Waugh took the shortest time to complete his 100 Tests -- 8 years and 342 days. At the other end of the scale, West Indies' Clive Lloyd took the longest time to do so -- 17 years and 137 days.

Table I 100-Test Club members:
Player (Country)First Test100th TestTime Span
1Colin Cowdrey (Eng)Nov 26,1954Jul 11,196813 yrs 228 days
v Australia, Brisbanev Australia, Birmingham
2Geoff Boycott (Eng)Jun 4,1964Jul 2,198117 yrs 28 days
v Australia, Nottinghamv Australia, Lord's
3Clive Lloyd (W0I)Dec 13,1966Apr 28,198417 yrs 137 days
v India, Mumbaiv Australia, Kingston
4Sunil Gavaskar (Ind)Mar 6,1971Oct 17,198413 yrs 225 days
v W.Indies, Port-of-Spainv Pakistan, Karachi
5David Gower (Eng)Jun 1,1978Jul 21,198810 yrs 50 days
v Pakistan, Birminghamv West Indies, Leeds
6Viv Richards (WI)Nov 22,1974Nov 18,198813 yrs 362 days
v India, Bangalorev Australia, Brisbane
7Dilip Vengsarkar (Ind)Jan 24,1976Nov 24,198812 yrs 305 days
v New Zealand, Aucklandv New Zealand, Mumbai
8Allan Border (Aus)Dec 29,1978Dec 24,19889 yrs 361 days
v England, Melbournev West Indies, Melbourne
9Kapil Dev (Ind)Oct 16,1978Nov 15,198911 yrs 30 days
v Pakistan, Faisalabadv Pakistan, Karachi
10Javed Miandad (Pak)Oct 9,1976Dec 1,198913 yrs 53 days
v New Zealand, LahoreIndia, Lahore
11Gordon Greenidge (WI)Nov 22,1974Apr 13,199015 yrs 162 days
v India, Bangalorev England, St.John's
12Desmond Haynes (WI)Mar 3,1978Jul 4,199113 yrs 123 days
v Australia, Port-of-Spainv England, Nottingham
13Ian Botham (Eng)Jul 28,1977Feb 2,199214 yrs 189 days
v Australia, Nottinghamv New Zealand, Wellington
14Graham Gooch (Eng)Jul 10,1975Jan 29,199316 yrs 203 days
v Australia, Birminghamv India, Calcutta
15David Boon (Aus)Nov 23,1984Apr 21,199510 yrs 139 days
v West Indies, Brisbanev W.Indies, Port-of-Spain
16Steve Waugh (Aus)Dec 26,1985Jan 2,199812 yrs 7 days
v India, Melbournev South Africa, Sydney
17Ian Healy (Aus)Sep 15,1988Jan 30,19989 yrs 137 days
v Pakistan, Karachiv South Africa, Adelaide
18Courtney WalshNov 9,1984Feb 27,199813 yrs 110 days
v Australia, Perthv England, Georgetown
19Mark Taylor (Aus)Jan 26,1989Nov 20,19989 yrs 298 days
v West Indies, Sydneyv England, Brisbane
20Saleem Malik (Pak)Mar 5,1982Dec 10,199816 yrs 280 days
v Sri Lanka, Karachiv Zimbabwe, Lahore
21Mark Waugh (Aus)Jan 25,1991Jan 2,20008 yrs 342 days
v England, Adelaidev India, Sydney
22Mike Atherton (Eng)Aug 10,1989Aug 3,200010 yrs 359 days
v Australia, Nottinghamv West Indies, Manchester
23Alec Stewart (Eng)Feb 24,1990Aug 3,200010 yrs 161 days
v West Indies, Kingstonv West Indies, Manchester
24Wasim Akram (Pak)Jan 25,1985Nov 29,200015 yrs 309 days
v New Zealand, Aucklandv England, Faisalabad
25Shane Warne (Aus)Jan 2,1992Mar 8,200210 yrs 65 days
v India, Sydneyv South Africa, Cape Town
26Sachin Tendulkar (Ind)Nov 15,1989Sep 5,200212 yrs 294 days
v Pakistan, Karachiv England, The Oval
27Carl Hooper (WI)Dec 11,1987Oct 9,200214 yrs 302 days
v India, Mumbai WSv India, Mumbai WS
28Brian Lara (WI)Dec 6,1990Dec 26,200313 yrs 20 days
v Pakistan, Lahorev South Africa, Durban
29Gary Kirsten (SA)Dec 26,1993Mar 18,200410 yrs 82 days
v Australia, Melbournev New Zealand, Auckland
30Glenn McGrath (Aus)Nov 12,1993Oct 26,200410 yrs 349 days
v New Zealand, Perthv India, Nagpur

Table II gives the country wise break-up of 100 Tests from which we gauge the facts:

a) Steve Waugh, Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Wasim Akram, Gary Kirsten and McGrath played against all other Test playing nations.

b) Allan Border holds the record of playing most Test matches against a particular country -- 47 against England.

Table II: Country wise break-up of 100 Test appearances:
TestsPlayer-------------------- vs --------------------
EngAusSAWINZIndPakSLZimBD
168Steve Waugh46x1632231820832
156Allan Border47x631232022700
133Alec Stewartx33232416913960
132Courtney Walsh363810x101518320
131Kapil Dev272042510x291420
128Mark Waugh29x1828141415910
125Sunil Gavaskar38200279X24700
124Javed Miandad22250161828x1230
121Viv Richards36340072816000
119Ian Healy33x1228119141110
118Graham Goochx42326151910300
117David Gowerx42019132417200
116Dilip Vengsarkar262402511022800
116Desmond Haynes36331x101916100
115Mike Athertonx33182711711440
115Sachin Tendulkar1620141616X101391
114Shane Warne26X18161513121310
114Colin Cowdreyx43142118810000
112Brian Lara302715x8137822
110Clive Lloyd34290x82811000
108Geoff Boycottx3872915136000
108Gordon Greenidge32290x102314000
107David Boon31x622171111900
104Mark Taylor33x112011912800
104Wasim Akram1813417912x19102
103Salim Malik1915171822x1560
102Ian Bothamx36020151414300
102Carl Hooper242510x21914620
101Gary Kirsten2218x13131011932
100Glenn McGrath22x142091014812

Table III furnishes the batting and fielding performances of 100 Test men from which we gauge the following facts:

a) Steve Waugh has figured in most Tests (168)

b) Border has scored most runs (11,174) and has the most scores of fifty plus (90).

c) Gavaskar has compiled the most centuries (34)

d) Lara has played the highest individual innings (400*)

e) Tendulkar has the highest batting average (56.76)

f) Healy has taken most catches (366) and made most stumpings (29)

g) Mark Waugh has held the most catches (181) among the non-wicketkeepers

h) Walsh has remained unbeaten on most occasions (61). He has also made most ducks (43).

Table III: 100 Test members - batting & fielding performances
(in descending order of runs):
PlayerForTestsInnsNORunsHSAve100500CtSt
AR BorderAus1562654411,17420550.56276311156-
SR WaughAus1682604610,92720051.06325022112-
SM GavaskarInd1252141610,122236*51.12344512108-
BC LaraWI112197610,094400*52.85264613147-
SR TendulkarInd115186199,480241*56.7633371272-
GA GoochEng11821568,90033342.58204613103-
Javed MiandadPak124189218,832280*52.5723436931
IVA RichardsWI121182128,54029150.24244510122-
AJ StewartEng133235218,46319039.5515451426314
DI GowerEng117204188,23121544.251839774-
G BoycottEng108193238,114246*47.7322421033-
ME WaughAus128209178,029153*41.82204719181-
MA AthertonEng11521277,728185*37.7016462083-
MC CowdreyEng114188157,62418244.0722389120-
CG GreenidgeWI108185167,55822644.7219341196-
MA TaylorAus104186137,525334*43.5019405157-
CH LloydWI110175147,515242*46.681939490-
DL HaynesWI116202257,48718442.3018391065-
DC BoonAus107190207,42220043.6621321699-
G KirstenSA101176157,28927545.2721341383-
DB VengsarkarInd116185226,86816642.1317351578-
Salim MalikPak103154225,76823743.7015291265-
CL HooperWI102173155,76223336.47132713115-
Kapil DevInd131184155,24816331.058271664-
IT BothamEng10216165,20020833.55142214120-
IA HealyAus119182234,356161*27.404221836629
Wasim AkramPak104147192,898257*22.64371743-
SK WarneAus114160132,3629916.07-83094-
CA WalshWI1321856193630*7.55--4329-
GD McGrathAus10011240468396.50--2831-

Table IV furnishes the bowling performances of 100 Test men from which we gauge the following facts:

a) Warne has bowled most balls (32,330), most maidens (1505), conceded most runs (13,846) and has taken most wickets (541). He also has the most instances of 5 wickets in an innings (28) as also the most 10-wicket match hauls (8).

b) Kapil has the best innings analysis (9-83).

c) McGrath has the best strike-rate (52.19) among the bowlers (having bowled a minimum of 50 balls).

Table IV: 100 Test members - bowling performances:
(in descending order of wickets)
PlayerForTestsBallsMdnsRunsWktsAveBest5WI10WMSRER
SK WarneAus11532,3301,50513,84654125.598/7128859.7542.82
CA WalshWI13230,0191,14512,68851924.457/3722357.8442.27
GD McGrathAus10023,5381,1829,80145121.738/3824352.1941.63
Kapil DevInd13127,7401,06012,86743429.659/8323263.9246.38
Wasim AkramPak10422,6278719,77941423.627/11925554.6543.22
IT BothamEng10221,81578810,87838328.408/3427456.9649.86
CL HooperWI10213,7885315,63511449.435/264-120.9540.87
SR WaughAus1687,8053323,4459237.455/283-84.8444.14
ME WaughAus1284,8531712,4295941.175/401-82.2550.05
AR BorderAus1564,0091991,5253939.107/4621102.7938.04
SR TendulkarInd1142,928741,6003545.713/10--83.6554.64
IVA RichardsWI1215,1702031,9643261.382/17--161.5637.99
GA GoochEng1182,6551221,0692346.483/39--115.4340.26
Javed MiandadPak1241,470326821740.123/74--86.4746.39
CH LloydWI1101,716756221062.202/13--171.6036.25
G BoycottEng10894445382754.573/47--134.8640.47
Salim MalikPak10373420414582.801/3--146.8056.40
MA AthertonEng115408123022151.001/20--204.0074.02
G KirstenSA10134919142271.001/0--174.5040.69
SM GavaskarInd125380152061206.001/34--380.0054.21
DI GowerEng11736020120.001/1--36.0055.56
DL HaynesWI116180818.001/2--18.0044.44
MA TaylorAus10442326126.001/11--42.0061.90
DC BoonAus107363140-0/0---38.89
MC CowdreyEng11411901040-0/1---87.40
CG GreenidgeWI10826340-0/0---15.38
BC LaraWI112601280-0/0---46.67
AJ StewartEng133200130-0/5---65.00
DB VengsarkarInd116471360-0/3---76.60

(Note: Ian Healy did not bowl)

Table V lists 30 players alphabetically and shows their progressive quantum of runs in each segment of 25 Tests. It is observed that:

Richards scored the most runs (2,426) in the first 25 Tests, but thereafter Gavaskar simply raced away from the rest in the next two segments -- 50 and 75 Tests.

Lara, however, ended up the highest run-scorer after exactly 100 Tests.

Table V: Progressive runs scored in each 25 Test segment:
Player25 Test Runs50 Test Runs75 Test Runs100 Test Runs
Akram4101,0991,9602,815
Atherton 1,5973,6815,2876,742
Boon 1,5723,3265,4287,094
Border 1,8633,4925,6117,670
Botham 1,3362,6254,3215,192
Boycott 1,5663,6035,7047,518
Cowdrey 1,6603,2705,2507,044
Gavaskar 2,2564,9476,7188,479
Gooch 1,3773,1234,8527,608
Gower 1,6163,3745,2287,000
Greenidge 2,0883,6075,2687,134
Haynes 1,4902,8904,4446,486
Hooper1,0442,4053,9275,662
Healy 6601,5622,6363,741
Kapil 1,0232,1293,0754,142
Kirsten1,6943,2315,1227,212
Lara2,2834,2056,1338,916
Lloyd 1,5203,6535,0896,904
McGrath70260399468
Malik 1,2422,2343,9675,641
Miandad 2,0593,8605,4447,694
Richards 2,4264,3295,7617,336
Stewart 1,6393,2575,1536,838
Taylor 2,2724,0445,6887,343
Tendulkar1,5223,4385,9958,405
Vengsarkar 1,3912,8474,2806,356
Walsh 189437626794
Warne4268061,3902,052
M.Waugh 1,3553,2224,9396,403
S.Waugh 1,0792,3874,2406,288

Highest run-aggregate after each 25 Test segment:
Richards -- 2,426 runs in 25 Tests
Gavaskar -- 4,947 runs in 50 Tests
Gavaskar -- 6,718 runs in 75 Tests
Lara -- 8,916 runs in 100 Tests

Table VI shows the number of runs added in each 25 Test segment.

Lara holds the record of scoring most runs in a segment of 25 Tests. Lara aggregated 2,783 runs with 8 centuries from his 75th to 100th Test. Gooch just lagged behind with 2,756 runs from his 75th to 100th Test.

Table VI: Runs added in each 25 Test segment:
Player1st to 25th Test26th to 50th Test51st to 75th Test76th to 100th Test
Akram410689861855
Atherton1,5972,0841,6061,455
Boon 1,5721,7542,1021,666
Border 1,8631,6292,1192,059
Botham 1,3361,2891,696871
Boycott 1,5662,0372,1011,814
Cowdrey 1,6601,6101,9801,794
Gavaskar 2,2562,6911,7711,761
Gooch 1,3771,7461,7292,756
Gower 1,6161,7581,8541,772
Greenidge 2,0881,5191,6611,866
Haynes 1,4901,4001,5542,042
Hooper1,0441,3611,5221,735
Healy 6609021,0741,105
Kapil 1,0231,1069461,067
Kirsten1,6941,5371,8912,090
Lara2,2831,9221,9282,783
Lloyd 1,5202,1331,4361,815
McGrath7019013369
Malik 1,2429921,7331,674
Miandad 2,0591,8011,5842,250
Richards 2,4261,9031,4321,575
Stewart 1,6391,6181,8961,685
Taylor 2,2721,7721,6441,655
Tendulkar1,5221,9162,5572,410
Vengsarkar 1,3911,4561,4332,076
Walsh 189248189168
Warne426380584662
M Waugh 1,3551,8671,7171,464
S Waugh 1,0791,3081,8532,048

Most runs added in each 25 Test segment:
From 1st to 25th Test -- 2,426 runs by Richards
From 26th to 50th Test -- 2,691 runs by Gavaskar
From 51st to 75th Test -- 2,557 runs by Tendulkar
From 76th to 100th Test -- 2,783 runs by Lara

Table VII shows the comparative bowling figures of the six leading wicket-takers:

The others being only occasional bowlers, despite Border's match winning seven for 46 and four for 50 (match analysis of 11 for 96 against the mighty West Indies at Sydney in 1988-89, Carl Hooper's four five-wicket innings hauls and Steve Waugh's three five-wicket innings hauls.

It will be observed that Botham had a tally of more wickets than any one else in the first segment.

Warne had an edge over the others in second segment (i.e.from 26th to 50th Test), while McGrath outpaces all others in third and fourth segment of 25 Tests.

The first quarter of his Test career was most the productive one for Botham as he took as many as 139 wickets in his first 25 Tests with five wickets in an innings 14 times and 10 in a match thrice.

Warne and McGrath are the only ones to take 100 wickets in three different segments. While all other bowlers slowed down after 75 Tests, Warne has accelerated in the fourth segment.

Table VII: Progressive wickets after each 25 Test segment:
Player25 Test Wickets50 Test Wickets75 Test Wickets100 Test Wickets
Akram76197322409
Botham 139229326383
Kapil 100200286354
McGrath106234358451
Walsh 87174279367
Warne112235331444

Highest wicket-aggregate after each 25 Test segment:

Botham -- 139 wickets in 25 Tests
Warne -- 235 wickets in 50 Tests
McGrath -- 358 wickets in 75 Tests
McGrath -- 451 wickets in 100 Tests

Table VIII: Wickets taken in each 25 Test segment:
Player1st to 25th Test26th to 50th Test51st to 75th Test76th to 100th Test
Akram7612112587
Botham 139909757
Kapil 1001008668
McGrath10612812493
Walsh 878710588
Warne11212396113

Most wickets added in each 25 Test segment:
From 1st to 25th Test -- 139 wickets by Botham
From 26th to 50th Test -- 128 wickets by McGrath
From 51st to 75th Test -- 125 wickets by Akram
From 76th to 100th Test -- 113 wickets by Warne

Table IX deals with Healy and Stewart's progress behind the stumps:

Stewart's tally also includes the catches taken in the field while not performing the duty behind the stumps.

It will be observed that Healy was undoubtedly better of the two. Healy's lowest aggregate in 25-Test segment was 74 from 1st Test to 25th Test, which was higher than Stewart's best of 68 in the 76 to 100 Test segment.

Table IX: Progressive dismissals after each 25 Test segment:
Player 25 Test Dismissals50 Test Dismissals75 Test Dismissals100 Test Dismissals
Healy74166254347
Stewart2869125193

Table X shows the performance of players with bat, ball and in the field in their 100th Tests. It will be observed that:

a) Only four players -- Gordon Greenidge (149), Miandad (145), Stewart (105) and Cowdrey (104) scored centuries in their 100th Test.

b) Border, Vengsarkar, Mark Taylor and Walsh suffered the ignominy of recording a 'duck' in their 100th Test.

c) Warne is the only player to take a five-wicket haul in his 100th Test. By scoring a fifty in the first innings, he also provided a rare occurrence of a fifty and five-wicket haul in the same Test.

d) Mark Waugh held the most number of catches in his 100th Test

e) Botham, McGrath, Walsh and Warne are the only ones to have contributed in each of the three fields i.e. batting, bowling and fielding.

Table X: Performance in the 100th Test:
PlayerRunsWktsCts/StResult of 100th Test
Akram1 & 4*1-69 & 0-130Drawn
Atherton1 & 28-0Drawn
Boon 18 & 9-0Australia lost
Border 0 & 20- & 0-03Australia lost
Botham 15 & 11-53 & 2-231Drawn
Boycott 17 & 60-0Drawn
Cowdrey 104-0Drawn
Gavaskar 48 & 37-3Drawn
Gooch 17 & 18-1England lost
Gower 13 & 2-1England lost
Greenidge 149-1West Indies won
Haynes 18 & 57*-0West Indies won
Hooper23 & 11-401West Indies lost
Healy 1 & 10-2 / 1Drawn
Kapil 554-69 & 3-820Drawn
Kirsten1 & 1-0South Africa lost
Lara72 & 11-1West Indies lost
Lloyd 20-0West Indies won
McGrath11*3-27 & 2-791Australia won
Malik 2-1Drawn
Miandad 145-1Drawn
Richards 680-1 & 0-262West Indies won
Stewart 105-2Drawn
Taylor 46 & 0-0Drawn
Tendulkar540-40Drawn
Vengsarkar 25 & 0-2India lost
Walsh 3* & 02-47 & 3-251West Indies won
Warne63 & 15*2-70 & 6-1611Australia won
M.Waugh 32-4Australia won
S.Waugh 850-101Australia won

A scrutiny of the last column in the above table reveals the fact that McGrath is one of the only nine players who were in the winning side on their 100th appearance.

The nine players were -- five West Indians (Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Lloyd, Richards and Walsh) plus four Australians -- the Waugh brothers, McGrath and Warne

Gooch and David Gower for England, Border and Boon for Australia, Gary Kirsten for South Africa, Hooper and Lara for West Indies and Dilip Vengsarkar for India ended on losing sides in their 100th Test, while Akram, Michael Atherton, Botham, Boycott, Cowdrey, Gavaskar, Ian Healy, Kapil, Salim Malik, Miandad, Stewart, Taylor and Tendulkar were all involved in drawn encounters in their 100th Test.



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