Plus, players who signed off with World Cup finals, Sydney’s ODI record, and Bradman’s highest average
Steven Lynch31-Mar-2015How many people have finished their international career in the World Cup final, as seems to be the case for Daniel Vettori? asked Keith McAlpine from New Zealand
Before 2015, there had been eight players whose last international match of any kind came in a World Cup final. Four of them finished on a high with a winners’ medal: Rohan Kanhai (1975), Imran Khan (1992), Paul Reiffel (1999) and Glenn McGrath (2007). The other four finished on the losing side: Faoud Bacchus (1983), Javagal Srinath (2003), Russel Arnold (2007) and Muttiah Muralitharan (2011). For three others a World Cup final was their last one-day international, but they subsequently played more Test matches: Ross Edwards (1975), Thilan Samaraweera (2011) and Sreesanth (2011). Of those, only Sreesanth finished with a win.Michael Clarke didn’t quite manage it, but has anyone scored a century in their final one-day international? asked Dean Bainbridge from Australia
Eight players have signed off from one-day internationals with a century, starting with England’s Dennis Amiss, who made 108 against Australia at The Oval in 1977. The following year another Englishman, Clive Radley, scored 117 not out against New Zealand at Old Trafford. In 1993-94 the great West Indian opener Desmond Haynes marked what turned out to be his final ODI with 115 against England in Port-of-Spain; like Amiss, he’d made a hundred in his first one-day international as well. In Netherlands’ last match of the 2003 World Cup, against Namibia in Bloemfontein – their country’s last for a while – Feiko Kloppenburg made 121 and Klaas van Noortwijk an unbeaten 134. Sticking with the Dutch, Ryan ten Doeschate signed off from ODIs with 106 against Ireland in Kolkata in the 2011 World Cup; in between, New Zealand’s James Marshall had clattered 161 against Ireland in Aberdeen in 2008. There are three current players who made a century in their most recent innings, two of them during this World Cup: Zimbabwe’s Brendan Taylor signed off with 138 against India in Auckland, while Ireland’s captain William Porterfield hit 107 against Pakistan in Adelaide. Before that, Lea Siaka made 109 for Papua New Guinea against Hong Kong in Townsville last November. These last two will presumably play again.The best performances in a World Cup final are pretty well known. But who has the highest score in a semi-final? asked Jayantha de Silva from Sri Lanka
Steven Smith’s 105 against India in 2015 was the fifth individual century in a World Cup semi-final. The highest score in one is Mahela Jayawardene’s 115 not out for Sri Lanka against New Zealand in Kingston in 2007, which just shaded Graham Gooch’s 115 (out) for England v India in Mumbai in 1987. Saeed Anwar hit 113 not out for Pakistan against New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1999, while Sourav Ganguly made 111 not out for India v Kenya in Durban in 2003. The best bowling in a World Cup semi-final remains Gary Gilmour’s irresistible 6 for 14 for Australia against England at Headingley in 1975. Craig McDermott (1987), Shaun Pollock (1999) and Wahab Riaz (2011) have also taken five-fors in World Cup semi-finals.The World Cup quarter-final between South Africa and Sri Lanka was the 150th one-day international at the SCG. Has any ground staged more? asked Pascal Bounin from Australia
With Australia’s semi-final against India to add, the Sydney Cricket Ground has now staged 151 one-day internationals, more than any other venue apart from Sharjah, which has now hosted no fewer than 219. Melbourne lies third: the 2015 World Cup final was the 143rd ODI played there. There are two other grounds which have staged more than 100 ODIs: the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has held 116 so far, and the Harare Sports Club 114. England lags well behind on this list: The Oval has staged 57 ODIs, and Lord’s 56.David Warner’s 178 against Afghanistan in Perth in 2015 was Australia’s highest score in World Cups•Getty ImagesI don’t think it got much coverage at the time, but was David Warner’s 178 against Afghanistan Australia’s highest score in the World Cup? asked Kerry Johnson from Australia
David Warner’s 178 against Afghanistan in Perth was indeed Australia’s highest individual score in the World Cup, beating Matthew Hayden’s 158 against West Indies in Antigua in 2007. Aaron Finch’s 135 against England in Melbourne comes in sixth on this list, behind Adam Gilchrist’s 149 against Sri Lanka in the 2007 final in Bridgetown, Andrew Symonds’ unbeaten 143 against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 2003, and Ricky Ponting’s 140 against India in the 2003 final in Jo’burg. The only higher scores for Australia in all ODIs are Shane Watson’s 185 not out against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2010-11, and Hayden’s 181 not out against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2006-07.What was the highest average Don Bradman ever had in his Test career? asked Dhanushka Edussuriya from Sri Lanka
The highest average Don Bradman ever achieved was 112.29, after his undefeated 299 against South Africa in Adelaide in 1931-32. He was out first ball in his next innings, against England during the Bodyline series in Melbourne, so the average went down a little. Before his final innings – that famous duck at The Oval in 1948 – The Don’s average was 101.39.
