Review of Pakistan-Sri Lanka Tests (Jul 2022)-Part 1

The 2-Test series was drawn 1-1. This is the overall summary:

Pakistan leads 21-17 overall. They also lead 9-8 for matches in Sri Lanka as well as 9-6 in Pakistan. However they are tied at 3-3 for matches in neutral countries.

We look at individual performances, starting with

Batting:

Most runs (750 or more):

The most centuries are 10 by Sangakkara, followed by 8 by Aravinda and Younis Khan.

The most 50+ scores are 22 by Sangakkara, followed by 14 by Younis Khan.

Sangakkara has the most runs, followed by Younis Khan by some distance.

Mathews and Azhar Ali have the most runs among current players.

Highest innings (150 or more):

Matches between these teams have generally been high-scoring, with a triple century by Younis Khan and 250+ by Jayasuriya follwed by several other double centuries. The highest score in this series was 160* by A Shafique (that too in a 4th-innings chase).

Highest batting averages (Minimum 20 innings, 30.00):

Sangakkara’s average of 74+ is considerably more than the next (Inzamam with 59+). Mathews and Karunaratne have the highest averages among current players.

Highest strike rates (Minimum 1000 balls faced, 45.00):

Unexpectedly, the highest strike rate was 70+ by Sarfaraz Ahmed followed by Dilshan at 63+. Babar Azam and Karunaratne have the best figures among current players.

To be continued: https://abn397.wordpress.com/2022/08/01/review-of-pakistan-sri-lanka-tests-jul-2022-part-2/

Summary of Test matches in 2021: Debutants : Part 6

Here we cover the better performances by those who made their debut in the calendar year 2021.

Batting:

40 or more runs in an innings:

Note the double centuries by KR Mayers and DP Conway. Only 7 players have made a double century on debut.

Mayers and Bonner combined to enable the West Indies to chase down 395 in the last innings:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-in-bdesh-2020-21-1244017/bangladesh-vs-west-indies-1st-test-1244025/full-scorecard

SS Iyer and Abdullah Shafique scored 50+ in both innings.

80 or more runs in a match:

Bowling:

4 or more wickets in an innings:

Headed by SM Boland’s 6-7 at the end of the year. There are others who have made 7wi and 8wi on debut, but this would probably be the most influential bowling performance by a debutant-as it reduced England to 68 all out and secured the Ashes for Australia.

7 or more wickets in a match:

P Jayawickrama took 11 wickets on debut, while Boland had the best figures of those who took 7 wickets.

Fielding:

2 or more dismissals in an innings:

Note AT Carey’s 5 and 3 in the same match.

3 or more dismissals in a match.

AT Carey took 8 dismissals, equalling the record by HB Taber and CMW Read.

However, Carey is the only one to take 8 catches on debut, as the others had 7 catches and a stumping.

Several fielders (including Boland again!) took 3 catches in a match.

All-round performance:

50 runs and 4 wickets in match:

Only one instance, and he has not played for the past few months.

50 and 3 dismissals in match:

Note that Abdullah Shafique made two fifties in the match, besides taking 3 catches.