Yousuf the Great

Mohommad Yousuf has broken a 30 year old record. With his 102 last night, he has scored 8 centuries this calendar year, breaking the record of 7, set by I.V.A. Richards in 1976. In that glorious year of 1976, Richards scored a total of 1710 runs. That record still stands. For the moment. Yousuf has one innings left this year and he needs 47 runs to break the record.

A few notes:

Pakistan has been restricted to a moderate 304 by the West Indies and no time has been lost in the match to date. It looks likely that Pakistan will bat again, notwithstanding a Calyso Collapso (they lost three, including Lara on 51 but have steadied for now).

It is good to see a level playing field for the record. Richards set the record from just 11 Tests. In this day and age, it is commonplace for players to play 15 or more Tests in a calendar year. For example, in third place for runs is Ponting with 1544 runs in 2005 from 15 Tests. Yousuf is playing his 11th Test – the same as Richards in 1976.

Richards averaged 90.00 in 1976 and Yousuf is averaging 97.88 this year.

Through injury, Richards missed the second Test against England, in England in 1976. He scored an incredible 829 runs in four Tests in that series. He could have been untouchable with that extra Test. Richards famous year includes the tail end of the West Indies disastrous tour of Australia.

Yousuf has scored just one double hundred but has had two scores of 192 and one of 191 (in the space of just four matches).

Let’s not forget Ponting. He has played just seven Tests this year so is not in the running for the aggregate (although he has already topped 1,000 runs at an average of 105.8). However, he is a chance for the centuries in a year record. He already holds down equal third place with Sobers and Compton, with 6 centuries in a year. In fact, Ponting has scored 6 centuries in a year three times (2003, 2005 and 2006). Ponting has two more Tests for the year and is up against a bowling attack that is ripe for plunder. Sorry, I could not restrain myself.

Ponting’s favourite grounds statistically are Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane where he averages 84, 75 and 76 respectively. At Adelaide and Perth, the locations of the next two Tests, he averages 54 and 56 respectively. So I guess not all is in his favour.

Twisting the Knife

Many were surprised when Ricky Ponting elected to bat again on Saturday afternoon. After all, the first innings lead (just 445) was more than would usually be set for a final innings target. Whatever the reasoning, I don’t think it will do the Aussies any harm. It certainly gives a fair indication of Ponting’s desire to grind the English into the ground. “Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman…”

Most of you may recall that Ian Chappell’s team handed out a 5-1 thrashing to the West Indies in the summer of 1975-76. The West Indies had a good team – in fact, many of that team went on to dominate world cricket for the next ten years plus. But the Australians were merciless. Several times over the years I heard Clive Lloyd refer to that series and he said that experience really steeled them as a team. They were determined never to be beaten like that again (or beaten at all, it seems). Perhaps the Ashes 2005 series has had a similar effect on Ponting and his geriatrics.

Or perhaps Ricky Ponting is a cricket historian. I not aware that his is, but perhaps. He could be exorcising the demons of Jack Ryder’s 1928-29 team. At the Exhibition Ground, Brisbane in November 1928, England made 521 and dismissed Australia for 122. England batted again and set Australia 742 to win. Sounding familiar? I would like also to point out that was Donald Bradman’s very first Test match. Not only did he witness this slaughter but he was dropped for the first and only time. He watched the great Walter Hammond pile on 905 runs for the series. One wonders what effect this series had on the young Bradman, and how it may have steeled him! Perhaps England paid the price for an act of sadism for the next 20 years. It was less than 18 months before Bradman had completed his famous 1930 tour of England where he scored 974 runs in the series.

Perhaps Ponting has a copy of “200 Seasons of Australian Cricket” like I do and England are still paying almost 80 years later!! It should be noted that Bradman returned for the third test of that series. Australia lost by just three wickets and then a meagre 12 runs in the 4th as Bradman piled on the runs. Australia won the 5th Test and turned the corner. I’m looking hard but I don’t see a Bradman in the English team.