What would sports be if there was no track of the records created and broken? Records, in more ways than one, define an individual’s greatness, and his standing in the sport. It enables fans to remember his accomplishments long after he has walked away, and allows us to make valid arguments on his behalf in every discussion on the sport.
But while some records are well-known, there are many unique records that are not as highlighted. Here are 10 of the most unique records to be held in cricket.
1). Rameshchandra Nadkarni
India’s Rameshchandra Nadkarni holds the special record of bowling 21 successive maiden overs or 131 consecutive dot balls. This feat came at Madras (now Chennai) against England in 1963-64. He finished with figures of 32-27-5-0 and eventually finished with a Test economy rate of less than 2 runs an over.
2). Muttiah Muralitharan
Sri Lankan wizard Muttiah Muralitharan has an amazing record of bagging 10 wickets in four consecutive Test matches. And if you thought was was an amazing achievement, wait till you hear that he has done this not once, but twice! He bagged four consecutive four-wicket hauls, first in 2001 and then in 2006.
3). Don Bradman
Australia’s Don Bradman, also called the greatest batsman to ever play the game, holds the record of making six successive Test hundreds. He scored all these hundreds against England – smashing three of them in Australia in 1937 and the remaining three in England a year later.
4). Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is well known for scoring 100 centuries across formats in international cricket, but what many might not know is that he also holds the record for most nineties in the grand stage. He has 10 nineties in Tests and 18 in the 50-over format, which makes in 28 nineties in total. Now imagine, if he had converted all of them and finished with 128 tons!
5). Graham Mckenzie
Australia’s Graham Mckenzie has the very strange record of bagging the most number of hit-wickets in his cricketing career. With four scalps coming via a hit-wicket, the bowler, with an easy action, eventually ended with 246 Tests wickets and two ODI wickets.
6). Trevor Bailey
You all know that Misbah-ul-Haq is the fastest half-centurion in Test cricket, but ever wondered as to who is the slowest? Trevor Bailey of England, way back in 1958, took 350 balls to reach fifty runs against Australia in the first ever Test match that was broadcast on TV in Australia.
7). Len Hutton
There have been various modes of dismissals in Test cricket, but only one batsman has been out obstructing the field in the format. Len Hutton of England is the first and only man to be given out in this manner, when he edged a ball in the air and knocked it away from his wickets with the bat. In doing so, he prevented a catch from being taken and was deemed out. In ODIs, Ramiz Raja, Mohinder Amarnath and Inzamam-ul-Haq have been out in this manner.
8). Marvan Atapattu
Sri Lanka’s Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene are the only batters to be retired-out in Test cricket. Both batsmen retired-out in 2001 in a Test match against Bangladesh.
9). James Southerton
James Southerton of England is the oldest cricketer to make his Test debut. At 49 years and 119 days, the player made his debut against Australia on March 15. 1877. His career, however, did not last long as he played only two games. He was also the first Test cricketer to die in 1880. In ODIs, it is Nolan Clarke from Netherlands who is the oldest to make his debut at the age of 47 years and 240 days.
10). Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting from Australia is the only player to have scored a ton in both innings of his 100th Test match. Playing his 100th game against South Africa in Sydney in 2006, Ponting scored 120 in the first innings and carried on to score an unbeaten 143 in the second innings to help his team chase down 287 in the fourth innings on the final day.