Wikipedia:WikiProject Cricket/Quiz/archive14

Q261
Whose test match statistics are the following? Tests:          2 Runs scored 	30 Batting average 15.00 Wickets 	10 Bowling average 12.59

--Roisterer 10:27, 20 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Laurie Nash - it's all there already!!! Played Aussie rules too. BradK 10:45, 20 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I know it's all there; I wrote the article on Laurie. His ten wickets at 12.59 represents, AFAIK, the best test bowling average for someone who has taken 10 wickets or more.  --Roisterer

Q262
What do the following test cricketers have uniquely in common?

Phil Emery Stuart Law Wayne N. Phillips

BradK 13:45, 20 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I take it that its something other than they were one-test wonders in the Aussie team in the 1990s? Dingbatdan 14:13, 20 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Definately on the right track, although there were one or two others that achieved that feat in the 1990s. I am looking for something much more specific about their short-lived careers (and it doesn't necessarily relate to just the 1990's)  BradK 14:18, 20 August 2006 (UTC)


 * This might not be what you're looking for, but not only did they each play only a single Test, but I believe their Test appearances were due in each case to their replacing an injured cricketer: Ian Healy in the case of Emery, and Steve Waugh in the case of the other two? -- Deville (Talk) 03:32, 21 August 2006 (UTC)


 * From memory, Wayne Phillips got his chance with the controversial dropping of Geoff Marsh? Dingbatdan 05:06, 21 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Bear in mind there are two Wayne Phillips' to have played cricket for Australia, we are not talking about the wicketkeeper-cum-South Australian Coach - Wayne B. Phillips - we are talking about the Victorian Wayne N. Phillips whose debut was nearly 10 years later. (Which in itself may be a bit of a clue) BradK 06:43, 21 August 2006 (UTC)
 * Did they all switch their nationalities? If it's more specific, I'm going for Australian to English. -- Hindleyite 13:15, 21 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I have no idea as to whether they have all changed nationality, if they have it's not the right answer, but their single appearances in a test match hold the key. BradK 13:25, 21 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Is it that they have all won their only test cap due to injury or mid-series substitution (Emery replaced Ian Healy, Law replaced Steve Waugh, and as Dingbatdan said, Phillips replaced Marsh)? King fish erswift  13:51, 21 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Althought correct, not the answer I was looking for. Paul Wilson and Matthew Nicholson only played one test for australia (both in the 1990's), but do not fit the question.


 * Their one test was played at Perth? KingStrato 19:14, 21 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Remeber that this is an attribute unique to only these three players. As a clue, a man associated with the answer has made some comments in the (Australian) media regaurding the ball tampering episode in England. BradK 07:44, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I take it you're referring to Steve Waugh, who was out of the team when Phillips made his debut (Mark Waugh had been dropped too), and injured when Emery and Law made theirs, but I still can't see a unique connection. Dingbatdan 08:59, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Are they the only Australian one test wonders whose only test was in the 1990s and when Steve Waugh didn't play? Mdcollins1984 09:29, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Or maybe they're the only Australians to play Test cricket in the 90s and not play a Test with Steve Waugh. Stephen Turner (Talk) 09:47, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Is that not the same thing? Guess not actually, incase there may be players who played more than one test, and still didn't play with Waugh - think you probably have it there! Mdcollins1984 09:53, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Well done Stephen, that's what I'm looking for! Well done, everyone else did play at least one test with Steve Waugh.  Dingbat, if you want to argue you got it right first then you two can fight it out, but Stephen had exactly what I was looking for.  BradK 12:17, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * No qualms here - take it away Stephen! Dingbatdan 13:39, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

Q263
Well, I feel a bit guilty as Dingbatdan and Mdcollins1984 did all the hard work, but I'll ask a question. I think we ought to have a question about umpires. So who was the last umpire to stand in a Test match involving his home country? Stephen Turner (Talk) 18:24, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * DB Cowie in Test 1597? Sam Korn (smoddy) 18:36, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I think that's the correct answer. Unless there were any later exceptions I don't know about. Stephen Turner (Talk) 19:47, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * The only recent example that I could find of a third umpire standing was in 2001, so I don't think there are any exceptions. I can't set a question until tomorrow, though, so I'll let people interject... Sam Korn (smoddy) 20:18, 22 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Though the third umpire was probably sitting! A poor attempt at humor here... Blowtorch 08:52, 26 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I meant standing rather than sitting, if one of the main umpires was injured. Sam Korn (smoddy) 09:47, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Q264
Sorry for the delay. I forgot. So continuing on the umpires theme... Who was the first umpire to stand in a Test outside his own country? Sam Korn (smoddy) 09:47, 26 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Sam Cosstick stood in the second Test ever in 1876-77 at Melbourne: he was born in Croydon, England, but as his cricket was all in Australia and he died there too, you might regard him as Australian. If so, then it's presumably James Lillywhite the younger, born and died in England, who stood in Test No 5, also at Melbourne, in 1881-82. Johnlp 10:54, 26 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I was indeed thinking of Lillywhite. Sam Korn (smoddy) 18:07, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Q265
Thanks. Which Test cricketer played in his native country for all of the main first-class sides except one, and also represented a foreign domestic side against his own countrymen? Johnlp 18:20, 26 August 2006 (UTC)


 * John Guy of Wellington, Central Districts, Otago, Canterbury, Northern Districts and Northamptonshire Vs. New Zealand XI Dingbatdan 01:09, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

That's the guy. You'd've thought Auckland would have given him a game just to get the full set. Over to you. Johnlp 08:18, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

Q266
A Test cricketer was born in Brazil, who is he? Dingbatdan 06:13, 28 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Ashok Gandotra Tintin (talk) 06:14, 28 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Ok...1 Minute...that went well - over to you. Dingbatdan 09:03, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

Q267
What is the significance of the 1923 match between Oxford Uty and Lancashire in English cricket ? Tintin (talk) 10:26, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

Last first-class 12-a-side match? Johnlp 10:43, 28 August 2006 (UTC)


 * It is (though there have been such matches in other countries till atleast the early 1950s). Over to you. Tintin (talk) 10:47, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

Q268
Which aviator's probable Test career failed to take off because of conflicting demands? Johnlp 11:25, 28 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Well, there are a few cricketers who also flew at one point or another. Keith Miller was injured when his plane crashed.  John Evans (cricketer) was also a pilot and played a test.  I'm sure there'd be many others as well. BradK 11:45, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

Neither of these. They both played Test cricket, so you can't say that their Test careers "failed to take off". Johnlp 20:32, 28 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I know he was close to being selected for England at Rugby, and he was also a keen cricketer, but I'm not sure if he was international standard. I'm going to guess Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar. KingStrato 14:20, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

No, but you're in the right area of "conflict" in that the demands came from the Second World War. Johnlp 17:38, 29 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Bader only played one first-class match, for the RAF against the Army in 1931, hitting the top score of 65 (see his Cricinfo page and Wisden obit). Is it Test cricketer and nascent night-flying pilot, Ken Farnes?  -- ALoan (Talk) 17:47, 29 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Or possibly Alec Bedser's less well known twin brother, Eric Bedser? -- ALoan (Talk) 17:55, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

Good guesses, but not the one I was after. Like Eric Bedser, the chap I'm after never actually played Test cricket, but almost certainly would have done... And there are seven others in a similar position to him, but none of them was an aviator at the stage I'm thinking of, and nor were they quite as likely as he was to have had a Test career. Johnlp 20:20, 29 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Ross Gregory had a promising start to cricket, but was tragically killed in a plane crash over Assam in WWII. He's not the one you're after, is it? QazPlm 00:21, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

No, not him. Johnlp 07:10, 30 August 2006 (UTC)
 * LT. Richard J. Evans? Died in an air crash in 1943, played for Border. Wisden obituary - "He would probably have been a member of the South African team due to visit England in 1940" --Bedders 07:52, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

We're getting some nicely obscure players here, aren't we? No, not him either. The chap I'm thinking of survived the war but died in 1950 of a heart attack. Johnlp 09:08, 30 August 2006 (UTC)


 * How about AJ Holmes? WillE (posting during lunch at work!)

Well done, WillE. Flight-Lieutenant Jack Holmes (later Group-Captain) was picked to captain the 1939-40 MCC tour of India, and would have presumably been in line to appear in the three Tests scheduled for Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. Seven other players also picked for the tour – Hugh Bartlett, John Brocklebank, Roger Human, Emrys Davies, Jack Parker, Gerald Mobey and John Langridge – never played Test cricket either, but would presumably have been behind Holmes in the pecking order to receive Test caps. The list of the touring party is in Wisden 1940, after the tour had been cancelled because of the outbreak of war. Over to you. Johnlp 13:05, 30 August 2006 (UTC)


 * This question reminded me of John Morris which led me to his horrible stub article. I'll add some further information; contributions welcome. --Dweller 12:57, 7 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I've written an article for Morris. Please do take a look - and contribute. --Dweller 15:25, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Q269
A jocular one from earlier this year.

Which test cricketer's name fits very well into the music from the opening titles of the 70's sitcom "Please, Sir!"? [WillE:WillE] 18:26, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

Tricky one, that. Can't hazard a guess myself. Early hint, perhaps? King fish erswift  19:36, 30 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I have to confess to being born in 1979. I don't know how the music to Please, Sir! goes. KingStrato 09:48, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

It's a Sri Lankan, and this "fact" was reported in the BBC's ongoing commentary of a test match. To help, the tune goes, "du dump du duu duu duuuuu duuuuu"..... WillE (at work again...)
 * No idea what the theme tune sounds like, but I remember someone saying "Maharoof is on fire!" --Bedders 13:10, 31 August 2006 (UTC)
 * Belatedly.... LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WillE 21:37, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

He's a contracted player, with seven syllables over his commonly used names.WillE 09:13, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Thi-lan Sa-ma-ra-wee-ra?? Dingbatdan 09:24, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Nope... only two other choices that I can see... WillE 11:07, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Kumar Sangakara? KingStrato 11:35, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

That's only six syllables, KingStrato. The man in question played in all three tests against England this year. WillE 12:55, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * With the help of Sri_Lankan_cricket_team_in_England_in_2006:
 * Tillakaratne Dilshan
 * Nuwan Kulasekara
 * I think Dilshan is closer to the required scansion. -- ALoan (Talk) 14:17, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Dilshan is correct. It must have been a very boring passage of play when Angus Fraser made the observation.....

All together now! "Till-a-ka-rat-ne Dil-shan! Till-a-ka-rat-ne Di-il-shan!"

Over to you, ALoan. WillE 15:26, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * As a point of reference to our younger contributors, Stan Hibbert's theme on Soccer AM is the Please, Sir! theme. WillE 22:16, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

Q270
About which cricketer did Ted Dexter write that "raw power was his trademark"? -- ALoan (Talk) 16:56, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Everton Weekes? Sam Korn (smoddy) 17:01, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Good guess, but no. -- ALoan (Talk) 17:07, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Based on recent deaths, his team-mate Clyde Walcott? Sam Korn (smoddy) 17:13, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * (edit-conflicted!!!1 -- I think you got me, Korn) Clyde Walcott? -- Deville (Talk) 17:15, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Yes - quoted in the obituary in The Independent (now sadly behind the subscription fiewwall, but I read it when it was free :) At least I lasted 17 minutes! -- ALoan (Talk)

Q271
Brian Lara once dismissed a woman bastman in a charity match, who dismissed him in return. Who was she? (Bonus points if you can give the other reason she is notable!) Sam Korn (smoddy) 18:24, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Zoe Goss (our own article on Lara says so!). Stephen Turner (Talk) 18:30, 1 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Regarding the bonus, she has played in 17 WC matches and will be playing in her fourth WC; this strikes me as a likely record but I can't seem to verify that -- Deville (Talk) 18:54, 1 September 2006 (UTC)
 * That isn't what I'm thinking of. Perhaps "notable" is the wrong word.  "Memorable" might express it better: she posed nude (save for a few strategic cricket balls) for a charity calendar.  Sam Korn (smoddy) 19:17, 1 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Note to self: check Wikipedia articles before setting questions. End note.  Sam Korn (smoddy) 19:17, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Q272
Which current England bowler has played only two Test matches, but has already dismissed three opponents for golden ducks? Stephen Turner (Talk) 20:24, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Rikki Clarke? Sam Korn (smoddy) 20:41, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I must admit, I haven't checked that there's only one, so I'll accept any right answer. But Rikki Clarke doesn't work &mdash; he does have two Test matches, but only one golden duck. Stephen Turner (Talk) 22:43, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I can't find any current English bowler who's only played 2 matches - there are 1-test-wonders and 3-test...players, but no 2's. Dingbatdan 02:31, 2 September 2006 (UTC)


 * There is definitely one; try again. Maybe I'll wait a couple more hours for some Brits (or Norwegians) to have a go, and then give a clue if no-one's got it. Stephen Turner (Talk) 06:57, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

?Holly Colvin? Johnlp 09:29, 2 September 2006 (UTC)


 * While I think she has only played one Test, this does show a sad deficiency in List of English women Test cricketers... Sam Korn (smoddy) 09:51, 2 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Yes, it's Holly Colvin, England's 16-year old spinner. She played her first Test in the Ashes last year, at the age of 15. Her second Test just finished yesterday &mdash; her Cricinfo page hasn't caught up yet. Over to you, Johnlp. Stephen Turner (Talk) 10:10, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

Q273
What nickname links a leg-spinning all-rounder and the man who forced Bertie Wooster to fall into a swimming pool while wearing full evening costume? Johnlp 20:22, 2 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Tuppy. Bertie Wooster's "friend" was Tuppy Glossop. It looks like the cricketer was Tuppy Owen-Smith, with whom I was not previously familiar. Stephen Turner (Talk) 21:29, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

Well done. Owen-Smith was an all-rounder in other senses: apart from cricket for South Africa, he captained England at rugby and also represented Oxford University as a boxer. Over to you. Johnlp 23:15, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

Sorry everyone, I'm completely out of ideas for questions at the moment, and too busy to do any research for one. I'll let anyone who wants to jump in with a question. Stephen Turner (Talk) 16:22, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

Q274
Ok, I'll go then. 4 (close) members of which family have played international cricket in 2006? KingStrato 17:30, 4 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Joyces: Ed, Dom, Cecelia,  Isobel --Bedders 18:09, 4 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Did you know that, or did you have to look it up? Interstingly, they played for 3 different sides, and 2 of them played against each other.  KingStrato 18:19, 4 September 2006 (UTC)
 * I had to look up the names of the ladies :) I looked up Dom when Ed played for England and was suprised to find out about the rest of the family.  It just sort of stuck in my memory --Bedders 19:42, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

Q275
What happened for the first time in test cricket in the match between Australia and the West Indies in Brisbane in December 1979? --Bedders 08:06, 5 September 2006 (UTC)


 * All test cricket was now subject to 6 ball overs?WillE 17:47, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Nope :) --Bedders 18:13, 5 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Kerry Packer's Channel 9 was the match broadcaster? Sam Korn (smoddy) 19:03, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Possibly, but not what I'm looking for --Bedders 19:07, 5 September 2006 (UTC)


 * First test in which Garner, Holding, Roberts and Croft all bowled? Mdcollins1984 19:21, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Possibly, but not what I'm looking for (I'm quite enjoying this, it's my first question to last more than about an hour) --Bedders 19:29, 5 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Played straight through without a rest day? Johnlp 19:40, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * To be more precise, the first 5-day Test without a rest day? Sam Korn (smoddy) 19:48, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Wrong track, to give a clue, it only happened on one more occasion and that one is much more notorious --Bedders 20:43, 5 September 2006 (UTC)

Dennis Lillee's metal bat (the Combat) had its first outing in this match, but he failed to score with it. It got banned after he used it again in the next match. Johnlp 21:21, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * That's the one :) I was surprised that he got away with it once before the famous scenes, over to you --Bedders 21:38, 5 September 2006 (UTC)

Q276
If Leonard Hutton and Leslie Ames were bats, what was Frank Woolley? And who was "gauntlets"? The name "Gradidge" might help. Johnlp 22:50, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Hutton used a gradidge bat when he scored 364. Ames also used one of their bats. I guess they had bats named after them a la the Hick 405.


 * The "Frank Woolley" was a make of transferrable bucket hands for slip fielders that dropped nothing - ever. Unfortunately, my club mates never bothered buying them.


 * Gauntlets - George Brown at a guess. Never bothered to buy a set of keeper's gloves, and kept wicket for England using motor cycle gauntlets.


 * Over to someone else for a fuller sensible answer for part II... WillE 08:29, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Nice answer (though not, of course, correct, apart from identifying the Hutton and Ames bats, but you can't have everything). Woolleys came in pairs, if that helps. And Gradidge wasn't a wealthy company, so when it signed up sporting superstars, it couldn't afford very many of them... in fact, only three, so you might find the "gauntlets" person has already been named. Johnlp 11:41, 7 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I'd guess that the gauntlets were also named for Ames, and Woolley was batting gloves or pads (or perhaps both). --Dweller 12:32, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Good stuff. It was Frank Woolley pads, actually and Leslie Ames gauntlets. Over to you. Johnlp 12:36, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Q277
I was born on one continent, played Tests and ODIs for a country on a different continent, died on a third continent and for a long time I was Dweller's favourite cricketer*. Who am I? *disclaimer because I'm fairly certain Tintin or some other smarty arty will list 14 dozen cricketers like this, in which case I'll have to add a further and more specific clue. --Dweller 12:53, 7 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I'm not sure there is an answer to your question. Your questions asks for someone who was born in either Australia, Asia, continental Europe, Africa, continental South or North America, played at some point since 1971 for one of either Australia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, South Africa or Zimbabwe and has since died.  No Bangladeshi test players have died, no Zimbabweans were born outside Africa and the only South African to fit the continents part of your question is Godfrey Cripps but he died in 1943 so didn't get the opportunity to play ODIs.  Qasim Umar of Pakistan almost fits the bill as he was born in Kenya but, as far as I know, he is still with us.  No other Pakistani player was born outside Asia.  India's Ashok Gandotra was born in Brazil but is still alive and played no ODIs, and Kepler Wessels is still alive, ruling out Australia.  in fact the closest I can come up with is someone born on an island in the West indies, who played for an island off the coast of Europe but did die in Africa.  Basically, what I am saying is, is it Wilf Slack?  --Roisterer 15:11, 7 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Wowsers. I'm not sure if I'm more surprised to find that England's not in Europe (!) or to find that someone answered the question so brilliantly. Well done! --Dweller 15:23, 7 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Amazingly, the question can be restated as "I was born on one continent, played Tests and ODIs for a country on a different continent, coached a team on a third continent and died on a fourth continent". Wilf Slack coached a team in NZ! -- [Uday]


 * Another one who would fit criteria except that of ODIs is Bob Crisp who was born in India, played for South Africa and died in England. Tintin (talk) 12:18, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

Q278
I'm currently skint on good questions so I will just cite one of my favorite cricket quotes. An English test cricketer once referred to an Australian test cricketer as having "a face like a good-looking brown trout"? Name both please. --Roisterer 14:33, 8 September 2006 (UTC)


 * CB Fry of Reggie Duff?WillE 18:17, 8 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Indeed. --Roisterer 04:13, 9 September 2006 (UTC)

Q279
Whose ultimately disappointing test career started with three consecutive hundred partnerships?WillE 12:10, 9 September 2006 (UTC) I am surprised no-one's bitten! Clue later tonight if no-one has it.WillE 13:03, 10 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I'd thought it was Brian Bolus, but it isn't, because his three weren't quite in consecutive matches (which is what I presume you to mean, not consecutive partnerships in the same innings). Johnlp 13:22, 10 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Consecutive personal partnerships is the key - but not all in the same innings or even match... WillE 14:13, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Then I'll try Paul Gibb in the 1938-39 MCC series in South Africa. Johnlp 14:37, 10 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Nope, afraid not. Gibb's first partnership was with Bill Edrich, and was only worth four. WillE 15:04, 10 September 2006 (UTC)


 * OK, I'm not around tomorrow, so if I say he averaged 253 after his first two tests and does some interesting "pitch reports", then if you are sure you've got it, please press on. No use bumbling around, is there? WillE 22:29, 10 September 2006 (UTC)


 * If "bumbling" was a clue, I'd guess David Lloyd, as I think that's his nickname. --Dweller 10:14, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * (Incidentally, I'm too young to remember David Lloyd (cricketer)'s career. His Test figures are extremely respectable... why did he play so few Tests? --Dweller 10:23, 11 September 2006 (UTC))


 * David Lloyd looks right except that his average was 260 after two Tests (46 and 214*). But he started with partnerships of 116, 157 and 211 (459 for 2 declared, that's not a bad score), and didn't do too well after those first two matches (292 runs at 24.33). I'm not familiar with his pitch reports, but he is a commentator. And you're right about the clue in the nickname, so all in all, I think you've got it. Stephen Turner (Talk) 10:40, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Correct - my bad. Added 46 and 214 and by the time I typed it in a rise in the cost of living had reduced it to 253. ;o) WillE 17:53, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

(edit conflict) That must be right - his first 3 partnerships were all centuries (and the fourth was an unbroken 91) in the 2nd and 3rd Test against India in 1974. He scored 46 as part of a partnership of 116 with Dennis Amiss in the 2nd Test at Lord's,, and then 214 not out in the 3rd Test at Edgbaston, in partnerships of 157 with Amis, 211 with Mike Denness, and an inbroken 91 with Keith Fletcher..

After such a good start, his record then went decidedly wonky against Pakistan later that year, and worse in that winter's tour to Australia against Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson. -- ALoan (Talk) 10:46, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Hmmm. I think Bradman may have struggled a little against Lillee and Thomson in their pomp. Anyway, thanks, I'll be bold and set the next question, as soon as I've thought of it. --Dweller 10:53, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Bradman still managed a batting average of 56.57 against Harold Larwood and Bill Voce when they were bowling unashamed Bodyline. Not as good as his usual standards, but better than the career averages of just over a dozen other players.  I wonder who holds the record for the best series average...  -- ALoan (Talk) 11:33, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Well, lists of series aggregates are two a penny, but lists of series averages are more difficult to find.


 * From this, you would have some way to go to beat Wally Hammond's average 563.00 against New Zealand in 2 Tests in 1932-3 (227 and 336*).


 * In the 400s, there is Rahul Dravid in 2 Tests against Zimbabwe in 2000-1 (432.00 - 200*, 70* and 162), Daryll Cullinan in 3 Tests against New Zealand in 1998-9 (427.00 - 275*, 152 and 0*) and Hashan Tillakaratne in 3 Tests against West Indies in 2001-2 (403.00 - 105*, 87, 7* and 204*).


 * As far as I can see from these lists (selected on aggregates), no-one else has managed a series batting average of more than 300; and Bradman is the only person to have an average of more than 200 in a series of more than 3 Tests, with an average of 201.50 in the 5-Test series against South African in 1931-2 (226, 112, 2 (very well done, Neville Quinn), 167, 299*).


 * The answer is clearly a combination of high scoring and lots of "not out"s. (And there are some woeful stubs in the links above, btw.) -- ALoan (Talk) 12:51, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * There is also 362.00 by Waugh. An outdated list can be found at http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/ioc/content/story/86021.html Tintin (talk) 05:53, 12 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Good spot. The HowStat lists only have players with over 400 runs in a series of up to 4 matches, and over 600 runs in a series of 5 or 6 matches.  But, yes, Steve Waugh played in two Tests against Sri Lanka in 1995-6, scoring 170, 61*, and 131*.  -- ALoan (Talk)

Q280
A toe foot and a lamb; a hand and some backs. The connection? --Dweller 11:07, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Apologies. Toe is incorrect. Foot is more accurate. And no, I don't know my *rse from my elbow. --Dweller 13:04, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * In the spirit of keeping this fast-moving, here's a clue. the "hand" is a guiding one. The semicolon should also help. --Dweller 13:45, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Another clue then. "Foot" and "lamb" refer to a fairly famous Ashes controversy. --Dweller 16:29, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm going to be away from a computer for a few hours. Like with Q279... if you know you're right, fire up the next question with pleasure. --Dweller 16:43, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm home earlier than I thought...The dismissal of Wayne B. Phillips in the 5th 1985 Ashes test at Edgbaston. The ball was creamed into Lamb's foot as he tried to get out of the way, and the ball lobbed up gently to Gower who took the catch with glee. The Aussies complained that Shep couldn't possibly have seen it at "that speed", but the TV cameras vindicated his decision. Laugh? I nearly had my hair dyed like Botham's...

As for the backs? Don't know. Can someone else complete and claim the glory? WillE 17:46, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * WillE has done most of the hard work. The other half can be easily explained using, erm, shall we say "easily accessible" info on Phillips. --Dweller 23:50, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * OK. Read his Wikipedia article! --Dweller 05:51, 12 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Phillips coaches South Australia, aka the Southern Redbacks? --Roisterer 06:06, 12 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Correct. A guiding hand for the 'backs. Well done Roisterer, over to you. Serious Brownie points to WillE for identifying Phillips. --Dweller 06:37, 12 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Under the circumstances (ie. WillE did all the work and I got the biggest clue of all time), I think it more appropriate that WillE asks the next question. --Roisterer 13:35, 12 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Very kind of you.164.36.142.217 13:59, 12 September 2006 (UTC)