And has anyone scored as many runs at a higher strike rate than Heinrich Klaasen in ODI?
Steven Lynch19-Sep-2023Was Sri Lanka’s total of 50 the other day the lowest in an international final? asked Vivek Naik from India
Sri Lanka’s collapse to 50 all out in the Asia Cup final in Colombo last weekend was indeed the lowest all-out total in any major international final, undercutting India’s 54 in the Champions Trophy final against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in October 2000. There have been only nine lower all-out totals in all one-day internationals.The lowest in the 50-over World Cup final is 132, by Pakistan against Australia at Lord’s in 1999. West Indies managed only 140 when they famously lost the 1983 final to India, also at Lord’s.The lowest in the final of a T20I tournament is Ireland’s 71 against Afghanistan in the Desert Challenge tournament in Dubai in January 2017. The lowest in the T20 World Cup final is Sri Lanka’s 101 against West Indies in Colombo in October 2012.Heinrich Klaasen blitzed 174 at a strike rate of 209 last week. Has anyone made more runs in an ODI more quickly? asked Nick van Vuuren from South Africa
That brutal knock by South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen against Australia in Centurion the other day brought him 174 from 83 balls, at a strike rate of 209.63.No one has scored more runs at a faster rate in one-day internationals: Shane Watson clattered 185 not out from 96 balls – a strike rate of 192.70 – for Australia against Bangladesh in Mirpur in April 2011.The only innings over 150 in ODIs that came at a faster rate than Klaasen managed were two cases of 162 not out – by AB de Villiers from 66 balls (strike rate 245.45) for South Africa against West Indies during the 2015 World Cup in Sydney, and by Jos Buttler in 70 balls – a strike rate of 231.42 – for England against Netherlands in Amstelveen in June 2022.If we look at all ODI innings of 100 or more , de Villiers leads the way with the astonishing strike rate of 338.63 during his 149 from just 44 balls against West Indies in Johannesburg in January 2015. He came in during the 39th over, and was out in the 50th, after smashing 16 sixes and nine fours.Adam Zampa conceded 113 runs in the high-scoring ODI at Centurion. Was this a record? asked Billy McAlpine from Australia
The Australian legspinner Adam Zampa’s forgettable day against South Africa in Centurion last week – rounded off by a tenth over that cost 26 – left him sharing top spot in the list of most runs conceded in a one-day international innings. Zampa matched another Australian, seamer Mick Lewis, who also went for 113 in the famous 872-run match in Johannesburg in March 2006.In all, there have now been 16 instances of a bowler conceding 100 or more runs in a men’s ODI: the only other Australian is Andrew Tye, with 0 for 100 (from only nine overs) against England at Trent Bridge in 2018.Only Viv Richards, with 189, has a higher score from No. 4 or lower in an ODI than Ben Stokes’ 182•PA PhotosWas Ben Stokes’ 182 against New Zealand the highest score from No. 4 or lower in a one-day international? asked Jeremy Newman from England
In a high-scoring few days for international cricket, Ben Stokes clattered 182 against New Zealand at The Oval on September 13. The only higher score from No. 4 in any ODI is Viv Richards’ 189 not out for West Indies against England at Old Trafford in 1984, in an innings that lasted 55 overs.Ross Taylor made 181 not out for New Zealand vs England in Dunedin in 2017-18, and Richards also battered 181 against Sri Lanka in Karachi during the 1987 World Cup. For the list of the highest ODI scores from No. 4 and below, click here.Stokes’ 182 was the highest for England in an ODI, beating Jason Roy’s 180 against Australia in Melbourne in 2017-18.A recent column here mentioned a Sussex player with seven forenames, but my county Northamptonshire also had a multi-initialled man a few years ago. Sadly I’ve forgotten his name! What was it? asked Ted Richardson from Northampton
You’re probably allowed to have forgotten him, because George Arthur Adam Septimus Carter Trenchard Sale Pennington played for Northamptonshire nearly a century ago, in 1927. He played 12 matches that season as a batter, with his highest score of 47 coming on debut, against Glamorgan in Northampton.The son of a vicar, Pennington was also a talented rugby player. He served in the Royal Naval Air Service (the forerunner of the Royal Air Force) during the First World War, and is said to have sunk a German submarine in the Mediterranean Sea. He continued flying after the war, but was only 34 when he died in September 1933, after the aircraft he was piloting crashed on take-off near Doncaster in Yorkshire. His six passengers, who included the famous jockey Gordon Richards, escaped with minor injuries.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions