Cricket
Steven Lynch, Editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes 4y

How often have rival captains got each other out in the same Test?

West Indies in England 2020, Cricket

How often have the rival captains got each other out in the same Test, as Ben Stokes and Jason Holder did at the Rose Bowl? asked Kevin Mills from England
The exciting behind-closed-doors match in Southampton was the 12th Test in which both captains had dismissed each other, but the first to include three such dismissals. It was the second time Jason Holder had been involved in such an occurrence, as he and Zimbabwe's Graeme Cremer accounted for each other in Bulawayo in 2017-18.

Holder's double dismissal of Ben Stokes was the 19th occasion one captain had disposed of his opposite number in both innings of a Test - and it was the third time Holder had done it: he dismissed Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh twice in Kingston in 2018, and then, in West Indies' most recent Test before the one at the Rose Bowl, he removed Afghanistan's Rashid Khan in both innings in Lucknow in November 2019. Shakib dismissed India's Virender Sehwag twice in Chittagong (now Chattogram) in 2009-10, and in return Sehwag caught Shakib in both innings.

The wily Australian Richie Benaud dismissed his opposite number twice in a Test on two occasions, and also claimed the wicket of England's Ted Dexter once in each of the five matches in the 1962-63 Ashes series.

Stuart Broad was dropped after playing 51 successive Tests at home. Was this a record for England (or everyone)? asked Dennis Mitchell from England
There have been two England players with longer unbroken home runs than Stuart Broad's 51. Since he played 159 successive Tests in all - the record - it's not surprising to find Alastair Cook top of this list too: he played 89 in succession at home between 2006 and 2018. Cook's longtime opening partner Andrew Strauss played 61 successive Tests in England.

Another similar run came to an end in Southampton, as Joe Root missed the match to be at the birth of his second child. It ended his run of 77 successive Test appearances in all, second only for England behind Cook.

There wasn't a single six hit at the Rose Bowl. When was the last time this happened? asked Dewan Rezwan Rabbi from Bangladesh
You're right to think that this is a rare event these days. The Test in Southampton was the first not to feature a six for about 145 matches, since the Boxing Day Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Port Elizabeth in December 2016. There have been only 28 Tests with no sixes since the turn of the millennium.

What is the highest score by a player in his first innings as captain in a Test? asked Savo Ceprnich
The highest Test score by a captain in his first innings in charge is 239, by New Zealand's Graham Dowling, against India in Christchurch in 1967-68. Shivnarine Chanderpaul also scored a double-century - 203 not out for West Indies v South Africa in Georgetown in 2004-05. The highest in the second innings of a captain's debut Test is 163, by Clive Lloyd for West Indies against India in Bangalore in 1974-75.

The most runs in total on captaincy debut is 256, by Virat Kohli, with 115 and 141 against Australia in Adelaide in 2014-15. Greg Chappell also scored two centuries in his first Test as captain, for Australia against West Indies in Brisbane in 1975-76.

Who conceded 149 runs in his only Test without taking a wicket? asked Gordon Brine from South Africa
This unfortunate bowler was the Australian legspinner Bryce McGain, who won his only cap against South Africa in Cape Town in March 2009, the week before his 37th birthday. McGain nearly took a wicket early on, as Christian Ryan remembered in this evocative piece for ESPNcricinfo, but after that he was caned, finishing with 0 for 149 from just 18 overs as South Africa ran up 651. McGain took 86 first-class wickets for Victoria - and ten in two matches for Essex in 2010.

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