rRock bottom: A tale of zero all outs

In today’s age of technological know-how, statistics form a major aspect of every sport. This, for example, is a tale of ducks.

Let me start with a quote.

“Zero
Is where the Real Fun starts.
There’s too much counting
Everywhere else!”

― Hafiz, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

There must be very few sports in which numbers do not play a big role. In today’s age of technological know-how, statistics form a major aspect of every sport. Cricket is no different. One might be forgiven for thinking that numbers play a bigger role in cricket than in many other sports.

Even the newest acolyte of cricket realizes very soon that facts and figures are the life-blood of the game. The romance of numbers soon gets to him and makes him an avid follower. The enquiring mind finds interest in the history and gradual unfolding of the subtle nuances of the game, and much of this interest revolves around the numbers concerned.

The starting point of all number-crunching begins with the absolute beginning, the zero.

On historical enquiry, we find some interesting instances of a side being dismissed without scoring any runs whatever or without any runs coming from the bat, and that is where the fun and interest begin.

The following entry, for instance, dated August 1, 1815, is perhaps one the earliest known instances of this spectacular collective failure:

NORFOLK ANNALS
A CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF REMARKABLE EVENTS IN
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
(Compiled from the files of the “Norfolk Chronicle”)
BY
CHARLES MACKIE
VOLUME I.
1801–1850

August 1, 1815. A cricket match was played on Hempton Green between the united parishes of Litcham, Dunham, and Brisley, and of Walsingham and Fakenham. “The latter team, although unparalleled in the annals of cricketeering, did not get a single notch.”

In modern parlance, the team, as a unit, “did not trouble the scorers”.

Here is anotherquaint snippet of cricket lore cited in BATS, BALLS & BAILS by Les Scott:

“In 1838 in Derbyshire the Kegworth village team was dismissed for just 1 by the Diseworth village. Kegworth village then dismissed Diseworth for 0 to win by a solitary run.”

One cannot but appreciate the diligence and industry of a present functionary of the Nether Whitcare Cricket Club (a village side) in unearthing the score card of a match held on August 6, 1881, between Nether Whitcare and Meriden, during which the Nether Whitcare team, displaying an admirable attitude of self-denial, were dismissed for no score, Meriden having scored 73 all out.

One of the most curious and interesting matches of yester-year was played in Australia in September 1888 between a team with the melodious name of Millindillingong, who were dismissed for a grand total of 10 runs in their first innings (a Mr Mummery scoring 8 out of the total off his own bat) and the similarly musically named team, Mooroobark, who were dismissed without scoring in their first innings. For all their batting prowess, Millindillingong could not score a single run in their second innings, but, very sensationally, dismissed Mooroobark for no score again in their second innings. This is thought to be the first instance of a team (Mooroobark) being dismissed for no score in both innings in a “full” cricket match.

There were ducks galore in a match in 1913 when, having themselves scored a grand total of 80 runs, Glastonbury dismissed the Langport team for no score, with even the not out batsman, H Weaver, failing to open his account.

“Brevity”, as Shakespeare had said, “is the soul of wit”.

Well, a very witty event unfolded much closer to home. The CAB Under-13 Sub-Junior Summer Tournament of 1997-98 produced a gem of a match: Baranagar Ram Krishna Mission Cricket Coaching Centre vs Bournvita Cricket Academy at Greer Sports Club Ground, Calcutta on May 9, 1998. All batsmen of Baranagar Ram Krishna Mission CCC were dismissed for individual scores of 0, and there was no extra either. The whole innings lasted only 4 overs, with Sayak Ghosh taking 6 wickets in 2 maiden overs, the last 4 wickets in consecutive deliveries. Jishnu Dey took 3 wickets in 2 maiden overs. Baranagar Ram Krishna Mission CCC team possibly batted one man short. The two bowlers for the Bournvita CA opened batting as well, with Sayak taking strike and scoring 4 runs off the 2nd ball he faced to end the match. The whole match was over in less than 30 minutes. Witty! Witty!

The following incident in July 2006 had caused quite a flutter in the local Press. In the NIDDERDALE AMATEUR LEAGUE clash at Dishforth, North Yorkshire, the Goldsborough 2nd XI were dismissed for 5 (all runs coming from extras) against the local team Dishforth, with 10 of the Goldsborough 2nd XI dismissed batsmen failing to open their accounts and the not out batsman also following suit. The management of the Goldsborough 2nd XI team, though, had a thing or two plaintive things to say about the “dodgy” nature of the pitch.

[read-also]130742[/read-also]

A more recent match in England went much the same way. In a Cheshire League Third Division match in April 2014, Wirral Cricket Club, near Liverpool, were dismissed for just 3 against Haslington, 2 of the runs coming from leg-byes. There were 10 ducks in the Wirral innings, with No. 11 Connor Hodson the only member of the visitors’ side to score a run off the bat. Wirral had been reduced to 8 down for 0 runs at one stage in an innings lasting just 9.2 overs. Ben Istead had figures of 5-4-1-6, while Tom Gledhill had 4 for 0 in 4.2 overs to complete a 105-run victory for their team Haslington.

Here is hoping the fun and games continue, because, as the poet said, “there’s too much counting everywhere else”.

(Pradip Dhole is a retired medical doctor with a life-long interest in cricket history and statistics)