Facts and Figures from Sabina Park

Did you know Chris Gayle just achieved something the great Desmond Haynes never did? How does Wavell Hinds compare to the late Roy Fredericks? Did you know Brian Lara has genuine problems against left-arm bowlers?

There were more than a few significant statistical milestones achieved during the decisive fifth Test match at Sabina Park. CaribbeanCricket.com statistician Zito sifts through the numbers and finds some fascinating facts...

The first wicket partnership of 111 runs between Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds was the first 100-plus opening stand at this venue since 1994 when Mike Atherton & Alec Stewart of England put on 121 runs. The last time the home side had put a 100-plus opening partnership at this venue was when Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes put on 118 against Australia in 1991. The above partnership was the best for the West Indies against India at this venue obliterating the previous best of 105 between Roy Fredericks and Lawrence Rowe in 1976. The last occasion a West Indian opening pair put on 100-plus against India was in 1987 at Calcutta when Greenidge and Haynes put on 114 runs.

Playing in his 21st Test match and 35th innings, Chris Gayle became the 43rd West Indian batsman and the 378th batsmen in Test cricket to reach 1000 runs. At 22 years 239 days, Gayle becomes the fifth youngest West Indian and by far the youngest West Indian opener to do so. Former opener Desmond Haynes was 24 years 284 days when he achieved his 1000th run landmark in 1980.

Wavell Hinds? 113 was the first century by a West Indian left-handed opening batsman against India since the 104 by Roy Fredericks at the Wankhede Stadium, Bombay in 1975.

Playing in his 25th Test match, Harbhajan Singh claimed his 100th wicket of his career, when he dismissed Wavell Hinds. By achieving the above milestone at the age of 21 years 319 days, Harbhajan becomes the fourth youngest to do so in Test cricket history after former Indian bowler Kapil Dev (21 years 23 days in 1980), New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori (21 years 44 days in 2000) and Pakistani fast bowler Waqar Younis (21 years 47 days in 1993).

Ramnaresh Sarwan (65) has yet again missed a three-figure mark, this was his 17th double figure score in as many innings since April 2001. Since then Sarwan in 17 innings has aggregated 849 runs (avg. 53.06) with 9 scores in the fifties. During this period his highest score has been 88 against Sri Lanka at Galle, while his lowest being 17 against Sri Lanka at Kandy - both in November last.

The sixth wicket partnership of 109 runs between Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ridley Jacobs was the second best for the West Indies against India at this venue and for this wicket. The best still remains as the 110 between Gary Sobers and Frank Worrell in1962.

Merv Dillon registered his 19th duck of his career in his 46th innings and 26th Test. Among batsmen who have 12 or more ducks, Dillon's duck frequency of 41.30% is the second worst in Test cricket history. He is just behind England's Alan Mullally's duck frequency of 44.44% (12 ducks in 27 innings). Following Dillon is former Indian left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi with a frequency of 36.84%, which is 14 ducks in 38 innings.

For the first time in his career since his debut in 1994, Chanderpaul has an aggregate of 500-plus runs in a series. He now has 562 runs. His previous best was the 443 runs he made in 5 Tests also against India in 1997.

Harbhajan becomes the first visiting right arm off-spinner to take a five wicket haul at this venue. The previous best figures by an off-spinner were 4-35 by Australian Bruce Yardley in 1978. Other than Harbhajan the only other off-spinner to take a five-wicket haul at Sabina Park is Nehemiah Perry who claimed 5-70 against Australia in 1999.

Sachin Tendulkar during his knock of 41 became the second Indian batsman (after Sunil Gavaskar, 5055 runs) and the 10th batsman in Test cricket history to aggregate 4000 runs in 'away' Test matches. Australian Allan Border holds the record for the maximum runs scored on foreign soil: 5431 runs in 70 matches.

VVS Laxman during his unbeaten knock of 65 runs reached an aggregate of 400 runs for the series, he now has 474 runs in this series. The last Indian batsman to aggregate over 400 runs in a Test series abroad was Sachin Tendulkar when he scored 428 runs in the 3 Test series vs England in 1996. The last Indian batsman before Laxman to aggregate over 450 runs in an away Test series was Sanjay Manjrekar who had made 569 runs in 4 Tests vs Pakistan in 1989.

Merv Dillon (5-71) recorded his best bowling figures of his career. It was his only second five-wicket haul after the 5-111 against Pakistan at Karachi in 1997. Dillon's previous best at home was the 4-32 against South Africa at this same ground in last year. Dillon now has 99 Test wickets.

This was the only second occasion the West Indies did not enforce the follow-on against India in spite a lead of over 200 runs. West Indies also did not do so after gaining a huge lead of 278 runs at the Corporation Stadium, Madras in January 1959. However they had won the match by 295 runs!

Brian Lara has now been dismissed by a left-arm bowler on 30 occasions in his Test career. Among WI batsmen only Clive Lloyd has been dismissed by a left-arm bowler on more occasions -- 41 times. Among current players only the Australians, Steve Waugh (32) and Mark Waugh (31) - have been dismissed by left-arm bowlers on more occasions than Lara.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul during his knock of 59 reached his 1000 Test runs against India. He becomes the ninth West Indian and 24th batsman in history to reach this landmark against India.

For the first time in his Test career in 56 matches and 92 innings, Chanderpaul (58 and 59) has been able to record two scores over 50 in the same match. The last West Indian batsman to achieve this feat against India was Lara when he had scores of 83 & 78 at this same venue in 1997.

Sachin Tendulkar during his inning of 86, became the second Indian batsman and 10th overall to aggregate 8000 Test runs. Gary Sobers (91 matches) and Sunil Gavaskar (95) needed lesser number of Test matches to reach this milestone, however, Tendulkar required only 154 innings to do so - the least number of innings taken by any batsmen while reaching 8000 runs. Previously, Sobers needed just 157 innings when he achieved this feat in 1974.

At 29 years 27 days, Tendulkar is the youngest to reach 8,000 Test runs. Javed Miandad (Pak) was 33 years 138 days when he achieved his feat in 1990.

Tendulkar became the 8th Indian batsman and the 33rd overall to reach 1000 runs against the WI. In his 13th match and 20th innings and he now has 1022 runs against this WI.

Pedro Collins became the only second left-arm bowler, after Zimbabwean Ray Price to dismiss Tendulkar on three separate occasions.

** Statistics researched and produced for CaribbeanCricket.com by Zito.