The Line & Length Monday XI - answers

As England battle to find a way through the South Africa defences, here is almost as stern a test: our weekly cricket quiz. Click on the link below for the answers

Question 1 South Africa almost batted throughout Sunday without losing a wicket before Graeme Smith was out near the close. Only once has a side not lost a wicket in a whole day's play in England, when was it? A: 1948; B: 1989; C: 2001

Question 2 Smith and Neil McKenzie failed to bat through an entire day on Sunday but they have shared a day-long unbroken partnership in the past. Who was it against? A: Bangladesh; B: India; C: Zimbabwe

Question 3 Who holds the record for the biggest opening Test partnership in England? A: Geoff Marsh and Mark Taylor (Aus); B: Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith (SA); C: Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe (Eng)

Question 4 And a final question about opening partnerships, there have been 31 occasions in Tests when the England opening pair did not score a run. Which of these famous opening batsmen does not appear in the list? A: Geoffrey Boycott; B: John Edrich; C: Marcus Trescothick

Question 5 In the 180 or so overs that were possible for South Africa's bowlers in two rain-affected warm-up matches before the first Test, who got the most bowling under his belt? A: Makhaya Ntini; B: Morne Morkel; C: Paul Harris

Question 6 After whom is the trophy that England and South Africa are competing for named? A: Nelson Mandela; B: Basil D'Oliveira; C: Graeme Pollock

Question 7 Surrey failed to beat Nottinghamshire in the County Championship today, meaning they are still without a win. Who is the other winless side in the tournament? Who? A: Gloucestershire; B: Hampshire; C: Glamorgan

Question 8 Probably not on many people's radar, but who is presently winning the English second XI championship? A: Kent; B: Durham; C: Essex

Question 9 Happy 32nd birthday to Geraint Jones, the former England wicketkeeper. In what profession did Jones train before deciding to become a professional cricketer? A: Dentistry; B: Law; C: Pharmaceutics

Question 10 How many wickets did Hedley Verity take for Yorkshire against Essex in one day, exactly 75 years ago? A: Ten; B: 14; C: 17

Question 11 The Open Championship starts at Royal Birkdale this week, so on a golf theme which former England captain has won the annual President's Putter tournament (for Oxford and Cambridge golfers) in Rye on three occasions? A: Tony Lewis; B: Ted Dexter; C: Mike Brearley

Answer 1 B, G Marsh and M Taylor against England in 1989

Answer 2 A, Against Bangladesh in February

Answer 3 B, Gibbs and Smith made 338 for the first wicket against England in 2003 at Edgbaston

Answer 4 C. As Will H points out in the comments, I was probably unclear on this. I meant where they didn't score a run in the match, rather than just in one innings. Although Trescothick has been part of partnerships where no run was scored in one innings, he is the only one of the three not to suffer it twice in a match.

Answer 5 C, Harris by some distance

Answer 6 B, D'Oliveira

Answer 7 A, Gloucs

Answer 8 B, Durham, who have a healthy lead over Kent in second place

Answer 9 C, he could indeed have been a chemist

Answer 10 C, Verity took nine and eight wickets in the day's two innings

Answer 11 B, Lord Ted

Comments

[Terry]

Patrick old chap. Do me favour and ask the boffins at the Times not to change the 'Session by Session' webpage to quickly next day. I am meant to do a bit of work first thing in the morning so don't get around to reading it until lunchtime. This is still only around 10am in UK and the site won't be updated until the lunch intervals. Today at 11.30 here in Uganda (9.30 in UK) it already has changed to todays reports which are blank of course. Just a muse my good man.

[Will H.]

-1-
b) 1989, first day of the last Ashes Test.

-2-
a) Poor old Bangladesh got pummelled earlier this year by the pair.

-3-
b) Gibbs and Smith.

-4-
Are you sure about this one? I make there to be 100 occasions, with all three batsmen part of one.

-5-
c) Paul Harris.

-6-
b) Basil D'Oliveira

-7-
a) Gloucestershire, poor buggers.

-8-
b) Durham

-9-
c) Pharmaceutics

-10-
c) 17

-11-
b) Ted Dexter