The Line & Length Monday XI - answers

Here are the answers to this week's quiz, with all the questions loosely to do with events that happened on September 8. Click the link at the bottom to read them. By half a point, Tom appears to be the winner from GrayJ, although Gray was a bit more accurate about the final question so maybe the should share the winner's podium

Question 1 Geoff Miller, the England national selector and a former all-rounder, was born on this day. How old is he?

Question 2 Arguably Miller's greatest moment as a player was at the MCG in 1982 when he held the catch at slip that ended Australia's doughty last-wicket stand of 70 and ensured that England won the fourth Test by three runs and the Ashes remained alive. But who had made a mess of trying to catch Jeff Thomson and parried the ball Miller's way?

Question 3 Which former Australia leg spin bowler of the 1970s, now a respected coach, was born on this day?

Question 4 And who famously struck the answer to Question 3 on the head in the Ashes Test at Sydney in 1971, prompting a riot?

Question 5 Which Bangladesh batsman became the youngest player to make a Test century when he scored 114 against Sri Lanka on this day in 2001?

Question 6 Who was the previous record-holder as the youngest Test centurion?

Question 7 A mere 128 years ago, the first Test to be played in England came to an end on September 8. Which two batsmen, one English and one Australian, scored hundreds in that game?

Question 8 What was unusual about the England XI for that 1880 Test, which has happened on only one other occasion, when Pakistan played New Zealand in 1970?

Question 9 A year ago, England beat India on this day in a one-day international at Lord's to take the series 4-3. Who was England's leading run-scorer in that series?

Question 10 The first day of the final Test in the 2005 Ashes was on September 8. Which Englishman made a century on that day to move the series win a little closer?

Question 11 And here's a fiendish finishing one: on the day that I was born, in 1976, Graham Gooch made a hundred against Lancashire at Old Trafford in the last game of the season. What, apart from the Essex connection, do Gooch and I have in common? Be kind with your suggestions.

Answer 1 Miller was born in 1952, so is 56.

Answer 2 Chris Tavare was the hapless fielder whose blushes were spared by Miller

Answer 3 Terry Jenner is the man and celebrated his 64th birthday on Monday

Answer 4 John Snow is the man who clonked Jenner on the bonce

Answer 5 Mohammad Ashraful is the youngest centurion...

Answer 6 ...replacing Mushtaq Mohammad, who was 17 years and 82 days when he made his first Test ton

Answer 7 WG Grace and Billy Murdoch made 152 and 153 respectively

Answer 8 England used three brothers, the Graces, which was later matched by the Mohammad family

Answer 9 Ian Bell was the one-day run wizard

Answer 10 Andrew Strauss was the first-day centurion

Answer 11 Goochie and I were born in Whipps Cross hospital in Leytonstone, the same birthplace as David Beckham

Comments

[Tom]

With help from reading the others' answers...!

1. 56?
2. Tavare (seems to be the consensus!)
3. Terry Jenner
4. John Snow
5. Mohmmad Ashraful
6. Mushtaq Mohammad
7. WG Grace ) Aussi captain I think (can't remember his name)
8. 3 Graces
9. Bell
10. Strauss
11. both born in the same place in Essex??

[GrayJ]

1 1954
2 Chris Tavare
3 Terry Jenner
4 John Snow
5 Mohammed Ashraful
6 Mushtaq Mohammed
7 WG Grace/W Murdoch
8 3 brothers in same team
9 Ian Bell
10 Andrew Strauss
11 Born Leytonstone?

[Patrick Kidd]

Martin Mellor getting close, with seven and a half right. Answers tomorrow so keep guessing

[Martin mellor]

Here's a stab

1 1954
2 Chris Tavare
3 Terry Jenner
4 John Snow
5 Mohammed Ashraful
6 Tendulkar
7 WG Grace
8 3 brothers in a team
9 Bell
10 Strauss
11 You've got an SS Jumbo!

[Patrick Kidd]

Andy also has four and a half. For the record, Goochie and I didn't go to the same school. Come on, does he sound like someone who passed the 11+?

[Andy Gardiner]

1. 50
2. Chris Tavare
3. Jenner
4. Peter Lever
5.
6. Mushtaq Mohammed?
7. WG Grace/??
8. 3 brothers in same side?
9. Strauss
10. Pietersen
11. You went to the same school?

[Patrick Kidd]

Martin has four and a half right, creeping upwards...

[Martin - Sydney]

1 1953
2 Chris Tavre
3 Tery Jenner
4 John Snow
5
6
7 WG Grace, Bannerman
8 3 brothers in 1 team (Grace / Mohammed)
9 Same school
10

[Patrick Kidd]

Four out of ten, Michael. You win so far.

[Michael]

1. 1958
2. Botham
3. Terry Jenner
4. John Snow
5.
6. A Pakistani (can't remember name)
7.
8. all players on test debut
9. Bell
10. Strauss
11. you both think England have bowlers who can bowl "lively"

[Patrick Kidd]

Thanks Mark. I'd advise everyone to have a stab without using Cricinfo first. You've got three and a half right. And how could anyone think my middle name would be Alan! It's much more distinguished than that...

[Mark]

Happy birthday Patrick!

Not easy this week, I'm resisting the urge to check cricinfo, so I'll have a bash at:

1. 1948 (guess)
2. Bob Taylor
3. Terry Jenner
4. John Snow
5. don't know.
6. Tendulkar?
7. WG Grace / Bannerman?
8. Stumped on this one...
9. Bell?
10. KP
11. Same middle name (Alan)? Underrated medium pace bowling?

Cheers.