The Line & Length Monday XI - answers

The theme of this week's quiz is encounters between India and Australia, given that they are about to start a four-Test series this week. Congratulations to Jagadish for almost getting them all correct, answers are via the link below.

Question 1 The first Test between the countries was in 1947, when a famous Australia batsman, who had made his Test debut the year before after a distinguished war, scored as many runs in his first innings as the entire India XI did between them in theirs (58). Who was he?

Question 2 Who was the first Indian to take an Australia wicket in Test matches? Fourteen years earlier, he had scored a hundred on his Test debut, against England, and would go on to become the national selector, manager and coach.

Question 3 India didn't win a Test against Australia until Christmas Eve, 1959, when they won by 119 runs in Kanpur. Jasubhai Patel took nine for 69 in Australia's first innings and five more wickets in the second to give him 14 in total, which remained a record match haul for a bowler in this series until who beat it with 15 wickets? And when?

Question 4 Who were the respective captains when India won their first series against Australia, in 1979?

Question 5 In 2004, Australia beat India away for the first time since 1969. Only one member of the Australia XI in that 2004 side was alive - and even then he would have been in the womb - when Australia last won in India. Who was he?

Question 6 What historic event happened in the Test between Australia and India on September 22, 1986?

Question 7 Harbhajan made a big impression on the most recent series between the countries but for the wrong reasons. His eight wickets earlier this year came at an average of more than 60 runs apiece, but overall he has taken 64 Australia wickets at an average of 29. Whose wicket has he taken most often (eight times)?

Question 8 Two Australians have taken more than 50 Test wickets against India. One is a leg spinner and one a fast-medium bowler. Name them.

Question 9 Sachin Tendulkar is unsurprisingly the most prolific India batsman in Tests against Australia, with 2,352 runs, but who has made the second most?

Question 10 Taking ten innings as a minimum, which Indian and Australian, whose careers spanned the same period (1985-92), are the only two batsmen to average more than 70 in matches between the countries.

Question 11 After which two batsmen is the trophy for this series named?

Answer 1 It was Keith Miller, who should properly be classed as an all-rounder, but that would have given the game away too easily

Answer 2 Lala Amarnath

Answer 3 Harbhajan Singh

Answer 4 Sunil Gavaskar and Kim Hughes

Answer 5 Not, as some of you think, Shane Warne, but Glenn McGrath

Answer 6 The second tied Test

Answer 7 Ricky Ponting

Answer 8 Richie Benaud and Glenn McGrath

Answer 9 VVS Laxman

Answer 10 David Boon and Ravi Shastri

Answer 11 Gavaskar and Allan Border

Comments

[Sameer Gupta]

1: Don Bradman
2: Lala Amarnath
3: Harbhajan Singh
4: S Gavaskar and K Hughes
5: S Warne
6: The second ever tied test
7: Ricky Ponting
8: S Warne and G Mcgrath
9: VVS Laxman
10: D Boon and N Sidhu
11: A Border and S Gavaskar

[Jagadish]

1. I'm guessing Miller, because I know he made his debut in the series v NZ after WW2. But then again, it may not be him, since you say 'batsman'.

2. Lala Amarnath

3. Harbhajan, at Chennai in 2001

4. Gavaskar & Hughes

5. Warne

6. Dean Jones' first test century, Greg Matthews takes wickets, Ray Bright takes wickets (and didn't play after that series!) ... and the second-ever tied test

7. Ponting, who actually fares no better at home against Harbhajan

8. Benaud & McGrath

9. VVS

10. One is Boon, because he has always been a pain in the arse. Not sure who the other is. It could be someone who had lots of not outs etc.

11. Duh. Border & Gavaskar :)

[Patrick Kidd]

A good start. Eight for you, Sudhanshu; six and a half for Jack

[jack smith]

1. don bradman
2 lala amarnath
3. bhajji 2001
4. bedi and chappell
5. warney
6 tied test
7. punter
8. warney mcgrath
9. gavaskar
10. sidhu, boon
11. gavaskar border

[Sudhanshu]

1. Don Bradman
2. Ajit Wadekar
3. Harbhajan Singh (series of 2001, Chennai)
4. Kim Hughes (Australia), SM Gavaskar (India)
5. Shane Warne
6. Tied test at Chennai (Madras)
7. Ricky Ponting
8. Richie Benaud, Glenn Mcgrath
9. VVS Laxman
10. David Boon, Ravi Shastri
11. Allan Border, SM Gavaskar