Allott sets new marks (3 March 1999)
If New Zealand pace bowler Geoff Allott was going to enter cricket's record books, he wanted it to be for his wicket-taking feats, rather than his hitherto undistinguished batting skills
03-Mar-1999
3 March 1999
Allott sets new marks
The Christchurch Press
If New Zealand pace bowler Geoff Allott was going to enter cricket's
record books, he wanted it to be for his wicket-taking feats, rather
than his hitherto undistinguished batting skills. However, yesterday
at Eden Park against South Africa, Allott claimed three world marks
for:
the longest time on 0 in test history, 101 minutes, surpassing Godfrey
Evans 97 minutes (England v Australia 1946-47);
the longest time without scoring a run, eclipsing another New
Zealander, Martin Snedden, scoreless for 94 minutes against Australia
in Wellington in 1990;
the longest duck in a first-class game, outlasting Vincent Hogg of
Rhodesia, who laboured 87 minutes in a Currie Cup match in 1978-79.
However, the 27-year old Cantabrian can take pride in defying the
South African advance for over an hour and a half, using up precious
time the Proteas wanted for an outright win.
He also upstaged some of his colleagues up the order with his
determination to stay at the crease and support fellow Canterbury
player Chris Harris.
"I just went out there trying to be positive and feed the strike as
much to Harry as possible," said Allott.
Allott only became aware of his extraordinary situation when a ground
announcement was made, saying he had broken the New Zealand mark for
the longest time on 0, formerly held by John Wright (66 min).
At that time he saluted the crowd, then raised his bat again when
spontaneous applause broke out when Evans's mark was equalled.
"I might not get the chance to do that again with the bat,"he quipped.
The list of the five longest innings without getting off the mark by a
batsman in test cricket is:
1998-99: 101 minutes: Geoff Allott (New Zealand) v South Africa, Auckland,
1946-47: 97 minutes: Godfrey Evans (England) v Australia, Adelaide,
1993-94: 84 minutes: Rajesh Chauhan (India) v Sri Lanka, Ahmedabad,
1967-68: 82 minutes: Pat Pocock (England) v West Indies, Guyana,
1962-63: 74 minutes: John Murray (England) v Australia, Sydney
1946-47: 97 minutes: Godfrey Evans (England) v Australia, Adelaide,
1993-94: 84 minutes: Rajesh Chauhan (India) v Sri Lanka, Ahmedabad,
1967-68: 82 minutes: Pat Pocock (England) v West Indies, Guyana,
1962-63: 74 minutes: John Murray (England) v Australia, Sydney
Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)