Ballastic beginning: Most runs by batsmen in the first session of the day
Teams usually prefer to utilize the session before Lunch to see through any dampness or help for the bowlers in the pitch. Some teams have certain batting plans which include tiring out the opposition bowlers and making merry in the latter sessions. This does help the batters to take their time to understand the conditions before cutting loose.
However, not often we get to see teams or certain individuals taking risks straight away which often end up into some of the most devastating innings ever seen in the format. Ben Stokes’ knock against South Africa during the 2016 New Year Test in Cape Town is one such example. Resuming from 74* on the first day, Stokes amassed 130 runs on the 2nd morning and registered the 2nd fastest double hundred in Test cricket.
The 130 runs by Stokes now heads the list for most runs scored before lunch of a day’s play in Test cricket. The England all-rounder broke the record held by another Englishman Les Ames also against South Africa. England’s wicketkeeper walked out to bat on the 4th day of the 1935 Oval Test having scored 25 runs overnight. By the time England declared the innings at Lunch, Ames moved to 148 having scored 123 runs in the session.
The record for the most number of runs scored before Lunch on the very first day is held by Charles Macartney who amassed a total of 112 runs during the 1926 Leeds Test before he got out for 151 in the 2nd session. Macartney, in fact, walked out to bat at No.3 after the Australian captain Warren Bardsley got out on the very first ball of the Test match.
Overall, a total of six players have scored more than 100 runs before the Lunch interval on the first day’s play. The last of the six players to be part of this list was Shikhar Dhawan who did it during the 2018 Bangalore Test which marked to be the Test debut of Afghanistan. Dhawan is also the last player to score 100+ runs in the first session of a day’s play in Test cricket.
(Stats as on January 1, 2021)
