Flashback: Clem Hill’s incredible case of nervous 90s
Although cricket is a team game, individual milestones are also at stake. Like bowlers celebrate after getting five and 10 wicket hauls, centuries are milestones for batters. Reaching the three-figure mark indeed takes some beating as an individual has to bat with immense precision. After all, it takes just one delivery to end a batter’s outing.
Owing to the same, nervous nineties has become a popular term in the cricketing circuit. Apparently, batters tend to get nervous when they approach the hundred-run mark. This is the phase where the fielding team can apply pressure and get the required wicket. Almost every batter has gotten out in nervous nineties at some point of time in his professional cricket.
Clem Hell recorded scores of 99, 98, and 97 in three successive innings
Notably, there’s one batter in the history of Test cricket, who has gotten out on the nineties three consecutive times. He was Clem Hell of Australia, who made this unique record on this very day (January 22) in 1902. Having been dismissed for 99 his previous innings, the left-handed batter would have been determined to get the three-figure mark this time around. However, all he could manage is a couple of more scores of the 90s.
The opposition was England and the game took place in Adelaide. The Three Lions posted 388 while batting first and looked in command. In reply, the hosts lost opener and skipper Joe Darling with just one run on the board. However, in walked Clem Hell and he steadied the ship alongside Victor Trumper.
Notably, Hell was watchful against the challenging deliveries but he didn’t miss out on smashing the loose ones over the boundary ropes. In the process, he entered the 90s yet again but fell prey to Gilbert Jessop at 98. Interestingly, the batter got another chance of scoring a century in that game.
Chasing 314 for victory, the southpaw again played a brilliant hand and this time looked set to cross the line. However, he was dismissed for 97 this time around. Gilbert Jessop again accounted for his wicket. This way Hell scored 99, 98, and 97 in three successive innings. His efforts, however, took the Aussies to a four-wicket win.
