Joy of waiting: The Longest time spent between two Test centuries
Despite a close defeat in the hands of New Zealand, the touring Pakistan team had their positives. One of the positives was their veteran batsman of the longer format, Fawad Alam scoring his second Test century. The Southpaw’s maiden hundred came on his Test debut against Sri Lanka way back in 2009. Alam got to play only two more Tests that year before getting dropped for more than ten years. The Bay Oval Test was only 3rd for Alam since his comeback during the England tour. Longest time between two centuries for a player in Test cricket:
Upul Tharanga – 3888 days:
Upul Tharanga was known for scoring ODI hundreds pretty regularly in his career’s first half but didn’t have the same luck when it comes to scoring Test tons. His maiden Test century came in 2006 against Bangladesh but the next century came in 2016 in Zimbabwe. This long gap of Tharanga was contributed by his dropping from Test side for nearly seven years (2007-2014). Tharanga spent 3888 days between his first and second Test tons which is the 2nd longest gap between two Test hundreds without including a World War gap for any player.
Frank Woolley – 4007 days:
England’s Frank Woolley had an interesting relationship when it comes to scoring Test centuries. Woolley’s maiden Test century came on Australian soil in his 4th year from the debut. His 2nd came later in 1923 against South Africa in Johannesburg with a gap of 4007 days. This 11-year gap includes the six years of Test cricket (1914-1920) lost due to the 1st World War. Woolley’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th Test tons came in the space of nine innings in two years but for 5th hundred, he was made to wait for five years.
Fawad Alam – 4188 days:
Fawad Alam scored his maiden Test century in only his 2nd innings on his 2nd day of Test career in 2009. But the left-hander’s second hundred came on the penultimate day of 2020, a gap that is more than 11 years. Despite his consistent record in first-class cricket, Fawad did not get to play even a Test other than 2009 and 2020 calendar years. Fawad’s gap of 4188 days is the longest between two Test hundreds for any player to not involve a break caused by World Wars. In fact, Fawad Alam is also the first player to score a Test hundred and miss 100+ matches or 10+ years of the format and return to score another ton.
Fawad Alam:
1st Test hundred ? 13 July, 2009
2nd Test hundred ? 30 December, 2020Never give up ? pic.twitter.com/3Iu9pvDQ2I
— ICC (@ICC) December 30, 2020
Syed Mushtaq Ali – 4544 days:
Syed Mushtaq Ali became the first Indian to score a Test century away from home when he made 112 against England in the 1936 Manchester Test match. His second and last ton of the format came at the Eden Gardens against West Indies in 1949 during a Test that began on December 31, 1948. Between his two Test hundreds, Mushtaq played only six innings in three Test matches but had to spend 4544 days due to a 10-year break caused by the 2nd World War.
Warren Bardsley – 5093:
England’s Warren Bardsley is known for being the first Test cricketer to score centuries in three consecutive innings which he achieved between 1909 and 1910. He went on to score tons in successive matches in the 1912 home season but his 6th and final Test hundred came 14 years later. This is the longest gap between two centuries scored by any player in Test cricket but the 1st World War contributed to Bardsley’s feat. The England batsman did not play a Test for nearly eight years between 1912 and 1920.
