Countdown to Twenty Three Hundreds.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Supporters of other countries can snigger into their Wisdens. England's batters are staring down their country's record for most Test hundreds, like cold eyed bandits in a Mexican stand-off. Yes, twenty two hundreds.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=batting

Currently the record is shared by Cowdrey, Boycott, and, after all these years, Wally Hammond. Lining up at their backs are:

Pietersen, 20.

Cook, 19.

Strauss, 19.

Bell, 16.

OK, Bell aint gonna do it yet, but there is a decent chance of it being surpassed his summer by someone. Remarkable that so many should be hunting this down at the same time. Nothing like this has happened in the England team since Hammond set the record. In twenty years time, when all the KP bashing and campaigns to exclude Strauss have faded away, this will be remembered as a golden era of England batting.

And that's before we get to Trott's (seven) hundreds, made at a much better innings per hundred rate than all the others.

Some will say this is a result of a poverty in international bowling right now. Some will point to all the little factors that have led to the nudging upwards of averages in the last decade or so.

But not me! Determined as ever to recognise when things are going right, I want to draw attention to the determination, skill and hard work that has got them so close to a legend like Wally Hammond, and along with Trott, suspect that a similar legacy awaits them too.

For what it's worth, I think KP will get there first, against South Africa. Will he go for the whole fist pumping, doubled up, cup final celebration? Or will he decide it will annoy the tourists more to tip his hat, and point his bat at infinity?

[shankycricket]

KP or Cook, for my money. Think KP.

[ddb]

So this is the real reason for Strauss' form.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Hope it's Strauss! That would probably mean we'd had a good summer.

I suspect many have a premonition of a fertile period coming up for KP.

[Arthur Crabtree]

So this is the real reason for Strauss' form. ;)

Yes, it's like Taylor declaring on Bradman's score. Strauss doesn't want to take the record off Hammond.

[shankycricket]

Or maybe he's just not good enough to reach there?

[ntini77]

I expect Cook to break practically every record for England by the time he finishes playing.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Well, I wasn't being serious Shanky. I'm sure he'd love to give a superior sneer at Wally Hammond's portrait in the Long Room.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I expect Cook to break practically every record for England by the time he finishes playing.

Guess so, unless he goes off the rails. You know, girls, cars, cocaine. A bonfire of the ego...

[shankycricket]

I know AC. Going by the rate at which Strauss is going his hundreds these days he'd have to play another 8 years to reach 23

[shankycricket]

Ok, no more Strauss bashing for today

[Making_Splinters]

One that might happen at the same time is scores of a 150 plus.

Hammond and Hutton are unsurprisingly at the top with ten each.

Next player on the list is:

KP with nine!

Other current English batsman line up:

Cook with five then Bell and Trott with four each and Strauss with three.

Little side note Vaughan and Trescothick have six and the old enemies Gower and Gooch have eight each.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Didn't know that Splinters, thanks.

Hope Strauss does go past Hammond, Shanky. It would be great for the team, and special for us as supporters to have witnessed a great achievement by this group of players.

[Making_Splinters]

Supporters of other countries can snigger into their Wisdens. England's batters are staring down their country's record for most Test hundreds, like cold eyed bandits in a Mexican stand-off. Yes, twenty two hundreds.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=batting

Currently the record is shared by Cowdrey, Boycott, and, after all these years, Wally Hammond. Lining up at their backs are:

Pietersen, 20.

Cook, 19.

Strauss, 19.

Bell, 16.

OK, Bell aint gonna do it yet, but there is a decent chance of it being surpassed his summer by someone. Remarkable that so many should be hunting this down at the same time. Nothing like this has happened in the England team since Hammond set the record. In twenty years time, when all the KP bashing and campaigns to exclude Strauss have faded away, this will be remembered as a golden era of England batting.

And that's before we get to Trott's (seven) hundreds, made at a much better innings per hundred rate than all the others.

Some will say this is a result of a poverty in international bowling right now. Some will point to all the little factors that have led to the nudging upwards of averages in the last decade or so.

But not me! Determined as ever to recognise when things are going right, I want to draw attention to the determination, skill and hard work that has got them so close to a legend like Wally Hammond, and along with Trott, suspect that a similar legacy awaits them too.

For what it's worth, I think KP will get there first, against South Africa. Will he go for the whole fist pumping, doubled up, cup final celebration? Or will he decide it will annoy the tourists more to tip his hat, and point his bat at infinity?

Something I noticed while looking down that list were the relitive conversion rates for the players from 50 to 100, Hammond of course stands out with 22 tons and 24 fifties closely followed by KP with 20 tons and 25 fifties, the real shock was Vaughan with 18 tons and 18 fifties.

Amiss and Broad both have the same feat as Vaughan 11 and 6 respectively and only Ames doing better with 8 tons and 7 fifties.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cook's is roughly comparable with KPs. Vaughan's record is quite remarkable. As was Strauss' until fairly recently.