Steve Waugh - The run-out man
If you had to choose someone to bat for your life, you'd do well by picking Steve Waugh. But while doing that he may just run out a few of your mates in the process
Travis Basevi and George Binoy
09-Nov-2005
Some statistics, like Bradman's average and the number of centuries that Gavaskar made, are known to pretty much every cricket buff. But The List will bring you facts and figures that aren't so obvious, adding fuel to those fiery debates about the most valuable middle-order bat, and the most useless tailender. If there's a particular List that you would like to see, e-mail us with your comments and suggestions.
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If you had to choose someone to bat for your life, you'd do well to pick Steve Waugh. But while doing that, he may just run out a few of your mates in the process.
Inzamam-ul-Haq and Arjuna Ranatunga are the usual suspects for players involved in the most run-outs in one-dayers, but Waugh beats them both. Waugh has been involved in a whopping 77 run-outs in his 288 innings. And he's got his partner out 50 times in ODIs. Wasim Akram and Inzamam have the infamous honour of being stranded 38 times but Marvan Atapattu, currently on 37 (before the sixth ODI against India), might soon be the third person sharing the limelight if he isn't careful with his running. Steve and Mark Waugh weren't identical twins but the run-out trait was something Junior shared as well. He was out in that fashion 32 times.
In Tests, though, Steve Waugh was involved in just 27 such dismissals in 260 innings. But the figures are viewed in a new light when you realise that his partner was run out 23 times while Waugh was dismissed on just four occasions.
Click here for the full list of players run out the most in ODIs
Click here for the corresponding Test statistics
| Player | Span | Inns | Run Outs | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wasim Akram (Pak) | 1984-2003 | 280 | 38 | 13.57 |
| Inzamam-ul-Haq (Asia/Pak) | 1991-2005 | 322 | 38 | 11.80 |
| MS Atapattu (SL) | 1990-2005 | 230 | 37 | 16.09 |
| M Azharuddin (India) | 1985-2000 | 308 | 32 | 10.39 |
| ME Waugh (Aust) | 1988-2002 | 236 | 32 | 13.56 |
| A Ranatunga (SL) | 1982-1999 | 255 | 30 | 11.76 |
| Mohammad Yousuf (Asia/Pak) | 1998-2005 | 191 | 30 | 15.71 |
| R Dravid (Asia/ICC/India) | 1996-2005 | 249 | 29 | 11.65 |
| AR Border (Aust) | 1979-1994 | 252 | 28 | 11.11 |
| PA de Silva (SL) | 1984-2003 | 296 | 27 | 9.12 |
Click here for the corresponding Test statistics
The Sri Lankans have an unfortunate record when it comes to running out their partners. The top three pairs of batsmen involved in run-outs are Ranatunga-Aravinda de Sliva with 14 fatal mix-ups and Romesh Kaluwitharna-Sanath Jayasuriya with 13. Atapattu-Jayasuriya were involved in 12, with Atapattu dismissed nine times.
| Player | Span | Pships | Run Outs | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Waugh (Aust) | 1986-2002 | 534 | 50 | 9.36 |
| Ijaz Ahmed (Pak) | 1986-2000 | 458 | 45 | 9.83 |
| PA de Silva (SL) | 1984-2003 | 611 | 42 | 6.87 |
| A Ranatunga (SL) | 1982-1999 | 498 | 40 | 8.03 |
| CZ Harris (NZ) | 1990-2004 | 470 | 40 | 8.51 |
| MG Bevan (Aust) | 1994-2004 | 464 | 40 | 8.62 |
| Javed Miandad (Pak) | 1975-1996 | 501 | 39 | 7.78 |
| A Flower (Zimb) | 1992-2003 | 445 | 37 | 8.31 |
| M Azharuddin (India) | 1985-2000 | 585 | 36 | 6.15 |
| SR Tendulkar (India) | 1990-2005 | 680 | 34 | 5.00 |
Click here for the corresponding Test statistics
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Looking at run-outs as a percentage of a player's dismissals, the list is dominated by tailenders and lower and middle-order batsmen, keeping in tune with the frantic running that is characteristic of the slog overs in an ODI. (Click here for the full list of players with the highest percentage of run-outs in ODIs)
The list of fielders scoring the most run-outs has five Sri Lankans in it - testimony to what a fine fielding outfit they have been down the years. The awesome Jonty Rhodes is tenth on the list with 15 run-outs, despite having retired in February 2003.
| Player | Span | Mat | Run Outs | RO/Mat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPMD Jayawardene (Asia/SL) | 1999-2005 | 170 | 23 | 0.1352 |
| MS Atapattu (SL) | 1999-2005 | 167 | 21 | 0.1257 |
| RT Ponting (Aust/ICC) | 1999-2005 | 162 | 21 | 0.1296 |
| Yuvraj Singh (India) | 2000-2005 | 131 | 21 | 0.1603 |
| A Symonds (Aust) | 1999-2005 | 126 | 20 | 0.1587 |
| Younis Khan (Pak) | 2000-2005 | 118 | 20 | 0.1694 |
| ST Jayasuriya (Asia/SL) | 1999-2005 | 166 | 19 | 0.1144 |
| HH Gibbs (SAf) | 1999-2005 | 145 | 17 | 0.1172 |
| Mohammad Yousuf (Asia/Pak) | 1999-2005 | 182 | 16 | 0.0879 |
| JN Rhodes (SAf) | 1999-2003 | 94 | 15 | 0.1595 |
Click here for the corresponding Test statistics
Trivia
If there's a particular List that you would like to see, e-mail us with your comments and suggestions.
George Binoy is editorial assistant of Cricinfo