Ponting edges past Dravid - the day when 10000 barrier was breached

Many Pakistanis also may not remember Ijaz Faqih who played 5 Tests and 27 One dayers – but is part of history !!

The run to top started with Charles Bannerman who with 239 topped the list for a while; then naturally he was taken over by others which included Billy Murdoch, Joe Darling, Clem Hill, Jack Hobbs, Wally Hammond, Colin Cowdrey, and then Garfield Sobers with 8032 runs.  At that point of time, scoring 8000 runs in Test Cricket was considered Himalayan achievement.  Geoff Boycott broke that and in that Test went on to play Golf without caring to be with the team.

25 years ago, the little Master’s nudge took him past 10000 runs which was remarkable achievement those days; he ended up with 10122 and was overtaken by Allan Border, then Brian Lara – now Sachin is at the pinnacle of glory with 15470 runs – the closest a cool 2000 runs behind.

In the 3^rd Test at Roseau, the match is heading for a one-sided finish.  Matthew Wade  with his century tightened both his grip on the Test wicketkeeping spot and Australia's grasp.  The punter Ponting has overtaken Dravid to become the second top most aggregator in Tests  - there are 9 in the exclusive 10000+ zone.

Player	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100
SR Tendulkar	188	311	15470	248*	55.44	51
RT Ponting	165	281	13289	257	52.73	41
R Dravid	164	286	13288	270	52.31	36
JH Kallis	152	257	12379	224	56.78	42
BC Lara	131	232	11953	400*	52.88	34
AR Border	156	265	11174	205	50.56	27
SR Waugh	168	260	10927	200	51.06	32
DPMD Jayawardene	130	217	10440	374	51.17	31
SM Gavaskar	125	214	10122	236*	51.12	34

It was 25 years ago, on 7^th March 1987, Sunil Gavaskar nudged through the slips off Ijaz Faqih moving on to 58 runs at  Motera – Sardar Patel Stadium which sent the crowd erupting.  It was the first time ever a batsman had scored 10,000 runs in Test Cricket.   Indian Wicket Keeper Kiran More was the non-striker and he was reported as saying that Gavaskar celebrated it as he never did earlier – Sprinting, waving the bat and enjoying the moment.  Gavaskar raised his bat in triumph even as he was mid way completing the run. To the millions watching the TV, that was a feat which nobody else can ever acquire…. Records are meant to be broken, first by Alan Border and happily we have Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar perched on top.  

Gavaskar was a supreme accumulator of runs and would wait patiently when things were not easy – he scored 63 in that match.  He was certainly one Indian batsmen who redefined the art of run scoring and accumulating runs, putting a value tag to the wicket.  

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.