Wife Before Wicket becoming common in Cricket

By Bipin Dani

MUMBAI (TheSportsNext) July 22, 2012: Former Pakistani skipper, Inzamam-ul-Haq was not aware that apart from him, there are a few other Test captains, who while playing their 100th Test, have also hit centuries. 

Inzamam-ul-Haq, former Pakistan Test captain

When told about South African Greame Smith's achievement against England on Saturday, Inzamam-ul-Haq asked, "who are the other Test captains in this list ?".

"Colin Cowdrey (104), Inzamam (184) and Ponting (120 & 143*) and now Smith are the Test captains who have hit tons in their 100th Test", informs renowned international statistician, Mohandas Menon.

Interestingly, Ricky Ponting scored two hundreds in the same Test against South Africa at Sydney in 2006. Even if Smith does not equal this record in the ongoing Test at Oval, he will equal the other off-field situation.

Smith with catch first flight to leave England before the second Test to attend the birth of his first child. His wife, the Irish singer Morgan Deane, is pregnant and Smith hopes to be back to lead his South African side again at Headingley on August 2.

With international cricket being played around the globe twelve months a year, WBW (wife before wicket) may become almost as common as LBW.

There have been few instances for England cricketers leaving the team to attend to the birth of their child. Once Michael Vaughan was late for the game due to the birth of his child. In 2009, Matt Prior went home from Barbados during England’s tour and missed a Test to see his new baby before returning.