They did all right without hundreds

Ricky Ponting averages nearly 43 in one-day internationals; he has scored 30 hundreds. Sourav Ganguly averaged 41 in ODIs; he scored 22 hundreds. Pakistan's captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, averages 43 after 70 innings in 80 matches, but hasn't scored a century yet. This week's column is about batsmen who maintained acceptable averages without scoring a hundred.

Misbah's average is the highest among batsmen who have played at least 20 ODI innings and not scored a hundred. He has 17 half-centuries and the closest he got to a century was an unbeaten 93 against New Zealand in Napier.

Ian Chappell had an ODI average of 48, though he did not score a century. He played only 16 matches and made eight half-centuries: his best was 86 against New Zealand in Christchurch. He ended his career with four consecutive innings of 60 or more in his last five matches.

A couple of batsmen in the table below played more matches than Misbah and finished their careers without a century. Graham Thorpe averaged 37 with 21 fifties during an 82-ODI career but never made a century. Neither did New Zealand's Andrew Jones, who played the bulk of his 87 innings at Nos. 2 and 3, averaged 35, scored 25 half-centuries and had a best of 93.

Highest batting average without scoring a century - ODIs (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	50
IM Chappell (Aus)	1971-1980	16	16	2	673	86	48.07	8
AC Voges (Aus)	2007-2011	15	14	5	392	80*	43.55	2
Misbah-ul-Haq (Pak)	2002-2011	80	70	17	2279	93*	43.00	17
CJ Ferguson (Aus)	2009-2011	30	25	9	663	71*	41.43	5
GN Yallop (Aus)	1978-1984	30	27	6	823	66*	39.19	7
PN Kirsten (SA)	1991-1994	40	40	6	1293	97	38.02	9
Fawad Alam (Pak)	2007-2010	27	25	9	603	64	37.68	4
GP Thorpe (Eng)	1993-2002	82	77	13	2380	89	37.18	21
Mohammad Nabi (Afgh)	2009-2011	18	16	4	429	62	35.75	4
AH Jones (NZ)	1987-1995	87	87	9	2784	93	35.69	25
JA Rudolph (Afr/SA)	2003-2006	45	39	6	1174	81	35.57	7
Nasir Jamshed (Pak)	2008-2009	12	12	2	353	74	35.30	4
AG Prince (Afr/SA)	2002-2007	52	41	12	1018	89*	35.10	3
AI Kallicharran (WI)	1973-1981	31	28	4	826	78	34.41	6
AD Mathews (SL)	2008-2011	53	42	11	1065	77*	34.35	7
AN Petersen (SA)	2006-2010	14	12	1	377	80	34.27	4
RA Jadeja (India)	2009-2011	37	24	6	613	78	34.05	5
AP Kuiper (SA)	1991-1996	25	23	7	539	63*	33.68	3
DM Bravo (WI)	2009-2011	28	25	3	736	86	33.45	5
J Dyson (Aus)	1980-1983	29	27	4	755	79	32.82	4

It would be reasonable to assume a batsman averaging 77 in ODIs has scored at least one century. If the batsman is Michael Hussey, the assumption would be wrong. After his 39th ODI, Hussey had 16 not-outs and nine half-centuries in 31 innings. His average of 77 was the highest for a batsman before scoring a maiden hundred. In his 40th game, which was also his first as Australia's captain, Hussey made an unbeaten 109 off 90 balls against West Indies in Kuala Lumpur and lifted his average to 84.

Before Hussey, the highest ODI average leading up to a first century belonged to a batsman who performed a similar role for Australia, Michael Bevan. He scored his first century in his 55th ODI - 103 against South Africa in Centurion - and had averaged 54 in as many matches until then, with 11 half-centuries and 18 not-outs.

Highest batting average before scoring first century - ODIs (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	50		Score	Opp	Start Date	Scorecard
MEK Hussey (Aus)	2004-2006	39	31	16	1156	88*	77.06	9		109*	v WI	Sep 18, 2006	ODI 2417
MG Bevan (Aus)	1994-1997	54	48	18	1634	82	54.46	11		103	v SA	Apr 10, 1997	ODI 1197
RR Sarwan (WI)	2000-2002	27	26	6	942	99*	47.10	5		102*	v Ban	Dec 2, 2002	ODI 1909
M Kaif (India)	2002-2002	18	14	4	452	87*	45.20	3		111*	v Zim	Sep 14, 2002	ODI 1876
Shakib Al Hasan (Ban)	2006-2007	19	18	6	529	68	44.08	2		134*	v Can	Feb 28, 2007	ODI 2530
GS Chappell (Aus)	1971-1977	15	15	3	521	75*	43.41	3		125*	v Eng	Jun 6, 1977	ODI 44
MA Atherton (Eng)	1990-1995	24	24	2	941	92	42.77	8		127	v WI	May 28, 1995	ODI 1002
Zaheer Abbas (Pak)	1974-1981	19	19	2	719	97	42.29	4		108	v Aus	Dec 17, 1981	ODI 128
HH Dippenaar (SA)	1999-2003	60	51	8	1810	93	42.09	16		110*	v Pak	Oct 3, 2003	ODI 2046
RG Twose (NZ)	1995-2000	74	69	10	2437	97	41.30	20		103	v SA	Nov 4, 2000	ODI 1655
NS Sidhu (India)	1987-1989	24	22	1	854	88	40.66	10		108	v Pak	Oct 15, 1989	ODI 572
SV Manjrekar (India)	1988-1991	26	25	5	813	82	40.65	8		105	v SA	Nov 14, 1991	ODI 688
BC Broad (Eng)	1987-1988	29	29	0	1161	99	40.03	11		106	v NZ	Mar 16, 1988	ODI 508
KWR Fletcher (Eng)	1971-1975	16	15	3	468	68	39.00	4		131	v NZ	Jun 11, 1975	ODI 23
KC Wessels (Aus)	1983-1984	29	29	2	1035	92	38.33	11		107	v India	Sep 28, 1984	ODI 267
AC Parore (NZ)	1992-1994	23	19	4	571	96	38.06	3		108	v SA	Dec 11, 1994	ODI 960
SE Marsh (Aus)	2008-2009	17	17	1	608	81	38.00	5		112	v India	Nov 5, 2009	ODI 2923
MJ Clarke (Aus)	2003-2004	27	25	7	679	75*	37.72	4		105*	v Zim	May 29, 2004	ODI 2133
V Kohli (India)	2008-2009	13	12	2	377	79*	37.70	3		107	v SL	Dec 24, 2009	ODI 2935
RA Smith (Eng)	1988-1990	16	15	3	449	81*	37.41	4		128	v NZ	May 23, 1990	ODI 632

Among current players in Test cricket (at least 20 innings), Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews has the best average - 38.66 in 15 matches - for a batsman who hasn't scored a hundred yet. Mathews has got close to a century twice. He was run out on 99 against India in Mumbai, and in the first Test of the ongoing series against Australia, he ran out of partners and was eventually dismissed for 95, the ninth Sri Lankan wicket to fall in a 125-run defeat. Tim Bresnan, the England allrounder, averages 45 and hasn't scored a century, but he has played only eight innings in 10 Tests.

Chetan Chauhan, who was Sunil Gavaskar's opening partner for most of his 40 Tests, was the first cricketer to score more than 2000 runs without making a century. Chauhan scored 2084 runs at an average of 31.57, with 16 half-centuries and a best of 97. Even when he and Gavaskar put on 213 for the first wicket in pursuit of 438 against England at The Oval in 1979, Chauhan's contribution was 80.

Highest batting average without scoring a century - Tests (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	50
AG Fairfax (Aus)	1929-1931	10	12	4	410	65	51.25	4
BK Shepherd (Aus)	1963-1965	9	14	2	502	96	41.83	5
JB Bolus (Eng)	1963-1964	7	12	0	496	88	41.33	4
DM Bravo (WI)	2010-2011	8	14	1	518	80	39.84	6
AD Mathews (SL)	2009-2011	15	21	3	696	99	38.66	4
Azhar Ali (Pak)	2010-2011	13	25	2	880	92*	38.26	9
A D'Souza (Pak)	1959-1962	6	10	8	76	23*	38.00	0
Asim Kamal (Pak)	2003-2005	12	20	1	717	99	37.73	8
BM Laird (Aus)	1979-1982	21	40	2	1341	92	35.28	11
MJ Stewart (Eng)	1962-1964	8	12	1	385	87	35.00	2
CK Kapugedera (SL)	2006-2009	8	15	3	418	96	34.83	4
KD Mackay (Aus)	1956-1963	37	52	7	1507	89	33.48	13
Zulfiqar Ahmed (Pak)	1952-1956	9	10	4	200	63*	33.33	1
A Bacher (SA)	1965-1970	12	22	1	679	73	32.33	6
CPS Chauhan (India)	1969-1981	40	68	2	2084	97	31.57	16
Hon.LH Tennyson (Eng)	1913-1921	9	12	1	345	74*	31.36	4
TR Veivers (Aus)	1963-1967	21	30	4	813	88	31.26	7
TM Dowlin (WI)	2009-2010	6	11	0	343	95	31.18	3
J Hardstaff snr (Eng)	1907-1908	5	10	0	311	72	31.10	3
N Deonarine (WI)	2005-2010	8	13	1	370	82	30.83	2

Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored his first Test century in his 19th match, in his third year after making his debut. Before that unbeaten 137 against India in Barbados, though, he had an average of 49 in 29 innings, one of the highest for batsmen without a Test hundred.

Highest batting average before scoring first century - Tests (qualification: 10 innings)

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	50		Score	Opp	Start Date	Scorecard
RB McCosker (Aus)	1975-1975	6	10	1	464	95*	51.55	5		127	v Eng	Aug 28, 1975	Test 763
MH Richardson (NZ)	2000-2001	8	13	1	604	99	50.33	6		106	v Pak	Mar 27, 2001	Test 1540
JD Ryder (NZ)	2008-2008	6	11	2	444	91	49.33	4		102	v India	Mar 18, 2009	Test 1915
S Chanderpaul (WI)	1994-1997	18	29	4	1232	82	49.28	13		137*	v India	Mar 27, 1997	Test 1363
ML Jaisimha (India)	1959-1961	8	13	2	506	99	46.00	5		127	v Eng	Dec 13, 1961	Test 516
SL Campbell (WI)	1995-1995	9	14	0	599	93	42.78	6		208	v NZ	Apr 19, 1996	Test 1325
DR Martyn (Aus)	1992-2000	11	20	5	638	89*	42.53	5		105	v Eng	Jul 5, 2001	Test 1550
DL Haynes (WI)	1978-1980	6	10	1	376	66	41.77	4		105	v NZ	Feb 8, 1980	Test 873
PJL Dujon (WI)	1981-1983	7	11	2	376	51	41.77	1		110	v India	Apr 28, 1983	Test 956
JB Hobbs (Eng)	1908-1910	11	22	3	786	93*	41.36	8		187	v SA	Mar 11, 1910	Test 110
DR Jardine (Eng)	1928-1933	18	28	5	948	98	41.21	7		127	v WI	Jul 22, 1933	Test 228
Basit Ali (Pak)	1993-1994	8	13	1	482	92*	40.16	3		103	v NZ	Feb 24, 1994	Test 1251
AW Greig (Eng)	1972-1973	9	16	3	522	68*	40.15	5		148	v India	Feb 6, 1973	Test 711
PJ Sharpe (Eng)	1963-1969	10	18	3	582	86	38.79	4		111	v NZ	Aug 7, 1969	Test 657
WR Hammond (Eng)	1927-1928	9	14	1	504	90	38.76	4		251	v Aus	Dec 14, 1928	Test 177
Habibul Bashar (Ban)	2000-2001	6	12	1	422	76	38.36	5		108	v Zim	Nov 15, 2001	Test 1568
MTG Elliott (Aus)	1996-1997	6	11	1	382	85	38.20	3		112	v Eng	Jun 19, 1997	Test 1370
RA Smith (Eng)	1988-1989	5	10	1	339	96	37.66	3		143	v Aus	Jul 27, 1989	Test 1124
JB Stollmeyer (WI)	1939-1948	7	11	1	376	78	37.60	4		160	v India	Jan 27, 1949	Test 310
MC Carew (WI)	1963-1969	9	18	3	562	90	37.46	4		109	v NZ	Feb 27, 1969	Test 648