Michael Bevan was dismissed for a duck - a rare incidence, on Saturday against England. This was his only second duck in 84 innings. This prompted the following analysis of all batsmen after the first 84 innings of their career.

There have been very few batsmen who have been dismissed without scoring on fewer occassions. Just for the record, Romesh Kaluwitharana has scored most ducks in the first 84 innings of a career (14).

Also, Bevan's career average stands at 59.70, the highest one has been able to manage at this point of one's career.

The following tables list (A) Least number of zeroes and (B) Highest average after first 84 innings of one's career.

Table (A) Least number of zeroes in the first 84 innings

Player            Team  Mts Ins NO Runs  HS   Avg    H  F  Z  S/R
GA Gooch          Eng   86  84  5  3308 142   41.87  8 19  1  64.37
Ijaz Ahmed, Sr    Pak   93  84 13  1713 124*  24.13  2  7  1  80.61
DL Haynes         WI    84  84 10  2889 148   39.04  6 17  1  63.47
SP Fleming        NZ    85  84  9  2401 116*  32.01  3 13  2  72.98
MD Crowe          NZ    85  84  9  2594 105*  34.59  2 17  2  74.65
DM Jones          Aus   86  84 14  3107 121   44.39  3 24  2  74.89
MG Bevan          Aus   95  84 31  3164 108*  59.70  3 21  2  77.57

Table (B) Highest career batting average after the first 84 innings

Player            Team  Mts Ins NO Runs  HS   Avg    H  F  Z  S/R
MG Bevan          Aus   95  84 31  3164 108*  59.70  3 21  2  77.57
IVA Richards      WI    92  84 14  3839 189*  54.84  8 24  4  90.22
G Kirsten         SA    84  84  8  3460 188*  45.53  8 19  3  72.75
DM Jones          Aus   86  84 14  3107 121   44.39  3 24  2  74.89
CG Greenidge      WI    84  84  7  3400 115   44.16  7 22  3  64.43
BC Lara           WI    85  84  7  3383 153   43.94  5 26  3  73.50
AJ Lamb           Eng   86  84 15  2975 118   43.12  4 17  7  76.50
NS Sidhu          Ind   88  84  7  3306 134*  42.94  5 26  5  72.77
GA Gooch          Eng   86  84  5  3308 142   41.87  8 19  1  64.37
Inzamam-ul-Haq    Pak   86  84 13  2908 137*  40.96  4 20  4  73.40
SC Ganguly        Ind   89  84  7  3086 124   40.08  5 21  5  68.64

Contributed by: Atul Kahate (AKahate@yahoo.com)