Graham Gooch has scored centuries in three successive innings against India? (30 August 2002)

The Lord's Test of India's tour of England in 1990 is already legend - how Mohammad Azharuddin won the toss and invited India to bat, how Kiran More, in his debut Test, dropped Graham Gooch on two figures, how Gooch went on to make 333 and then 123 in the second innings. No doubt the burly Essex batsman, on seeing Lord's in the sunshine prior to an India Test, gets tears in his eyes at the memories.

But less well known is the fact that Gooch - possibly in the form of his life - went on to hit yet another hundred in the very next innings, the first of the OId Trafford Test. Winning the toss and electing to bat, Gooch and fellow opener Michael Atherton started spectacularly, putting on 225 for the first wicket. Atherton made 131, while Gooch hit up 116 off 163 balls, bringing his total to 572 runs in three innings.

Robin Smith also hit a century in that essay, taking England's total to 519. But Azharuddin followed with his own century - his second of the series after his counter-attacking effort in the Lord's Test - making 179 off 243 balls. Predictably, the match was drawn, but not so predictably, Gooch was dismissed in the second innings for just seven, bringing to an end a staggering glut of runs.

Sachin Tendulkar will remember that match especially fondly. Set a target of 408, India were in dire straits at 183 for six when Tendulkar was joined by Manoj Prabhakar. The two set about rebuilding the innings and ensuring that India did not lose the match. In the process, Tendulkar hit his maiden Test century, a fine effort that was by all means a portent of things to come in the future.

For more details on all the above facts check out [ StatsGuru ]

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