ACS Overseas First-Class Annual 2020

5 The statistical highlights that struck me in compiling this year’s Annual include the first first-class game ever to be completed on the first day in Sri Lanka (and only the second such game anywhere since 1960); Veeraswamy Permaul’s bowling feats in the West Indies, especially his aggregate return of 25-166 in two matches against Jamaica; the youngest ever captain in Test cricket; a hat- trick in a bowler’s first first-class over, by Ravi Yadav of Madhya Pradesh – remarkably, this is not unique (there was a previous instance in SouthAfrica), but it is the first time in has been done in the player’s debut match; an innings of 9 in 205 minutes by another debutant, Luke Oldknow, whose name (and apparently his approach to batting) suggests an inter-War northern professional but who is actually a 19-year-old Zimbabwean; a bowling analysis of 0-0-12-0 (this is not a misprint); and the 60,000th first-class match as recorded by Cricket Archive. Looking ahead, and writing at a time when, although first-class cricket is being played, the coronavirus still afflicts the globe, it remains uncertain whether the 2021 Annual will be able to report anything like a normal season. John Bryant Editor 20 Wilton Square London N1 3DL November 2020