Greatest Cricket Moments

Chappell Brothers — Twin Centuries Each at Wellington, 1974

1-6 March 1974Australia vs New ZealandNew Zealand vs Australia, 1st Test, Wellington3 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

At the Basin Reserve in March 1974, Greg Chappell made 247 not out and 133, and his elder brother Ian Chappell made 145 and 121 — the only instance in Test history of two brothers each scoring a hundred in both innings of the same match. Greg's 380 runs in the Test stood as the world record for runs by a player in one Test until Graham Gooch's 333 and 123 against India at Lord's in July 1990.

Background

The Chappell brothers were already, by March 1974, the centre of Australian cricket. Ian had captained the side since 1971; Greg was vice-captain. The 1973-74 New Zealand tour was Australia's first to the country and was watched closely as a test of the relative strengths of two sides preparing for a busy 1974-75 international calendar.

Greg had been through a difficult personal period — a series of family setbacks in 1973, including the death of an uncle in a road accident — and his form on the early part of the tour was patchy. The Wellington Test came at a moment of refocusing.

What Happened

Australia, captained by Ian Chappell, batted first and reached 511/6 declared. The Chappell brothers added 264 for the third wicket in the first innings, with Ian making 145 and Greg 247 not out. New Zealand replied with 484 and Australia, leading by only 27, batted again. Both brothers reached three figures a second time — Ian 121, Greg 133. Australia declared at 460/8 and New Zealand, set 485 in just under a day, comfortably saved the match at 230/6.

Greg's 247 not out, made in 472 minutes with 26 fours, was the highest score by an Australian against New Zealand at the time. His match aggregate of 380 was the world record for any individual in a Test, surpassing Doug Walters's 250 + 103 against the West Indies at Sydney in 1969.

Key Moments

1

Australia 511/6 declared in first innings; Ian 145, Greg 247*

2

Chappell brothers add 264 for third wicket — record between Australian brothers

3

New Zealand reply with 484

4

Second innings: Ian 121, Greg 133

5

Greg becomes only player ever to score 380 runs in a Test

6

Match drawn

Timeline

1 March 1974

Australia first innings — Ian 145, Greg 247*; declare 511/6

3 March 1974

New Zealand reply 484

5 March 1974

Second innings — Ian 121, Greg 133; Australia declare 460/8

6 March 1974

Match drawn — New Zealand 230/6

Notable Quotes

“I had to wait for him to get out, and he never did.”

— Ian Chappell, recalling the Wellington innings in his autobiography

Aftermath

The series went to New Zealand, who won the second Test at Christchurch by five wickets — their first Test win against Australia. The Wellington match remained, however, a unique entry in cricket's record books: no other pair of brothers has matched the achievement of two hundreds each in a Test.

Greg Chappell's 380-run aggregate was eventually surpassed by Graham Gooch in 1990. Within the Australian record book, it remained the highest until Mark Taylor's 334 not out at Peshawar in 1998 came close.

⚖️ The Verdict

Match drawn. The only instance in Test history of two brothers each scoring centuries in both innings of the same match. Greg Chappell's 380 match runs was a world record until Gooch's 456 in 1990.

Legacy & Impact

The Wellington Test is part of the very small set of Tests in which the result is less remembered than the personal achievements within it. The Chappell brothers' joint feat is referenced in every account of New Zealand-Australia cricket, in any biography of either brother, and in the Lord's father-time wall section dealing with brothers in Test cricket.

Greg's 247 not out was also identified at the time as the moment at which his command of the off side, particularly the on-drive against pace, reached its highest level — the technical foundation for the run of form that produced his 1972-77 peak.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has any other pair of brothers done this?▾
No. The Chappell brothers remain the only pair to have each scored two hundreds in the same Test.
Was 380 a world record?▾
Yes, at the time it was the highest individual aggregate in a Test. Graham Gooch broke it with 333 and 123 (456) against India at Lord's in 1990.

Tags

#Greg Chappell#Ian Chappell#twin centuries#Wellington#1974#New Zealand#Basin Reserve

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