Do you know what is an unlucky score in cricket world?
It’s “111”, which is known as “Nelson”. Nelson is believed to be an unlucky score, especially in some English cricket.
However, there is no real reason to consider that particular number as unlucky in cricket but it is believed that the “111” score looks like a wicket without bails. In cricket, a batsman is out if any bail is dislodged from the wicket, and that’s the reason “111” is considered as unlucky score in cricket. Even, every multiple of the number is also known as unlucky (222 = “Double Nelson”, 333 = “Triple Nelson” etc)
Although according to an investigation by the magazine “The Cricketer” in the 1990s found that wickets are no more likely to fall on Nelson and indeed, the score at which most wickets fall is 0 (a duck). So basically “111” is a superstition in cricket.
Why “111” is known as “Nelson”?
The origin of the “Nelson” name comes from Lord Nelson. Horatio Nelson is known as Lord Nelson was a flag officer in the Royal Navy. He was very famous for his inspirational leadership, superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics which resulted in a number of decisive naval victories.
Out of Lord Nelson’s many victories, the best known was the “Battle of Trafalgar” in 1805 where he was shot and killed. It is believed that Lord Nelson had only “one eye, one arm and one leg” near the end of his life. The “111” refers to Lord Nelson’s lost eye, arm and leg; and that’s why “111” is known as “Nelson”
However, the fact was actually incorrect because Lord Nelson had both of his legs intact, and the third missing body part is mythical.
On the other hand, longtime cricket historian and scorer, Bill Frindall once mentioned the “111” score as “one eye, one arm and one etcetera” as he referred the third body part was “something else”. However, it was also equally mythical.
In the alternate meaning, “111” refers to “one eye, one arm, and one ambition” or “one arm, one eye, one destiny” or “one Eye, one Arm, one Ars**ole”.
Also in other sense, “111” commemorates Lord Nelson’s three great naval victories: Copenhagen, The Nile, and Trafalgar. “111” refers to “won, won, won” in that sense.
Some interesting stories about “Nelson” in cricket world
- Former famous international cricket umpire David Shepherd made the “Nelson” or “111” popular in the international cricket. From the childhood, Shepherd raised a leg or both legs from the ground on the “Nelson” score (also on double nelson, triple nelson) to avoid ill fortune, which he had continued in the international cricket. After noticing it, the crowd had also cheered him for that.
Once in a radio interview, David Shepherd had explained the “Nelson” as “One arm, one eye and one lump of sugar in his tea.”
- On 11th November 2011, in a Test match between South Africa vs Australia at Cape Town, South Africa required 111 runs to win at the time 11:11. In that rarest occasion, the scoreboard was reading 11:11, 11/11/11 and majority of the crowd did Shepherd’s leg raise along with one of the field umpire Ian Gould.
- There was a domestic cricket team in New Zealand, which name was Nelson, had played in the first-class cricket during 1874-1891. Incidentally, in their both fast and last first-class innings, they bowled out at 111.
The other unlucky score in cricket
There is another equivalent superstitious in the Australian cricket is the score “87” which is popularly known as “Devil’s Number”. Some Australian commentators and journalists consider “87” as unlucky score as it is 13 runs short of the century (100 runs) for a batsman and for that’s reason “87” is called as “Devil’s Number”.
The reason behind the myth of “87” as unlucky number
The “Devil’s Number” 87 came to be known when Ian Johnson was dismissed for 87 while playing grade cricket and Keith Miller commented, “That’s funny, I once saw Bradman (Don Bradman) dismissed for 87”. Miller was told in a match between New South Wales and Victoria at MCG in December 1929 where he claimed that Don Bradman had been dismissed on 87 runs. Keith Miller was just on 10-years old at that time, when he saw that Bradman’s incident.
From there the myth started gaining momentum that “87” as “Devil’s Number”
However, later it was revealed that Bradman had been dismissed at 89 runs in that match. Miller blamed the slow MCG scorecard for the error.
Bradman had never dismissed at 87 in his entire Test career. Even many other greatest Australian batsmen were never dismissed on the score 87.
On the other hand, interestingly, Keith Miller ended his Test career after playing exactly 87 innings (in 55 Tests). Yet he was never dismissed on 87 runs in his Test career.