Stats highlights from another day in which Australia were utterly dominant
S Rajesh27-Dec-20153 Batsmen who have scored 1000-plus Test runs in their debut year: Mark Taylor (1219 runs at 64.16 in 1989), Alastair Cook (1013 runs at 46.05 in 2006) and Adam Voges (1028 runs at 85.67). Among batsmen who scored at least 750 runs in their debut year, only two have better averages: Vinod Kambli (793 runs at 113.29 in 1993) and Everton Weekes (878 runs at 87.80 in 1948). Voges is also one of eight batsmen with four or more Test centuries in their debut year; Weekes holds the record with five.18 Innings it has taken Voges to reach 1000 Test runs; only 12 batsmen have reached the mark in fewer innings. Among Australians, Voges ranks joint fourth, after Don Bradman (13 innings), Neil Harvey (14), and Sid Barnes (17). Herbie Collins, Doug Walters and Mark Taylor also reached the milestone in 18 innings.4 Centuries among Australia’s top five batsmen in their first innings – David Warner was the only one to miss out. This is only the third instance of four hundreds among the top five batsmen in a Test innings; the previous two were both against Bangladesh – by Pakistan in Multan in 2001, and by India in Mirpur in 2007. This is also the third instance of four or more hundreds in an innings for Australia: they had five against West Indies in Kingston in 1955, and four against England in Cardiff in 2009.162 Australia’s batting average in the series so far – they have scored 1134 runs for the loss of seven wickets. The average is easily the highest for any team which has faced at least 200 overs in a series. Even without any minimum overs qualifications, Australia’s average is currently second only by a whisker: the best is 162.50, by England in their two-Test home series against Bangladesh in 2005. In that series England scored 528 for 3 declared and 447 for 3 declared, and won both Tests by an innings.18 Test hundreds by Australia’s top four (openers plus Nos. 3 and 4) in 2015, the best by any team in a calendar year. The next-best is also by Australia – 17 in 2003 – while India and South Africa both had 16 hundreds by their top four batsmen in Tests in 2010. The aggregate of 5037 by Australia’s top four is also the highest by any team, going past India’s 5020 in 2008.1404 Steven Smith’s Test aggregate in 2015, the highest so far among all batsmen for the year (though Cook and Joe Root are within touching distance). Smith’s six hundreds in the year is joint second among all Australians: only Ricky Ponting, with seven centuries in 2006, has more. Smith’s aggregate is fifth among Australian batsmen in a calendar year.542 Voges’ batting average in Tests against West Indies: he has scored three hundreds in four innings, and been dismissed just once. His average is the best for any batsman against an opposition.67 Dot balls played by Darren Bravo, out of the 75 balls he faced for his unbeaten 13 by stumps. His current strike rate of 17.33 is the lowest among all his innings when he has faced at least 20 balls.4 Number of times West Indies have been six down for less than 100 in Tests in 2015, all of them against Australia. Out of 89 such instances for them in Tests, 14 have happened since the start of 2010.26.73 Marlon Samuels’ batting average in 19 Tests since the beginning of 2013. In 34 innings during this period, he has been dismissed under 30 on 23 occasions.44.62 West Indies’ bowling average in away Tests since the beginning of 2010, their worst among all decades. Their previous worst was 41.03 in the 1920s, and 40.50 in the 2000s. During their best decade, the 1980s, they conceded only 25.84 runs per wicket in overseas Tests.
