Ashes 2019: 1st Test – Australia’s record comeback, End of a streak for England and more stats

Australia took a 1-0 lead in the Ashes series following a comfortable win in the first Test in the Birmingham where they had not won a game since 2001. Steve Smith’s twin 140+ scores pulled Australia out of a hole as the former skipper rescued them from 122/8 on day one. On a pitch that began to wore, Australia batted long enough in the 2nd essay to set a target of 398 for the hosts. Nathan Lyon’s 6-wicket haul ripped through England’s batting line-up who were bundled out for only 146.

All the major stats and numbers from Australia’s victory in the Birmingham Test match:

Aussies break the Birmingham jinx:

11 – This defeat brought an end to England’s 11-match winning streak in International cricket at the Edgbaston including four Tests. Their last defeat here came in an ODI in 2014 which India won by nine wickets.

Their last Test defeat here was against South Africa in 2008 since which they won six out of the eight Tests with the other two finishing in a draw.

2001 – The last time Australia won an International match at the Edgbaston was back in the 2001 Ashes. Interestingly, it was the last time Australia won an Ashes series in England. Aussies’ victory less streak at this venue lasted 14 International games out of which they lost 9, drew 1 while four ended without a result.

Steve Smith specials:

Stats: Steve Smith pile up records at Edgbaston on his Test return

Stats: Steve Smith’s record ton on Test comeback inspires Australia to a commanding total

Australia’s greatest Ashes comeback in a century:

122/8 – The 122 runs that Australia added prior to the fall of their eighth wicket in the first innings. This is the lowest the Aussies added for first eight wickets in the first innings of an Ashes victory since 1903.

Their total of 178/8 in the 2005 Lord’s Test was the 2nd worst from which Australia came back to win an Ashes Test in 110 years.

90 – The first innings lead of 90 is the 2nd highest that Australia overcame to win a Test match in England. The won the 1984 Old Trafford Test by 54 runs after England took a 177-run first innings lead.

A victory without contributions from openers:

1 – For the first time in their Test history, Australia won a game where their openers got dismissed for single digits in both innings. This is the 13th instance of a winning team’s openers bagging single digits in both innings in Test cricket.

Cummins @ 100:

21 – Number of matches Pat Cummins needed to pick 100 wickets in Test cricket; the joint 4th fewest and the 2nd fewest among pacers to take 100 Test wickets for Australia. Cummins is also the joint quickest to this mark in the last 86 years for Australia. Stuart MacGill also claimed his first 100 wickets in only 21 Tests.

Batting on every day:

10 – Rory Burns became only the 10th player and 4th from England in the history of Test cricket to bat on all five days of a match. Burns is the 2nd player with this feat in an Ashes Test. Geoffrey Boycott did it during the 1977 Nottingham Test match.