Australia vs South Africa, 1st Test Stats Review: Second-shortest match in the 21st century, Mitchell Starc’s feat and other stats

Australia thrashed South Africa by six wickets to win the first of the three-match Test series in just two days at the Gabba in Brisbane on Sunday, December 18. Chasing a target of 34 on the second day of the game, the Aussies lost four wickets, all to Kagiso Rabada, but eventually sealed the opening encounter to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Travis Head was declared the Player of the Match for his knock of 92 off 96 in the first innings.

Earlier, skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bowl first. Wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne top-scored for his side with his innings of 64 in the first innings. Speedster Mitchell Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon picked up three wickets each as the Proteas got bowled out for 152. In reply on the back of Head’s innings, the Kangaroos reached a total of 218, and took a lead of 66. Rabada picked up four wickets in the first innings as well while Marco Jansen took three.

Captain Cummins was at his solid best in the second innings. He snared five scalps for just 42 runs in 12.4 overs as the visitors got bundled out cheaply for 99, their second-lowest Test total against Kangaroos in the 21^st century. The home side lost four wickets in the small run-chase but got the job done inside two days and continued their sheer dominance at the fortress - Gabba.

Meanwhile, here are some of the important stats and numbers from the 1^st Test between Australia and South Africa:

301 – Mitchell Starc reached the landmark of 300 wickets in Test cricket. He became the seventh Australian after Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563), Nathan Lyon (454), Dennis Lillee (355), Mitchell Johnson (313), and Brett Lee (310) to achieve the feat.

232 – Nathan Lyon has now taken the third-most Test wickets (232) for Australia at home. He surpassed Lillee’s tally of 231 scalps. Warne and McGrath occupy the first two spots with 319 and 289 wickets respectively.

1931 – For the first time since 1931, a Test match ended in two days in Australia. The game between the Aussies and the West Indies finished in two days 91 years back in Melbourne.

2 – Australia and South Africa played out the second-shortest Test match in terms of balls bowled (866) in the 21^st century. India and England engaged in an 842-ball encounter in Ahmedabad in the year 2021.

7 – David Warner has managed to amass just seven runs in last three innings against South Africa in Brisbane. His scores read - three and zero in this match and four in the year 2012.

42 – The Aussies recorded their 42^nd Test victory out of the 65 games played at the Gabba. They have lost just nine, tied one, and drew 13 matches at the venue.

99 – South Africa suffered their second-lowest total of 99 against Australia in the 21^st century. They got bundled out for just 96 in Cape Town in 2011.

7 – The Kangaroos have now won seven out of the 11 matches under the captaincy of Pat Cummins. They have lost just one and drew three games with Cummins at the helm.

39.11 – Steve Smith’s average of 39.11 against South Africa is his second-lowest against an opponent in the longest format of the game. His lowest batting average is 29.75 against Bangladesh.

0 – South Africa is yet to win a Test match at the Gabba. They have played five matches with three losses and two draws at the venue.

17 – Australia have claimed victories in 17 out of the 22 games played in Brisbane in the 21^st Century. They have lost just one and drew four matches.