England v South Africa, 4th Test – Statistical Highlights

South Africa’s forgettable tour came to an end after they lost the 4th and final Test at the Old Trafford by 177 runs and also the series by 3-1. England were bowled out for 243 in their 2nd innings setting a 380-run target to South Africa. In reply, the visitors lost three wickets before Lunch break but a 123-run stand between Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis raised their hopes of squaring the series before losing 7 wickets for just 39 runs.

Here we look at all the stats and records created during the game:

1 – Moeen Ali became the first player in Test cricket to score 250+ runs and take 25+ wickets in a Test series of 4 or fewer games. Seven other players have done this double in 5 or more match series.

3 – James Anderson is only the 3rd England player to represent them in Tests in the last 10 years after turning 35. Gareth Batty and Andrew Strauss are the other two England Test cricketers since 2007 after turning 35.

3 – Jonny Bairstow is only the 3rd wicket-keeper to be dismissed on ’99’ in Test cricket. Brendon McCullum against Sri Lanka in 2005 and MS Dhoni against England in 2012 are the other two.

3 – Number of sixes Hashim Amla has hit in this Test series; the most by him in any Test series. Previously, Amla has hit as many as two sixes in two different series.

5 – Number of 4-wicket hauls in this Test series for Moeen Ali; the most by any England player in a Test series in last 40 years. The last player to take 4+ wickets in an innings 5+ times in a Test series was Derek Underwood in India in 1976/77.

5 – This England-South Africa series is only the 5th Test series with 4+ games where first batting team won all the matches. The last such one was the 4-match series in 1970 between South Africa and Australia.

9 – Number of international matches South Africa lost on this tour; the most they have lost in a single tour. South Africa lost 8 Internationals during their tour of Australia in 2005/06.

9 – South Africa losing 9 Internationals in this tour are the joint-most losses for any team in a single tour of England. In their 2010 tour of England, Pakistan also lost 9 International games.

22 – Number of Test scores in the 40s for Alastair Cook; the joint 3rd most number of 40s by any player in this format. Only Shivnarine Chanderpaul (24) and Brian Lara (23) had more such scores than Cook.

25 – Wickets Moeen Ali has taken in this series; the 2nd most by an England spinner in a 4 or fewer match Test series. Colin Blythe in 1907 and Johnny Wardle in 1956 took 25 wickets each. Both of them have done against South Africa only.

458 – England’s total of 458 in the first innings of the first Test at Lord’s is the highest total in the Test series. This is lowest ‘highest total in a Test series’ since 454 in the West Indies vs Australia series in 2001. (Min: 16 team innings in a series)