South Africa vs England, 2019-20: 2nd Test, Day 5 – A rare treble for Stokes, End of Cape Town streaks for SA & ENG, Malan’s grit and more stats

England levelled the 4-match Test series against South Africa with a comfortable 189-run win at the Newlands. With South Africa choosing to blockaton on the final day, the England team had to fight hard to get wickets against the grit. Only two results were possible going into the final session as England needed 5 wickets to win. Joe Denly broke the partnership between Rassie van der Dussen and Quinton de Kock that spread across 34 overs. Ben Stokes ran through the low order and picked up the last three wickets.

All the statistical highlights from England’s 189-run win over South Africa at the Newlands:

End of many streaks at the Newlands:

1 – South Africa has lost a New Year Test match played in Cape Town for the first time since their re-admission to cricket in 1992. Between 1993 and 2019, South Africa featured in 21 New Year Tests at the Newlands and won 16 of them while another five ended in a draw.

1957 – For the first time in 62 years, England has won a Test match in Cape Town. Their last win at this venue came way back in 1957. Between these two wins, the England team played six Tests at the Newlands where they lost three of them and drew three other games.

23-5 – This was only the 5th Test defeat for South Africa in Cape Town since 1992. The previous four Test defeats at the Newlands in this period came against Australia. Against the teams other than Australia, the Proteas won 20 of the 26 Newlands Tests and drew other 6 before the recent defeat.

A dream treble for Ben Stokes:

3 – Ben Stokes became only the 3rd player in the history of Test cricket to aggregate 100+ runs, pick at least 3 wickets and take at least six catches in the same match. Frank Woolley in the 1912 Sydney Test against Australia and Jacques Kallis against Sri Lanka in 2012 also during a Cape Town Test achieved this treble before Stokes.

0 – No player before Ben Stokes bowled even one ball in a Test match where they recorded a 50+ score and also took 5+ catches in an inning. Stokes bowled in both innings and also took a 3-wicket haul in the 2nd innings.

Pieter Malan shines on debut:

288 – Pieter Malan faced 288 deliveries during his 84-run knock; the 2nd most number of balls faced by a debutant in the 4th inning of a Test match. His teammate and skipper, Faf du Plessis played 376 balls during the 4th inning on his Test debut against Australia in the 2012 Adelaide match.

Quinton de Kock equals Boucher:

5 – Number of times Quinton de Kock achieved the double of a fifty-plus score and 5 catches in an innings in the same Test match. Only Mark Boucher and De Kock achieved this double on five occasions. Quinton got this double in both matches of the ongoing Test match.

Ben Stokes – The 7th bowler:

1 – Ben Stokes became the first player to claim a 3-wicket haul in the 4th inning of a Test match while coming in as the 5th change or later. Peter Richardson’s 2/10 against India in the 1961 Mumbai Test were the previous best bowling figures for a player who came in as a 5th change or later in the 4th innings.