Australia vs New Zealand, 2019-20: 3rd Test – Statistical Preview

Australia is one step away from completing a whitewash against New Zealand as they took a 2-0 lead in the 3-match Test series. Australia’s winning margins in both the Test matches showed their domination over the visitors. New Zealand have put a lot of effort with the ball to take wickets and all but collapsed while batting. The series will conclude in at the Sydney Cricket Ground where the Aussies have an impressive record over the last couple of decades.

All the key stats and numbers ahead of the last game of the 3-match Test series in Sydney:

2 – Australia have lost a Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground only on two instances since the start of 1996. Australia played 25 Test matches at the SCG during this period and won 19 of those. Four other matches ended in a draw including the one played in 2019 against India.

3-2 – David Warner has struck three centuries and two fifties across six innings he played in the last four Tests at the SCG. Warner scored 451 runs at an average of 90.2 at this venue since the start of 2015. The impressive fact of Warner’s SCG record is the left-hander has a strike rate of 100.66 in this period.

47.57 – Nathan Lyon’s bowling average of 47.57 in Test matches at the SCG is his 2nd worst at any venue. (More than 5 innings bowled) Lyon has a higher bowling average in Test cricket only at the WACA Stadium (47.93) where he took 15 wickets in 5 matches.

Lyon has claimed 26 across 8 SCG Tests without any 5-wicket haul has a strike rate of 91.8 which is his lowest average at any venue in Test cricket.

79/81 – Kane Williamson featured in 79 out of the 81 Test matches played by New Zealand since his debut in November 2010. He missed only two Tests in this period – 2013 Dunedin Test vs West Indies and 2016 Kolkata Test vs India. Williamson is suffering from illness and is likely to miss the Sydney Test starting on Friday.

1985 – The last of the two Tests that the New Zealand team played at the SCG was way back in November 1985. The Kiwis lost that match by 4-wicket margin. The other SCG Test involving the Blackcaps was played in 1974 which ended in a draw.

2016 – The 0-3 away series defeat against India is the only time New Zealand suffered a whitewash in Test cricket in the last 15 years. (Series of 3 or more matches) They have been whitewashed in 7 different series in Test cricket till date. The series in 2000 is the only time where the Kiwis were whitewashed by Australia in the longer format.

2016/17 – Post the Ashes series win victory by 5-0 margin in the 2013/14 season, the Australian team completed whitewash only once in a Test series of 3+ matches. They defeated Pakistan at home by 3-0 margin during the 2016/17 season.