South Africa v Australia, 2018: 1st Test, Day 5 – Statistical Highlights

Australia took a 1-0 lead in the 4-match Test series that witnessed their domination in the first three innings of the Test before a fight from Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock during the 417-run chase. After taking nine wickets on the 4th day, the Aussies needed 22 more deliveries on the final day morning to register a 118-run win. The 2nd match of this Test series will be played at the St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth starting from 9th March.

All the stats and numbers that were recorded during the final day’s play that lasted 22 balls:

6 – South Africa now lost six of their last eight Test matches at the Kingsmead in Durban. The home team won one Test in the last ten years at this venue while another game ended in a draw.

52 – Number of balls South Africa went without scoring a run during the final wicket stand. The Quinton de Kock and Morne Morkel pair didn’t score a run between 82.5 and 91.3 overs. Morkel got off the mark on the 38th ball he faced by running three runs spending nearly 50 minutes at the crease.

75 – Quinton de Kock and Morne Morkel pair batted out 75 balls for the final wicket. This is the 2nd longest a South African pair batted before they lost the last wicket of a Test. Hashim Amla batted out 124 balls along with Morkel for the 10th wicket before they lost to India in the 2010 Kolkata Test.

83 – De Kock’s 83-run knock is the 2nd highest for a South African wicketkeeper in the 4th innings of a Test match. AB de Villiers scored 103 against India in the 2013 Johannesburg Test.

143 – Aiden Markram’s 143-run knock is the 5th highest individual score in losing cause in the 4th innings of a Test match. This is also the highest 4th innings score in the losing cause by an opener and also the highest by a South African. Dean Elgar’s 136 in the 2017 Oval Test against England was the previous highest 4th innings score for an opener and South African in losing cause.

298 – South Africa’s total of 298 is their highest in the 4th innings of a Test since the 450/7 against India in the 2013 Johannesburg. This is also the highest 4th innings total for any team in a Test in South Africa since the start of 2014.

1961 – South Africa’s last five totals at home in Test cricket are 298, 162, 177, 194 and 258. This is the first time in 56 years that South Africa were bowled out under 300 in five consecutive Test innings at home. They were bowled out under 300 in six consecutive innings in the home Tests between 1958 and 1961.

2009 – The last instance of South Africa losing consecutive Test matches at home was in 2009 February/March against Australia. The Saffers lost to India at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in the previous Test they played.