South Africa vs Australia, 2018: 4th Test, Day 3 – Statistical Highlights

South Africa decided to frustrate Australia with the bat as they decided not enforce the follow-on even after taking a 267-run first innings lead. Tim Paine and Pat Cummins reduced the damage after a flop show from the top order. Both the batsmen scored fifties to push Australia’s first innings total to 221. South Africa made 134/3 in their second innings in the 56 overs they batted on day three to push their lead to 401.

All the stats and records that were recorded during the 3rd day’s play of the Johannesburg Test:

18 – Innings Aiden Markram needed to complete 1000 runs in Test cricket. He is the 2nd quickest to the milestone after Graeme Smith (17 innings). Markram is the quickest to 1000 Test runs for South Africa in terms of matches as he needed only ten Tests.

62 – Tim Paine’s 62 is the 4th highest individual score for a wicketkeeper on Test captaincy debut. Windies’ Ridley Jacobs scored an unbeaten 91 against Bangladesh in 2002 which is the highest. None of previous Australia’s keeper-captains scored more than 11 runs in their maiden innings.

99 – Pat Cummins and Tim Paine’s 99-run stand is the highest 7th wicket partnership against South Africa in South Africa since 2011. This is the highest since Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni’s 172-run partnership in the 2010 Centurion Test.

186 – Number of days since Test debut Aiden Markram needed for completing 1000 runs in Test cricket. He is the 2nd quickest in terms of days to reach the milestone after Mike Hussey (166 days).

480 – Aiden Markram’s series tally of 480 are most for a South African opener in a Test series in nearly 12 years. The last South African opener to score as many runs in a Test series was 505 runs by Graeme Smith in the 4-match Test series in 2005 in the Windies.

1000 – Aiden Markram became the 2nd player to score 1000 runs in debut Test season. Mike Hussey scored 1139 Test runs in the 2005/06 season where he made his debut.

2013 – Pat Cummins is the first Australian with the double of 50+ and 5-fer in a Test match since Mitchell Johnson in the 2013 Brisbane Test against England. He is also first Australia with the double in the first innings since Johnson in the 2010 Perth Test against England.