South Africa vs England, 2019-20: 1st Test, Day 2 – Philander’s economical spell, De Kock's record, South Africa's opening woes and more stats

South Africa held the edge in the Centurion Test match after the 2nd day’s play where a total of 15 wickets were picked by the pacers. The Proteas were bowled out for 284 adding seven runs to their overnight total. Joe Denly scored 50 batting at No.3 for England and shared partnerships of 55 and 72 with Joe Root and Ben Stokes respectively. However, they lost their last seven wickets for 39 runs to get bowled out for 181. The hosts ended the day on 72/4 in their 2nd innings after taking a 103-run first-innings lead.

All the statistical highlights from the 2nd day’s play of the Centurion Test dominated by the pacers:

An economical spell from Vernon Philander:

4/16 – Vernon Philander’s 4/16 is the cheapest 4-wicket haul in Test cricket for South Africa since Dale Steyn’s 6/8 against Pakistan during the Johannesburg Test played in February 2013.

1.11 – Philander had an economy rate of 1.11 during his figures of 14.4-8-16-4 in England’s first innings. This is the most economical spell by a South African pacer at home in the last 20 years. (Min: 75 balls) Shaun Pollock 2/18 in his 17 overs during the 4th innings of the 1999 Port Elizabeth Test also against England.

Quinton de Kock equals national record:

6 – Quinton de Kock took six catches in England’s first innings; joint-most dismissals by a South African keeper in a Test inning. Denis Lindsay against Australia in the 1966 Johannesburg Test, Mark Boucher on four instances and AB de Villiers against Pakistan in the 2013 Johannesburg Test claimed six catches in an innings.

Tough times for South Africa’s opening stands:

11.37 – Average of South Africa’s opening partnerships in 2019 is the 2nd lowest for them in a calendar year. (Min: 10 innings) Their lowest average of opening stands is 9.45 in 1912 across 11 innings.

2 – South Africa added only two runs for the first wicket across both innings in this Test; the joint-fewest number of runs added for the opening wicket by South Africa in a home Test match. They added only two runs in the 1923 Cape Town Test against England.

Quinton de Kock gets England’s top five:

5 – Each of England’s top five in their first innings were caught behind by Quinton de Kock. This was only the 4th instance of top five batters getting out caught by a keeper in a Test inning. Jack Russell against Australia in the 1990 Melbourne Test, BJ Watling against India in the 2014 Auckland Test and Brad Haddin against India in the 2014 Brisbane Test are the other three instances.

During the 2016 Antigua Test, Wriddhiman Saha was involved in the wickets of West Indies’ top five as four batsmen were caught behind while another batsman was stumped.

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