Miracle at Mount Maungunui

By now, we should have learnt the spelling of this cricket venue in New Zealand.

Bangladeshi cricket fans would remember it as the venue of a pathbreaking Test match played on Jan 1-5, 2022.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/bangladesh-in-new-zealand-2021-22-1288977/new-zealand-vs-bangladesh-1st-test-1288979/full-scorecard

It was Bangladesh’s 6th Test win away from home:

And the first win in New Zealand (and in a SENA country, if it matters).

Bangladesh had done particularly badly in New Zealand, as they had lost all 9 previous Tests in that country. In Bangladesh, they had drawn three and lost three to New Zealand.

This was Bangladesh’s first win over New Zealand in 16 Tests. Here you can see a record of these results:

Bangladesh’s batsmen had helped in building the foundations of victory, notably MH Joy (78), NH Shanto (64), Mominul Haque (88) and Liton Das (86).

But the Man of the Match was Ebadot Hossain, with 1-75 and 6-46. (7-121 in the match).

His 6-46 is the best innings bowling for Bangladesh in New Zealand, surpassing the 5-166 by Rubel Hossain at Hamilton in 2010. It is also the best by a Bangladeshi bowler in any of the SENA countries.

And his 7-121 is the best match bowling for Bangladesh in New Zealand, surpassing the 5-88 by Mashraf Mortaza at Dunedin in 2008. And again the best by a Bangladeshi bowler in any of the SENA countries.

The second Test in this series is scheduled for Jan 9-13 at Christchurch. For the moment, Bangladeshi cricket’s supporters can savour a rare win and a 1-0 lead in the series.

Notes on Test statistics-Nov 2019

Pairs by captains:

Mominul Haque became the latest captain to make a pair. Also remember the double act by du Plessis and Sarfaraz last year.

While the balls faced in an innings were not always recorded before 2000, we know that the only unusual pairs by captains were the “queen pairs” or silver pairs by Bedi and de Villiers.

Highest scores by wicketkeepers:

BJ Watling’s double century is the highest score by a wicketkeeper from New Zealand, but there are many other keepers with high scores:

Scores above 175 by wicketkeepers:

Mushfiqur Rahim is the only keeper with two double centuries.

Highest totals in Eng-NZ Tests:

New Zealand’s 615/9 dec against England was the highest in ANY Test between these teams:

Lowest scores against India:

Bangladesh’s 106 in 30.3 overs is not really the worst innings score against India. But it is the lowest score (both by runs and balls faced) in the first innings against India.

You can also see how Afghanistan fared in their first Test, against India in June 2018. They have picked up well after that.

 

Test statistics for 2018-1

Summarizing the team performances of 2018

Ranked by W/L ratio:

And the ICC ranking tables at the end of the year:

Note that the rankings are quite different, as the ICC rankings cover a longer period and are supposed to take the opponent’s strength into account.

Note the close bunching for 2nd to 4th position by England, New Zealand and South Africa. Also 6th and 7th (Pakistan and Sri Lanka) and for 8th and 9th (West Indies and Bangladesh).

Now we go on to individual performances.

Batting:

Most runs: 500 and above:

Virat Kohli has the most centuries (5). He also has the most scores above 50 (10).

Highest innings (110 and above):

The top score of 264* by Tom Latham was the highest by anyone carrying his bat through an innings, surpassing the 244* by Alastair Cook less than a year earlier. Here is a live link of all those who carried their bat through an innings, in chronological order.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283149.html

Curiously, it was the first instance of anyone scoring 264 or 264* in a Test. The lowest score which has never been made is 229/229*  (but there is also an outlier at 140*).

KJ O’Brien is here for Ireland’s first Test century, while Afghanistan still has no score above 50.

Highest batting average (Minimum 20 innings, all instances):

Kohli and the hitherto unheralded Kusal Mendis are on top here, as in the listing of most runs. Others from India can also be seen here.

Highest strike rates (Minimum 1000 balls faced, all instances):

Here it is Buttler and Mominul  who have the highest strike rates. Pujara is near the bottom as we may expect. Kohli and Rahane are also here.

To be continued: