Australia get a taste of their own medicine

There were plenty of stats highlights on a day when South Africa turned the tables on Australia. Here are the important numbers

S Rajesh

28-Dec-2008

There were plenty of stats highlights on a day when South Africa turned the tables on Australia. Here are the important numbers:

Mitchell Johnson bowled well but with little luck © Getty Images (file photo)

The 180-run partnership between JP Duminy and Dale Steyn is the third-highest for the ninth wicket, just 15 short of the record stand between Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox against Pakistan in 1998. It's the highest by any team against and in Australia.

South Africa's last four wickets put together 318, which is a record for them, and only the 11th instance in Test cricket - and the second in 2008 - of the last four adding more than 300. Ironically, the Australians, who were at the receiving end this time, had begun the year by inflicting similar misery on the Indians in the controversial Sydney Test, when Andrew Symonds' unbeaten 162 had helped the team add 329 for the last four wickets.

Duminy was the recognised batsman, but Steyn, whose previous highest Test score was an unbeaten 33, proved his batting credentials quite convincingly. During the 63.4 overs that the partnership lasted, Steyn took exactly 50% of the strike, facing 191 deliveries, and struck ten boundaries (nine fours and a six). Duminy was only slightly more aggressive, scoring 92 during the stand.

Steyn's 76 is the second-highest score by a South African No.10 batsman, and only the fifth time one of them has reached a half-century.

Mitchell Johnson has been Australia's best bowler in the series, but Duminy and Steyn took 63 runs from the 102 balls he bowled during the partnership. Nathan Hauritz, on the other hand, only conceded 27 from 90. Johnson was easily the most threatening, and luckless, though: he beat the bat or induced an edge 16 times during the stand, 11 of them against Steyn.

The heroics from Duminy and Steyn ensured that Australia conceded the first-innings lead in Melbourne for the first time in 12 years. The last team which managed this was West Indies, in 1996, when they bowled Australia out for 219 and then scored 255 in a match they eventually won by six wickets.

Dale Steyn Jean-Paul Duminy South Africa Australia Australia vs South Africa South Africa tour of Australia

S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo