Stats preview of the Edgbaston Test, where teams batting first have had the odds stacked against them in recent times
Shiva Jayaraman02-Aug-20166-1 England’s win-loss record at Edgbaston in their last ten Tests. Their only loss in that time came against South Africa in 2008. Among venues at home that have hosted at least five Tests since 2006, England have a better record only at Old Trafford.4-0 England’s win-loss record against Pakistan at Edgbaston. It is the only home venue where England haven’t lost a Test to Pakistan from five or more matches and one of only two home venues – the other being Trent Bridge – where they have an unbeaten record against Pakistan. The last time the hosts played Pakistan at Edgbaston, in 2010, they won by nine wickets after dismissing them for just 72 in the first innings.22.42 Batting average of top order (No. 1 to No. 7) batsmen in the first innings of Tests at Edgbaston since 2006 – the worst among 64 venues that have hosted more than one Test in this period. The only first-innings hundred at this venue in the last ten years was hit by Denesh Ramdin in the rain-affected draw in 2012.15.04 Average runs made for each wicket lost in the morning session of the first day’s play in Tests at Edgbaston since 2006 – the worst at any Test venue in this period. A wicket falls every 34 balls in the morning session on the first day here, which is also the highest rate at any venue in Tests since 2006. The last time Pakistan played at this venue, they lost six wickets in the first session.
Venue Sessions Wkts Runs/Wkt Balls/WktEdgbaston 5 22 15.04 34.04Pallekele 5 16 23.18 47.62P Sara Oval 10 37 23.21 40.78Kandy 3 9 23.66 41.33Napier 4 13 24.15 48.002005 The last time the team batting first won a Test at Edgbaston. England beat Australia by two runs in that famous Test, after posting a total of 407 in just 79.2 overs on the first day. Since then though, no team has won batting first in seven Tests at this venue and has lost five of them. On the two occasions when teams batting first did manage a draw, the Tests were affected by rain. At least three full days of play were lost in the Test involving West Indies in 2012, while the Ashes Tests that was drawn here in 2009 saw only 276.3 overs bowled in the entire match.29.24 Fast bowlers’ average at Edgbaston in Tests since 2006 – the second best at any venue in England. Only Trent Bridge, with an average of 26.20, has played better for them. Edgbaston is favourable to pace bowlers, especially of the first day of Tests: among venues in any country that have hosted at least two Tests in the last ten years, an average of 24.35 for quicks on the first day is the best.
Venue Days Wkts Runs/Wkt Balls/WktEdgbaston 6 53 24.35 44.05Dominica 4 20 26.20 58.20RPS, Colombo 2 9 26.33 58.22Trent Bridge 9 76 26.42 48.93Pallekele 5 27 27.29 51.51.9 Wickets Chris Woakes took in an innings the last time he bowled in a first-class game at his home venue. Woakes returned to the England XI to replace the injured Ben Stokes for the second Test against Sri Lanka after he returned figures of 9 for 36 against Durham in May. The other Warwickshire bowlers collectively took 1 for 138 in that innings. Woakes has taken 21 wickets at 13.85 in first-class matches at this venue in 2016. He has already taken 18 wickets – 11 more than any other bowler – at an average of 11.66 from two Tests in this series.98.71 Alex Hales’ batting average in first-class matches at this venue. He has made 691 runs with three hundreds – including scores of 155 not out and 183 – and three fifties in ten innings on this ground. He has, however, made only 56 runs from four innings in the current series and has managed to put up only one fifty stand with Alastair Cook. England haven’t had a century opening stand in their last 11 Tests at home and have averaged 27.27 for their first wicket with a highest partnership of 68.294 The highest individual score in Tests at Edgbaston, made by Cook against India in 2011. Besides that innings though, Cook has managed to score only 208 runs at an average of 23.11 from ten innings and has been dismissed for single-digits in five of his last eight innings at Edgbaston.19.39 Runs Pakistan’s top-order batsmen (No. 1 to No. 7) other than Misbah-ul-Haq and and Asad Shafiq have averaged in this series. They have together scored 349 runs with a highest of 45 from 18 innings. Misbah and Shafiq have made 366 runs at an average of 45.75 with one hundred and two fifties.
Batsmen Inns Runs Ave 100s/50sMisbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq 8 366 45.75 1/2Other top-order batsmen 18 349 19.39 0/0
