Stats Analysis

Steyn's burst consigns Pakistan to all-time low

Stats highlights from the second day's play in Johannesburg

This is the third time since November 2011 that a visiting team has been bowled out under 50 in South Africa  •  Getty Images

This is the third time since November 2011 that a visiting team has been bowled out under 50 in South Africa  •  Getty Images

South Africa's superb pace attack, led by Dale Steyn, all but ended Pakistan's hopes in the first Test by skittling them out for their lowest Test score. Here are highlights from a day that ended with the hosts firmly in control.
  • Pakistan's total of 49 is their lowest in Tests and their second sub-100 total against South Africa after the 92 in Faislabad in 1997. Their previous lowest total came in Sharjah in 2002 when they were bowled out for 59 and 53 against Australia. Since the beginning of 2009, Pakistan have been bowled out below 100 on six different occasions (four times against England). It is also the ninth time that a team has been bowled out below 100 in a Test against South Africa since South Africa's readmission in 1991. Of the six times teams have been bowled out below 50 since 1970, three have come against South Africa (all since 2011). Pakistan's total is also the fifth-lowest in the second innings of a Test and the lowest such total since New Zealand's 47 against England in 1958.
  • Dale Steyn's 6 for 8 is his second-best bowling performance in Tests, surpassed only by his 7 for 51 against India in Nagpur in 2010. It is his 20th five-wicket haul and fourth in Johannesburg. Steyn's figures are also the second-best by a South African bowler in Tests against Pakistan after Paul Adams' 7 for 128 in Lahore in 2003. Steyn's 6 for 8 is also the fourth-best bowling performance in Johannesburg and the second-best at the venue since South Africa's readmission. The number of runs conceded by Steyn (8) is the fifth-lowest by a bowler picking up a five-wicket haul. Among South African bowlers, only Vernon Philander has conceded fewer runs while picking up a five-for.
  • Steyn, playing his 63rd Test, has now picked up 318 wickets at an average of 22.87. While his strike rate of 40.9 is the best among bowlers with 300-plus wickets, his average is the ninth-best on the list. In six Tests against Pakistan, Steyn has picked up 25 wickets at an average of 23.80 and strike rate of 40.9. He is also the fourth-highest wicket-taker in Johannesburg with 42 wickets in eight Tests. However, his strike rate (32.7) and average (19.61) are the best among bowlers with 25-plus wickets at the venue.
  • For the first time ever, Pakistan were bowled out without any of the batsmen passing a score of 13. The number of overs in Pakistan's innings (29.1) is the fifth-lowest for them in a completed innings. It is also the fourth-lowest number of overs in a team innings against South Africa.
  • The lead of 204 is the fifth-highest for South Africa in Tests in Johannesburg. The highest lead when South Africa have batted first at the venue (230 runs) also came against Pakistan in 1995 when the hosts won by 324 runs. Click here for a list of leads in matches when South Africa have batted first in Johannesburg and here for the matches when South Africa have batted second. South Africa have won on each of the previous four occasions when the lead has exceeded 200. Pakistan, however, have never chased a 400-plus target and have managed to draw only five of the previous 21 matches when they have been set a target greater than 400.
  • AB de Villiers ended up with six catches in Pakistan's first innings. This is the 24th instance overall (sixth for South Africa) that a wicketkeeper has taken six or more catches in an innings. Only Ridley Jacobs, Ian Smith, Bob Taylor and Wasim Bari have picked up more catches (7) in an innings. This is also the seventh time that Pakistan have had nine or more batsmen out caught in an innings against South Africa.
  • The 108-run stand between De Villiers and Hashim Amla is the joint third-highest fourth-wicket stand for South Africa against Pakistan and and their highest such stand against Pakistan in Johannesburg. It is the fifth century partnership between the two and their second-best in Johannesburg after the 147 against Australia in 2011.

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan is a sub-editor (stats) at ESPNcricinfo