Several lows for Australia

Stats highlights from Australia's first innings at Headingley, when they were dismissed for 88 against Pakistan

21-Jul-2010

When Ricky Ponting won the toss and chose to bat at Headingley, he wouldn't have imagined even in his worst nightmares that Australia would be bowling less than halfway into the first day. That's exactly what happened, though, as Pakistan's incredible bowling effort ensured Australia's first innings lasted all of 33.1 overs. Here are some of the statistical highlights from the innings.

When Australia lost their eighth wicket for 73, they were on course for their lowest Test score against Pakistan. However, Tim Paine's 17 pushed them past that mark of 80.

Australia's total of 88 is their lowest in the first innings of a Test match in the last 53 years, and their seventh-lowest overall. The last time they'd been dismissed for a lower score was way back in 1956, also against Pakistan, when they made 80 in Karachi. Pakistan ended up winning that game by nine wickets. On that occasion too, Australia had won the toss, with Ian Johnson making the call to bat first. In terms of overs, this is Australia's fourth-lowest in the first innings of a Test.

Australia's total is the lowest in the first innings after they've won the toss and chosen to bat in the last 50 years.

Paine's score of 17 is the fourth-lowest top-score for Australia in a Test innings in which all 11 batsmen have batted. This, then, makes it Australia's lowest top score in the last 110 years. The three previous ones were all against England: 10 in Sydney in 1888, 15 at The Oval in 1886, and 16 again at The Oval in 1896.

For Pakistan, this is the fourth-lowest total that they have bowled out an opposition team for. It's their third-lowest, though, after they've lost the toss.

Pakistan's outstanding start has put them in line for their first Test win against Australia since Sydney, 1995, when they won a dead rubber by 74 runs. The last time they won a live game was that famous one-wicket thriller in Karachi in 1994. Australia are also in danger of losing their first live game by an innings since India beat them in Kolkata in 1998. The last time Pakistan beat Australia by an innings was a decade before that, when they won by an innings and 188 runs on designer pitch in Karachi where Mudassar Nazar and Aamer Malik opened the bowling in both innings. Conditions couldn't be more different at Headingley, but can Pakistan repeat that result?

Australia Pakistan Australia vs Pakistan Pakistan tour of England Australia tour of England and Ireland

S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo