England's worst middle-order collapses

Stats highlights from the second day's play of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba

Shiva Jayaraman

22-Nov-2013

Brad Haddin's catch off Mitchell Johnson gave him his 200th Test dismissal, Australia v England, 1st Test, Brisbane, 2nd day, November 22, 2013

England managed to score a total of just nine runs for their fourth to eighth-wicket stands, which is their second-lowest ever for these wickets in Tests. The only occasion when they fared worse came in 1954 in the second innings against West Indies in Kingston when their fourth to eighth wicket partnerships aggregated five runs. The performance was also England's worst-ever first-innings collapse in Tests and the second-lowest middle-order collapse in the Ashes.

England's score of 136 was the sixth-lowest first-innings score at the Gabba in Tests and the third-lowest ever in the first innings (out of 40) of an Ashes Test played at this venue. There have been only seven scores of less than 150 runs in the first innings at the Gabba.

Brad Haddin's catch off Mitchell Johnson to dismiss Jonathan Trott was his 200th dismissal in Tests, in 95 innings. Haddin is the second-fastest wicketkeeper to 200 dismissals in Tests after Adam Gilchrist, who took 92 innings. Click here for a list of wicketkeepers fastest to 200 dismissals in Tests.

Haddin's dismissal for 94 on the second day was only the third instance of a batsman being run-out in the nineties in the Ashes and the first since Mike Atherton was run-out on 99 at Lord's in 1993.

Stuart Broad's five-wicket haul was his 11th in Tests and his fifth in the Ashes. Mitchell Johnson's wicket on the first day was Broad's 50th dismissal of this year. He is the first bowler to take 50 wickets in Tests this year. Broad's tally is also the 17th instance of an England bowler taking 50 or more wickets in Tests in a year.

The last time Johnson bowled at the Gabba, against England in 2010, he went for 170 runs from 42 overs without a wicket. He made amends this time though, taking 4 for 61 from 17 overs. Johnson has now taken 21 wickets at the Gabba - the second most successful venue for him - at an average of 24.09 and a strike rate of 42.7.

England's fans should, by now, be familiar with the sight of the team posting below-par scores in the first innings of the first Test of an away series. Their first innings score of 136 was the fifth consecutive time, since 2012, that the side was dismissed for 200 in the first innings of an away series.

England's scores in the first innings of an away series, since Jan 2012
Score	Opposition	Venue	Series
192	Pakistan	Dubai	England tour of UAE, 2011-12
193	Sri Lanka	Galle	England tour of Sri Lanka, 2011-12
191	India	Ahmedabad	England tour of India, 2012-13
167	New Zealand	Dunedin	Englad tour of New Zealand, 2012-13
136	Australia	Brisbane	England tour of Australia, 2013-14

Since January 2012, England have been all-out for less than 200 runs eight times in 24 away-innings. Among the top-eight Test-teams, only India and New Zealand have done worse. In contrast, at home, England haven't been dismissed for under 200 in 25 innings played during this period.

Teams out for <200 in away Tests since 2012
Team	all-out for <200	Inns	%age
India	3	6	50%
New Zealand	8	23	35%
England	8	24	33%
West Indies	4	13	31%
Sri Lanka	2	8	25%
Pakistan	6	26	23%
Australia	3	24	13%
South Africa	0	11	-

Australia England Australia vs England England tour of Australia

Shiva Jayaraman is a sub-editor (stats) at ESPNcricinfo.com