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Panesar's Perth conquest

Statshighlights from the first day at Perth

S Rajesh
S Rajesh
14-Dec-2006
The first day at Perth was all about Monty Panesar. Kept out of the side for the first two matches, Panesar leapt at the opportunity to make an impact, becoming only the second spinner ever to take a five-for in the first innings of a Perth match, after Bruce Yardley. Apart from those two, only Shane Warne and Abdul Qadir have taken three or more wickets in the first innings here.
Best bowling by a spinner in the first innings of a Test at Perth
Bowler Figures Against
Monty Panesar 5 for 92 Australia, 2006-07
Bruce Yardley 5 for 107 England, 1982-83
Shane Warne 4 for 83 New Zealand, 1997-98
Shane Warne 3 for 75 Sri Lanka, 1995-96
Abdul Qadir 3 for 121 Australia, 1983-84
Panesar also became only the fourth spinner to take a five-for at this venue in a Test, and the fifth to take one in all international matches. The only ones before him were Yardley and Bishan Bedi (both twice), and Daniel Vettori. Interestingly, four of the five five-fors here have been taken by left-arm spinners (Yardley is the exception): the only one in ODIs was by Ravi Shastri. The best that Shane Warne has managed is 4 for 83 against New Zealand in 1997-98.
Five-fors by spinners at Perth in internationals
Bowler Figures Test/ ODI Against
Bruce Yardley 6 for 84 Test Pakistan, 1981-82
Daniel Vettori 6 for 87 Test Australia, 2001-02
Bishan Bedi 5 for 89 Test Australia, 1977-78
Monty Panesar 5 for 92 Test Australia, 2006-07
Bishan Bedi 5 for 105 Test Australia, 1977-78
Bruce Yardley 5 for 107 Test England, 1982-83
Ravi Shastri 5 for 15 ODI Australia, 1991-92
Other stats
47 - The opening partnership between Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer. It's their highest in nine tries at Perth.
6 - The number of times Matthew Hayden has been dismissed by Matthew Hoggard in Tests. Only Makhaya Ntini has nailed him more times. (Click here for the list of bowlers who have dismissed Hayden most often.)
85.35 - Michael Hussey's batting average. His last five innings have all produced fifty-plus scores, and he only has two sub-20 innings out of 23 in Tests. (Click here for his stats before this Test.)

S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo