Cape Town Day 2 in numbers: Sensational Stokes, serene Bairstow

Tags: England tour of South Africa 2015-16, South Africa Vs England 2nd Test at Cape Town, Jan 02-06, 2016, South Africa, England, Benjamin Andrew Stokes, Jonathan Marc Bairstow

Published on: Jan 03, 2016

Scorecard | Commentary | Graphs

England dominated day two of the Cape Town Test, smashing 629 for 6 as the visitors were in command. Ben Stokes made a sensational 258 while Jonny Bairstow registered his maiden hundred

England dominated day two of the Cape Town Test, smashing 629 for 6 as the visitors were in command. Ben Stokes made a sensational 258 while Jonny Bairstow registered his maiden hundred. In response, South Africa ended the day in some kind of strife at 141 for 2. It was a record-filled day thanks to Stokes in particular. Here’s a look at some impressive numbers from day two of the Cape Town Test.

Stokes recorded the second fastest double century in Test cricket, off 163 balls. The fastest double hundred in Test matches remains by Nathan Astle, off 153 balls against England at Christchurch in 2002. The previous fastest double hundred by an Englishman was by Ian Botham, He registered 200 in 220 balls against India at The Oval in 1982.

Stokes’ 258 came off 198 balls with 30 fours and 11 sixes at a strike rate of 130.30.

Stokes smashed an amazing 130 runs in the first session of the Test on Day 2. This is the most scored by any batsman in the first session of a Test match.

Stokes and Bairstow featured in a huge 399-run stand for the sixth wicket. This is the second highest partnership for England for any wicket. The best partnership by England is 411 between Colin Cowdrey and Peter May against West Indies at Edgbaston in 1957. This is also the second highest partnership against South Africa for any wicket, after the record 624 by the Sri Lankan pair of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

Stokes’ 11 sixes is the second most in an individual innings in Tests. The most is by Wasim Akram, who hit 12 sixes during his 257 against Zimbabwe. Nathan Astle, Matthew Hayden and Brendon McCullum are the others to have hit 11 sixes in a Test innings.

Stokes (258) and Bairstow (150 not out) combined to score 408 runs out of England’s total of 629. This is the most the number six and number seven have scored in combination in a Test match. Interestingly, this is the first time that two batsmen batting at number six or lower than that have registered 150-plus scores in Tests.

Bairstow ended up unbeaten on 150 from 191 balls, having hit 18 fours and two sixes. This score is the third highest by an England wicket-keeper in Tests.

England’s run rate during the innings was a rather impressive 4.99.

This was not a day for South African bowlers to remember. Four of them conceded runs overs 100 – two of them actually went for over 150. Morne Morkel (114), Chris Morris (150), Kagiso Rabada (175) and Dane Piedt (112).

Morris’ 150 is the second most by a South African bowler on debut. George Parker conceded 152 in Test in 1924.

During day two, Hashim Amla finally broke his half-century drought. The last time he scored crossed fifty in an international match was when he made 124 against New Zealand in an ODI at Christchurch in August 2015.

--By A Cricket Statsman

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