20 statistical highlights from 2nd New Zealand – Australia Test at Christchurch

Though Australia won the match and the series, this match was all about New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum’s farewell and his epic knock in the first innings, which set the tone of the match from day one.

The second and the last Test of the Trans-Tasman Trophy 2015-16 at Christchurch ended in favour of Australia as they won it by seven wickets while chasing a total of 201 in the fourth innings of the match. Though Australia won the match and the series, this match was all about New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum’s farewell and his epic knock in the first innings, which set the tone of the match from day one. Bowling first, Australia bowled out New Zealand for 370 in the first innings. Australia then scored a huge total of 505, taking a good lead of 135 runs. New Zealand struggled in their second innings but managed to score 335 runs and thus set a target of 201 runs for the Australians, which was not a very difficult task for them. Like other matches, this one too broke and set many records and Abhishek Kumar is back with his list of statistical highlights from this match.

1.  New Zealand skipper McCullum completed his century in just 54 balls, which is now the fastest century in Tests. Previous best record was jointly held by former West Indies captain Viv Richards and Pakistan’s Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, as they had scored theirs in 56 balls.

2.  McCullum ended his innings after scoring 145 runs. This is a record for most runs scored by any captain in his final Test.

3.  McCullum scored the fastest Test century on February 20, 2016 and on the same day in 2015; he had scored the fastest fifty in World Cup history in just 18 balls against England. Coincidence!

4.  Quite obviously, McCullum’s century in 54 balls is also the fastest hundred by any player in his last Test.

5.  McCullum hit 67 sixes in Tests at home, which is most sixes by any player at home in the longer format.

6.  New Zealand scored 370 in the first innings of the match at the run rate of 5.63, which is the second fastest rate of scoring runs by any team with the total of more than 350.

7.  McCullum and Corey Anderson put up a partnership of 179 in just 110 balls, which is now the fastest partnership for any wicket by any pair scoring more than 150 runs together in Tests.

8.  Mitchell Marsh conceded 62 runs in the first innings of the match in eight overs. This is now the most expensive spell of eight overs bowled any Australian bowler in Tests and fifth most expensive overall.

9.  Joe Burns’ 170 in the second innings came without a six, which is now a record for the second most runs scored by any Australian against New Zealand without a six after David Boon’s 200 at Perth on November 24, 1989.

10.  Burns’ 170 is the highest score by an Australian opener in New Zealand.

11.  Burns and Steve Smith put up a partnership of 289 runs, which is the highest partnership for any wicket by an Australian pair against New Zealand in their own backyard.

12.  McCullum and Smith are the second pair of New Zealand – Australia captains to make hundreds in a Test after Bevan Congdon and Ian Chappell at Wellington in 1973-74.

13.  Throughout the match, McCullum hit seven sixes, which makes him the second cricketer to have more than 100 sixes in Tests after former Australian batsman Adam Gilchrist. Overall, he has most sixes in this format of the game with 107.

14.  McCullum scored 25 in his last innings, which took his match tally to 170 runs in his last Test, which is the most runs scored by any captain in his final Test.

15.  New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson scored 97 runs in the third innings of the match and completed his 4,000 runs in Tests taking 89 innings. This is a record for the fastest 4,000 runs scored by any Kiwi batsman in Tests.

16.  Williamson is also the third youngest cricketer to complete his 4,000 runs in Tests at the age of 25 years and 199 days after Sachin Tendulkar (24 years and 224 days) and Alastair Cook (25 years and 79 days).

17.  Matt Henry scored 60 runs at number nine. This is the record for second most runs scored by a Kiwi batsman at number nine against Australia after Adam Parore’s 110 at WACA in 2001.

18.  Australia won the second Test by seven wickets and series 2-0. This is New Zealand’s first series defeat at home under McCullum’s captaincy.

19.  Australia is the second team to choose fielding after winning the toss at Christchurch and first team to win a Test against New Zealand at this venue by fielding first.

20.  Adam Voges and Usman Khawaja are currently averaging more than 100 in the current season and this is the second instance of two batsmen averaging more than 100 for the same team in the same season. Mudassar Nazar and Zaheer Abbas was the first pair to do so.

(Abhishek Kumar is a cricket devotee currently staffing with Criclife.com. He can be followed at abhicricket.kumar and @abhishekkr2593)