Just like a magnetic needle in a compass which always points to the North, Test matches these days are always swinging in favour of the home team! Although we got to witness some fluctuations in the ongoing Gabba Test, it has completely swung in favour of Australia by Stumps on Day 4.
Australia need just 56 runs on Day 5 with all 10 wickets in hand to win the Test match to go 1-0 up in the 2017/18 Ashes series. Only a fool would give England a chance in this Test at this moment!
Australian bowlers have been brilliant on Day 4 and the dismissal of Joe Root just after reaching his half-century must be the turning point for the hosts. Also, the controversial dismissal of Moeen Ali has also added the much needed fuel to the War of Words on social media!
Nonetheless it has been a great day of Test cricket. One should give Australia credit for putting on such a show after Smith’s inspiring show with the bat on Day 3. I have collected some of the stats from Day 4 at The Gabba:
8 – Joe Root has scored his half-century (score of 51) in the second innings of The Gabba Test. This is his 8th fifty-plus score in Tests in 2017. Only Rahul (9), Pujara (9) and Elgar (9) has scored more this year till date!
4 – Steve Smith has taken 4 catches in the England’s second innings standing in slips. This is the first time he has taken as many catches in a single innings of a Test matches. There have been 20 other instances of an Australian fielder taking 4 catches in a single Test innings. Vic Richardson (in 1936) is the only Australian player to take 5 catches in a single Test innings.
Lyon got the wicket of Moeen in both the innings of this Test
1st inns: Moeen lbw b Lyon
2nd inns: Moeen st Paine b Lyon#Ashes #AUSvENG— Cric Stat (@Cric_Stat) November 26, 2017
51 – Nathan Lyon now have fifty wickets in Tests in 2017, third bowler overall to reach there this year after South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada (54) and Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath (52).
114* – David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have put on a century-plus stand for the first wicket which is unbeaten 114* at stumps on Day 4. This is Australia’s first 100+ opening stand since 151 by Warner and Renshaw in January earlier this year.
Click here to check the stats on Day 1 of The Gabba Test.
Click here to check the stats on Day 2 of The Gabba Test.
Click here to check the stats on Day 3 of The Gabba Test.
