Australia vs England – Fifth Test at Sydney in Jan 2011 : Australia won by an innings and 83 runs

Australia was led by MJ Clarke as RT Ponting was injured. MJ Clarke became the 43^rd captain to lead Australia in tests. MJ Clarke became the 39^th Australian captain to lead against England.

RT Ponting has led Australia against England in 19 tests and is on par with DG Bradman. Only AR Border {29} has led Australia in more tests against England than DG Bradman and RT Ponting.

Australia capped MA Beer and UT Khwaja for this test. They became the 418^th and 419^th cricketers to represent Australia in tests. They became the 238^th and 239^th Australian cricketer to make their debut against England.

MJ Johnson scored 53 in this game which represents his seventh fifty and sixth half century. His seven fifties read thus – 123* vs South Africa at Cape Town in Mar 2009 : 96* vs South Africa at Johannesburg in Feb 2009 : 64 vs South Africa at Sydney in Jan 2009 : 63 vs England at Lord’s in Jul 2009 : 53 vs England at Sydney in Jan 2011 and 50* vs India at Perth in Jan 2008.

UT Khawaja became the first Pakistan born cricketer to represent Australia in tests. He scored 37 and 21 on his test debut.

UT Khawaja became the 18^th Australian cricketer to make debut batting at number three. He is the fifth Australian cricketer to make debut at number three in a Sydney test. Others are M Moses vs England in Jan 1887: RC Allen vs England in Feb 1887: WH Ponsford vs England in Dec 1924 and GN Yallop vs West Indies in Jan 1976.

MH Sievers is the last Australian cricketer to make debut against England while batting at number three. He made his debut at Brisbane in Dec 1936 -75 years ago. JL Langer was the last batsman to make his debut while batting at number three. He made his debut against West Indies in Jan 1993 – 18 years ago.

AJ Strauss scored 60 in this test which represent his 24^th test half century and 43^rd fifty. His knock represents his 18^th fifty as England captain {07 centuries plus 11 half centuries}. MA Atherton {30} : GA Gooch {27} : PBH May {25} : N Hussain {22} : MP Vaughan {22} and ER Dexter {21} are the other captains who have scored more fifties than AJ Strauss.

AN Cook {189}, IR Bell {115} and MJ Prior {118} scored hundreds in this test providing the seventh occasion of three or more England batsmen scoring hundreds in an innings against Australia. The other six occasions are – H Sutcliffe {194} : WR Hammond {112} and IAK Pataudi {102} in England’s first innings at Sydney in Dec 1932 : CJ Barnett {126} : L Hutton {100} : E Paynter {216*} and DCS Compton {102} in England’s first innings at Nottingham in Jun 1938 : L Hutton {364} : M Leyland {187} and J Hardstaff Jr {169} in England’s first innings at The Oval in Aug 1938 : RT Robinson {148} : DI Gower {215} and MW Gatting {100} in England’s first innings at Birmingham in Aug 1985 : BC Broad {162} : DI Gower {136} and CJ Richards {133} in England’s first innings at Perth in Dec 1986 and AJ Strauss {110} : AN Cook {235} and IJL Trott {135} in England’s first innings at Brisbane in Nov 2010.

For the first time in Australia-England test series, a series has witnessed has two occasions of England’s three batsmen scoring hundreds in a test innings against Australia. The two occasions are – AJ Strauss {110} : AN Cook {235} and IJL Trott {135} in England’s first innings at Brisbane in Nov 2010 and AN Cook {189}, IR Bell {115} and MJ Prior {118} in England’s first innings at Sydney in Jan 2011.

In England’s innings there were three century partnerships – 154 runs for the sixth wicket between AN Cook and IR Bell : 107 runs for the seventh wicket between IR Bell and MJ Prior and 102 for the eighth wicket between MJ Prior and TT Bresnan – providing the 11^th occasion of England’s batsman posting three century partnerships in an innings against Australia.

In England’s innings there were three century partnerships – 154 runs for the sixth wicket between AN Cook and IR Bell : 107 runs for the seventh wicket between IR Bell and MJ Prior and 102 for the eighth wicket between MJ Prior and TT Bresnan – providing the first occasion of England’s batsman posting century partnerships for sixth, seventh and eighth wickets – in an innings against Australia.

In England’s innings there were three century partnerships – 154 runs for the sixth wicket between AN Cook and IR Bell : 107 runs for the seventh wicket between IR Bell and MJ Prior and 102 for the eighth wicket between MJ Prior and TT Bresnan – providing the first occasion of a team posting century partnerships for consecutive – sixth, seventh and eighth wickets – in an innings in the annals of test cricket constituting a world record

The two century partnerships – 107 runs for the seventh wicket between IR Bell and MJ Prior and 102 for the eighth wicket between MJ Prior and TT Bresnan in England’s innings provided the second occasion of a team posting century partnerships for consecutive – seventh and eighth wickets – in an innings in the annals of test cricket. The first such occasion was witnessed in the test between Australia and India at Sydney in Jan 2008, when A Symonds and GB Hogg added 173 runs for the seventh wicket which was followed by another century stand of 114 runs for the eighth wicket of 114 runs between A Symonds and GB Hogg.

AN Cook completed 5000 runs of his test career when he was on 59 during the course of his knock of 189 in this test. At the end of this test his career aggregate stood at 5130. He became the 78^th batsman in the annals of test cricket to score 5000 plus runs and also the 20^th England batsman to reach the milestone.

AN Cook’s 189 represent his 16^th test hundred and 40^th fifty: IR Bell’s 115 represent his 12^th test hundred and 38^th fifty and MJ Prior’s 118 represent his fourth test hundred and 20^th fifty.

AN Cook’s 189, IR Bell’s 115 and MJ Prior’s 118 provide the 229^th, 230^th and 231^st hundred scored by England batsman against Australia.

MJ Prior’s 118 in this test provide the 163^rd occasion of a wicket keeper batsman scoring a hundred in the annals of test cricket. His knock provide the 34^th occasion of an England wicket keeper batsman scoring hundred and also the sixth occasion of an England wicket keeper batsman scoring a hundred against Australia. The other five occasions are – 120 by LEG Ames at Lord’s in Jun 1934 : 106* by APE Knott at Adelaide in Jan 1975 : 135 by APE Knott at Nottingham in Jul 1977 : 133 by CJ Richards at Perth in Nov 1986 and 128* by RC Russell at Manchester in Jul 1989

BW Hilfenhaus {121} : MG Johnson {168} : PM Siddle {111} and MA Beer {112} conceded 100 plus runs in this test providing the fourth occasion of four England bowlers conceding 100 plus runs in an innings against England. The other three occasions are witnessed in the test at Sydney in Dec 1932 – TW Wall {104} : LE Nagel {110} : WJ O’Reilly {117} and CV

Grimmett {118} : in the test at Nottingham in Jun 1938 – EL McCormick {108} : WJ O’Reilly {164} : LD Fleetwood-Smith {153} and FA Ward {142} and in the test at Perth in Dec 1986 – GF Lawson {126} : CD Matthews {112} : BA Reid {115} and GRJ Matthews {124}

BW Hilfenhaus {121} : MG Johnson {168} : PM Siddle {111} and MA Beer {112} conceded 100 plus runs in this test providing the tenth occasion of four England bowlers conceding 100 plus runs in an innings against various oppositions.

MA Beer returned with figures of 1 for 112 in this test providing the 214^th occasion of a bowler conceding 100 plus runs in an innings on his debut. His figures provide the 37^th occasion of an Australian bowler conceding 100 plus runs in an innings on debut against various oppositions. His figures provide the 16^th occasion of an Australian conceding 100 plus runs in an innings on debut against England

MG Johnson conceded 168 runs in this test providing the 53^rd occasion of Australian bowlers conceding 150 plus runs in an innings against various oppositions and 26th such occasion against England.

England won this test by an innings and 81 runs which is third innings victory in this series. The other two innings wins are – by an innings and 71 runs at Adelaide in Dec 2010 and by an innings and 157 runs at Melbourne in Dec 2010 providing the first occasion of England winning three tests by an innings margin against Australia.

England had won two tests of a series by an innings margin against England on the following occasions – 1886 test series {by an innings and 106 runs at Lord’s in Jul 1886 and by an innings nad 217 runs at The Oval in Aug 1886} : 1956 series {by an innings and 42 runs at Leeds in Jul 1956 and by an innings and 170 runs at Manchester in Jul 1956} and in 1985 series {by an innings and 118 runs at Birmingham in Aug 1986 and by an innings and 94 runs at The Oval in Aug 1985}

England has won three tests by an innings margin on four occasions which includes the just concluded series against Australia. The other three are – against West Indies in 1957 {by an innings and 36 runs at Lord’s in Jun 1957 : by an innings and 5 runs at Leeds in Jul 1957 and by an innings and 237 runs at The Oval in Aug 1957} : against New Zealand in 1958 – {by an innings and 148 runs at Lord’s in Jun 1958 : by an innings and 71 runs at Leeds in Jul 1958 and by an innings and 13 runs at Manchester in Jul 1958} : against India in 1959 {by an innings and 59 runs at Nottingham in Jun 1959 : by an innings and 173 runs at Leeds in Jul 1959 and by an innings and 27 runs at The Oval in Aug 1959}