B_11zon

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We are just a few days away from witnessing the World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand. Six Test matches have been played in Southampton ground so far. Interestingly, India remains to be the only team to lose all the Tests that they have played in Southampton ground. Let us see so far how Test matches have fared in The Ageas Bowl

1. Scores in brief of all six Test matches

1st innings : 184, 569/7 (decl.), 246, 204, 236 & 583/8 (decl.)

2nd innings : 377/8 (decl.), 330, 273, 318, 110/4 (decl.) & 273

3rd innings: 334/5, 205/4 (decl.), 271, 313, DNB & 187/4

4th innings : DNB, 178, 184, 200/6, DNB & DNB.

DNB -> Did not Bat. (It can be noted that only in 3 out of 6 instances 4th inns has been played in Southampton)

From this, it can be clearly seen that rain has played a spoilsport in the Test matches that were played in Southampton, thus making 3 of the 6 Test matches end in a draw.

2. Innings and day-wise trend in Southampton 

(i) Batting average (1-7):

1st inns: 36.475

2nd inns: 36.55

3rd inns: 36.28

4th inns: 23.02 (The dip is seen majorly due to less number of innings played and pitch favouring bowlers on 4th or 5th day)

Note:- If the batsman remained not out, then his inning score has been added directly for average.

(ii) Team scores on a day



The above figures represent the number of runs per wicket and run per over on each day.        
  
Day 1   -  Team runs/wicket : 35.833    Team runs/overs : 3.00

Day 2  -  Team runs/wicket : 30.97       Team runs/overs : 3.41

Day 3  -  Team runs/wicket : 32.79       Team runs/overs : 3.18

Day 4  -  Team runs/wicket : 26.94       Team runs / overs : 2.66

Day 5  -  Team runs/wicket :  33.66       Team runs / overs : 3.28

From the above stats, it is clear that day-4 has been the big threat for batting side.

(iii) Toss factor

Team winning the toss opting to bat: 5

Team winning the toss opting to bowl: 1

Batting first

Wins: 2; Loss: 1; Draws: 3
       
Notably, the two wins which came while batting first is against team India. Team batting 2nd tend to bat most on 4th day and lose most of their matches in that phase alone.
 

(iv) Wickets Day-wise

             
Day 1   -   Wickets/Day : 4.33 (429.3 overs bowled overall)

Day 2  -   Wickets/Day : 7 (381 overs bowled overall)

Day 3  -   Wickets/Day : 6.8 (401.3 overs bowled)

Day 4  -   Wickets/Day : 6.166 (374.1 overs bowled)

Day 5  -   Wickets/Day : 4.2 (216.4 overs bowled)


     

Wickets taken by spinners in Southampton pitch: 41 (23 inns)

Wickets taken by pacers in Southampton pitch: 120 (28 inns)

Pace bowlers have had a bowling average of 34 and S/R of around 67, while spinners have had an average of 35.32 and S/R of 64.

Pace bowlers have picked 58 out of 120 wickets on Day-2 & 3 of the Test match, which has helped the team's cause.

(V) Bowling Inns wise:

1st inns:
Pace - 43 wickets (486.5 overs); Spin - 11 wickets (131.2 overs)

2nd inns: Pace - 40 wickets (423.4 overs); Spin - 11 wickets (98.1 overs)

3rd inns: Pace - 23 wickets (293.3 overs); Spin - 8 wickets (141.5 overs)

4th inns: Pace - 14 wickets (135 overs); Spin - 11 wickets (66.4 overs)

 



Spin bowlers have been more effective in the 4th innings of the Test match, however, there are only very few matches where 4th innings happened. 

10 out of 11 wickets have been picked by the off-spinner Moeen Ali. He has bowling figures of 6/67 & 4/71 in the 4th innings and both came against India.