Cricket is back from the COVID-19 break

127

The number of days when no Test cricket was played the world over. The truncated opening day of the first Test match of the series between England and the West Indies at Southampton on July 8 made this lull the joint-third longest span of days when no Test cricket was played around the world in the last 50 years. Interestingly, in the last two years, there has twice been a lull in Test cricket spanning exactly 127 days.

Longest spans with no Test matches played since 1970 (i.e. last 50 years)

6

The number of players who have achieved the all-rounder’s double of 4,000 runs and 150 wickets in Test cricket. England’s Ben Stokes did so in the opening Test against the West Indies at Southampton while captaining his side for the first time. By reaching this landmark in just 64 Tests, Stokes is now the second quickest player after Garry Sobers to do so.

Fewest matches to complete the all-rounder’s double of 4,000 runs and 150 wickets in Tests

Note: The runs and wickets tallies are updated until the end of the Test match.

4

The number of times Joe Root has been run out in his Test career as captain. His dismissal in this manner in the second Test at Manchester means he now holds the dubious record of being run out on the most occasions while captaining the England Test team.

Run out on most occasions as England captain

5

The number of occasions on which visiting captains have taken hauls of six or more wickets in England. Jason Holder of the West Indies became the only third after Pakistan’s Imran Khan (thrice) and Aussie Richie Benaud to do so. Holder’s figures at Southampton are now the third best by a visiting captain in England.

Six-wicket hauls by visiting captains in England

Note: For the record, no Indian captain has claimed even a five-wicket haul in England. The best is 4/52 by Kapil Dev at Lord’s in 1986 – the only four-wicket haul by an Indian captain in England!

16

The number of England players who have achieved the all-rounder’s double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in Test cricket. England’s Chris Woakes became the latest to do so when he claimed his 100th wicket against the West Indies in the second Test at Manchester. Having done so in his 34th Test, Woakes took the third fewest number of matches among England players, behind Ian Botham and Maurice Tate.

Fewest Test matches to achieve the all-rounder’s double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets for England

Note: The runs and wickets tallies are updated until the end of the Test match.

7

The number of Test bowlers in the 500-wicket club. Stuart Broad joined teammate Jimmy Anderson during the final Test of the series against the West Indies in Manchester.

The 500-wicket club in Test cricket

Notes:

- The players are listed in chronological order.

- Muralitharan (87 Tests) is quickest to reach this landmark, while Broad (140) took the longest.

- Muralitharan took the fewest days (4,219) from debut to do so and Walsh (5,975 days) the longest.

- The wickets tally is updated until the end of Test innings when the 500th wicket was claimed.

79

The number wickets claimed by Stuart Broad in the fourth innings of Test matches, reaching the mark at the end of the England-West Indies series. This is now the maximum wickets in the fourth innings of Test cricket by any England bowler. Broad went past his teammate Jimmy Anderson’s tally of 78 wickets.

Most wickets for England in the fourth innings of Test matches

All records are updated until August 25, 2020, at the end of the third Test between England and the West Indies.