Sri Lanka’s batting numbers presented a sorry picture at the end of their 3-0 series drubbing in Johannesburg
S Rajesh14-Jan-201716 Wickets lost by Sri Lanka on the third day in Johannesburg, their most in a single day of Test cricket. Their previous most was 15, on the third day of the Bangalore Test against India in January 1994.88.1 Overs faced by Sri Lanka in the entire Test; only three times have they survived fewer balls when losing 20 wickets in a Test, and two of those were also in South Africa. This is their sixth-lowest balls faced in any Test they have lost – there were two instances when one or more batsman was injured and didn’t bat in the second innings.
Opposition Runs Wkts Balls faced Ground YearAustralia 259 17 408 Melbourne 2012England 210 20 433 Leeds 2016South Africa 275 20 504 Cape Town 2001Pakistan 210 19 514 Kandy 1986South Africa 330 20 521 Centurion 2011South Africa 308 20 529 Johannesburg 2017Pakistan 305 20 539 Kandy 1994West Indies 375 18 619 St John’s 199718.8 Sri Lanka’s average runs per wicket in this series, their second-lowest in any series of three or more Tests. The only instance when they averaged lower was also in South Africa, in 2000-01, when they averaged 18.05 runs per wicket. Sri Lanka had only three 50-plus scores in the three matches, which equals their lowest in a three-Test series.59 Sri Lanka’s highest score in the series, their lowest top score in any series of two or more Tests. Their previous lowest was 77, also in South Africa, in the two-Test series in 1997-98.4 Instances of South Africa winning all Tests of a series of three or more matches. All of them have been at home – against Australia in 1969-70, against West Indies (1998-99), against Pakistan (2012-13), and this one. For Sri Lanka, this is the fifth time they have been on the receiving end of a series whitewash (three or more Tests).6 Instances of South Africa beating Sri Lanka by an innings, out of their 14 wins against them. The innings-and-118-run win was their third-largest margin of victory against Sri Lanka.
Margin Toss Ground Yearinns & 229 runs lost Cape Town 2001inns & 208 runs lost Colombo (SSC) 1993inns & 118 runs won Johannesburg 2017inns & 81 runs won Centurion 2011inns & 64 runs lost Johannesburg 2002inns & 7 runs lost Centurion 20016 Wickets for Wayne Parnell in the match, his best in a Test. In four previous Tests he had only taken seven wickets.22 Instances of Sri Lanka following on in Tests, of which three have been against South Africa. They have lost 19 of those – including all to South Africa – and drawn only three. South Africa have enforced the follow on 27 times, but the last time they did so before this Test was in December 2014, against West Indies.
