Interesting records scripted by England batters in Pakistan Test series
England beat Pakistan in the third and final Test to seal the series 3-0. The visitors chased down 167 having made a thunderous start in the final session on Day 3. Ben Duckett (82*) and Ben Stokes (35*) got them home on Day 4. England batters showcased their 'Bazball' approach throughout the series. Here are some interesting records scripted by them.
Centuries in each game of an away series
Harry Brook, the Player of the Series, smashed his third Test century in the first innings of the Karachi Test. The dasher accomplished the feat in only his fourth career Test. As per ESPNcricinfo, Brook has become only the second batter to score hundreds in each game of an away series (three or more Tests). New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell attained this feat this year.
Another record for Brook
Brook is the eighth England batter to have scored centuries in three consecutive away Tests. Ken Barrington, Jack Hobbs, Wally Hammond, Chris Broad, Root, Andrew Strauss, and Alastair Cook are the other England batters with this feat.
An uncanny run rate of 5.50
England finished the Test series with a run rate of 5.50. According to ESPNcricinfo, they are the first side to have a run rate of five or more in a Test series (three or more matches). Australia held this record previously, having recorded a run rate of 4.66 against the West Indies in the three-match home series in 2015/16.
England have aced the run-chases this year
As per Mazher Arshad, England batters scored 1,833 runs in the 4th innings (Test matches) in 2022. This is the most by any team in Test history in a calendar year. Moreover, England have registered four Test centuries in run-chases this year (two each by Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow). This is also a first for any team in the format.
Most Test sixes in a calendar year
England have broken India's record for slamming the most number of Test sixes in a calendar year. The Indians hammered 87 maximums last year in the format. The Ben Stokes-led side now owns 89 of them in 2022.
England break a 112-year-old record
England posted 506/4 on Day 1 of the Rawalpindi Test, riding on centuries from Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Brook. They became the first side to slam over 500 runs on Day 1 of a Test. In 1910, Australia smashed 494 runs against South Africa in Sydney. Australia recorded a similar feat in 2012, smashing 482 runs against the same opposition.
A rarity!
Crawley (122), Duckett (107), Pope (108), and Brook (153) completed their respective hundreds on Day 1. According to the ICC, it was the first instance of four batters scoring tons on Day 1 of a Test match.
Third-fastest Test ton for England; 6 fours in an over
Brook (153) smashed the third-fastest Test ton by an England batter (80 balls). He also smashed 6 fours in an over (off Saud Shakeel). It was the fifth such instance in Tests (Sandeep Patil vs Bob Willis in 1982, Chris Gayle vs Matthew Hoggard in 2004, Ramnaresh Sarwan vs Munaf Patel in 2006, and Sanath Jayasuriya vs James Anderson in 2007).
