Stats highlights from the second day of the Dunedin Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka
Bharath Seervi11-Dec-20152.51 The run rate on the second day in Dunedin: 219 runs were scored in 87.1 overs. On the first day, 419 runs were scored in 90 overs at rate of 4.54 runs per over. There were 23 maidens on the second day, compared to seven on the first.19.05 Sri Lanka’s average opening stand in Tests in 2015, their second-lowest in any year where they have had ten or more partnerships. In 2006, they averaged 18.60 in 21 innings. This year their openers have had only one fifty-plus stand – 56 between Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva against West Indies in Galle. Among all teams in 2015, only West Indies have a lower opening partnership average than Sri Lanka.293 Number of balls faced by Dinesh Chandimal and Karunaratne in their partnership of 122, which is the highest by a Sri Lankan pair in New Zealand. The previous best was 285 balls, between Mahela Jayawardene and Marvan Atapattu in Napier in 2005. Overall, this is the fourth-highest for Sri Lanka against New Zealand (where balls-faced data is known).6 Number of 75-plus scores for Karunaratne in Tests, the fourth highest among Sri Lankan openers, after Sanath Jayasuriya (23), Atapattu (21) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (11).792 Dinesh Chandimal’s aggregate runs in Tests in 2015, which is the highest among Sri Lankan players this year. His tally is also the highest among batsmen from the subcontinent teams this year, going past Younis Khan’s 789.4 Number of times Nuwan Pradeep has taken four wickets in a Test innings. He has never taken a five-wicket haul in his 16-Test career. He is one of 11 players to play less than 20 Tests and take 40 or more wickets without taking any five-wicket hauls; his average is the poorest among them.4.48 New Zealand’s run rate in their first innings – they scored 431 in 96.1 overs. It is their second-highest scoring rate against Sri Lanka in Tests. Their fastest is 5.13, when they scored 441 in 85.5 overs in the Boxing Day Test in Christchurch last year.9 Number of times BJ Watling has taken four or more catches in a Test innings; only Adam Parore (13) and Ian Smith (11) have done it more often among New Zealand wicketkeepers, while Brendon McCullum has also done it nine times. If Watling takes another catch in Sri Lanka’s first innings, he will be the first New Zealand wicketkeeper to take five or more catches in an innings five times; he is currently tied with McCullum on four.
