Cape Town by the numbers

Quick Single: Warner in for tough time

Quick Single: Steyn inspired by Mitch

The Decider. That’s what everyone is calling the third Test in Cape Town.

The winner will claim the series, the loser will be asked to leave the country (most likely after the three-match T20 series).

Over the course of three weeks, Australia’s travels have taken them to venues with increasingly better records.

No Australian Test team had ever won at SuperSport Park in Centurion. A better record waited in Port Elizabeth – a 3-2 advantage at St George’s Park. And in Cape Town, out of 12 Tests between these two teams the visitors have walked away with the ‘W’ nine times.

As of today, Australia are now 1-1 in Centurion and 3-3 in Port Elizabeth. Time to hit double figures at Newlands.

In terms of leaders with bat and ball in Cape Town, Matthew Hayden has the most runs (285 @ 71.25) and Shane Warne the most wickets (17 @ 27.35).

Some bad news in recent times for Australia though, losing their last two matches at the venue.

In 2009, Bryce McGain will remember it for his Test debut; the record books will remember the worst debut in history.

Mitchell Johnson was the highlight in a lost cause, belting his first Test century, finishing with 123 not out from 103 balls.

In 2011, after securing a healthy first-innings lead thanks to Shane Watson’s 5-17 and Michael Clarke’s 151, Australia were humbled to 9-21 before top-scorer Nathan Lyon (14) and Peter Siddle (12 not out) crept the score to 47. 

We don’t like talking about that game.

And since we’re on the topic of not-so-great news, Australia’s tormentors from PE have performed exceptionally well at Newlands.

Spearhead Dale Steyn is the leading wicket-taker for South Africa (13 @ 17.69), while AB de Villiers (186 @ 46.50) and Hashim Amla (161 @ 53.66) equally enjoy the Western Cape.

We know how crucial the winner of the toss is in Centurion (even though Australia broke that long record), but what about in Cape Town?

Well, losing the toss isn’t such a bad thing. In 50 Tests, the team winning the toss has only won 20 times, suffering as many losses and 10 draws.

Five times teams have scored more than 300 in the fourth innings, the highest coming in 2004 by the West Indies, holding on for 100 overs to make 5-354 to draw the game.

The highest successful run chase is by Steve Waugh’s Australia in 2002, tracking down 334 inside 80 overs, with Ricky Ponting finishing unbeaten on 100.

That match was Shane Warne’s 100^th in Tests, and he should remember it, bowling 70 overs with a strained hamstring in the second innings. He’d go on to take 6-161 and Man of the Match honours.

Finally, if this match wasn’t big enough already, South Africa are aiming to beat Australia at home for the first time since readmission. 

Can they do it? Looking at the stats, they’re probably favourites. However, after gazing into my crystal ball for 45 minutes, I can confirm this will be a close one: Australia by an innings and 72 runs.