The WACA Test by the numbers

5 Sub 90-ball hundreds scored in Tests at the WACA since the turn of the century. Adam Gilchrist scored his famous 57-ball Ashes ton here, and belted a forgotten hundred from 84 balls against the Zimbabweans as Matthew Hayden pillaged 380 at the other end. West Indian Chris Gayle managed a century in 70 balls against the Aussies in 2009-10, before it was David Warner's turn to light up the venue, going one ball faster than Gayle with a furious hundred in the final session of day one against India in 2011-12. Most recently, in 2012-13, Hashim Amla struck a majestic century from just 87 deliveries in a rare Australia-based victory for South Africa. 

WATCH: Gilchrist's stunning 57-ball ton

0 Test matches worth of experience for the Black Caps at the WACA. It’s a staggering statistic that Australia will doubtless look to expose, particularly on a pitch possessing unique characteristics. "That probably helps us a little bit. As a batsman it takes a little bit longer to get in (at the WACA)," Australia captain Steve Smith said in his pre-match press conference. "I guess probably at a lot of grounds around the world it's 20 or 30 balls to get in, (but) I reckon here it's probably more 40 or 50 to feel like you're in. And once you get in it’s one of the best places in the world to bat. It's nice to know that some of their players haven't played here and we've got a lot of experience here."

4 First-innings centurions for the Black Caps the last time they got the chance to play at the WACA. That was in 2001, when Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle and Lou Vincent, now disgraced after his role in match-fixing, all registered three figures before keeper-batsman Adam Parore came in and followed suit from No.9. The runs spree allowed the Kiwis to set the Australians a target of 440, and both sides almost won – the hosts finished 59 runs short, the New Zealand were left needing three wickets, and the match was drawn.

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The Black Caps' 2001 WACA centurions  // Getty Images

42 Wickets in just six Tests at the WACA for Mitchell Johnson. He averages 20 here and has his best Test innings figures at the venue, 8-61 against South Africa in December 2008. "I was really looking forward to (playing at the WACA) after the Brisbane Test and I've always done pretty well here," Johnson said in the build-up to this second Test. "I've had a lot of success and I've always enjoyed playing here. It's a home crowd for me now, so all my friends and family are here and they’re right behind me." 

3 Defeats for Australia in their past seven Tests in Perth – two to South Africa and one against India – making the Western Australian venue statistically the least successful for the home side in recent times. The December 2012 stumble against the Proteas was Australia’s last loss on home soil, while ironically, the Black Caps are the only team to beat the Aussies at any other Australian venue since the 2010-11 Ashes.

43.29 The bowling average of Tim Southee across seven Tests against Australia. That’s around 12 runs above his career mark of 31.89, while his strike-rate of 72.9 is also 10 balls above his overall record, and given the question marks over his fitness, those numbers do not augur well for New Zealand in what is a must-win clash. 

WATCH: Southee injury from the Gabba

12 Centuries scored by Adam Voges at the WACA in first-class cricket. That’s more than the rest of the 21 players in this Test have managed at the famous venue combined. "It’s home. I’ve grown up playing here," Voges said. "Whatever the pitch is, it’s nothing I haven’t seen or experienced before. I’ve had some really good success here over the last couple of years, so I’ll take a great deal of confidence out of not only last week (in Brisbane), but coming home and batting on my home strip."

30 years since New Zealand won a Test match at the WACA. That was their one and only success at the venue, but what a victory it was, as Sir Richard Hadlee’s 11 wickets bowled his side to a famous series win.

26 Batting average of Mitchell Marsh after eight Tests. The 24-year-old allrounder is bowling very well at present and despite his failure in Brisbane being more a selfless act of aggression as opposed to any technical flaw, his output at No.6 must be a concern. "He's not doing enough (with the bat) at the moment but that’s the luxury you have of being an allrounder; if you're not doing one thing (well) but you're doing the other thing well, you'll stay in the team," Ryan Harris told SEN radio this week. "Should he be batting at number six? Right now, probably not. But I've seen him play plenty of times and he can be a number six batsman on previous form. He's just having a rough trot with the bat. I watched him train in the nets and it's not as if he's mistiming it. It's just a matter of getting the runs out in the middle now."