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Ashes Stats: An all-English XI, slow run rates and Steve Smith's masterful knock in numbers

England's first all-English XI since 2003; Steve Smith's slowest Test hundred; Australia's slowest Test innings run rate...

Benedict Bermange

Cricket and NFL statistician

Saturday 25 November 2017 12:03, UK

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 24: Joe Root of England leads his team onto the field during day two of the First Test Match of the 2017/18 Ashes Series be
Image: Joe Root was part of England's first all-English XI in 14 years

England's XI for the first Ashes Test in Brisbane features 11 players all born in England. Sky Sports statistician Benedict Bermange reveals the last time this happened…

The England side in this Test is the first to have all 11 players born in England since they faced Sri Lanka at Galle in 2003 - 176 Tests passed between the Galle and Brisbane Tests. It is only the third such England side since 1989.

Last England Test XIs with all 11 players born in England

  • v Australia (Birmingham, 1989)
  • v South Africa (The Oval, 2003)
  • v Sri Lanka (Galle, 2003)
  • v Australia (Brisbane, 2017)

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Mike Atherton says Steve Smith was the undoubted star on day three of the first Ashes Test but the defining image was Joe Root being hit by Mitchell Starc's bouncer

Australia's run rate in their first innings of 2.51 is their lowest in a Test innings at home since 1999.

Steve Smith scored his 21st Test century, becoming the 38th batsman to score that many. However, only two of them took fewer innings than Smith...

Fewest innings to reach 21st Test 100

Don Bradman (Australia) - 56
Sunil Gavaskar (India) - 98
Steve Smith (Australia) - 105
Sachin Tendulkar (India) - 110
Mohammadd Yousuf (Pakistan) - 120
Steve Smith of Australia celebrates his century during day three of the First Test Match of the 2017/18 Ashes Series
Image: Steve Smith celebrates his century on day three of the first Ashes Test

This was Smith's slowest Test century - coming from 261 deliveries. His previous slowest was from 227 balls against India at Ranchi earlier this year. His previous 21 Test centuries had come from an average of 177 balls.

Smith continued the theme of Ashes captains scoring centuries in the first Test of an Ashes series in Australia:

Also See:

Ashes captains scoring centuries in the first Test of an Ashes series in Australia

Match/Series Captain Score Series winner
1st Test - 2006/07  Ricky Ponting 196 Australia
1st Test - 2010/11     Andrew Strauss 110 England
1st Test - 2013/14   Michael Clarke 113 Australia
1st Test - 2017/18 Steve Smith 141no ???

Only one side has won a Test at the Gabba having trailed on first innings. That was in 1990 when Australia trailed England by 42 runs on first innings and still managed to win by 10 wickets.

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