THE WEEK IN NUMBERS: Pope's maiden century and Warner's 5K

It's a numbers game! Here The Cricketer takes a look back at some of the stats to come out of the world of cricket this week...

28

England called upon Mark Wood’s pace in Port Elizabeth, but on day two the Durham man found himself tearing towards what would have been an unexpected record.

As England’s first innings approached 500, the No.10 put on a show, smashing five sixes on his way to a thoroughly entertaining 23-ball 42. Wood eventually fell to the man he had taken all five of those sixes off, Keshav Maharaj, denying him a shot at registering England’s fastest ever Test fifty.

Ian Botham’s 28-ball half-century against India at Delhi in 1981 was in sight.

135*

We are contractually obliged to stat that Ollie Pope’s maiden Test century is 'the first of many'. Let’s face it though, it probably is. The Surrey star has now passed fifty in three of his last four Test innings and is averaging 51.85 after nine knocks. Expect to see this man stationed in England’s batting order for many years to come.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Cricketer 🏏 (@thecricketer) on Jan 17, 2020 at 12:22pm PST

203

The 203-run partnership between Pope and Ben Stokes smashed the record for the venue’s highest fifth-wicket stand. The England pair eclipsed the previous best (126) shared by Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes against England in 1999.

3

This is the sort of thing we’re after. You’ll thank us when this crops up in your local boozer’s quiz next year…

Dom Bess is the first England spinner to dismiss the top 3 in a Test innings since... yes, of course, Kevin Pietersen. Headingley 2012, 2nd innings, v SA. #SAvENG

— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) January 18, 2020

5

With his first Test match five-for, Bess became the first England spinner to rattle through the first five wickets in a Test innings since Derek Underwood in 1975.

Dom Bess is the first England spinner to take the first 5 wickets in a Test innings since Derek Underwood (who took the first 7) v Aus at Adelaide in 1975.

— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) January 18, 2020

31

At 31 overs, the opening stand between Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley was England’s longest first-innings partnership when batting first in a Test since Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss (47.5) put on 196 against Australia at Lord's in 2009.

6

Faf du Plessis made it six Test toss losses in a row when the coin favoured Joe Root at St George’s Park on day one. The skipper changed hands, switching to his left, in a bid to halt the run which stretches back to February 2019 - but to no avail.

500

The Port Elizabeth contest represented England’s 500th overseas Test - becoming the first nation to reach that milestone. In that time, England have used 562 players.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Cricketer 🏏 (@thecricketer) on Jan 14, 2020 at 7:47am PST

115

David Warner’s unbeaten 128 against India at Mumbai saw him become the fastest Australian to reach 5,000 ODI runs. Only three batsmen have reached the landmark in fewer innings than Warner (115) - Hashim Amla (101), Sir Viv Richards and Virat Kohli (both 114).

147

Marcus Stoinis now holds the highest score in Big Bash history. The Australian smashed an unbeaten 147 from 79 balls for Melbourne Stars against Sydney Sixers. D'Arcy Short's 122 not out in 2018 was the previous best.