THE WEEK IN NUMBERS: Magic Malinga and sensational Smith

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...

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64.64

Steve Smith's average just keeps on rising. After his first-innings 211 at Old Trafford, the Australian’s Test average had swelled to 64.64. That knock made it eight successive Ashes innings in which he has scored 75 or more.

Smith now has 11 Ashes tons to his name, passing Steve Waugh (10). Only Don Bradman (19) has scored more Ashes centuries for Australia. 

*Correct prior to Australia’s second innings at Old Trafford

2

Having hit double-centuries in England on two occasions, Steve Smith has gone on to lose his wicket to the same man both times. That bowler? Joe Root. When Smith doubles up, send in the skipper.

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112

Stuart Broad’s 3 for 97 in Australia’s first innings in Manchester took his overall Ashes wicket tally to 112 - moving him ahead of Wilfred Rhodes (109). Only Ian Botham (128) and Bob Willis (123) have taken more Ashes wickets for England.

*Correct prior to Australia’s second innings at Old Trafford

32-6

Broad’s hold over David Warner has continues. The Englishman had the opener caught behind second ball in the first innings and lbw sixth ball in the second - the third consecutive time Broad has got Warner for a duck. The Australian is now 32 for 6 against the bowler in the series and averaging just 9.87. 

Marnus Labuschagne has become the fourth man to reach fifty in their first four Ashes innings. The batsman struck 59 as a replacement for Steve Smith at Lord’s, 74 & 80 at Headingley before adding 67 to his series tally in the first innings at Old Trafford.

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102

Rahmat Shah will go down in history as the man who struck Afghanistan’s first Test hundred. Having fallen two short of a century against Ireland in March, Shah notched 102 against Bangladesh at Chattogram this week.

6-27

Jasprit Bumrah continues to shine in all three formats. The India bowler picked up career-best Test innings figures of 6 for 27 against West Indies at Sabina Park. The bowler removed Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks and Roston Chase with consecutive deliveries in the hosts’ first innings to record his maiden Test hat-trick.

On Friday Lasith Malinga claimed his fifth international hat-trick – the first player to do so. Just to make sure, he took four in four against New Zealand – the second time he has managed that feat having done so against South Africa at the 2007 World Cup. No other cricketer has taken four in four twice. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan claimed four in four in a T20I against Ireland in February 2019. 

Malinga ended with figures of 5 for 6 as Sri Lanka won by 37 runs at Pallakele. Those six scalps moved his T20I tally to 104, making him the first bowler to reach the 100 milestone in the format.

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