Australia's batting collapse, Vernon Philander's rampage spell and stats highlights from Day 1 of Hobart Test

Australia becomes first team to be bundled out under 100 at Hobart. Previous lowest total by any team at Hobart is 136 by Australia in 2011.

Vernon Philander scalped his 10th five-wicket haul in Tests Getty Images

The second Test between Australia and South Africa at Hobart got off to a cracking start as the hosts could only survive 32.5 overs in the first innings to get dismantled at 85. Hobart is one of the batting friendly tracks since 2000s but the hosts’ batting line-up failed to live upto expectations. From the start of this century, there have been eight Tests played at this venue and only in three occasions teams batting first have been all out while in the rest, they had to declare after scoring in excess of 450. The first day of this Test was one such rare day at Hobart where pacers took advantage of conditions and exploited it to the fullest.

With South Africa bowling first, Australia lost their first wicket at the score of one and soon began their miseries. Half of the side were sitting back in the pavilion with only 16 on board. Skipper Steven Smith was the only one who showed some resistance with an unbeaten 48. South African pacer Vernon Philander was the main strike bowler with a five-for and was ably supported by Kyle Abbott, who took three scalps. With Australia being bowled out at such low score, Abhishek Kumar presents some mind-boggling numbers from first innings of the hosts.

Australia lost their first 4 wickets under 8 runs their second lowest at home. Their lowest score after losing first 4 wickets in a Test innings is of 7 which came against England at Brisbane in December 1936. Overall, this is Australia’s fourth lowest start in Tests. This is also Australia’s shallowest start, losing first 4 wickets for 8 runs, in their first innings.

Australia lost their first 5 wickets under 17 runs their second lowest at home. Australia’s lowest score after losing first 5 wickets in Tests stands at 16, which also came in the same match against England at Brisbane in December 1936. Overall, this is Australia’s fourth disastrous start in a Test innings. Also, losing first 5 wickets for 17 runs is Australia’s lowest batting first in whites.

31/6 This is Australia’s second worst start in the first innings of a Test match at home and worst since ever since 1978. Their worst again came against arch-rivals, England, wherein they lost 6 wickets for just 26 runs on board at Brisbane in December 1978.

56.47% of runs scored by Smith in Australia’s innings of 85. This is the highest percentage of runs contributed by an Australian in an innings where they were folded under 100. This is also the second highest percentage of runs contributed by an Australia batsman in an innings against South Africa after Don Bradman (58.28% of runs 299* out of 513).

3rd five-wicket haul for Vernon Philander against Australia in Tests. This is joint third most five-fors by any South African bowler against Australia. Also, this is his first five-wicket haul against Australia in Australia.

85 Australia’s lowest total in the first innings of a Test against South Africa and eighth overall against any team.

3rd lowest total for Australia against South Africa in Tests after 47 & 75 in Cape Town (2011) and Durban (1950). Also, this is Australia’s lowest total against South Africa on home turf.

Australia becomes first team to be bundled out under 100 at Hobart. Previous lowest total was also held by Australia when they got dismissed for 136 in 2011.

34th instance of Australia getting all out under 100. Apart from Australia, South Africa is the only team to get all out for below 100 on more than 30 occasions. This is also Australia’s 12 instance of getting all out under 100 in the first innings of a Test. No other Test team has been folded under 100 in first innings of a Test on more than seven occasions.

10th instance of Australia getting all out under 100 at home. Joint second most instance in this criterion along with England, who have been done the same on 10 occasions in their own den. South Africa has been all out most for under 100 at home 20 occasions.

In 19th century 15 times Australia were bowled out under 100, in the 20th century 13 times they were dismantled before reaching three figures while already in 21st century, 6 times the current No. 3 Test side has folded up under 100.

(Abhishek Kumar is a cricket devotee currently staffing with CricLife and CricketCountry.com. He can be followed at @abhik2593)