Ashes 2019 1st Test, statistical preview: Can Australia breach England’s Edgbaston fortress?

The 2019 Ashes will commence at Edgbaston on July 1. Ahead of the clash, here is a statistical preview.

Statistical preview

0 Australian from the current team has played more than 1 Test at Edgbaston. From the current squad, Steven Smith, David Warner, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, and Mitchell Marsh have played a Test apiece.

0.5 win-loss ratio of Australia at Edgbaston (3 wins, 6 defeats), their 2nd-worst at any English venue with a 3-Test cut-off. They have a worse record only at The Oval (0.437, 7 wins, 16 defeats).

0.75 win-loss ratio of England against Australia (108 wins, 144 defeats), their worst against any team. Barring Australia, they have lost more than won only against West Indies (49 wins, 51 defeats).

3.5 win-loss ratio of England at Edgbaston (39 wins, 8 defeats), the 3rd-best for any team at any venue in the world with a 25-Test cut-off. Only Pakistan (10.5 from 41 Tests at National Stadium, Karachi) and Australia (4.875 at The Gabba, Brisbane) have better ratios.

5 Australians and 54 cricketers have so far scored 1,000 Test runs while keeping wickets. Tim Paine is 16 runs away from becoming the 6th.

5 wickets needed by Stuart Broad (95) to become the 9th England cricketer and 14th overall to 100 Test wickets against Australia.

6 wickets needed by Broad (444) to become the 2nd England cricketer and 7th overall to 450 Test wickets. Of the 7, only Shane Warne (3,188) has more runs than Broad (3,088).

6 wickets needed by James Anderson (44) to become the 1st to 50 Test wickets at Edgbaston.

6 wickets needed by Pat Cummins (94) to become the 39th Australian and 188th overall to 100 Test wickets.

7 wickets needed by Nathan Lyon (343) to become the 4th Australian and 24th overall to 350 Test wickets.

8 Ashes hundreds for Smith. He needs one more to draw level with Wally Hammond, Greg Chappell, and David Gower. Only Don Bradman (19), Jack Hobbs (12), and Steve Waugh (10) have more Ashes hundreds.

8 Ashes ducks for Anderson. He needs one more to draw level with Dick Lilley, Johnny Briggs, and Darren Gough. Only Syd Gregory (11), Ian Botham (10), Warne (10), and Glenn McGrath (10) have more Ashes ducks.

16 runs needed by Paine (984), 66 by Peter Handscomb (934), 77 by Lyon (923), and 114 by Matthew Wade (886) to reach 1,000 runs. Whoever reaches there first will be the 104th Australian and 543rd overall to the milestone.

18 years since Australia had last won an Ashes series on English soil. Since then they have lost in 2005, 2009, 2013, and 2015.

953 runs for Smith on English soil. He needs another 47 to become the 17th Australian and 34th overall to reach the 1,000-mark. Once he does that, Smith also has a chance to step up several notches, going past Bill Lawry (1,007), Neil Harvey (1,014), Greg Chappell (1,020), Arthur Morris (1,033), and Stan McCabe (1,055).