Sky Sports' cricket stats man Benedict Bermange will be here throughout the summer to bring you the statistical lowdown on the battle for the Ashes.
Benedict has teamed up with skysports.com to bring you the best stats ahead of each day's play and to give you a few pointers on what to look out for during Sky Sports' comprehensive Ashes coverage.
Gatting and Botham: the last time England led 2-0 in the Ashes
And if you have any questions or queries that you'd like Benedict to look into, just fill out the comment form at the bottom of the page and he'll answer your questions.
Third Test, Day Five - Edgbaston
The last time England led an Ashes series 2-0 was in the 1986/7 series under Mike Gatting.
Only once since the Second World War have Australia won an Ashes series having been behind. That was in 1997 when they lost at Edgbaston but won the series 3-2. That is the only series since 1970 when Australia have won having gone behind.
In that same period of time, England have managed it four times in Ashes series' (1954/55, 1956, 1981 and 2005).
Overs
After four days, we have only had 192.1 overs which is little more than two day's play.
There have been 1,926 completed Tests of which 1,500 were scheduled as five-day matches. Of those, only 123 or 8.2% ended on the third day in positive results, but in 2007 England won two Tests with the West Indies (at Headingley and Chester-le-Street) when more than a day was lost to rain.
Michael Hussey nearly completed a 'king pair' - a fate that has only ever befallen eleven players - and only one Australian in Test history: Adam Gilchrist for Australia v India at Kolkata in 2000-01.
Only two teams have ever scored more than 157 batting last to win a Test at Edgbaston, but the highest score was achieved just last year:
| Score | Overs | Team | Against | Venue | Season |
| 283-5 | 80.0 | South Africa | England | Birmingham | 2008 |
| 211-3 | 43.4 | England | New Zealand | Birmingham | 1999 |
| 157-3 | 40.4 | West Indies | England | Birmingham | 1991 |
| 121-2 | 33.5 | England | India | Birmingham | 1996 |
| 120-2 | 43.3 | Australia | England | Birmingham | 1993 |
Michael Clarke will try to join the 13 Australians who have scored fifties in their 50th Test. Bill Lawry, Mark Taylor and Bobby Simpson converted their fifties into centuries (and Lawry into 205).
So far, Australia have scored at 3.14 per over in their second innings -the third at the match - which is the slowest rate in any of the three innings. At Edgbaston, the third innings is the one in which runs have historically been scored most slowly:
| 4th match innings | 2.93 | 2.58 |
| Innings | Edgbaston | All venues |
| 1st match innings | 2.99 | 2.76 |
| 2nd match innings | 2.99 | 2.67 |
| 3rd match innings | 2.69 | 2.59 |
Graeme Swann now has 40 wickets in just his tenth Test Match. Only one England spinner since the Second World War has had a better start - Nick Cook - who took 43 in his first ten Tests.
LUCY'S WEATHER WATCH
Today: Today: A bright start but more cloud developing, perhaps thick enough to give a spot of drizzly rain at times, but nothing too significant. With more cloud by this evening, a chance of poor light before the end of play. Just a light breeze. Max temp 21C 70F.
Video
Comments (2)
Kenneth Sambrooks says...
did Eric hollies bowl bradman out for a pair just after the war this sticks in my mind
Posted 16:54 3rd August 2009
Mark Moore says...
Hi Benedict, Great column. I enjoyed seeing the feature on what you get up to of a days play yesterday and I have a couple of questions regarding scoring. The main one is how you count minutes at the crease. When a wicket falls I know that you record the 'time out' as the time the wicket fell, but what time do you record as the new batsmen's 'time in'. Also how do you calculate minutes at crease e.g. if a batsman goes in at 13.15 and is out at 13.17 is he classed as having batted for 2 minutes or 3? Also, if you have an electronic copy of the style of scoresheet you use I would be very grateful if you could email me a copy. I am very interested in learning linear scoring and I'd like to use the same style of sheets the professionals do. Thanks, Mark M (markm8080 AT googlemail DOT com)
Posted 15:00 3rd August 2009