Benedict Bermange has all the Ashes stats as Graeme Swann attempts to go top of the bowling rankings.
Benedict's back to bring you the very best Ashes stats and facts
The latest instalment in cricket's most prestigious series - the Ashes - is here.
As well as keeping the lads bang up-to-speed in the commentary box,
Sky Sports statistician Benedict Bermange will have every angle of the series covered here on
skysports.com...
So if you think you know your stats, think again, because Benedict is bound to have something to amaze you. If you want to ask him a question then simply fill out the feedback form below.
So, without further ado, here are his first day statistics for the opening Test in Brisbane...
History
When England last won the Ashes in January 1987:
- The world's population was 5.0 billion (it is now 6.9 billion)
- The average house price in the UK was £40,882 (now it is £167,354)
England have held the Ashes for
52½ years, Australia for
75½ years. In order to draw level in terms of time, England would need to hold the Ashes until 2033.
England have won
99 Test Matches against Australia. The Aussies have won 132 against England and their 100th victory came at Old Trafford in 1989.
Australia are
unbeaten in their last 21 Tests at the Gabba. England's record is the 25-match unbeaten streak they had at Old Trafford between 1905 and 1954. The all-time record is Pakistan's 34-match unbeaten run at the National Stadium, Karachi between 1955 and 2000.
Australia have lost their
last three Tests. The last time they lost four in a row was in 1984 when they actually lost 6 in a row - all to the West Indies.
Since the last Ashes tour, Australia have still
performed well at home in Test cricket on the whole, winning 12 and losing three of their 17 matches.
Australian captains have won the toss in 11 of the last 12 Ashes Tests at the Gabba, the sole exception being when Nasser Hussain won the toss and chose to field in 2002. The chances of being that unlucky with the toss over a dozen consecutive matches are greater than 300 to 1.
Bowling
Steven Finn could become England's tallest Ashes cricketer ever at
6 feet 8. Bruce Reid was Australia's tallest Ashes player, at the same height. Alfred 'Tich' Freeman played two matches for England on the 1924/25 tour despite being only 5 feet 2 - the shortest Ashes player.
Xavier Doherty is the third Test player with a first-name starting with X, after Xenophon Balaskas (SA) and Xavier Marshall (WI).
England spinners have struggled of late on Ashes tours to Australia. Over the course of the last five tours encompassing 25 Tests as a unit they have combined to take 63 wickets at 49.66 apiece.
Graeme Swann has the opportunity to become the top-ranked bowler in the ICC World Bowling Rankings.
- The last England bowler to be number 1 was Steve Harmison in December 2004
- The last England spinner to be number 1 was Derek Underwood in March 1975
- The last England off-spinner to be number 1 was Jim Laker in February 1959
There are
no Australians in the top ten of the ICC Ratings for Test batsmen for the first time since October 1979 and ever since the very first Test Match was played in 1877 this current time is the first time that there have been
no English or Australian batsmen in the top ten.
James Anderson has taken 55 wickets in the last two home summers, but his record is far better at home:
| Where | M | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Avge | RPO | BB | 5i | 10m |
| Home | 33 | 6907 | 3690 | 136 | 27.13 | 3.20 | 7-43 | 8 | 1 |
| Away | 19 | 3870 | 2280 | 52 | 43.84 | 3.53 | 5-63 | 2 | 0 |
After scoring a England record-equalling 16th century in his 50th Test against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in March 2009,
Kevin Pietersen has struggled - only averaging 35.87 in his last 16 Tests with no centuries.
The last first-class match on the ground was over
inside two days:
| Start date | Team1 | Totals1 | Team2 | Totals2 | Result |
| 31-Oct-10 | New South Wales | 262 | Queensland | 75 & 96 | NSW won by an innings and 91 runs |
