Statistically Speaking News Topic

Sabina Park by the Numbers

Tied at 1-1, the West Indies v India Test series moves to Sabina Park, Jamaica for the crucial must win fifth and final Test. There have been eight Tests between West Indies and India at Sabina Park since 1953. Head to head, WI won five times while three matches were drawn.

Sabina Park has the highest WI win record percentage (50%) after Kensington, so if the pattern is follows, a result is on card and a win for WI is one possible outcome. Given the recent history of batting collapse and poor bowling by both teams, the match could go either way. CaribbeanCricket.com statistician Zito takes a look at the numbers at the ground...

Statistical highlights:

** The first Test match at Sabina Park was on April 3, 1930 during the England's first tour of West Indies. This was the 'timeless Test' and it ran for nine days. England made 849 in their first inning and it remains the highest Test score on this ground. This match was also notable for Andy Sandman's 325 and the great Jamaican, George Headley's 223.

** West Indies won their first match at Sabina against England in 1935. It was the 4th Test match and WI won it by an innings and 161 runs, to win the 4-Test series 2-1.

** During the 1954-55 series vs Australia, Sabina Park witness 7 individual hundreds including five in one inning from Australia (CC McDonald 127; RN Harvey 204; KR Miller 109; RG Archer 128 and R Benaud 121) For West Indies: CL Walcott 155 & 110.

** The 1957-58 series vs Pakistan was memorable for the feat of Sir Garfield Sobers who made the then world record Test score of 365*. Sobers shared a ground record 2nd wicket partnership with Conrad Hunte (260) in this match as WI racked up 790-3 declared.

** The 1975-76 series vs India was notable for five Indian batsmen 'absent hurt' as India was bowled out for 97 in their second inning.

** George Headley topped the batting averages (130.00) from 3 matches on this ground with 520 runs and 2 hundreds: 223 & 270*.

** Garry Sobers scored the most runs at this venue (1,354 at average of 104.15) including a highest individual score of 365*.

Summary of the eight Tests played between West Indies and India at Sabina Park:

1. WI v Ind, 5th Test, 1952-53 -- Match Drawn -- WI wins 5 Test series 1-0
Toss: India; Ind 1st Inns 312 (PR Umrigar 117; A Valentine 5-64); WI 1st Inns 576 (FMM Worrell 237; ED Weekes 109; CL Walcott 118; SP Gupte 5-180; MH Mankad 5-228); Ind 2nd Inns: 444 (P Roy 150; VL Manjrekar 118; GE Gomez 4-72; AL Valentine 4-149); WI 2nd Inns: 92-4
---------------------
2. WI v Ind, 2nd Test, 1961-62 -- WI won by an innings & 18 runs -- WI leads 5-Test series 2-0;
Toss: India; Ind 1st Inns 395 (CG Borde 93; GS Sobers 4-75);
WI 1st Inns 631-8 dec (EDAS McMorris 125; RB Kanhai 138; GS Sobers 153; EAS Prasanna 3-122); Ind 2nd Inns: 218 (FM Engineer 40; WW Hall 6-49)
---------------------
3. WI v Ind, 5th Test, 1961-62 -- WI won by 123 runs -- WI wins 5-Test series 5-0
Toss: WI; WI 1st Inns: 253 (GS Sobers 104; VB Ranjane 4-72) Ind 1st Inns: 178 (RG Nadkarni 61; LA King 5-46) WI 2nd Inns: 283 (FMM Worrell 98; SA Durani 3-48; VB Ranjane 3-81) Ind 2nd Inns: 235 (PR Umrigar 60; GS Sobers 5-63)
---------------------
4. WI v Ind, 1st Test, 1970-71 -- Match Drawn -- 5-Test series level 0-0;
Toss: WI; Ind 1st Inns: 387 (DN Sardesai; VA Holder 4-60) WI 1st Inns: 217 (RB Kanhai 56; EAS Prasanna 4-65) WI 2nd inns (following on): 385-5 (RB Kanhai 158*; GS Sobers 93)
---------------------
5. WI v Ind, 4th Test, 1975-76 -- WI won by 10 wks -- WI wins 4-Test series 2-1;
Toss: WI; Ind 1st Inns: 306 (AD Gaekwad 81 ret. hurt; MA Holding 4-82) WI 2nd Inns: 391 (RC Fredericks 82; BS Chandrasekhar 5-153) Ind 2nd Inns: 97 (M Amarnath 60; MA Holding 3-35) WI 2nd Inns: 13-0
--------------------
6. WI v Ind, 1st Test, 1982-83 -- WI won by 4 wks -- WI leads 5-Test series 1-0;
Toss: WI; Ind 1st Inns: 251 (BS Sandhu 68; AME Roberts 4-61) WI 1st Inns: 254 (CG Greenidge 70; RJ Shastri 4-43; Kapil Dev 4-45) Ind 2nd Inns: 174 (M Amaranath 40; AME Roberts 5-39) WI 2nd Inns: 173-6 (IVA Richards 61; Kapil Dev 4-73)
--------------------
7. WI v Ind, 4th Test, 1988-89 -- WI won by 7 wks -- WI wins 4-Test series 3-0;
Toss: WI; Ind 1st Inns: 289 (NS Sidhu 116; CA Walsh 6-62) WI 1st Inns: 384 (RB Richardson 158; IVA Richards 110; Kapil Dev 6-84) Ind 2nd Inns: 152 (SV Manjrekar 41; CA Walsh 4-39; IR Bishop 4-61) WI 2nd Inns: 60-3
--------------------
8. WI v Ind, 1st Test, 1996-97 -- Match Drawn -- 5-Test series level 0-0;
Toss: WI; WI 1st Inns: 427 (CL Hooper 129; A Kumble 5-120) Ind 1st Inns: 346 (NR Mongia 78; VVS Laxman 64; FA Rose 6-100) WI 2nd Inns: 241-6dec (BC Lara 78; A Kumble 3-76) Ind 2nd Inns: 99-2 (RS Dravid 51*)
--------------------
? 5 players absent hurt
----------------------

Sabina Park - Statistical Overview (Test Cricket)

First Test Match: 03-04-1930
Last Test Match: 19-04-2001
Matches Played: 36
Matches Won by Home Side: 18 (50.00%)
Matches Won by Touring Side: 5 (13.89%)
Matches Drawn: 13 (36.11%)
Matches Tied : 0 (0.00%)
Highest Individual Innings: 365* GSA Sobers 1957-58 WI v Pak
Best Bowling (Innings): 7-34 TE Bailey 1953-54 WI v Eng
Best Bowling (Match): 10-96 HHH Johnson 1947-48 WI v Eng
Highest Team Innings: 849 Eng 1929-1930 v WI
Lowest Team Innings: 97 Ind 1975-76 v WI
Highest Run Chase Achieved: 173-6 WI 1982-83 v Ind
Average Runs per Wicket: 34.35
Average Runs per Over: 2.79

** Statistics researched and produced for CaribbeanCricket.com by Zito.