TOP SPIN AT THE TEST

THIS Test lasted 909 balls — the shortest in England since 1912, also between England and South Africa at the Oval, was over in 815.

THIS was only the sixth time England have a won a three-Test series after falling 1-0 behind — and the first against South Africa. They achieved the feat two summers ago against West Indies, having previously done so in New Zealand in 2007-08.

ONLY once have England won more than six home Tests in a summer. That was in 2004, when Michael Vaughan led them to two whitewashes, 3-0 over New Zealand and 4-0 against West Indies. ENGLAND have now

won four Test series in a row against South Africa — their best sequence against them since five in succession between 1938-39 and 1955.

SOUTH AFRICA have not drawn a Test match since 2017 in Hamilton, New Zealand — by far a world record... 6.2

A WICKET fell every 6.2 overs on average during the series — and once every 4.2 in the first three innings of the third Test. There were 483.3 overs bowled in the series which, accounting for the traditional 90 overs per day, accounts to just over five days of cricket (of 15 available!).

JONNY BAIRSTOW was the star batsman for England this summer...

27

STUART BROAD took 29 wickets this summer at an average of 27.17, with James Anderson second with figures of 27 wickets at 17.66.