Dean Elgar completes 5,000 runs in Test cricket
Dec 26, 2022
Melbourne [Australia], December 26 : South African Test skipper Dean Elgar completed 5,000 runs in Test cricket on Monday.
The batter reached this landmark during his side's second Test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In the match, Elgar ended with a score of 26 runs in 68 balls with two boundaries in the first innings.
Now, Elgar has 5,002 runs in 81 Tests and 142 innings at an average of 38.18. He has 13 Test centuries and 22 half-centuries.
Elgar is the eighth-highest run scorer in Tests for South Africa. The highest Test run scorer for Proteas is all-rounder Jacques Kallis. He has 13,206 runs in 165 Tests and 278 innings at an average of 55.25. He has scored 45 centuries and 58 half-centuries, with the best score of 224.
Following him are Hashim Amla (9,282), Graeme Smith (9,253), AB de Villiers (8,765), Gary Kirsten (7,289), Herschelle Gibbs (6,167) and Mark Boucher (5,498).
Coming to the match, put to bat first by Australia, South Africa was bundled out for 189 runs. After the Proteas were down at 67/5, wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne (52) and Marco Jansen (59) put on a 112-run partnership to stabilise the innings.
All-rounder Cameron Green was the pick of the bowlers for Aussies, taking 5/27. This is his first-ever five-wicket haul in Tests. Mitchell Starc took two wickets while Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon took a wicket each.
Australia's first innings is in progress.
