Johannesburg · South Africa · 2002–2025
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg: Pitch Conditions, Records and Match Stats
At a glance
Matches
164
All formats
Par score
204
1st-innings average
Chase success
47%
Defending edge
Bat-first win
51%
Long-sample record
Pitch & conditions
The patterns we see repeat across the matches on record — what works at Wanderers, and what captains should plan for.
The average first-innings score across 144 matches sits at 209, against a second-innings average of 176. Chasers succeed only 47% of the time, which is among the lower rates you find at major international venues. The 33-run differential between innings suggests the surface changes meaningfully as a game progresses.
Sides average 37 runs and 1.24 wickets across the powerplay here. That restraint contrasts with the middle-overs burst, where teams average 129 runs. Death-overs scoring drops back to 32, pointing to conditions that reward sustained accumulation over late carnage.
Toss-winners chose to field in 57% of matches. Given that chasing sides convert just 47% of targets, that instinct has not paid off as consistently as it might suggest, making toss decisions here something of a recurring debate.
DW Steyn claimed match figures of 11/60 and 10/93 in two separate Tests at this ground, making the Wanderers the stage for arguably his two finest Test performances. The altitude and pace-friendly surface clearly suited his particular brand of hostile seam bowling.
JH Kallis, V Kohli, BC Lara, and again Kallis all reached 200 or more in Tests at the Wanderers. T Bavuma added a further 200 in 2023. Five scores of 200-plus from four different batters points to a ground where patient, technically correct batting is rewarded at the highest level.
By the numbers
Career aggregates from the matches LuckySpire tracks at Wanderers. Drawn from Cricsheet ball-by-ball data under ODC-BY licence.
Avg 1st inn
204
T20-era par
Avg 2nd inn
172
Chasing average
Chase success
47%
All formats
Highest total
561
On record
Lowest total
60
Complete innings
Phase-by-phase · scoring trajectory
Cumulative scoring trajectory across a typical white-ball innings at Wanderers. Phase bands show Powerplay (overs 1–6), Middle (7–15) and Death (16–20) — the death-overs acceleration is where the ground's character shows up most sharply.
Powerplay
42RPO · OVERS 1–6
Middle
115RPO · OVERS 7–15
Death
47RPO · OVERS 16–20
Who plays here
Match counts and win records for the teams with the deepest history at this ground.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | NR | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa Cricket | 70 | 40 | 29 | 1 | 57% |
| Lions | 29 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 62% |
| Joburg Super Kings | 21 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 48% |
| India Cricket | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 61% |
| Australia Cricket | 17 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 53% |
| Pakistan Cricket | 17 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 35% |
| Sri Lanka Cricket | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 36% |
| West Indies Cricket | 13 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 23% |
Similar grounds
High-scoring road · slight chase bias · 155 matches
Batting-friendly · defending advantage · 153 matches
High-scoring road · 136 matches
Batting-friendly · 164 matches
Batting-friendly · slight chase bias · 165 matches