Even in long cricket matches, there are times when players finish their turn to bat quickly. Hits like sixes and fours, as well as other moves like cuts and drives, are all part of cricket. It’s not just about hitting the ball because bowlers also play a big role.
Sometimes, hitters get a lot of attention and seem more important than bowlers. But when the field conditions help the bowlers, or when they play exceptionally well, it can change the game’s outcome dramatically. The lowest scores in test cricket history prove this. Let’s take a look at some of these low scores.
5. South Africa (36) vs Australia 1932
South Africa made a big mistake by deciding to bat first in Melbourne in 1932. They only scored 36 runs before losing all their wickets. Ironmonger got one wicket, and Nash got four. Australia won easily by 72 runs without having to bat again.
4. South Africa (35) vs England 1899
South Africa did badly in Test Cricket again. In their last try to win, they needed 246 runs but only got 35. They lost by 210 runs. Powell scored 11 runs, while Haigh and Trott took 6 and 4 wickets respectively.
3. South Africa (30) vs England 1924
When South Africa got to choose whether to bat or field, they chose to field. England scored 438 runs with the help of Hobbs, Hendren, and Sutcliffe. When South Africa got their chance to bat, Gilligan and Tate from England took all 10 wickets, completely stopping South Africa’s batting order. South Africa only scored 30 runs, losing the game by an inning and 18 runs, even though the Birmingham field wasn’t very difficult to play on.
2. South Africa (30) vs England 1896
In the middle of the game’s fourth part, something important happened. The Proteas team only scored 30 runs before they were all out, and it took them about 18 overs to do it. This happened after Lohmann, from the other team, set a target of 319 runs, which made it really hard for the Proteas to score. Lohmann played exceptionally well, taking 8 wickets and only letting the Proteas score 7 runs in almost 10 overs. In the first and second parts of the game, England scored 185 and then 226 runs. Eventually, England won the match by a big margin of 288 runs.
1. New Zealand (26) vs England 1955
The least number of runs ever scored in a Test cricket match is 26 by New Zealand against England in Auckland in 1955. Apart from Bert Sutcliffe, who made 11 runs, all other players scored less than 10, and five players were out without scoring anything. England won by a huge margin of runs.
| S.no | Team | Score | Opposition | Stadium | Date | Run rate |
| 1. | New Zealand | 26 | England | Auckland | March 28, 1955 | 0.96 |
| 2. | South Africa | 30 | England | Gqebera | February 14, 1896 | 1.63 |
| 3. | South Africa | 30 | England | Birmingham | June 16, 1924 | 2.43 |
| 4. | South Africa | 35 | England | Cape Town | April 4th, 1899 | 1.56 |
| 5. | South Africa | 36 | Australia | Melbourne | February 15, 1932 | 1.55 |
READ MORE: Top 5 Lowest Scores in ODI Cricket History
