lowest score ever in a Test cricket often surprises both players and fans. It’s called the purest form of the game because one session can change everything. Unlike ODIs and T20s, where batters dominate, Test cricket gives more chances to bowlers. This is due to the red ball, which behaves differently from the white ball and moves more off the pitch. lowest score ever in a Test cricket
Over the years, Test cricket has given us thrilling matches that either finish quickly or go down to the last moment. Sometimes, bowlers completely take control, causing teams to get all out for very low scores and feel pressure from the start. In this piece, we look at the lowest innings scores in Test cricket.
Lowest Innings Score in Test Cricket
| TEAM | SCORE | OVERS | RR | INNS | OPPOSITION | GROUND | MATCH DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 26 | 27.0 | 0.96 | 3 | England | Auckland | 25 Mar 1955 |
| South Africa | 30 | 18.4X5 | 1.91 | 4 | England | Gqeberha | 13 Feb 1896 |
| South Africa | 30 | 12.3 | 2.40 | 2 | England | Birmingham | 14 Jun 1924 |
| South Africa | 35 | 22.4X5 | 1.84 | 4 | England | Cape Town | 1 Apr 1899 |
| South Africa | 36 | 23.2 | 1.54 | 1 | Australia | Melbourne | 12 Feb 1932 |
| Australia | 36 | 23.0 | 1.56 | 2 | England | Birmingham | 29 May 1902 |
| India | 36 | 21.2 | 1.68 | 3 | Australia | Adelaide | 17 Dec 2020 |
| Ireland | 38 | 15.4 | 2.42 | 4 | England | Lord’s | 24 Jul 2019 |
| New Zealand | 42 | 39.0 | 1.07 | 1 | Australia | Wellington | 29 Mar 1946 |
| Australia | 42 | 37.3X4 | 1.66 | 2 | England | Sydney | 10 Feb 1888 |
New Zealand was bowled out for just 26 runs against England in the Auckland Test in 1955.
New Zealand set the record for the lowest innings score in Test cricket, scoring just 26 runs against England in Auckland in 1955. In the first innings, New Zealand had a decent start with Bert Sutcliffe scoring 49 and John Reid making 73. England’s bowlers, however, kept the rest of the lineup in check, dismissing New Zealand for 200 runs. Brian Statham took four wickets, while Bob Appleyard claimed three.
England responded with a total of 246, led by skipper Leonard Hutton’s 53 and Peter May’s 48. New Zealand’s Alex Moir took five wickets, and Johnny Hayes chipped in with three, leaving England with a lead of 46 runs.
In a shocking turn of events, New Zealand collapsed in their second innings, bowled out for just 26 runs. None of their batters scored more than 12 runs. England’s bowlers were relentless, with Bob Appleyard taking four wickets, Brian Statham three, Frank Tyson two, and Johnny Wardle one. This devastating performance led England to win the match by an innings and 20 runs, a memorable Test for its historical low score.
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South Africa was bowled out for just 30 runs against England in Gqeberha in 1896.
South Africa is known for one of the lowest scores in Test cricket. In 1896, they were bowled out for just 30 runs in a match against England in Gqeberha. This record low came in their second innings, leading to a huge loss by 288 runs.
In that match, England batted first but struggled, with wickets falling often. Tim O’Brien scored 17 runs, and George Lohmann was out for 0, but Tom Hayward (30) and C.B. Fry (43) brought some stability. However, Bonnor Middleton’s five-wicket haul helped bowl England out for 185 runs.
When South Africa batted, they performed even worse. Tommy Routledge (22) and Frank Hearne (23) gave a good start, but no one else scored over 15. England’s George Lohmann took 7 quick wickets, and South Africa was dismissed for 93, giving England a lead of about 90 runs.
In their second innings, England improved their score. Charles Wright made 33 at the start, and lower-order players Sammy Woods (53), Lord Hawke (30), and Audley (20*) added valuable runs, setting South Africa a target of 319.
Chasing this, South Africa collapsed for 30, with no batter scoring above 10, as Lohmann took another 8 wickets, sealing a 288-run win for England.
South Africa was bowled out for just 30 runs against England in Birmingham in 1924.
South Africa once again made the list of the lowest scores in Test cricket with a disappointing 30 all-out against England in Birmingham in 1924. This low score in their first innings led to a big defeat by an innings and 18 runs.
South Africa chose to bowl first, but England’s batters dominated. The top order performed well, with Jack Hobbs (76), Herbert Sutcliffe (64), Frank Woolley (64), and Patsy Hendren (74) each scoring half-centuries. Roy Kilner added a solid 59 runs down the order, helping England reach a total of 438. George Parker was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking 6 wickets.
In response, South Africa struggled badly and was bowled out for only 30 runs. England’s Arthur Gilligan took 6 wickets, while Maurice Tate grabbed 4. No South African batter managed more than 7 runs.
Forced to follow on, South Africa showed some fight in their second innings. Bob Cattell scored a century (120), with support from Fred Susskind and Jimmy Blanckenberg, who both hit fifties. Despite their efforts, South Africa was bowled out for 390, with Gilligan claiming another five-wicket haul, sealing England’s victory by an innings and 18 runs.
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South Africa was bowled out for 35 runs against England in 1899 in Cape Town and for 36 runs against Australia in 1932 in Melbourne.
South Africa appears twice more on the list of lowest scores in Test cricket. In 1899, they were bowled out for just 35 runs in a match against England in Cape Town. They were chasing a target of 246 runs in their final innings, but they failed miserably and lost the game by 210 runs.
In another instance, South Africa was dismissed for 36 runs against Australia in 1932 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This time, they struggled in both innings. In the first innings, they were all out for just 36 runs, and in the second innings, they were dismissed for 45 runs. As a result, they lost the match by an innings and 72 runs.
These two games are among the most embarrassing batting failures in Test cricket history. Both matches showed how quickly South Africa’s batting lineup could collapse under pressure, leading to heavy defeats.
Australia was bowled out for just 36 runs against England in Birmingham in 1902.
Australia found themselves in an embarrassing position during the 1902 Ashes, as they were bowled out for just 36 runs in their first innings against England. This poor batting performance happened in both innings, but despite this, they managed to draw the match.
England batted first and had a strong performance. Johnny Tyldesley scored a brilliant 120, putting pressure on the Australian bowlers. Stanley Jackson (53) and George Hirst (48) also contributed well, helping England post 376 runs. For Australia, Ernie Jones was the standout bowler, taking three wickets, while Victor Trumper took two.
Australia’s batting in response was dismal, with England’s bowlers dominating. Victor Trumper was the top scorer for Australia, managing just 18 runs. Wilfred Rhodes took 7 wickets, and George Hirst added three more, bowling Australia out for just 36 runs. After this, England asked Australia to bat again. Although Australia lost two quick wickets in their second innings, they managed to reach 48/2 before the match ended in a draw. Despite their disastrous batting, Australia somehow survived to avoid defeat in this Ashes encounter.
In 2020, India was bowled out for just 36 runs against Australia in Adelaide.
India experienced a disastrous batting collapse against Australia in the 2020 Adelaide pink-ball Test. In their second innings, India was bowled out for just 36 runs, turning a strong position into a crushing defeat.
India batted first and put up a solid total of 244 runs. After losing early wickets, including Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal (17), Cheteshwar Pujara (43) steadied the innings. Virat Kohli (74) and Ajinkya Rahane (42) built a good partnership, but after their dismissal, India lost wickets quickly. Mitchell Starc was the standout bowler for Australia, taking four wickets.
In response, India’s bowlers delivered a strong performance, restricting Australia to just 191 runs. Tim Paine top-scored for Australia with an unbeaten 73, and Marnus Labuschagne contributed 47 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin took four wickets, while Umesh Yadav (3) and Jasprit Bumrah (2) combined for 5 wickets.
In India’s second innings, Australia’s bowlers, Josh Hazlewood (5 wickets) and Pat Cummins (4 wickets), dominated the batting lineup, and India was all out for a historic low of 36 runs. Chasing just 90 runs to win, Australia lost two early wickets but comfortably reached the target with Matthew Wade (33) and Joe Burns (53*) leading them to an 8-wicket victory.
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