Top 10 Lowest team totals in Test matches

Published - 06 Aug 2015, 20:22 IST | Updated - 06 Aug 2015, 20:22 IST

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Top 10 Lowest team totals in Test cricket matches: When England won the toss on an overcast morning in Trent Bridge on Friday, and asked the visitors to take strike, they were hoping for a few early breakthroughs. But what they got was much more than that. Australia collapsed spectacularly to be reduced to 7 for 33 within the first hour with Stuart Broad being the chief destroyer. And it looked they would fold to their lowest Test score but some late order resistance saved them from that unwanted record.

Here are the Top 10 Lowest Test Team Score/Total in World Cricket:

10. South Africa 43 v England (1889):

Being bowled out for 47 in the first innings, the second innings was even worse for South Africa as Briggs claimed 8 wickets and the home side were dismissed for 43. The match happened in Cape Town in 1889 and only had 4 balls per over. England won by an innings and 202 runs.

9. India 42 v England (1974):

The game happened in June 1974. After England had made 629, in the first innings India managed only 302 runs and were asked to follow on by Mike Denness. Following on the Indians were bundled out for 42, their lowest Test score till date and lost the game by an innings and 285 runs.

8. Australia 42 v England (1888):

On a tricky Sydney pitch, England were bowled out for 113 after being asked to bat first. But what followed was even worse as the Aussies, were dismissed for 42 with Lohmann and Peel taking five wickets each. England won the match by 126 runs.

7. New Zealand 42 v Australia (1946):

Choosing to bat first at Wellington the Kiwis found Toshak and O’ Reilly tough to negotiate and were cleaned up with just 42 on the board. Australia replied with 199. Eventually Australia won the game by an innings and 103 runs.

6. Australia 36 v England (1902):

England chose to bat and made 376, with Tyldesley scoring a brilliant 138. In reply Australia were bundled out for 36 with Rhodes picking up 7 scalps. Following on the Aussies were 46-2 when the match was declared a draw.

5. South Africa 36 v Australia (1932):

Batting first proved to be a devastating decision as South Africa got folded for 36 on the first morning in Melbourne in 1932. Nash picked 4 wickets while Ironmonger bagged a fifer. Australia won by an innings and 72 runs.

4. South Africa 35 v England (1899):

South Africa again have their name in the list. Chasing 246 runs for victory in the last innings they were dismissed for a paltry 35. Powell top scored with 11 while Haigh and Trott took 6 and 4 wickets respectively and they lost the game by 210 runs.

3. South Africa 30 v England (1924):

South Africa chose to field after winning the toss. England made 438 courtesy half centuries by Hobbs, Hendren and Sutcliffe. When the Proteas came out to bat Gilligan and Tate destroyed the batting line up taking all 10 wickets. The Birmingham pitch wasn’t exactly a minefield but brilliant bowling from the English side ensured South Africa could only get to 30 and they lost the match by an innings and 18 runs.

2. South Africa 30 v England (1896):

This happened in the 4^th innings of the match. Being set a target of 319 runs Lohmann ran through the Proteas batting order as the home team was dismissed for 30 in just over 18 overs. Lohmann took 8 wickets giving away just 7 runs in 9.8 overs. England had earlier made 185 and 226 in the 1^st and 2^nd innings respectively and won the game by 288 runs.

1. New Zealand – 26 v England (1955):

A Test match to forget, New Zealand was in the game even after being dismissed for just 200 in first innings as they had limited the visitors for 246 but leg spinner Alex Moir’s fifer coupled with 3 wickets for pacer Johnny Hayes ripped them apart in second innings, and wrote the ugliest fact in the history of Kiwi international cricket as they were bundled for 26 in the second innings. England won the match by an innings and 20 runs.