Table of Contents
Lowest Test Score
Test cricket is inarguably the pinnacle of cricket. It is about surviving for hours and hours and slowly grinding your opposition down. Occasionally, you get to see a total so low that it boggles the mind just how much pain the batsmen went through. VISIT HERE
Let’s take a look at the teams that have scored the lowest totals in Test cricket:
NO international cricket team has scored a lower innings total in Test cricket than New Zealand. They got all out for just 26 in a Test against England on March 25, 1955. The match was played in Auckland under the old playing conditions.
The next four entries on the list are of South Africa. Three out of their four lowest scores, 30, 30, and 35 came against England, in 1896, 1924, 1899 and 1932 respectively. Another low-score innings was against Australia in Melbourne in 1932.
Lowest Test Score |
Team | Score | Inns | Opposition | Venue | Date |
New Zealand | 26 | 3 | v England | Auckland | 25 Mar 1955 |
South Africa | 30 | 4 | v England | Port Elizabeth | 13 Feb 1896 |
South Africa | 30 | 2 | v England | Birmingham | 14 Jun 1924 |
South Africa | 35 | 4 | v England | Cape Town | 1 Apr 1899 |
South Africa | 36 | 1 | v Australia | Melbourne | 12 Feb 1932 |
Australia | 36 | 2 | v England | Birmingham | 29 May 1902 |
India | 36 | 3 | v Australia | Adelaide | 17 Dec 2020 |
Ireland | 38 | 4 | v England | Lord’s | 24 Jul 2019 |
New Zealand | 42 | 1 | v Australia | Wellington | 29 Mar 1946 |
Australia | 42 | 2 | v England | Sydney | 10 Feb 1888 |
India | 42 | 3 | v England | Lord’s |
20 Jun 1974 |
Australia’s lowest Test score
Australia have long ruled the world of cricket. However, like every other side, they had their bad days on the field as well. One of such innings came against archrivals against England. pursuing England’s total of 376/9d, Australia were bundled out for just 36 in the first innings. The Test match was played in Birmingham on May 29, 1902. Following are Australia’s top five lowest scores in Test cricket:
Lowest Test Score of Australia |
Team | Score | Inns | Opposition | Venue | Date |
Australia | 36 | 2 | v England | Birmingham | 29 May 1902 |
Australia | 42 | 2 | v England | Sydney | 10 Feb 1888 |
Australia | 44 | 4 | v England | The Oval | 10 Aug 1896 |
Australia | 47 | 3 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 9 Nov 2011 |
Australia | 53 | 1 | v England | Lord’s | 22 Jun 1896 |
England’s Lowest Test Score
England is the birthplace of cricket. Therefore, the English team is technically one the oldest cricket team in the world. Being the inventors of the game, they dominated cricket for decades until their competitors learnt the art and beat them at their own game. In one of such incidents, Australia got better of England and got them wrapped up for just 45 runs. The match was played in Sydney on January 28, 1887. This is England’s lowest Test score thus far. The next four entries are as under:
Lowest Test Score of England
Team | Score | Inns | Opposition | Venue | Date |
England | 45 | 1 | v Australia | Sydney | 28 Jan 1887 |
England | 46 | 4 | v West Indies | Port of Spain | 25 Mar 1994 |
England | 51 | 3 | v West Indies | Kingston | 4 Feb 2009 |
England | 53 | 2 | v Australia | Lord’s | 16 Jul 1888 |
England | 58 | 1 | v New Zealand | Auckland | 22 Mar 2018 |
India’s Lowest Test Score
Indians learnt the art of cricket from Englishmen during the colonial era. They had their own Test team ready by 1932 when they played their first Test match against England at Lord’s. However, their lowest Test score did not come until December 17, 2020. It was for the first time in history that the Indian team got bundled out for less than 40 runs in Test cricket. The total, too, came against Australia in Adelaide.
Lowest Test Score of India |
India | 36 | 3 | v Australia | Adelaide | 17 Dec 2020 |
India | 42 | 3 | v England | Lord’s | 20 Jun 1974 |
India | 58 | 2 | v Australia | Brisbane | 28 Nov 1947 |
India | 58 | 2 | v England | Manchester | 17 Jul 1952 |
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New Zealand’s Lowest Test Score
As mentioned above, New Zealand hold the most unwanted record of the lowest Test score in the history of Test cricket. They got all out for just 26 in a Test against England on March 25, 1955. The match was played in Auckland under the old playing conditions.
Lowest Test Score of New Zealand |
New Zealand | 26 | 3 | v England | Auckland | 25 Mar 1955 |
New Zealand | 42 | 1 | v Australia | Wellington | 29 Mar 1946 |
New Zealand | 45 | 1 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 2 Jan 2013 |
New Zealand | 47 | 2 | v England | Lord’s | 19 Jun 1958 |
New Zealand | 54 | 3 | v Australia | Wellington | 29 Mar 1946 |
Lowest Test Scores of South Africa |
South Africa |
30 | 4 | v England | Port Elizabeth | 13 Feb 1896 |
South Africa | 30 | 2 | v England | Birmingham | 14 Jun 1924 |
South Africa | 35 | 4 | v England | Cape Town | 1 Apr 1899 |
South Africa | 36 | 1 | v Australia | Melbourne | 12 Feb 1932 |
South Africa | 43 | 3 | v England | Cape Town | 25 Mar 1889 |
Lowest Test Score by Pakistan |
Pakistan | 49 | 2 | v South Africa | Johannesburg | 1 Feb 2013 |
Pakistan | 53 | 3 | v Australia | Sharjah | 11 Oct 2002 |
Pakistan | 59 | 1 | v Australia | Sharjah | 11 Oct 2002 |
Pakistan | 62 | 2 | v Australia | Perth | 13 Nov 1981 |
Pakistan | 49 | 2 | v South Africa | Johannesburg | 1 Feb 2013 |
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Lowest Test scores of West Indies |
West Indies |
47 | 3 | v England | Kingston | 11 Mar 2004 |
West Indies | 51 | 4 | v Australia | Port of Spain | 5 Mar 1999 |
West Indies | 53 | 4 | v Pakistan | Faisalabad |
24 Oct 1986 |
West Indies | 54 | 3 | v England | Lord’s | 29 Jun 2000 |
West Indies | 61 | 3 | v England | Leeds | 17 Aug 2000 |
Lowest Test scores of Zimbabwe |
Zimbabwe | 51 | 2 | v New Zealand | Napier | 26 Jan 2012 |
Zimbabwe | 54 | 1 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 4 Mar 2005 |
Zimbabwe | 59 | 2 | v New Zealand | Harare | 7 Aug 2005 |
Zimbabwe | 63 | 4 | v West Indies | Port of Spain | 16 Mar 2000 |
Zimbabwe | 54 | 1 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 4 Mar 2005 |
ٰData Courtesy: ESPNcricinfo
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
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Pakistan’s lowest Test score in Test cricket?