By Ravi - Jul 16, 2025 08:59 PM
Test cricket, often considered the purest form of the game, is a test of patience. Centuries and wickets are important, but there are certain batting moments that go down in the pages of history - and for all the wrong reasons. These are the days when the ball overpowers the bat and teams collapse for abysmal scores. Let's take a look at the five lowest team scores of all time in the long and illustrious history of Test cricket.
This is the lowest team score in Test history. It happened in March 1955 at Eden Park in Auckland. England bowled out New Zealand for just 26 runs in the second innings. New Zealand's top scorer made just 11 runs and five batsmen scored none. England's fast bowler Bob Appleyard took 4 wickets for just 7 runs. Brian Statham and Frank Tyson took 3 and 2 wickets respectively to bowl out New Zealand for 26 runs. This is a record no team would want to break.
In perhaps the most shocking defeat in recent Test cricket history, the West Indies were bowled out for just 27 runs at Kingston in 2025. The Australian pacers devastated the batting order and produced the second-lowest total in Test cricket. In the last innings, Mitchell Starc took five wickets in just 15 balls. He took 6 wickets for 9 runs in 7.3 overs and bowled out the Windies for 27 runs.
South Africa faced England at Gwabera. Chasing a difficult target, they were bowled out for just 30 runs in their second innings. England's bowlers, especially George Lohmann, were very aggressive against the South African batsmen. Lohmann took 8 wickets for 7 runs in this innings, one of the most incredible bowling figures in history. This was a difficult period for South African cricket, which was still emerging at the international level.
South Africa found themselves in trouble again in 1924 when they were bowled out for 30 in the second innings of the Birmingham Test. Maurice Tate and Arthur Gilligan shared the wickets and did not allow the batsmen to breathe. The hosts made 438 in the first innings and followed on to win the match by an innings and 18 runs. It was another example of how South Africa struggled in their early Test history.
This match was played in Cape Town during England's tour of South Africa in 1899. The hosts were bowled out for a very low score of just 35 runs. England's bowlers, Schofield Haigh and Albert Trott, took full advantage of the conditions, taking 6 and 4 wickets respectively. This was one of the many occasions on the tour when England completely dominated South Africa and won the Cape Town Test by 210 runs.
Also Read: Virat Kohli Becomes First Cricketer to Score 900+ ICC Rating in All Formats
Give Your Feedback