5 lowest Test innings of all time
Test cricket does bring with it the element of surprise with every game and it amazes everyone with different stats, different numbers in almost every innings and every day. Sometimes they are good records and sometimes they are records teams (or players) would not be proud of.
And Bangladesh registered one such unwanted record as they were bundled out for a mere 43 on the first day of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua. It is the 10th lowest score in Test cricket history and the 3rd lowest in the first innings of a Test match. This 43 is also the lowest total against West Indies.
Some unwanted records tumbled for Bangladesh in this innings of 43 but here let’s take a look back at 5 of the lowest Test innings in cricket history.
#5 36 - Australia vs England, Birmingham (1902) and South Africa vs Australia, Melbourne (1932)
In the 1902 Ashes, the first Test was at Birmingham (which was a three-day Test) and England who had lost the last couple of Ashes series batted first and declared at 376/9. In reply, Australia just fell like nine pins as none of the batsmen stuck around and were eventually dismissed for just 36.
England left-arm off-spinner Wilfred Rhodes who played more than 1000 first class games in his career, took 7/17 and left-arm quick George Hirst scalped the remaining three. Opener Victor Trumper was the highest run-getter in that innings as he made 18 and was the one batsman to have registered double digits for Australia in that innings (and the next best was 5). It was the third lowest Test score back then.
30 years later, South Africa levelled this total as they slumped to 36 against Australia in the 5th match of the series in 1932. Already 4-0 down, South Africa batted first but the Aussie bowling attack just blew them away as fast bowler Laurie Nash took 4/18 while left-arm medium pacer Bert Ironmonger took 5/6. Only one South African batsman made it to double figures. This 36 is still the lowest score in the first innings of a Test match.
Australia made 153 later in reply before skittling out the Proteas for another low score and this time for 45.