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5 most successful 250-plus run chases in Test cricket since 2016

England chased 359 at Headingley in the third Test of Ashes 2019
England chased 359 at Headingley in the third Test of Ashes 2019

Surviving and scoring runs in the fourth innings is a question of skill. Teams have found it extremely difficult to chase targets of 250 and above in Test cricket in the last 3 years or so. In fact, since the year 2016, a target of 250 has been chased only on 5 occasions. The deteriorating nature of the pitches and the lack of technique of the cricketers to survive on days 4 and 5 are a couple of factors.

Sri Lanka (ranked 6 in the Test rankings), West Indies (ranked 8) and England (ranked 4) are the only three teams to chase 250 plus targets successfully in the last 3 years. While England and the West Indies achieved the feat once, Sri Lanka have made a habit out of it by achieving this feat on 3 separate occasions.

Here is a look at the 5 successful 250 plus run chases in Test cricket in the last 3 years.


#1 Sri Lanka chase a record target against Zimbabwe: One-off Test, Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, Colombo (2017)

Sri Lanka chased a target of 387 against Zimbabwe in 2017 in Colombo
Sri Lanka chased a target of 387 against Zimbabwe in 2017 in Colombo

Zimbabwe stunned Sri Lanka by winning the 5 match ODI series on Sri Lanka's home turf in 2017 by a margin of 3-2. Thereafter, Zimbabwe played a solitary Test against the Islanders.

Batting firs,t Zimbabwe scored an impressive 356 in their first innings with Craig Ervine scoring an impressive 160. Rangana Herath impressed with the ball by picking up 5 wickets in 32 overs. The visitors impressed with the ball and bowled out the hosts for 346 with Upul Tharanga top-scoring for the hosts with 71 runs. Graeme Cremer, the Zimbabwe skipper took 5 wickets and was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers.

The visitors were reduced to 24 for 4 and then 59 for 5 in their second innings as the hosts were running through the Zimbabwe batting line up. However, the last 5 Zimbabwe wickets added 318 runs with Sikandar Raza contributing 127, Peter Moor 40, Malcolm Waller 68 and skipper Cremer 48. The hosts were stunned by the resistance shown by the lower half of the Zimbabwe batting order and were left to chase a target of 387.

A target of 387 in the fourth innings was never going to be easy but the hosts negotiated the Zimbabwe spinners with vital contributions from Kusal Mendis (66), Dickwella (81) and Gunaratne (80*) as Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets.

Sri Lanka achieved their highest ever run chase but Zimbabwe did give the hosts a run for their money!

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