Top 5 fastest team fifties in Tests ft. ENG vs WI 2024
Test cricket started as a format that mainly challenged players' temperament, endurance, technique, patience, and focus over five drawn-out days. Despite starting as early as the 1870s, the red-ball format routinely saw teams score between two and three runs per over.
However, with the advent of limited-overs cricket in the 1970s, run rates spiked even in the longer format with batters willing to take more risks. The evolution further continued when T20s came into existence in the 2000s.
A new paradigm of batting has meant scores usually achieved in a session have become a regular affair in the first five to 10 overs of an innings. While the West Indian and Australian sides of the 1980s and the 2000s built their game plan on attacking batting, the current England side has taken it to another level.
With the Brendon McCullum-Ben Stokes partnership enabling the utmost freedom to batters, scoring rates that were unheard of in years have become a formality for the English outfit.
They added another feather to that cap by becoming the fastest to reach a team 50 in a Test match in the ongoing game against the West Indies.
It is only fair to look at who they overtook and the next three instances in the top five fastest team fifties in Test history.
#1 ENG vs WI, 2024
After a thumping innings victory in the series opener against the West Indies, England wasted no time stamping their authority again on Day 1 of the second Test at Trent Bridge.
The hosts lost opener Zak Crawley in the first over for a duck after being asked to bat first by West Indian skipper Kraigg Brathwaite. However, it has been one-way traffic since, with England racing to the 50-run mark in only 4.2 overs.
Ben Duckett scored 33 of those runs in a mere 14 deliveries with Ollie Pope adding 16 off his nine balls. 40 of the 50 runs came in boundaries as England put the West Indian bowlers on the backfoot from the get-go.
As things stand, the partnership between Duckett and Pope continues to flourish with England on 101/1 in the 19th over.
#2 ENG vs SA, 1994
The English side of 1994 held the fastest team fifty record for 30 years before their successors dethroned the same today. Playing against South Africa at the Oval, the hosts conceded a formidable 332 to their opponents in the first innings.
However, they responded by scoring 304 to keep themselves in the contest heading into the second innings. England bowled the Proteas out for a paltry 175 in the third innings to be left to chase 204 for victory in the final innings.
Openers Graham Gooch and Michael Atherton helped England race to 50 off just 4.3 overs to erase doubts over the outcome. The home side eventually completed the chase in the 36th over with eight wickets in hand to level the three-match series at 1-1.
#3 ENG vs SL, 2002
It's England again for a third time in a row as they imprinted their name on the fastest fifty in another decade - the 2000s. Playing against Sri Lanka at Manchester in 2002, the hosts piled up a massive 512 in the first innings.
They restricted the Lankans to 253 in their first innings and enforced the follow-on. Despite better resistance from Sri Lanka, England bowled them out for 308 to set themselves up for a run-chase of only 50.
Openers Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan wasted no time completing the demolition as England finished the deal in only 5 overs to win the three-match series 2-0.
#4 SL vs PAK, 2004
Finally at No.4 on the list of fastest team fifties, we have someone other than England with Sri Lanka doing a number on Pakistan in 2004.
On a tacky wicket at Karachi, the Lankan batters were found wanting as they were bowled out for a sub-par 208 in the first innings. Pakistan responded with a massive 478 in their first batting essay, leaving Sri Lanka on the brink.
However, not one to fade away without a fight, the Sri Lankan openers raced to 50 in 5.2 overs. Swashbuckling batter Sanath Jayasuriya did most of the damage by scoring 32 while skipper Marvan Atapattu moved to 16.
The duo continued the rapid start before Pakistan struck with Sri Lanka on 117 in the 22nd over. The Lankans were eventually bowled out for 406 and Pakistan completed the run-chase of 137 with six wickets to spare.
#5 IND vs ENG, 2008
Who will ever forget the famous Chennai Test between India and England in 2008? A sea-saw contest saw the visitors compile 316 in the first innings before bowling the Indians out for only 241.
England piled on the misery further, scoring 311/9 declared in their second innings to set India an improbable 387 to win with under four sessions remaining. Yet, not one to ever back down, Virender Sehwag came out all guns blazing in pursuit of the target.
The champion opener combined with Gautam Gambhir to help India race to 50 in only 5.3 overs. Sehwag scored 42 of the 50 runs as India enjoyed the ideal platform for their stunning run-chase.
Sehwag was eventually dismissed for 83 off 68 deliveries but the damage had been done. The legendary Sachin Tendulkar took over on Day 5 with a magnificent 103* as India completed an incredible run-chase by six wickets to take a 1-0 series lead.