The next four shortest Tests of all-time
656 balls:When South Africa walked out to bat at the MCG against Australia in 1932,no one could have forecast the carnage that was set to unfold.
Australian opener Laurie Nash (4-18) ripped through South Africa’s top order to bowl the tourists out for just 36 in 23.2 overs,which is still the equal fifth-lowest score in Test history.
Bert Ironmonger also had a day out,taking 5-6 off 7.2 overs.
When Australian skipper and opener Bill Woodfull was bowled for a duck,South Africa had their tail up,but the home side clawed their way to 153 before dismissing the visitors for 45 in 31.3 overs.
Ironmonger finished the match with stunning figures of 11-24.
672 balls:The 1935 Test between the West Indies and England in Bridgetown was another fizzer that lasted less than three days.
By stumps on day one,England were 5-81 in response to the West Indies’ 102 all out.
Persistent rain was a headache for both sides,with England boldly declaring on 7-81 before the West Indies did the same in their second innings on 6-51 after three of their top four batters made ducks.
England reached their target of 73 for the loss of six wickets in 16.3 overs.
788 balls:The 30th Test in history began on August 30 in 1888 between Australia and England at Manchester and had its fair share of drama.
English legend W G Grace top-scored with 38 of his side’s 172 runs before Australia managed just 81.
Australia were asked to follow on,and that’s when the chaos really began.
Australia’s top four batters – Alec Bannerman,Percy McDonnell,Harry Trott and George Bonnor – all made ducks as their side slumped to 6-7.
England won by an innings and 21 runs.
792 balls:The 1888 Ashes series certainly wasn’t a classic. Two Tests earlier at Lord’s,Australia inflicted a 61-run win in a fixture that lasted just two days.
This Test holds the record for the lowest match aggregate for runs (291).
Australia made their way to 116 from 71.2 overs but if you thought that was at snail’s pace,England responded by making 53 from 50 overs (albeit four-ball overs).
The visitors were 7-18 in their second innings before chalking up a total of 60.
England needed 124 to win but made just half that,falling 61 runs short. W G Grace (24) and skipper Allan Steel (10) were the only ones to make it to double figures.
Other odd Test records
Lowest score in Test cricket:In the 1955 Test between New Zealand and England in Auckland,the Kiwis only trailed by 46 runs after the first innings.
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However,they managed just 26 runs in the second innings across 27 remarkable overs. Bob Appleyard was the best of the bowlers with 4-7 off six overs.
Fewest runs in a full day of play:Just 95 runs were scored across five-and-a-half-hours on day one of a Test between Australia and Pakistan in Karachi in 1956. Australia made 80 from 53.1 overs before Pakistan continued at a similar pace when they had a bat.
Longest Test: If you think five days is long enough for a match,just note that South Africa and England played nine days of cricket in a 12-day window in 1939. At a time when ‘Timeless Tests’ were the norm,this fixture went for 43 hours and 16 minutes. A total of 1981 runs were scored from 5447 balls before the game was abandoned so England players wouldn’t miss their boat home.
India 153 (Kohli 46,Ngidi 3-30) and3-80 (Jaiswal 28,Jansen 1-15) defSouth Africa 55 (Siraj 6-15,Kumar 2-0) and176 (Markram 106,Bumrah 6-61) by seven wickets.