5 fastest Test Innings of all time

For those used to watching batsmen block their way to monotony, nothing makes for better viewing than a batting performance that defies the nature of the competition. While the ODI and T-20 cabinets have such performances aplenty, a slam-bang Test innings is nonetheless a rarity; for taking into account all 13876 fifty plus scores in Test history, only 308 (2.2%) were scored at a strike rate in excess of 100.

In this list, we list down the 5 fastest test innings (scores in excess of 50) of all time, played in defiance of the mould that this format is played in.

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#5 Sir Vivian Richards

110*(56) (7x4, 7x6) - S/R 189.7 vs England (Antigua 1986)

Riding on the back of an Ashes triumph, England came to the West Indian shores expecting to give the hosts a tough fight and in no mood to let the black-wash of 1984 repeat itself. Little did they know that West Indies were also in no mood to let the Englishmen taste success. Although England did have their moment in a brilliant ODI win, results in the Test matches were all too familiar.

Headed to Antigua for the 5th Test, battered and bruised as they were, England would have hoped that with the series in the kitty, West Indies would be a bit lenient in their aggression. But they were wrong; for to expect a certain Vivian Richards to let off in a game at his home ground was like expecting thundershowers in the Atacama.

Having conceded a lead of 164 in the first innings, England were at the receiving end of a breathtaking assault by the king. Smashing one-handed sixes, Richards seemed like he was just amusing himself as he strode to the then fastest Test hundred (56 balls), a record he held on to for nearly 30 years.

#4 Tim Southee

77* (40) (4x4,9x6), S/R/ 192.5 (Vs England, 2008)

Southee pulverised the England bowling on its own turf

When Nathan Astle blitzed his way to the fastest Test double century of all time, not many would have believed that New Zealand were chasing an impossible 552 to win the match. England didn't have the match in their pocket until Astle was out.

6 years later, it was deja-vu for England at Lord's in 2008 as chasing 553, debutant Tim Southee was running away in its pursuit. He slammed nine sixes in total (two short of Astle's 11) in an innings of a breathtaking pace (it only lasted 48 minutes) and many would argue that had Chris Martin not been the last out, Southee may just have pulled off a miracle.

#3 David Warner

55*(27) (8x3,3x6), S/R 203.70 vs Pakistan (2017)

Warner blasting away vs Pakistan

The beating that Australia handed out to Pakistan on their tour down-under made it hard to believe that Pakistan were the No.1 ranked Test side just six months earlier.

Having put up a reasonable fight in the first Test match, Pakistan surrendered meekly in the next two and it was all too visible when having conceded a lead of 223 in the first innings of the 3rd Test (In spite of a Younis Khan masterclass) they walked in to bowl at Australia.

True to his reputation for being a home track monster, David Warner (after having smashed a 78 ball hundred in the first innings) took to the dilapidated Pakistani bowling by bringing up his half-century in just 23 balls, and remarkably had scored 46 out of those 50 runs in boundaries.

Having eventually been dismissed for 55 off 27 balls, Warner had set the platform for a thumping Aussie win.

#4 Dale Steyn

58 (28), 6x4, 5x6, S/R - 207.14 vs West Indies (Port Elizabeth - 2014)

Steyn on his way to 58

Perhaps the most unlikely name on the list, the most outstanding fast bowler of this generation set the records straight in a rain-curtailed Test vs West Indies. Having come in at 348/7, Dale Steyn started to fling his bat around in typically uncompromising style to bring up his 50 in 26 balls with 48 of those runs coming in boundaries.

The innings served as a precursor to the records that West Indies would fall prey to in the next few months: Fastest ODI hundred by Corey Anderson (36 balls), which was duly surpassed by AB De Villiers (31 balls) a few days later.

#1 Jacques Kallis

54* (25), 3x4, 5x6, S/R- 216, vs Zimbabwe (Cape Town - 2004)

Kallis has an unlikely record to his name

No, it isn't Virender Sehwag and it is a testament to the beauty of this game that one of the greatest all-rounders (and cricketers) of all time tops this list.

Jacques Kallis's batting didn't fill up stadiums but what it did give was re-assurance, in the hearts of both his teammates and countrymen. Kallis was the pivot around whom the rest of the South African stars batted.

But for this one contest vs Zimbabwe, Kallis reversed roles with his teammates. Zimbabwe were duly dismissed in their first innings for 54 (with their scorecard reading like a phone number). South Africa replied as if they were batting first on a belter of a wicket in a one day match.

In 50 completed overs they pounded 340/3 (dec) with Kallis scoring the quickest of the lot. Zimbabwe did offer a good fight in the second innings but were bundled out for 265, handing the Proteas an innings victory.

At the time, Kallis's innings was the fastest 50 in history until it was eclipsed by Misbah Ul-Haq (21 balls).