5 times teams were dismissed for less than 100 in both innings of a Test

Although cricket is often called a batsman’s game, it would not be entirely wrong to suggest that Test cricket is a game meant for bowlers. Attacking fields and no restriction to the number of overs that can be bowled can turn a bit of help from the pitch into a huge advantage for bowlers. Over the course of Test cricket’s history stretching back to 1877, batting sides have often been dismissed for paltry scores and many of those low scores have made it to the record books.

However, it becomes a different proposition altogether when a team is bundled out for less than 100 runs in both innings of a Test match. The reasons behind such a batting performance can be down to a variety of factors and although it might often boil down to a poor pitch, bad batting is the biggest reason. There have only been 17 such instances and this article looks at 5 of those:

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#5 England dismissed for 53 and 62 by Australia at Lord’s, 1888

Australia have one of the best records for visiting sides at Lord’s and even as far back as 1888, they dominated England at one of cricket’s most iconic grounds. It is also important to note that in those days, pitches were often left uncovered and that often gave the bowlers an unfair advantage. In those days, plenty of sides used to get bundled out for low scores but England’s performance was quite abysmal.

It was a low-scoring Test match and after Australia had been dismissed for 116 in the 1st innings, the visitors bundled England out for 53. Seam bowler Charles Turner picked up 5 wickets. However, Australia then crashed to 60 all out and England were left to score 124 runs to win the game. However, Australia’s seam bowling pair of Turner and John Ferris bowled unchanged for 47 overs and dismissed England for 62.

#4 Pakistan dismissed for 59 and 53 by Australia at Sharjah, 2002

A general view of the Sharjah Cricket ground...

This is one of the worst batting performances by a side in modern Test cricket and it is quite telling that the worst batting performance prior to Pakistan’s capitulation in Sharjah took place in 1946 (more on that later). In 2002, Pakistan played host to Australia in Sharjah and in the 2nd Test of the series, they were dismissed for 59 after a stellar bowling performance from the visitors.

There were no demons in the pitch and Australia’s 1st innings total of 310 is evidence of that fact. Staring at a 1st innings deficit of 251 runs, Pakistan needed to score big but they got buried under the scoreboard pressure and crashed to 53 all out. Shane Warne picked up 4 wickets in each innings and it remains one of the worst batting performances by a team in Test cricket history.

#3 New Zealand dismissed for 42 and 54 by Australia at Basin Reserve, 1946

O'Reilly Bowls

In the 1st Test of the 1946 series between the Trans-Tasman rivals, the Australians exposed the gulf in quality between the two sides and New Zealand’s collapse at Basin Reserve remains one of their most embarrassing defeats in history. New Zealand batted first but had no answer to Bill O’Reilly and Ernest Toshakh, who claimed 5 and 4 wickets respectively.

The hosts fought back by dismissing Australia for 199 and while it might have seemed that the match was still alive, New Zealand performed miserably with the bat yet again. An all-round bowling performance from Australia saw them being dismissed for only 54 in the 2nd innings. Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller, Ernest Toshakh and Bill O’Reilly all picked up wickets to complete an innings and 103-run victory.

#2 South Africa dismissed for 47 and 43 by England at Newlands, 1889

A portrait of John Briggs

It was the year when South Africa played their first international Test match and in the 2nd Test of the series at Newlands, the lack of quality in the side was cruelly exposed by a far more experienced English side. The visitors batted first and made 292, but in response, South Africa were all out for an abysmal 47 in just over 47 overs. Left-arm orthodox spinners John Briggs picked up 7 wickets and gave away only 17 runs in 19.1 overs. England enforced the follow-on and the hosts needed to score at least 245 to avoid an innings defeat.

However, that was no longer a concern once the 2nd innings commenced. John Briggs was in his element again and picked up 8 wickets in 14.2 overs as South Africa crashed to 43 all out in 28.2 overs. Out of the 10 wickets to fall, one was a run out while the rest of the batsmen were bowled and that is perhaps an indication of the sort of technical problems that the South African batsmen suffered from. England won by an innings and 202 runs.

#1 South Africa dismissed for 36 and 45 by Australia at Melbourne, 1932

Present day Melbourne Cricket Ground

By the time they arrived in Australia in 1932, South Africa had become a far more accomplished cricket team but in the 5th Test at Melbourne, they delivered the worst batting performance in the history of Test cricket. South Africa batted first but could not handle the pace of Laurence Nash or the left-arm orthodox spin of Bert Ironmonger. Nash picked up 4 wickets, while Ironmonger claimed 5 as South Africa were bundled out for only 36 in 22.2 overs.

When Australia batted, it was not particularly smooth sailing for them either but they managed to make 153 in their first innings. A lead of 117 was still a substantial one and it proved to be so when South Africa batted for the second time. Yet again, it was Ironmonger who wrecked the South Africans with a 6 wicket haul and brought about their collapse for 45 runs in 31.3 overs. It is the lowest aggregate score by a team in the history of Test cricket.