5 worst run rates in a Test innings of 100 overs or more

Hashim Amla led South Africa's batting resistanceThe fourth and final Test of the Gandhi-Mandela series saw India winning by 337 runs but not after a 143.1-over resistance from the South African batsmen. Strangely, though, only 143 runs were scored in such a huge number of overs resulting in a meagre run rate of 0.99 for the visitors in their last innings of the tour.This statistic has handed the Proteas a dubious record of having the worst run rate in a Test innings of over 100 overs. However, this is certainly not the first instance of a team batting at a snail-like run rate in Test cricket history.Here are 5 of the slowest Test innings (100 overs plus) ever recorded by a team:

#5 South Africa against Australia, Adelaide, 1994

Gary Kirsten's patient 42 did not turn out to be enough to save the Proteas from a loss

Runs Scored / Overs Played – 129 / 105.5

Innings run rate – 1.21

The Delhi Test was certainly not the first instance of South African batsmen going into a super-defensive mode in order to save a Test. In the 3rd Test of the 1994 Test series between South Africa and Australia played at Adelaide, the visitors scored at a run rate of 1.21 in their 2nd innings.

Needing 321 to win the Test, South Africa tried their best to achieve a draw on the final day but failed as they were bowled out for 129 after playing out 105.5 overs. Peter Kirsten top scored for the Proteas with a marathon 42 from 229 deliveries while Fanie de Villiers scored 30 from 170.

This was the 5th lowest run rate recorded by a team in a Test innings of 100 overs or more.

#4 England against West Indies, Barbados, 1954

Len Hutton, the legendary English cricketer, struggled against the West Indian bowling attack

Runs Scored / Overs Played – 181 / 150.5

Innings run rate – 1.20

England feature at number four on the list of the worst run rates in a Test innings of 100 or more overs. They secured a run-rate of 1.20 in their 1st innings of a Test against the then mighty West Indies team when they scored 181 runs in 150.5 overs in response to the hosts’ 383.

An England batting line-up which boasted of the likes of Dennis Compton and Len Hutton struggled to score against the West Indian bowlers and despite a long vigil at the crease managed to concede a 202-run lead. The end result saw the English losing the match by 181 runs on the final day of the Test.

#3 New Zealand against Pakistan, Karachi, 1955

Zin Harris (L), father of Chris Harris could not rescue the Kiwis from a loss (Image courtesy: Snipview)

Runs Scored / Overs Played – 124 / 108.3

Innings run rate – 1.14

New Zealand displayed some extraordinarily slow batting in a Test match against Pakistan in 1955 when they battled for 108.3 overs to register a score of 124. They ended up achieving a run rate of just 1.14, which is the third lowest run rate in a Test innings of 100 or more overs.

Trailing Pakistan by 125 runs after both teams had played out their 1st innings, the Kiwis hung on for a long time to avoid an innings defeat but fell agonisingly short by a solitary run. Zin Harris, father of former New Zealand allrounder Chris Harris, stayed at the crease for 210 minutes for his 21 but could not save his team from losing by an innings and 1 runs.

#2 India against West Indies, Barbados, 1962

Sir Frank Worrell (L) playing in India's tour in 1962 (Image courtesy: cricketvideo.com)

Runs Scored / Overs Played – 187 / 185.3

Innings run rate – 1.00

The fact that the Indian team managed to survive 185-plus overs against a West Indies bowling attack consisting of the likes of Wes Hall and Lance Gibbs is an achievement in itself, that too at Barbados. However, their tally of 187 runs in those overs makes them second on the list for lowest run rates in a Test innings of 100 overs or more.

Some of the known faces in India’s batting line-up then were Dilip Sardesai, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Vijay Manjrekar and Chandu Borde among others. But the defensive heroics of the batsmen were not enough to save the team from being thrashed by an innings and 30 runs.

#1 South Africa against India, Delhi, 2015

The South Africans put their defensive cap on but still failed to save the Test

Runs Scored / Overs Played – 143 / 143.1

Innings run rate – 0.99

AB de Villiers fans could not have imagined in their wildest dreams that they would see their hero playing an innings of 43 from 297 balls. But an ultra-defensive approach by South Africa in the last two days of the recently concluded Delhi Test made it a possibility.

What it also did was ensure that the Proteas recorded the lowest ever run rate of 0.99 in a Test innings of 100 overs or more. Unfortunately, the ploy which looked set to be successful in handing the visitors a draw failed as they fell flat in the post-tea session on Day 5 and were dismissed for a paltry 143.