Shortest matches in Test cricket history

Test Cricket over a period of time has seen several memorable matches.Among them, there have been matches where due to some poor performances, teams have been shot out for paltry scores and eventually the Test match has ended well within 5 days.Here’s a look at some of the shortest matches in Test history, based on the number of balls that were in each of them.

#10 Australia vs England, Sydney, 1894/95

George Giffen

England put Australia into bat in the fourth Test at Sydney. Thanks to a hundred from Harry Graham and an 85 from Albert Trott, Australia scored a competitive 284 all out in their first innings. Johnny Briggs picked up 4 wickets for England.

England, in reply, were shot out for 65, thanks to some excellent bowling from the Australians. Harry Trott, Charlie Turner, and George Giffin, each of them picked up three wickets.

Following on in their second innings, none of the English batsmen put up any score of substance once again and were bundled out for 72. Giffen picked up 5 wickets to take his match tally to 9 while Turner picked up 4.

911 balls were bowled in the game, which means it took 1 day and 62 overs to complete the match.

#9 Australia vs Pakistan, Sharjah, 2002/03

Shane Warne

This Test series is best remembered for being played at a ground temperature of 58 degree Celsius. Having comprehensively beaten Pakistan in their first match, Australia came into the second Test at Sharjah, hoping to win the series 2-0.

Electing to bat on a dry pitch, Pakistan were bowled out for 59 all out with Shane Warne picking up 4 wickets.

Australia replied with 310 all out, thanks to a hundred from Matthew Hayden, thereby gaining a lead of 215 runs. Those who expected the Men In Green to put up a better batting performance the second time round were in for a rude shock, as they were dismissed for 55 in their second innings. Shane Warne picked up yet another 4-wicket haul to finish with match-figures of 8 for 24 as Australia won the Test match inside 2 days by an innings and 198 runs.

893 balls were bowled in the game, which means it took 1 day 59 overs to complete the match.

#8 South Africa vs England, Centurion, 1999/2000

Michael Vaughan scored a crucial 69

The 5th and final Test in Centurion between South Africa and England in 2000 turned out to be one of the most incredible matches in Test history. England won the toss and put South Africa into bat on an overcast day.

South Africa reached 155 for 6 in 45 overs before rain arrived to halt proceedings. Unprecedented rain for the next 3 days meant that there was no chance of any play.

England forfeited their first innings and the hosts followed suit, forfeiting their second essay. When play finally resumed on day 5, South Africa scored 93 more runs to finish on 248 for 8 declared at the end of 72 overs.

In a shocking occurrence, the details of which only came out later, England were asked to chase 249 for a win in 73 overs and in a thrilling response, they got to the target with 2 wickets remaining. Due to incessant rain, only 883 balls were bowled in the entire Test match, which means it took 1 day and 57 overs to complete the match.

#7 Australia vs New Zealand, Wellington, 1945/46

Bill O’Reilley

In the lone Test played between the two countries at Basin Reserve in Wellington, the Kiwis opted to bat first after winning the toss.However, that decision backfired dramatically as they were bowled out for 42, thanks to a 5-wicket haul from Bill O’Reilley.

The Aussies declared their first innings on 199 for 8, with contributions from Bill Brown and Sid Barnes. Right-arm bowler Jack Cowie picked up 6 wickets for 40 runs in 21 overs for the hosts.

New Zealand struggled again in their second innings, losing wickets regularly and were eventually bowled out for 54 as Australia romped home to an innings and 103 run win. 872 balls were bowled in the match, which means it took 1 day and 55 overs to complete the game.

#6 England vs South Africa, The Oval, 1912

Jack Hobbs

In a one-of-a-kind triangular Test tournament, played in 1912, hosts England squared up against South Africa at the Oval in the 8th match. South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first. They however, folded up for a paltry 95 all-out with only Herbie Taylor and Sip Snooke reaching double figures. Sydney Barnes and Frank Woolley picked up 5 wickets each.

In reply, the Englishman posted 176 on the board, thanks to a 68 from Jack Hobbs. Aubrey Faulkner, however, stole the show by picking up 7 for 84.

Trailing England by 81 runs, the Proteas once again failed to put up a good performance with the bat as they were all out for 93. Sydney Barnes taking his tally to 15 for the match. England scored the 13 runs that was needed and romped home to a 10-wicket win. 815 balls were bowled in the whole game, which means it took 1 day and 46 overs more to complete the match.

#5 South Africa vs England, Cape Town, 1888/89

Johnny Briggs

Having won the first Test at Port Elizabeth by eight wickets, England came to Cape Town, hoping to sweep the two-match series 2-0 against South Africa. Electing to bat first, England managed to reach 292 all out thanks to a 120 from opener Bobby Abel. William Ashley picked up 7 wickets for the hosts.

In reply, the South Africans were bowled out for an appalling 47, with Bernard Tancred top scoring with 26. Johnny Briggs picked up 7 wickets for 17 runs.

Following on, the Proteas were left embarrassed once again as they were dismissed for 43. Briggs went one step higher the second-time round, picking 8 for 11 to record astonishing match-figures of 15 for 28 as England crushed South Africa by an innings and 202 runs to win the game and the series 2-0. Both teams combined bowled 796 balls in the game, which means it took 1 day and 43 overs to complete the match.

#4 England vs Australia, Lord\'s, 1888

Charlie Turner

In the first Test of the 3-match series, Australia chose to bat on a hard wicket at Lord’s. However, none of the Australian batsmen got going as Bobby Peel and Johnny Briggs picked up regular wickets to bowl them out for 116.

England were embarrassingly bowled out for 53 in their first innings as Charlie Turner picked up 5 for 27 to help his side get a lead of 63. Tail-ender Johnny Briggs top-scored with 17. Australia seemed to return the favour in their second innings as they were bowled out for 60. Bobby Peal and George Lohmann this time doing the damage, picking up 4 wickets a piece.

Chasing 124 for a win, the Australian new-ball pair of Charlie Turner and John Ferris bowled splendidly to pick up 5 wickets each and dismiss England for 62 in their second essay. The Aussies won the game by 61 runs to go one-nil up. Only 792 balls were bowled in the game which means it took 1 day and 42 overs to complete the game.

#3 England vs Australia, Manchester, 1888

Bobby Peel

The series was level at 1-1 heading into the 3rd and final Test at Old Trafford. Electing to bat first, none of the England batsman could get going as Charlie Turner wreaked havoc for the Aussies, taking 5 wickets and dismissing the hosts for 172 inside the first day with WC Grace top scoring with 38.

Left-arm spinner Bobby Peal then bowled the spell of his life on a wet pitch to bundle the Australians for 81, thereby helping England secure a 91-run lead. The top-scorer for the Aussies was Harry Trott. with 17.

Following on (the follow-on rule was 80 in 1888), Australia were again in early trouble in their second innings, losing all their first four batsmen for ducks. They never recovered from that disastrous position and were bundled out for 70.

The combined total of runs scored by the Aussies in both their innings was fewer than England’s tally in their first innings. Peel picked up 4 wickets in the second innings, to add to his seven in the first as the match finished astonishingly before lunch on Day 2 to hand England the series 2-1. 788 balls were bowled, which means it took 1 day and 41 overs to complete the game.

#2 West Indies vs England, Bridgetown, 1934/35

George Headley

England were touring the West Indies for a four-match Test series in early 1935. In the first Test at Bridgetown, the visitors opted to bowl first after winning the toss and that decision paid dividends as they bowled out the hosts for 102, thanks to some fine bowling by Ken Farnes and George Paine, who picked up 4 and 3 wickets respectively. George Headly top-scored for his side with 44.

England were then expected to put up a better batting performance than their opponents but instead were skittled out for 81. Wally Hammond on his own scored more than half the runs, top scoring with 43 as the West Indies came roaring back into the game.

Coming out to bat with a lead of 21 runs, the West Indies batting flopped hopelessly for the second time in a row as they were bowled for a mere 51, leaving England to chase 73 runs for a win. Farnes’s bowling partner Jim Smith was the wrecker-in-chief this time picking up 5 wickets.

England stumbled their way to a four-wicket win despite Manny Martindale’s 5-wicket haul to take a one-nil lead in the series. Only 672 balls was bowled in the whole game, which means it took 1 day and 22 overs to complete the match.

#1 Australia vs South Africa, Melbourne, 1931/32

Bert Ironmonger

South Africa toured Australia for a long five Test series in the summer of 1931-32. The Proteas headed into the 5th Test at Melbourne, having been comprehensively crushed by the Aussies in each of the first 4 Tests.

Opting to bat first, South Africa were shot out for 36 inside the first session on the first day thanks to some excellent bowling by left-arm medium bowler Bert Ironmonger, who picked up 5 wickets for 6 runs coming in as first change. New-ball bowler Laurie Nash also picked up 4 wickets. Only Jock Cameron reached double-figures for the visitors, scoring 11.

Australia in their first essay, did marginally better, putting 153 runs on the board with Jack Fingleton top scoring with 40. No play was possible on the second day due to heavy rain and the following day was a rest day.

The Proteas were hoping to put up a better performance second time round, but instead were bundled out again for 45. Ironmonger once again bowled splendidly to pick up 6 wickets for 18 runs as the Aussies thumped the South Africans by an innings and 72 runs. Only a total of 656 balls were bowled in the entire duration of the match, which means 1 day and a total of 19 overs were bowled.