Test innings: High and low scoring rates
Inspite of the fast pace that Twenty20 has brought into cricket, there is still much to appreciate in the scoring rates of Tests.
We are now so conditioned to seeing everything in terms of scoring rates in T20. But Tests have their own fascination and this article looks at the two extremes of scoring rates achieved in Test innings. To ensure that we look at decent size innings, I have set 50 overs (3-4 hours of play) as a minimum required to include a Test innings.
First, the high scoring rates. The following table lists the best 10 innings in terms of scoring rates.
| MtNo | Year | Bat-team | I | Vs | Score | Overs | ScRt | Result |
| 1737 | 2005 | South Africa | 2 | Zim | 340/3 | 50 | 6.8 | Won |
| 75 | 1902 | Australia | 2 | Saf | 296/10 | 51 | 5.8 | Drawn |
| 1753 | 2005 | England | 2 | Bng | 447/3 | 78 | 5.73 | Won |
| 1561 | 2001 | Sri Lanka | 2 | Bng | 555/5 | 103.3 | 5.36 | Won |
| 633 | 1968 | West Indies | 3 | Eng | 284/6 | 53 | 5.36 | Drawn |
| 1278 | 1994 | West Indies | 3 | Ind | 301/3 | 56.3 | 5.33 | Won |
| 1781 | 2006 | India | 2 | Pak | 410/1 | 77.2 | 5.3 | Drawn |
| 1743 | 2005 | Pakistan | 3 | Ind | 261/2 | 50 | 5.22 | Won |
The South African blitz was quite recent and the innings was started and declared on the first day itself after Zimbabwe were dismissed for 54. The next instance occurred over 100 years back in a 3-day Test when fast scoring was essential. The third instance is a recent one by England against the hapless Bangladesh. However Bangladesh, 5 years later, are proving to be a tougher nut to crack.
I have given below the capsuled summary of the South African innings.
South Africa: 340 for 3 in 50 overs
| G.C.Smith | 121 (107) | Streak | 13.0-0-90-0 |
| De Villiers | 98 (118) | Mpofu | 12.0-2-53-0 |
| Rudolph | 49 (50) | Chigumbura | 8.0-0-53-0 |
| Kallis | 54 (25) | Cremer | 9.0-0-86-3 |
Now a look at the low scoring rates. The following table lists the worst 10 innings in terms of scoring rates.
| MtNo | Year | Bat-team | I | Vs | Score | Overs | ScRt | Result |
| 415 | 1955 | NewZealand | 3 | Pak | 69/6 | 90 | 0.77 | Drawn |
| 527 | 1962 | India | 3 | Win | 187/10 | 185.3 | 1.01 | Lost |
| 387 | 1954 | Pakistan | 1 | Eng | 87/10 | 83.5 | 1.04 | Drawn |
| 435 | 1957 | South Africa | 4 | Eng | 72/10 | 66.5 | 1.08 | Lost |
| 456 | 1958 | NewZealand | 1 | Eng | 67/10 | 59.1 | 1.13 | Lost |
| 413 | 1955 | NewZealand | 3 | Pak | 124/10 | 108.3 | 1.14 | Lost |
| 9 | 1882 | Australia | 1 | Eng | 63/10 | 53.2 | 1.18 | Won |
| 421 | 1956 | NewZealand | 1 | Win | 74/10 | 62.2 | 1.19 | Lost |
On a winter day in Dacca over 50 years back, the first two days were washed out by rain. Then, New Zealand were dismissed for 70 and Pakistan declared with a lead of 125. Afterwards, New Zealand produced what must be termed as a “you cannot pay me enough to come in” type of innings. They crawled to 69 in 90 overs. The rate is 0.77 per over. Today 0.77 per ball is, at times, de rigueur. I wonder whether the Bangladeshis who paid hard-earned money to watch this nonsense decided to separate on this day. New Zealand drew the match, however, since the last day was rained off. Fortunately, we do not have the balls played information. However, remember that this was on a wet coir matting pitch laid on grass.
New Zealand’s innings is summarized below. 55 out of 90 overs bowled by Pakistan were maidens.
New Zealand: 69 for 6 in 90 overs
| Fazal Mahmood | 6.0- 3-12-0 |
| Khan Mohammad | 30.0-19-20-2 |
| Zulfiqar Ahmed | 16.0- 8-13-1 |
| Kardar | 28.0-17-21-2 |
| Shujauddin | 9.0- 8- 1-0 |
| Hanif Mohammad | 1.0- 0- 1-0 |
No less excruciating was India’s crawl during 1962, when blocking was passé and scoring was out of fashion. India took nearly two complete days of batting to score 187 runs. A new society, SPCS, was called for. Gibbs had analysis of 53.3-37-38-8. The mitigating circumstance for India was that Contractor was seriously injured in the previous match and was still in hospital.
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