Test Wins with least wickets resource expended

Test cricket is a different ball game altogether. Our expert now looks at those matches where teams have managed to win comprehensively.

My previous two articles dealt with teams winning matches expending least resources in terms of wickets and balls, the two limited resources in these limited overs formats. In Tests, the situation is slightly different. There are two limiting resources: wickets and time. Time is a nebulous resource in that there have been matches in which this was not limiting: (e-g) in timeless Tests. And nowadays, there is a grey area between time and overs. So let us not look at time but only at wickets.

This is also topical now since the Oval Test was won by South Africa for the loss of only two wickets: a very rare occurrence. Hence this article.

I have considered all wins which have been achieved with the loss of 3 or fewer wickets. It so happens that these are all innings wins. No match has been won with the loss of a single wicket. 5 matches have been won for the loss of 2 wickets. The Oval Test was the most recent one. A further 9 matches for the loss of 3 wickets.

The potted scores of the five matches won with the loss of 2 wickets are given below.  Providing scorecards for all matches would mean too long an article.

Test # 741. England vs India.
Played on 4,5,6,8 July 1974 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
England won by an innings and 78 runs.
India: 165 all out
** Arnold G.G         14.0  3  43  3
** Hendrick M         14.2  1  28  4
England: 459 for 2 wkt(s)
   Lloyd D     214
   Denness M.H 100
India: 216 all out
** Hendrick M         14.4  4  43  3

** Old C.M            15.0  3  52  3

Test # 456. England vs New Zealand.
Played on 3,4,5,7,8 July 1958 at Headingley, Leeds.
England won by an innings and 71 runs.
New Zealand: 67 all out
** Laker J.C          22.0 11  17  5
** Lock G.A.R         18.1 13  14  4
England: 267 for 2 wkt(s)
   Milton C.A 104
   May P.B.H  113
New Zealand: 129 all out
** Laker J.C          36.0 23  27  3
** Lock G.A.R         35.2 20  51  7

Test # 1640. Bangladesh vs South Africa.
Played on 24,25,26,27 April 2003 at MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong.
South Africa won by an innings and 60 runs.
Bangladesh: 173 all out
** Adams P.R          12.3  3  37  5
South Africa: 470 for 2 wkt(s)
   Rudolph J.A   222
   Dippenaar H.H 178
Bangladesh: 237 all out
** Adams P.R          18.4  5  69  5

Test # 154. England vs South Africa.
Played on 28,30 June, 1 July 1924 at Lord’s, London.
England won by an innings and 18 runs.
South Africa: 273 all out
** Gilligan A.E.R     31.0  7  70  3
** Tyldesley R.K      24.0 10  52  3
England: 531 for 2 wkt(s)
   Hobbs     211
   Sutcliffe 122
   Woolley   134
South Africa: 240 all out
** Tyldesley R.K      36.0 18  50  3

Test # 2049. England vs South Africa.
Played on 19,20,21,22,23 July 2012 at Kennington Oval, London.
South Africa won by an innings and 12 runs.
England: 385 all out
   Cook A.N   115
** Morkel M   24.5  2  72  4
South Africa: 637 for 2 wkt(s)
   Smith G.C  131
   Amla H.M   311
   Kallis J.H 182
England: 240 all out
** Steyn D.W          21.0  6  56  5
** Imran Tahir        32.0  7  63  3