10 Teams With Lowest Test Score | Updated 2025

In the modern world of Test Cricket, it has been the toughest and purest form of the game. The traditional format continues to entertain fans and attract a large audience on special days of the Test matches. Legendary players have graced the field across generations. These cricketers have rewritten the history books of the game with their impact and match-winning ability for their respective countries.

Despite the crowd loving T20 cricket, some spectators still come in numbers to witness the traditional format of the game. There have been some breathtaking victories in Test cricket that are still celebrated and are etched in the record books of cricket. On the other side, there have been the lowest score in Test cricket as well, where the batters have failed to score runs and have been bundled out against some brilliant bowling attacks. We dive into Tests' top 10 lowest Test score.

20 Lowest Score In Test - Updated List

The lowest Test score includes some of the most dramatic batting collapses in the sport's history. These records span more than a century and include multiple big teams, showcasing that even the best batting lineups can fall under severe pressure and difficult circumstances. The lowest Test score ever recorded is New Zealand's 26 all out against England in Auckland in 1955, a record that has been uninterrupted for decades. South Africa is the team that has been listed the most number of times for achieving the lowest Test score. Below we have added a table for the top 20 lowest Test score. If there's a tie in the lowest Test score, we have taken the most overs played before being bundled out.

Which Team Scored the Lowest Test Score?

New Zealand’s 26 all-out against England in 1955 at Auckland is still the lowest Test score. This lowest Test score in Test cricket has been there for many decades now and has not been broken by any small cricketing nations as well. While trailing by just 46 runs after the first innings, the Kiwis failed to score and the batters collapsed to 26 runs, among which 11 runs were scored by an opener named Bert Sutcliffe. This has been a game where the team has been bundled out under 30 runs, becoming the lowest Test score in the history of the game.

10. Australia – 42 runs vs England | 1888

In February 1888, the two touring teams came together as one England squad, led by Walter Read, to play a historic Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The contest was low-scoring due to the disturbing weather. Australia won the toss and chose to field. This appeared to be the right decision as Ferris and Turner took nine wickets between them to dismiss England for 113. Arthur Shrewsbury was the top scorer with 44 runs.

As Australia came to bat, Lohmann and Peel, bowling unchanged, restricted them to 35 for 8 at stumps on the opening day. There was no play for three days due to persistent rain and a Sunday in between. When play resumed, Lohmann and Peel dismissed Australia for 42 runs. Turner finished 7 for 43 as England defeated Australia 209 to triumph. They came very short, with Lohmann and Peel splitting eight wickets. England won by 126 runs. Australia's first innings' 42 runs all-out remains the 10th lowest Test score.

9. New Zealand – 42 runs vs Australia | 1946

In March 1946, the Australian cricket team visited New Zealand for one Test match, which they won by an innings and 103 runs. The match was played in Wellington, where Australia, captained by Bill Brown, dominated New Zealand, headed by Walter Hadlee. There was some debate because the match's standing was unclear at the time, and it was not accepted as an official Test until March 1948.

As a result, instead of the traditional baggy greens, the Australians donned caps and blazers labelled "ABC" (for "Australian Board of Control"). In the first innings, the Kiwis were bowled out for 42 runs, with Ernie Toshack and Bill O'Reilly taking nine wickets between them to dismiss the Black Caps. Verdun Scott was the top run-getter with 14 runs. Australia in reply scored 199/8 and declared, and the Kiwis in reply scored 54 runs and they lost the match by an innings and 103 runs.

8. Ireland – 38 runs vs England | 2019

The Test match was viewed as a warm-up for the Ashes series for the England team in 2019. It was a historic occasion for the Ireland squad, and it took place at the iconic Lord's Cricket Stadium. England won the toss and decided to bat. Things began to go awry almost immediately, with England all out for 85 before lunch in 23.4 overs. England lost six wickets for seven runs, finishing at 43 for seven, with four batters falling to Tim Murtagh.

The pacer became the first Irishman to take five wickets in Test cricket. Despite interruptions due to bad weather, Ireland was bowled out for 38 before the end of the morning session, after only 15.4 overs, the seventh lowest score in a Test match innings. Jack Leach was chosen man of the match after scoring 92 runs in the second innings, helping England to score 303 runs in the second innings of the game.

7. India – 36 runs vs Australia | 2020

India toured Australia for the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). This tour came after India defeated the Aussies during the 2018-19 tour. The first match of the series was day and night with the pink ball Adelaide. India looked good after electing to bat first, with Virat Kohli scoring 74 runs. With Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara providing support to the Indian captain. India were bowled out for 244 runs. In reply, Australia fell short as they were bundled for 191 runs with credit to Ravichandran Ashwin, who picked 4 wickets.

Despite having a lead of 53 runs in the first innings India did not have the start they wanted as they lost Prithvi Shaw early with 9/1 on day 3 Australian bowlers were all over the Indian batting lineup as wickets fell like a pack of cards, and the Men in Blue were bowled out for just 36 runs which is their lowest score in Test cricket. Australia won the game by 8 wickets, but eventually, a young Indian team won the series 2-1. This remains India lowest score in Test.

6. Australia – 36 runs vs England | 1902

England batted first on what was described as a "beautiful wicket". Johnny Tyldesley scored a brilliant 138, and the Three Lions scored 376/9d. Coming on to bat Australia fell to Wilfred Rhodes, who took 7 wickets for 17 runs, dismantling a strong Australian batting line-up that included Victor Trumper and Clem Hill.

This collapse happened in the second innings after Australia had secured a first-innings lead. The entire innings lasted just 23 overs, with extras being the top scorer at 8. This match was part of the famous 1902 Ashes series. Australia went on to win despite this setback, showcasing the team’s resilience and determination. For 22 years, a total of 36 stood as the cricket Test lowest score in England. The match was eventually a draw with the Aussies during the follow-on scoring 46/2.

5. South Africa – 36 runs vs Australia | 1932

The fifth Test of South Africa’s 1931–32 tour of Australia, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from February 12 to 16, 1932, is remembered as one of the most one-sided encounters in Test history South Africa after electing to bat first were bundled out for just 36 runs with Bert Ironmonger picking up 5 wickets, and Laurie Nash picking up 4 wickets. Australia in reply also did not have the best score as they were bowled out for 156 runs.

However, in the second innings as well, the Proteas failed to cross the fifty-run mark and were bundled for 45 runs. South Africa is the team with the cricket Test lowest score. Historically, they have been listed six times in the top 20 list of the lowest Test scores, notably for recording the 5th lowest scores in Test cricket.

4. South Africa – 35 runs vs England | 1899

An English cricket team, organised and led by Lord Hawke, toured South Africa from December 1898 to April 1899. The team played two matches against the South African national cricket team. England was with their full squad and won the first Test match. In the second Test match, the English side was bundled out for just 92 runs, with Jimmy Sinclair, who was the star for the Proteas, picking 6 wickets.

South Africa scored 177 runs in the first inning, taking an 82-run lead, with Sinclair scoring a century. However, England was brilliant in the second innings scoring 330 runs and Johnny Tyldesley playing a knock of 112 runs. In reply to chase a target of 248 runs the Proteas could only score 35 runs before being bundled out. The stars for England bowling were Schofield Haigh who picked 6 wickets and Albert Trott picking 4 wickets.

3. South Africa – 30 runs vs England | 1924

South Africa won the toss and elected to field. England scored 438 runs five batters scoring half-centuries. Maurice Tate and Arthur Gilligan shared the wickets between them, with Tate taking 4 for 12. The captain Arthur Gilligan led the side from the front as he picked up 6 wickets, bowling South Africa out for just 30 runs. The highest individual score was again extras at 11.

This collapse came in the first innings of the match, setting the tone for a crushing defeat. However, during the follow-on, the Proteas scored 390 runs and England won the match by an innings and 18 runs. The Three Lions eventually won the three-match series 2-0, with the final Test ending in a draw. This is the third-lowest score in Test cricket.

2. South Africa – 30 runs vs England | 1896

The team played three matches against the South Africa national cricket team which were retrospectively awarded Test status. In the first Test match of the series, South Africa won the toss and elected to field. The Proteas shined after bowling out England for 185 runs. In reply, the Proteas scored 93 runs in the first innings, and then England, after taking a lead of 93 runs, posted a target of 318 runs.

The hosts were bowled out for 30 runs as the entire innings lasted only 18.4 five-ball overs, with extras being the top scorer at 6 runs. This match highlighted the huge difference between the established English team and the developing South African side. George Lohmann was the pick of the bowlers in the second innings with 8 wickets in the innings.

1. New Zealand – 26 runs vs England | 1955

After being bowled out for 200 in their first innings and conceding a 46-run lead, New Zealand faced England’s potent bowling attack under overcast skies and on an excellent bowling surface. During this match, New Zealand struggled to find its footing in Test cricket, where it had been playing the Tests for only 25 years. The innings lasted up to 27 overs, making it one of the most heartbreaking records for New Zealand.

This historic collapse occurred in the second innings of the second Test of England’s tour of New Zealand and remains unbeaten to this day in terms of the lowest Test score by a team in a Test innings. The innings saw no player reach double digits, with Bert Sutcliffe’s 11 being the top score. The game score between New Zealand and England remains the lowest score in Test cricket, with just 26 runs.