Lowest total in test match cricket has been made by New Zealand = 26 allout, at Eden Park in Auckland back in March 1955..
A test match to forget, New Zealand were in the game even after being dismissed for just 200 in first innings as they had limited visitors for 246 but leg spinner Alex Moir's fifer coupled with 3 wkts for pacer Johnny Hayes ripped them apart in second innings, and wrote the ugliest fact in kiwi international cricket. Opener Bert Sutcliffe (11) was the only batsman to reach double figures and there were no extras conceeded by Englishmen.
South Africa is the only team to be dismissed for 30, twice, and then for 35 and 36 as you can see in following list. Interstingly, England are the team that has done most of damage to opposition. Aussies aren't a lot behind when it comes to finishing teams for lowest totals. This is probably for the reason that Aussies and English were first two teams and hence had experienced bowlers to ravage young teams.
Sri Lanka is the only team never allout for a score under 70, which is an incredible achievement over the years. And, if you notice, Pakistan are the only team to give Lankans their smallest total, twice, at same venue in Kandy.
India's record in lowest team totals is a significant one, as they played the least number of overs in their 2nd innings of that 1974 test match at Lord's. Indians had made respectable 302 in first innings, yet conceeded 327 run lead and hence followed on to record their smallest total ever.
The latest two smallest team scores are made by England and West Indies, against each other in year 2009 and 2004 respectively. West Indies were allout for only 47 at Kingston in Jamaica, the same venue were England folded up for 51 five years later against Jerome Taylors fast bowling.
Also notice lowest test totals by Pakistan, which came in same test match against Australia at Sharjah. at a neutral venue, Pakistan had elected to bat to make 59 and then 53 allout. Abdul Razzaq (21) in first innings while Imran Nazir (16) and Misbah-ul-Haq (53) in second innings were only 3 batsman to reach double figures for Pakistan in that test match.
Here's a list of smallest test match totals, limited to scores less than 50 runs.
A test match to forget, New Zealand were in the game even after being dismissed for just 200 in first innings as they had limited visitors for 246 but leg spinner Alex Moir's fifer coupled with 3 wkts for pacer Johnny Hayes ripped them apart in second innings, and wrote the ugliest fact in kiwi international cricket. Opener Bert Sutcliffe (11) was the only batsman to reach double figures and there were no extras conceeded by Englishmen.
South Africa is the only team to be dismissed for 30, twice, and then for 35 and 36 as you can see in following list. Interstingly, England are the team that has done most of damage to opposition. Aussies aren't a lot behind when it comes to finishing teams for lowest totals. This is probably for the reason that Aussies and English were first two teams and hence had experienced bowlers to ravage young teams.
Sri Lanka is the only team never allout for a score under 70, which is an incredible achievement over the years. And, if you notice, Pakistan are the only team to give Lankans their smallest total, twice, at same venue in Kandy.
India's record in lowest team totals is a significant one, as they played the least number of overs in their 2nd innings of that 1974 test match at Lord's. Indians had made respectable 302 in first innings, yet conceeded 327 run lead and hence followed on to record their smallest total ever.
The latest two smallest team scores are made by England and West Indies, against each other in year 2009 and 2004 respectively. West Indies were allout for only 47 at Kingston in Jamaica, the same venue were England folded up for 51 five years later against Jerome Taylors fast bowling.
Also notice lowest test totals by Pakistan, which came in same test match against Australia at Sharjah. at a neutral venue, Pakistan had elected to bat to make 59 and then 53 allout. Abdul Razzaq (21) in first innings while Imran Nazir (16) and Misbah-ul-Haq (53) in second innings were only 3 batsman to reach double figures for Pakistan in that test match.
Here's a list of smallest test match totals, limited to scores less than 50 runs.
| Lowest totals (team scores) in all test matches, ever. | ||||||
| Team | Total | Versus | Overs | Inns | Venue | Date |
| New Zealand | 26 | England | 27.0x6 | 3rd | Auckland | 25 Mar 1955 |
| South Africa | 30 | England | 18.4x5 | 4th | Port Elizabeth | 13 Feb 1896 |
| South Africa | 30 | England | 12.3x6 | 2nd | Edgbaston | 14 Jun 1924 |
| South Africa | 35 | England | 22.4x5 | 4th | Cape Town | 1 Apr 1899 |
| South Africa | 36 | Australia | 23.2x6 | 1st | Melbourne | 12 Feb 1932 |
| Australia | 36 | England | 23.0x6 | 2nd | Edgbaston | 29 May 1902 |
| New Zealand | 42 | Australia | 39.0x6 | 1st | Wellington | 19 Mar 1946 |
| Australia | 42 | England | 37.3x4 | 2nd | Sydney | 10 Feb 1888 |
| India | 42 | England | 17.0x6 | 3rd | Lord's | 29 Jun 1974 |
| South Africa | 43 | England | 28.2x4 | 3rd | Cape Town | 25 Mar 1889 |
| Australia | 44 | England | 26.0x5 | 4th | The Oval | 10 Aug 1896 |
| South Africa | 45 | Australia | 31.3x6 | 3rd | Melbourne | 12 Feb 1932 |
| England | 45 | Australia | 35.3x4 | 1st | Sydney | 28 Jan 1887 |
| England | 46 | West Indies | 19.1x6 | 4th | Port of Spain | 25 Mar 1994 |
| Australia | 47 | South Africa | 18.0x6 | 3rd | Cape Town | 10 Nov 2011 |
| New Zealand | 47 | England | 32.3x6 | 2nd | Lord's | 19 Jun 1958 |
| South Africa | 47 | England | 47.1x4 | 2nd | Cape Town | 25 Mar 1889 |
| West Indies | 47 | England | 25.3x6 | 3rd | Jamaica | 11 Mar 2004 |
| India's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| India | 42 | England | 17.0x6 | 3rd | Lord's | 29 Jun 1974 |
| India | 58 | Australia | 21.3x8 | 2nd | Brisbane | 28 Nov 1947 |
| India | 58 | England | 21.4x6 | 2nd | Manchester | 17 Jul 1952 |
| England's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| England | 45 | Australia | 35.3x4 | 1st | Sydney | 28 Jan 1887 |
| England | 46 | West Indies | 19.1x6 | 4th | Port of Spain | 25 Mar 1994 |
| England | 51 | West Indies | 33.2x6 | 3rd | Jamaica | 4 Feb 2009 |
| Pakistan's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| Pakistan | 53 | Australia | 24.5x6 | 3rd | Sharjah | 11 Oct 2002 |
| Pakistan | 59 | Australia | 31.5x6 | 1st | Sharjah | 11 Oct 2002 |
| Pakistan | 62 | Australia | 21.2x6 | 2nd | Perth | 13 Nov 1981 |
| Australia's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| Australia | 36 | England | 23.0x6 | 2nd | Edgbaston | 29 May 1902 |
| Australia | 42 | England | 37.3x4 | 2nd | Sydney | 10 Feb 1888 |
| Australia | 44 | England | 26.0x5 | 4th | The Oval | 10 Aug 1896 |
| South Africa's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| South Africa | 30 | England | 18.4x5 | 4th | Port Elizabeth | 13 Feb 1896 |
| South Africa | 30 | England | 12.3x6 | 2nd | Edgbaston | 14 Jun 1924 |
| South Africa | 35 | England | 22.4x5 | 4th | Cape Town | 1 Apr 1899 |
| Sri Lanka's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| Sri Lanka | 71 | Pakistan | 28.2x6 | 1st | Kandy | 26 Aug 1994 |
| Sri Lanka | 73 | Pakistan | 24.5x6 | 3rd | Kandy | 3 Apr 2006 |
| Sri Lanka | 81 | England | 28.1x6 | 3rd | Colombo (SSC) | 15 Mar 2001 |
| West Indies' lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| West Indies | 47 | England | 25.3x6 | 3rd | Jamaica | 11 Mar 2004 |
| West Indies | 53 | Pakistan | 25.3 | 4th | Faisalabad | 24 Oct 1986 |
| West Indies | 54 | England | 26.4x6 | 3rd | Lord's | 29 Jun 2000 |
| New Zealand's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| New Zealand | 26 | England | 27.0x6 | 3rd | Auckland | 25 Mar 1955 |
| New Zealand | 42 | Australia | 39.0x6 | 1st | Wellington | 19 Mar 1946 |
| New Zealand | 47 | England | 32.3x6 | 2nd | Lord's | 19 Jun 1958 |
| Bangladesh's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| Bangladesh | 62 | Sri Lanka | 25.2x6 | 1st | Colombo (PSS) | 3 Jul 2007 |
| Bangladesh | 86 | Sri Lanka | 27.4x6 | 3rd | Colombo (RPS) | 12 Sep 2005 |
| Bangladesh | 87 | West Indies | 31.5x6 | 3rd | Dhaka | 8 Dec 2002 |
| Zimbabwe's lowest test match totals. | ||||||
| Zimbabwe | 54 | South Africa | 31.2x6 | 1st | Cape Town | 4 Mar 2005 |
| Zimbabwe | 59 | New Zealand | 29.4x6 | 2nd | Harare | 7 Aug 2005 |
| Zimbabwe | 63 | West Indies | 47.0x6 | 4th | Port of Spain | 16 Mar 2000 |
