Top 10 Lowest run rates in a Test match innings
Having one of the lowest run rates in a test match does not make a player delinquent. Rather at times such knocks proved to be the match saving innings. Defensive mindset is one of the main strategies of test cricket however it is no more compulsory in modern day game. Today’s game, irrespective of the format, is one of the most furious one. The pace at which even test cricket is being played out now a day is equivalent to the ODI format of a few years back. No wonders in the meantime ODI and T20 formats have jumped up with the double pace. Looking at the records being created in Test innings today, lowest run rates seems a strange phenomenon. Honestly speaking, after watching 52 ball hundred – the fastest century in tests, who does believe in slow cricket anymore?
Agree or not, the real acceleration to the test cricket is provided by New Zealand cricket team. The side gradually revolutionized the style of game and today the whole world is in love with what they started. In fact special credit must be given to the former Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum. One of the finest batsmen in the world showed the glimpse of aggressiveness in test format as well together with all his teammates. Considering the current scenario slowest run rate in an inning does not make any sense. However they often come handy in crisis situations. Usually a team one the losing end turns its mind from playing to defending and thus comes the phenomenon known as the lowest run rates. A recent example of such an effort is the first test match between Sri Lanka and Australia.
The Lankan side is not one of the bad cricket teams at all however the current phase is much crucial for them. Still the side has managed to create history by beating Australia for the second time ever in history. The game being played out at Pallekele witnessed many cricket records remodeled. However the most relevant one was the partnership between Peter Nevill and Steve O’Keefe. The two tail-enders put their all to save the match and in doing so they played a total of 25 overs without scoring a single run. Both players scored a total of 4 runs off 178 balls – the slowest run rate for any wicket stand in test cricket. Though the run rate for the whole Australian innings was not that much slow as the following ones are. Have a look for yourself.
Top 10 Lowest run rates in a completed innings
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Opposition |
| New Zealand | 26 | 27.0 | 0.96 | England |
| South Africa | 143 | 143.1 | 0.99 | India |
| India | 187 | 185.3 | 1.00 | West Indies |
| Pakistan | 87 | 83.5 | 1.03 | England |
| South Africa | 72 | 50.1×8 | 1.07 | England |
| New Zealand | 42 | 39.0 | 1.07 | Australia |
| New Zealand | 67 | 59.1 | 1.13 | England |
| New Zealand | 124 | 108.3 | 1.14 | Pakistan |
| New Zealand | 74 | 62.2 | 1.18 | West Indies |
| Australia | 63 | 80.0×4 | 1.18 | England |
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