Bangladesh beatAfghanistan by a massive 546 runs, registering the biggest victory in 21st Century. Winning a Test match itself is a big achievement for any captain and his team. It is arguably the toughest and topmost of all the three other international formats in the sport of cricket. Even after so many years of Twenty20 cricket and other shorter formats, Test cricket remains the ultimate priority for many players. A captain and a player always take the field to win matches for their respective side and to achieve it in a bigger way is more special.
In this article, we’ll look at top 10 victories by margin in test cricket.
England (675 vs Australia)
The English side holds the record for registering the biggest victory in the history of Tests in terms of runs. They defeated their rivals Australia in their own backyard by a staggering margin of 675 runs in the first of the five-match Ashes series in Brisbane in 1928/29. It was Australia’s turn next to script the second-largest victory of 562 runs against their arch-rivals England at The Oval in the fifth and final Test of the 1934 Ashes series.
England (Innings and 579 runs vs Australia)
The Oval was the host venue of the 5th Test of a series in August 1938 on Australia’s tour of England. Batting first, England piled up 903/7 on the back of opener Len Hutton’s mammoth knock of 364 supported by centuries from Maurice Leyland and Joe Hardstaff. In reply, Australia scored 201, with English bowler Bill Barnes returning figures of 5/49. Following on the visitors collapsed to be all out for 123 in the second innings. This time around, Ken Farnes was England’s most impressive bowler with figures of 4/63.
Bangladesh (546 vs Afghanistan)
Bangladesh has been the latest addition in the list of teams with biggest win margin, the Tigers defeated Afghanistan by a massive margin of 546 runs. This was also the biggest victory by runs in Test match in the 21st century and overall the match takes the third spot. Afghanistan, who played their just seventh Test has been thrashed by the experienced Bangladesh at Mirpur by margin of 546 runs while chasing a massive 662 runs.
Australia (530 runs vs South Africa)
Although the majority of these victories occurred between 1990 and 1950, they are still incredible. The 4th highest win margin was recorded when Australia took on South Africa in Melbourne in February 1911. Australia scored 328 runs in their first inning, with Warren Bardsley scoring 82 runs. In reply, South Africa managed a score of 205 runs in 62.5 overs, with Dave Nourse scoring 92 runs. Australia got a 123 run lead. In the second innigs ,South Africa bundled out for 171 while chasing a target of 702 and lost the match by 530 runs.
South Africa (492 runs vs Australia)
An all-round Vernon Philander powered South Africa to a mammoth 492-run win in the fourth Test in Johannesburg. Philander picked up a nine-wicket haul and also scored 33* in the second innings. There were centuries from Aiden Markram (152) in the first innings and Faf du Plessis (120) in the second. Philander was well-supported by Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel and Keshav Maharaj. Australia were given a target of 612 but the visitors were bundled out for a paltry 119.
Australia (491 runs vs Pakistan)
Justin Langer’s stellar performance in both innings (191 and 97) and Glenn McGrath’s eight-for in the fourth innings headlined Ricky Ponting’s Australia’s big win at the WACA. Shoaib Akhtar’s fifer in the first innings went in vain as Pakistan put up a poor show with the bat. Apart from Langer’s heroics, Gilchrist hit a brisk 69 in the first innings and Damien Martyn smashed a 121-ball hundred in the second. Michael Kasprowicz also starred with a five-wicket haul.
South Africa (492 runs vs Australia)
An all-round Vernon Philander powered South Africa to a mammoth 492-run win in the fourth Test in Johannesburg. Philander picked up a nine-wicket haul and also scored 33* in the second innings. There were centuries from Aiden Markram (152) in the first innings and Faf du Plessis (120) in the second. Philander was well-supported by Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel and Keshav Maharaj. Australia were given a target of 612 but the visitors were bundled out for a paltry 119.
Australia (491 runs vs Pakistan)
Justin Langer’s stellar performance in both innings (191 and 97) and Glenn McGrath’s eight-for in the fourth innings headlined Ricky Ponting’s Australia’s big win at the WACA. Shoaib Akhtar’s fifer in the first innings went in vain as Pakistan put up a poor show with the bat. Apart from Langer’s heroics, Gilchrist hit a brisk 69 in the first innings and Damien Martyn smashed a 121-ball hundred in the second. Michael Kasprowicz also starred with a five-wicket haul.
Sri Lanka (465 runs vs Bangladesh)
It was one of many Tests where Sri Lanka absolutely tormented Bangladesh both with the bat and the ball. Tillakaratne Dilshan was the architect of Sri Lanka’s gigantic win with two rapid centuries (162 and 143). Dilshan also rolled his arm over for 4.2 overs and got as many as four wickets. Mohammad Ashraful, in Sri Lanka’s second innings, used nine bowlers but hardly found a way to stop Sri Lanka.
West Indies (425 runs vs England)
Gordon Greenidge hit hundreds in both innings (134 and 101) to rattle England in their backyard in the third Test of the 1976 series. Clive Lloyd’s men didn’t give England a chance to show their skills as they were bundled out for 71 and 126. Viv Richards also scored a hundred. Andy Roberts and Michael Holding returned five-fors in a game where no England batter even crossed
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