Five Smallest Margin Of Victory by Runs in Test Cricket: Test cricket has witnessed some of the most thrilling contests, making the longer format the most exciting. Although the T20 format has dominated world cricket for the last ten years, test cricket continues to attract crowds in large numbers.
Test Cricket has witnessed competitive cricket between the bat and ball since its introduction. In this post, we discuss five contests that have witnessed the smallest margin of wins by runs in the longer format. The matches that we will discuss in this piece have produced high-voltage drama. We analyze these matches in detail.
Five Smallest Margin Of Victory by Runs in Test Cricket
1. Australia beat England by 3 runs in 1902 at Old Trafford, Manchester, England-
Australia scored 299 in the first innings as opener Victor Trumper scored 104 and England allrounder Bill Lockwood took 6/48. England scored 262 in reply with Stanley Jackson scoring 128 while Hugh Trumble managed to register figures of 4/75 with his clever off-break.
Australia were bowled out for 86 in the second innings and took a lead of 123 setting a target of 124 for the Three Lions. England were bowled out for 120 as Hugh Trumble took 6/53. Australia managed to win by 3 runs.
2. England bested Australia by 3 runs in 1982 at Melbourne, Australia-
England were all out for 284 in the first innings, with Chris Tavare and Allan Lamb scoring 89 and 83 respectively. England’s off-spinner Bruce Yardley and pacer Rodney Hogg took 4 wickets each for Australia. Australia were bowled out for 287 on a wicket that aided pacers and spinners with Bob Willis and off-spinner Geoff Miller claiming 3 wickets each for England.
England scored 294 in their second innings and took a lead of 291 setting a target of 292 for Australia with opener Graeme Fowler scoring 65. Australia was bowled out for 288 with England all-rounder Norman Cowans toppling the Australian batting lineup with his pace as England managed to win by 3 runs. Cowans registered figures of 6/77 in the second innings.
3. England beat Australia by 2 runs in Birmingham in 2005, England-
Arguably, it will be remembered one of the finest test matches in terms of a competitive contest between the bat and ball. England scored 407 in its first innings with opener Marcus Trescothick and Kevin Pietersen scoring 90 and 71 respectively and Andrew Flintoff scoring a crucial 68. For Australia Shane Warne took 4 wickets in the first innings.
Australia were bowled out for 308 in its first innings with Andrew Flintoff and off-spinner Ashley Giles claiming 3 wickets each. England were bowled out for 182 in their second innings as Flintoff scored 73 runs and late Australian leg spinner Shane Warne claimed 6/46. England set a target of 282 while Australia were bowled out for 279 as the Three Lions won the game by just 2 runs. Flintoff took 4/79 as England registered a memorable win.
4. West Indies beat Australia by 1 run in 1993 at Adelaide, Australia-
West Indies were bowled out for 252 runs in their first innings on a wicket that helped pacers as Australian pacer Merv Hughes claimed 5/64. Australia was bowled out for 213 as Curtly Ambrose created problems for the Australian batters with his pace and bounce claiming 6/74.
West Indies scored 146 in its second innings as Richie Richardson scored 72. Australia needed 186 to win but the West Indies pace duo of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh bowled brilliantly as West Indies won by just 1 run getting Australia all out for 184. Ambrose and Walsh registered figures of 4/46 and 3/44 respectively.
5. New Zealand beat England by 3 runs in 2023 at Wellington, New Zealand-
England scored 435/8 in the first innings with Joe Root and Harry Brook scoring 153 and 186 respectively. Pacer Tim Southee took 5/93 for New Zealand. The Kiwis were bowled out for just 209 in their first innings as Stuart Broad and James Anderson claimed 4 and 3 wickets each.
New Zealand came back strongly in the second innings scoring 483 as captain Kane Williamson scored 132. New Zealand were allowed to follow on in the second innings. The Kiwis managed to set a target of 260 but England were bowled out for 256 in a thrilling encounter. Kiwi pacer Neil Wagner claimed 4/62 while Tim Southee took 3/45 helping New Zealand to win by 3 runs.
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