We have seen in the earlier article about teams winning the Test after being bowled out for paltry scores in their first innings and that cricket is a sport with a lot of twists & turns. So, there are chances of teams making strong comebacks after being down & out, especially in the longest format. With that being said, there could be a flip side to it as well.
There are occasions in the longest format when teams have faced defeat despite piling up huge first-inning runs. They might have lost the plot completely with the ball or would have done badly in their second essay with the bat. Let us list those occurrences in this article “Top 10: Highest First Innings Totals to Lose“.
Highest 1st Innings Test Totals to Lose
| Team | 1st Inns Total | Against | Result | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 595/8d | New Zealand | NZ won by 7 wickets | Wellington | 2017 |
| Australia | 586 | England | ENG won by 10 runs | Sydney | 1894 |
| Australia | 556 | India | IND won by 4 wickets | Adelaide | 2003 |
| Pakistan | 556 | England | END won by innings by 47 runs | Multan | 2024 |
| New Zealand | 553 | England | ENG won by 5 wickets | Nottingham | 2022 |
| England | 551/6d | Australia | AUS won by 10 wickets | Sydney | 2007 |
| West Indies | 526/7d | England | ENG won by 7 wickets | Port of Spain | 1968 |
| Australia | 520 | South Africa | SA won by 7 wickets | Melbourne | 1953 |
| England | 519 | Australia | AUS won by 5 wickets | Melbourne | 1929 |
| England | 496 | Australia | AUS won by 7 wickets | Headingly | 1948 |
Key Stats
17 – The number of times a team has scored 450 or more runs in their first innings and still lost that game. Australia tops the list with five such occasions, while England has been handed defeat four times. It could be because of the fact that both these sides have been in the sport for the longest time when compared to the other nations.
5 – England seems to be the team that has a great knack for winning games, despite conceding huge in the first innings. They have won five times after having allowed their opposition to score over 450 and are followed by Australia who have clinched four such games. India has done it thrice and Sri Lanka, twice.
595 – The highest total posted by a team in the first innings, yet losing the Test match. Bangladesh scored a whopping 595 against New Zealand at Wellington in 2017 in its first essay but unfortunately lost the game by 7 wickets.
9 – There are 8 other times when a team despite scoring 500 or more in the first innings lost the game. The most recent entry is Pakistan who at Multan in 2024, scored a daunting 556, but went on to lose to England by an innings and 47 runs.
556 – This seems to be an unlucky big score as along with Pakistan, Australia also endured a defeat after having scored 556 in their first innings. The Aussies lost to India in Adelaide in 2003 by 4 wickets.
Also Read: List of countries where most number of Test matches are played
