This Day That Year: New Zealand’s unwanted 65-year-old record that still stands
On this day in 1955, New Zealand were bundled out for a paltry 26 - the lowest Test score till date - in fourth innings of Auckland Test against England
New Zealand may have beaten India recently on home soil but it wasn’t always like this for them. There was a time when Kiwis were bundled out for such a score in the longest format that even 65 years later, no team has been able to match that unwanted feat.
On this day in 1955, New Zealand were bundled out for a paltry 26 in fourth innings of Auckland Test against England. The visitors won the match by an innings and 20 runs, which is almost a given when a team has one batsman crossing double digits in final essay of the match.
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Lowest score in a Test innings
26: New Zealand vs England in Auckland,1955
30: South Africa vs England in Port Elizabeth, 1896
30: South Africa vs England in Birmingham, 1924
35: South Africa vs England in Cape Town, 1899
36: South Africa vs Australia in Melbourne, 1932
Batting first, New Zealand posted a decent total of 200 with John Reid scoring 73 and Bert Sutcliffe hitting a well-made 49. Brian Statham was pick of England bowlers as he scalped a four wicket haul.
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New Zealand bowlers too bowled well as Alex Moor’s fifer restricted England to 246 despite good innings from Len Hutton and Peter May.
In the second Kiwi innings, calamity struck for the home side as folder for just 26. Opener Sutcliffe top-scored with 11 while captain Rabone remained the second highest scorer with 7.
Bob Appleyard scalped four wickets while Statham ended with three wickets as England romped home to a famous victory. Courtesy of this one-sided win, England also whitewashed the Kiwis 2-0.