Test cricket, the longest and most challenging format of cricket, requires a great amount of skill and resilience. Be it a batsman or a bowler, these attributes are required for any test cricketer. From batting hours and hours on a pitch to bowling some of the longest spells ever, there have been some great acts of resilience shown on a cricket field.
Here, in this article, we look at some of the longest innings played by batsmen in test matches with regard to the number of balls played.
10. Bob Cowper (589 Balls)
Bob Cowper was an Australian and played the role of a stylish left-handed batsman. He also used to bowl part-time finger spin. He had a short test career of 27 matches and played for the Australian test team from 1964 to 1968. However, his relatively short career did not deter him from achieving his milestones. He is aptly remembered for his marathon innings of 589 balls against England at the MCG, wherein he scored 307 runs. This was also the first triple hundred on Australian soil.
9. Wally Hammond (603 Balls)
Next on the list is Wally Hammond again. Yes! This English top order batsman is the only one to feature on this illustrious list twice. He played a 177-run inning off 603 balls against Australia in 1929. This was the second time he had played more than 600 deliveries and is a record in itself till now. Also, he had achieved this feat in the same series (1928-1929).
8. Wally Hammond (605 Balls)
Wally Hammond, an English top order batsman, played international cricket for an astonishing 21 years (1927-1947). He was a dashing strokemaker and a pure entertainer. But when it came to showing his toughness on the field, he was second to none. He played a marathon 605 ball inning scoring 251. He achieved this feat in 1928 against Australia in Australia during the second match of the Ashes. This was the first time in cricket history that a batter had played 600 or more balls in a single inning.
7. Ken Barrington (624 Balls)
Ken Barrington is another English player that makes this list. He played for England in white from 1955 to 1968. He was regarded as a typical test-match batsman who liked to take his time on the pitch. He is known for his marathon innings, one of which made its way into the history books. He registered a 624-ball innings against archrivals Australia at Manchester in 1964. He scored a total of 256 runs in this inning and helped England draw the match. Surprisingly, this was the same match in which Bob Simpson played a 743-ball inning.
6. Andrew Sandham (640 Balls)
Andrew Sandham was a competent opener who played for England from 1921 to 1930. During his brief test career of 14 matches, Andrew Sandham scored some remarkable innings. One such inning came in the final match of his career. He scored a 640-ball triple century (325) against a tough West Indies bowling line-up at Kingston Park in 1930. This also remains his highest test score. His innings helped England put on a massive 849 runs in the first innings.
5. Gary Kirsten (642 Balls)
Gary Kirsten, a former South African batsman and the world-cup winning coach of India (2011), is placed next on the list. He made his test debut in 1993 and played till 2004. He was blessed with great technique, temperament, and discipline that made him a perfect fit for test matches. His best of 275 off 642 balls came against England at Durban in 1999 as South Africa followed-on after a first innings collapse. Looking at the context of the game, this was the most important innings of Gary’s career. His innings helped South Africa draw the match.
4. Sid Barne (667 Balls)
Sid Barnes was a fine player and generally played the role of an opening batsman for Australia. He made his debut in 1938 and played till 1948. In his short test career of 13 matches he amassed an average of 63.05. He made his best score of 234 against England at Sydney in 1946. However, this inning of Barnes is remembered for the 667 balls he faced to put up that score. This enduring inning of Barnes helped Australia win the test match by an innings and 33 runs.
3. Bob Simpson (743 Balls)
Bob Simpson, a key all-rounder for Australia, is next on the list. He played test cricket for 22 years (1957-1978) and was an important member of the Australian team. With a remarkable average of 46.81, he was a fluent and influential batsman. He also has a triple hundred to his name, which he scored facing 743 balls. He did so against England at Manchester in 1964. He batted for almost 13 hours.
2. Glenn Turner (759 Balls)
Glenn Turner is the only New Zealander on the list. He made his test debut in 1969 and played till 1983 as an opening batsman. He was a naturally gifted player with strong technique and beautiful stroke play. He is often remembered for his marathon inning of 759 balls against a fierce West Indian bowling line-up at Georgetown in 1972. He scored 259, his highest test score, and helped New Zealand attain a first innings lead.
1. Leonard Hutton (847 Balls)
Sir Leonard Hutton, a prolific opening batsman for England, played test cricket from 1937 to 1955. He holds the record for batting the longest in a test innings in terms of balls played. He played a massive 364-run innings off 847 balls against Australia at the Oval in 1938. He stood at the crease for more than 13 hours, and his knock helped Australia defeat England by an innings and 579 runs.
