What are the Lowest Team Totals in Test Cricket History: West Indies Collapse for 27 as Australia Records 3-0 Win

By Shah Faisal

West Indies lost the Test series 3-0 to Australia where the Australian bowlers fully dominated the West Indies batting line-ups in all three Test matches, despite great bowling performances from the West Indies pace bowlers.

In the final Test, West Indies needed 204 runs to win and it was not going to be a tough job for them despite their batting inabilities, but the scene appeared too horrendous for them as they were bundled out for just 27 runs due to a great bowling display from the Australian pace bowlers, especially Mitchell Starc, who took three wickets in his first over of the fourth innings and one over later became the quickest to take five wickets in terms of deliveries from the start of the innings.

It took him 15 deliveries to remove 5 West Indian batters. Starc, who was playing his 100th Test match, got his 400th wicket and also made it memorable by symbolising the demise of West Indies cricket which has been happening over the last 22 years.

But 27 all out is not the lowest total for a team in Test cricket. There are other teams who have scored even less. Below is the list of lowest team totals in Test cricket:

1 New Zealand - 26 all out vs England, Auckland, 1955
This remains the lowest ever Test total. On a green pitch at Eden Park, the English seamers ran riot. Bob Appleyard and Frank Tyson were the main wreckers. New Zealand were bowled out in just 27 overs. Tyson ended with figures of 2/10 while Appleyard took 4/7.

2 West Indies - 27 all out vs Australia, Brisbane, 2025
Mitchell Starc’s fiery spell in his 100th Test shattered the Windies, who could never recover after losing 3 wickets in the first over. Starc ended with 6/8, and West Indies were dismissed in just 14.3 overs, their lowest ever Test score.

3 South Africa - 30 all out vs England, Port Elizabeth, 1896 and Birmingham, 1924
South Africa's fragile batting was exposed in these two different eras. In 1896, George Lohmann took 8 wickets for 7 runs. In 1924, Arthur Gilligan’s pace destroyed the batting line-up again taking 6/7 runs.

4 South Africa - 35 all out vs England, Cape Town, 1899
Led by Schofield Haigh’s brilliant spell of 6/11, South Africa were dismissed under 36 yet again. England bowled them out in just 22 overs.

5 India, South Africa, Australia - 36 all out
India vs Australia, Adelaide, 2020: Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins dismantled India as they slumped to their lowest ever total. Hazlewood took 5/8.

South Africa vs Australia, Melbourne, 1932: Tim Wall starred with 5 wickets for 14 runs.

Australia vs England, Birmingham, 1902: Wilfred Rhodes and George Hirst ran through the Australian line-up.

6 Ireland - 38 all out vs England, Lord's, 2019
In only their third Test, Ireland were cruising to a potential win after bowling England out for 85. However, Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes bowled them out for 38. Woakes ended with 6/17.

7 India, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka - 42 all out
India vs England, Lord's, 1974: The famous 'Summer of 42'. India collapsed under the swinging ball of Geoff Arnold and Chris Old.

New Zealand vs Australia, Wellington, 1946: Ray Lindwall and Bill O'Reilly demolished New Zealand.

Australia vs England, Sydney, 1888: Bobby Peel’s left-arm spin proved too tough.

Sri Lanka vs South Africa, Johannesburg, 2020: Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje ensured Sri Lanka never got going.

8 Bangladesh, South Africa - 43 all out
Bangladesh vs West Indies, North Sound, 2018: Kemar Roach took 5 wickets in 5 overs to decimate Bangladesh.

South Africa vs England, Cape Town, 1889: Test cricket’s early days saw some of the worst collapses. England’s Johnny Briggs was the hero.

9 Australia - 44 all out vs England, The Oval, 1896
Tom Richardson and George Lohmann swung the ball magically as Australia collapsed in under 30 overs.

10 South Africa - 45 all out vs England, Cape Town, 1889
In the same Test match that saw South Africa make 43, they also made 45 in the second innings, completing one of the most remarkable batting failures in Test cricket.