Top 5 highest first innings totals in a defeat in test cricket

Only nine times teams have lost a test match after scoring 500 runs in the first innings.

Test cricket is the most interesting and demanding format of the game. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to keep up the winning spirit for five days.

Sometimes small moments or mistakes can change the situation of the game. There have been plenty of examples when a team lost a game from a winning position or a team won the match when no one gave them a chance.

That is why scoring big totals doesn’t guarantee a win, and over the years there have been teams who lost the game despite scoring some mammoth totals. In this article we will talk about the top highest first-innings totals in test which ended in a defeat.

List of the Top five highest first innings totals in a defeat in test cricket

5. New Zealand – 553 vs England, Nottingham, 2022

The Bazball era has seen England doing some remarkable things on the cricket field. One such match was against New Zealand in 2022 in Nottingham. Batting first, New Zealand scored 553 runs, with Daryl Mitchell (190) and Tom Blundell (106) scoring centuries. England, in response, batted pretty well, scoring 539.

With a small lead of 14 runs, New Zealand were then bowled out for 284 runs in the second innings, setting a tough target of 299. Jonny Bairstow slammed England’s second-fastest test ton off 77 balls, scoring 136 off 92 balls with seven sixes and 14 fours. England reached 299/5 in 50 overs to win the game and made history.

4. Pakistan – 556 vs England, Multan, 2024

Another example is when Ben Stokes and his men crushed the opposition in a high-scoring test against Pakistan in Multan in 2024. Pakistan scored 556 runs in the first innings with centuries from Abdullah Shafique (102), Shan Masood (151), and Salman Agha (104*).

But the response was pretty epic. Harry Brook went on to score a triple century and made 317, and Joe Root scored 262. England declared at 823/7 and took a 267-run lead. Pakistan were then bowled out for 220 runs in reply and lost the game by an innings and 47 runs.

3. Australia – 556 vs India, Adelaide, 2003

Not many Indian fans can forget the iconic innings of Rahul Dravid at the Adelaide Oval, which forced Australia to suffer a defeat from a dominating position. Australia scored 556 runs in the first innings as Ricky Ponting slammed 242 runs. India were 85/4 when Dravid and VVS Laxman added 303 runs for the fifth wicket.

Dravid made 233 runs, and Laxman scored 148 runs. India made 523 runs in reply and bowled Australia out for 196 runs in the second innings. Ajith Agarkar took 6/41 in 16.2 overs. India then chased down the target of 230 runs by four wickets. This is still one of the most iconic wins for India Down Under.

2. Australia – 586 vs England, Sydney, 1894

The rivalry between Australia and England is the oldest in cricket, and these two teams have produced some incredible games in history. One such match was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in 1894. This was the first ever game when a team won a test after being enforced follow-on.

Australia scored 586 runs in the first innings with Syd Gregory (201) and George Giffen (161) making major contributions. England then managed only 325 runs in reply, conceding a lead of 261 runs. They were then asked to bat again. In the second innings, England scored 437 runs, setting a target of 177 for the hosts.

But, Australia could not repeat the performance of the first innings and were bowled out for 166 runs and lost the game by ten runs.

1. Bangladesh – 595/8d vs New Zealand, Wellington, 2017

For more than 120 years, Australia’s 586 remained at the top of this unwanted list until Bangladesh broke in 2017. It happened in Wellington against New Zealand. With a record 379-run stand for the fifth wicket between Shakib Al Hasan (217) and Mushfiqur Rahim (159), Bangladesh posted their second-highest test total of 595/8 and declared their innings.

Tom Latham’s 177 and a few more good scores led New Zealand reach 539 in the first innings. Bangladesh had a first-innings lead of 56 runs, but they had a poor batting display in the second innings and managed to add 160 runs more, setting a target of just 217. New Zealand made 217/3 and won the game. Kane Williamson scored an unbeaten 104 off 90 balls in the chase.

(All stats updated till 5th July, 2025)

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