Do you know? The ENG-SA Test series is the third-shortest completed men’s series in terms of balls bowled
In the past, Test matches had no time limit. However, with the evolution of sport, Test matches were limited to five-day affairs. Despite that, there are occasions when a game ends up in much quicker time and that is what happened in all three Tests of the recently concluded England-South Africa series, held in England.
The said series is the third-shortest completed series in terms of balls bowled (3411). With the series level at 1-1, the third and the series decider took place at the Kennington Oval in London. The first day of the match got abandoned due to rain while the second day was suspended due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
The game began on Day three with the hosts winning the toss and opting to field first. The visitors got bundled out for just 118 as Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad took five and four wickets respectively. Day three got ended with England also struggling at 154/7 as 17 wickets fall at the end of the day.
On day four, the English side got bowled out for just 158, taking a lead of 40 runs. Proteas Pacers Marco Jansen took a five-wicket haul while Kagiso Rabada snared four scalps. The England seamers were again all over the South Africans as they dismissed the tourists for 169 in their second innings. Chasing just 130 to win the match and the series, Ben Stokes and his side ended day four on 97/0 just 33 away from victory.
The hosts finished off the formality on day five to seal the game and the series 2-1. The clash got over in almost two and a half days. The second series with the fewest deliveries took place between hosts South Africa and England in the year 1896 when the series ended in just 3312 deliveries with the visitors sealing a 3-0 whitewash over the Proteas. Notably, it was a three-day affair back then.
Having already won the first two games, England bowled first in the final Test in Cape Town. South Africa got bowled out for 115 in 48 over before England made 265 in 101.4 overs in their first innings. The Rainbow nation got all out cheaply again for just 117 in 64 overs to lose the game by an innings and 33 runs.
Meanwhile, the series which took the fewest deliveries was played between rivals England and Australia in 1888 as it ended in just 2275 deliveries with England winning it 2-1 on home soil.
