Flashback: The most runs in boundaries in a Test innings

Test cricket is all about playing patiently and freely unlike the limited-overs format. There is no limitation of overs in cricket’s longest format of the game and a batter tends to take singles and doubles more rather than going for boundaries. However, John Edrich did not rely on ones or twos as he recorded the most runs from fours and sixes in an innings against New Zealand, on this day in 1965.

Edrich holds the record for smashing the most runs from boundaries (fours and sixes) in an innings in the history of Test cricket. It was the third and final Test of the series against New Zealand at Headingley in Leeds in 1965 when Edrich slammed a triple century, with 238 of his 310 runs coming in boundaries.

Opening the innings for England, Edrich hammered a mammoth 310* off 450, which included 52 fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 68.88. His side reached a huge total of 546/4d in the first innings thanks to his brilliant triple ton. Erdich batted for 532 minutes against the likes of Dick Motz, Bruce Taylor, and Richard Collinge.

Courtesy of Edrich’s innings, England managed to defeat the Blackcaps in the Test by an innings and 187 runs and also seal the series 3-0. Edrich’s innings of 310* is still the second-highest individual score at the venue with legendary Australian batter Don Bradman topping the list for his score of 334 in the year 1930.

57 years later, his record is still intact with the closest coming to his achievement was Australia’s Matthew Hayden, who scored 218 runs in boundaries in his famous 380-run knock against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003. The left-handed Aussie opener slammed 38 fours and 11 sixes in that innings.