Top 10 Biggest Differences Between A Team's First And Second Innings

July 30, 2021 By Sourav

Cricket is a sport in which the course of a game can change at any moment, mainly in the Test matches, because of a long time of the matches. These test matches can be highly unpredictable. At times, much to the frustration of the audience who maintain patience for 5 whole days, the test matches end in a draw. Sit back and enjoy the list of 10 Biggest Differences between A Team's First and Second Innings.

Biggest Differences between A Team's First and Second Innings

This is one of the main reasons test matches are so unforeseeable. Besides, as a team performs in the first innings of a test match and then reappears in the second innings, there is often a vast difference in their performances. Here is a list of the 10 Biggest Differences between A Team's First and Second Innings. Let us take a look at the short descriptions of the matches, and know, how the teams fared.

India

India and New Zealand participated in the 1st Test match of the 1999 New Zealand in India Test Series at the Mohali cricket ground on 10th October 1999.

New Zealand won the toss and decided to field first and India made just 83 runs with 10 wickets gone in 27 overs in their first innings. New Zealand’s Bowler DJ Nash took 6 wickets while conceding just 27 runs.

On their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets in 215 runs in 91.1 overs and Indian bowler J Srinath took 6 wickets while conceding just 45 runs to New Zealand. India, on their second innings of batting, made a marvelous 505 runs after which they declared their innings with 3 wickets gone where one of the greatest batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar, scored 126 runs with 14 boundaries and R Dravid also scored 144 more with 18 boundaries.

New Zealand, in their second innings, was able to make 251 runs with 7 wickets gone after which the match was drawn due to the time restriction.

South Africa

Australia and South Africa participated in the 2nd Test match of the 1910 South Africa in Australia Test Series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia, on 31st December 1910.

Australia won the toss and chose to bat first and made 348 runs with 10 wickets down in 79.4 overs in their first innings. South Africa, on their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets in 506 runs in 153 overs and GA Faulkner made 204 runs with 26 boundaries.

Australia, on their second innings of batting, made 327 runs with 10 wickets down in 79.3 overs. South Africa, on their second innings, while chasing, lost all of their 10 wickets under just 80 runs in 32 overs.

Australian bowler WJ Whitty took 6 wickets in 17 runs. A Cotter also bowled equally well as he took 4 wickets in 47 runs. Australia won the test match by 89 runs.

England

South Africa and England participated in the 2nd Test match of the 2004 Basil D'Oliveira Trophy at the Kingsmead ground, Durban on 26th December 2004. South Africa won the toss and elected to field first.

England made just 139 runs with 10 wickets lost in 57.1 overs in their first innings. Bowler SM Pollock took 4 wickets while yielding just 32 runs.

South Africa, on their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets in 332 runs in 102 overs. One of the best all-rounders, JH Kallis, scored 162 runs with 21 boundaries. England, on their second innings of batting, made 570 runs after which they declared their innings with 7 wickets lost.

ME Trescothick scored 132 runs with 20 boundaries and 2 sixers. South Africa, on their second innings, was able to make 290 runs with 8 wickets lost after which the match was drawn due to the time restriction.

West Indies

New Zealand and West Indies participated in the 3rd Test match of the 1972 New Zealand in West Indies Test Series at the Kensington Oval ground, Bridgetown, on 23rd March 1972. West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first.

They made just 133 runs with 10 wickets down in 49.3 overs in their first innings. New Zealand’s Bowlers BR Taylor took 7 wickets while giving just 74 runs.

New Zealand, on their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets in 422 runs in 163.2 overs. BE Congdon made 126 runs with 11 boundaries. West Indies, in their second innings of batting, made a marvelous 564 runs after which the match ended as a draw due to time restrictions with 8 wickets down.

CA Davis scored 183 runs with 21 boundaries. West Indian batsman GS Sobers also played equally well and made 142 runs with the help of 18 boundaries.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe and West Indies participated in the 2nd Test match of the 2001 Clive Lloyd Trophy at the Harare Sports Club ground on 27th July 2001. Zimbabwean cricketer H Masakadza made his debut in this match.

West Indies won the toss and opted to field first. Zimbabwe made just 131 runs losing 10 wickets in 57.1 overs in their first innings. West Indian Bowlers NC McGarrell took 4 wickets while conceding just 23 runs.

On their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets in 347 runs in 111.2 overs. Zimbabwe, on their second innings of batting, made 563 runs after which they declared their innings losing 9 wickets.

H Masakadza scored 119 runs with 12 boundaries. West Indies, in their second innings, were able to make just 98 runs on 1 wicket after which the match was drawn due to the time restriction.

West Indies

West Indies and India participated in the 3rd Test match of the 2011 West Indies in India Test Series at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on 22nd November 2011. Indian cricketer VR Aaron made his debut in this match.

West Indies won the toss and decided to bat first. They made 590 runs with 10 wickets gone in 184.1 overs in their first innings. DM Bravo scored a marvelous 166 for West Indies with 17 boundaries.

India, on their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets in 482 runs in 135.4 overs. R Ashwin made an impressive 103 runs for India with 15 boundaries. West Indies, in their second innings of batting, made just 134 runs with 10 wickets gone.

Indian bowler PP Ojha took 6 West Indian wickets while yielding just 47 runs. India, on their second innings, was able to make just 242 runs with 2 wickets gone, after which the match was drawn due to the time restriction.

India

India and Australia participated in the 2nd Test match of the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at one of the best cricket stadiums, the Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata, on 11th March 2001.

Australia won the toss and chose to bat first. They made 445 runs with 10 wickets lost in 131.5 overs in their first innings. India, on their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets in just 171 runs in 58.1 overs.

Australian bowler GD McGrath took 4 Indian wickets while giving just 18 runs in his 14-over spell. India, on their second innings after a follow-on, made 657 runs after which they declared their innings with 7 wickets down. And, VVS Laxman scored 281 runs with 44 boundaries.

Australia while chasing the target lost all their 10 wickets in 212 runs. One of the best spin bowlers, Harbhajan Singh, took 6 Australian wickets while giving just 73 runs. India won the historic test match by 171 runs and VVS Laxman was declared the man of the match.

New Zealand

New Zealand and India participated in the 2nd Test match of India in New Zealand Test Series at the Basin Reserve ground, Wellington, on 14th February 2014. New Zealand’s cricketer TWM Latham and JDS Neesham made their debuts in this match.

India won the toss and was elected to field first. New Zealand made just 192 runs with 10 wickets down in 52.5 overs in their first innings.

Indian bowler Ishant Sharma took 6 wickets while conceding just 51 runs. India, on their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets with 438 runs in 102.4 overs. Indian AM Rahane made 118 runs for India with 17 boundaries.

New Zealand, on their second innings of batting, made 680 runs with 8 wickets down. And, BB McCullum scored 302 runs with 32 boundaries and 4 sixers. India, on their second innings, was able to make 166 runs with 5 wickets down after which the match was drawn due to the time restriction.

New Zealand

New Zealand and Sri Lanka participated in the 1st Test match of Sri Lanka in New Zealand Test Series at the Basin Reserve ground, Wellington, on 31st January 1991. Sri Lankan cricketer CP Senanayake made his debut in this match.

Sri Lanka won the toss and was elected to field first. New Zealand made just 174 runs with 10 wickets lost in 58.2 overs in their first innings. Bowlers RJ Ratnayake and GF Labrooy took 4 wickets each while yielding just 45 and 68 runs respectively.

Sri Lanka, on their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets in 497 runs in 151.1 overs. PA de Silva made 267 runs for Sri Lanka with 40 boundaries. New Zealand, on their second innings of batting, made 671 runs with 8 wickets lost.

MD Crowe scored 299 runs with 29 boundaries and 3 sixers. AH Jones also played well and made 186 runs, but the match was later drawn due to the time restriction.

Pakistan

Pakistan and West Indies participated in the 1st Test match of Pakistan in West Indies Test Series at the Kensington Oval Ground, Bridgetown, on 17th January 1958. Pakistani player Haseeb Ahsan, Nasim-ul-Ghani and Saeed Ahmed, and West Indian ES Atkinson, and CC Hunte made their debuts in this match.

West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first. They made 579 runs, losing 9 wickets in 172.2 overs in their first innings. ED Weekes scored 197 runs while CC Hunte played equally well and scored 142 runs.

Pakistan, in their first innings of batting, lost all of their 10 wickets with just 106 runs in 42.2 overs. West Indian bowler R Gilchrist took 4 Pakistani wickets while yielding just 32 runs in his 15-over spell. Pakistan, on their second innings after a follow-on, made 657 runs in 8 wickets.

And, Hanif Mohammad scored 337 runs with 24 boundaries. West Indies was able to make just 28 without any wicket loss after which the match was ended as a draw.

Final Words

There are several other instances of test matches in which there has been no parity at all between the performances of the teams in their first and second innings. In some of them, the teams have deteriorated hugely, while in other matches, the teams have wonderfully redeemed themselves from their poor performances in the first innings.

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