India’s bowlers delivered a dominant performance on Day 1 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 in Perth. With a fierce display, they quickly put Australia on the back foot.
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This performance is a reminder of the challenges Australia has faced in their home Test history, with their lowest-ever team score standing as a reminder of their vulnerability in difficult conditions.
In this article, The Sporting News lists out Australia’s lowest team scores in Tests at home.
Australia’s lowest-ever team score in Test cricket on home soil is 42/10, recorded during the 1888 Ashes series against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In this match, Australia’s batting collapsed in their second innings, with the team managing only 42 runs while chasing a target of 209 set by England.
Team score | Opposition | Venue | Year |
---|---|---|---|
42/10 | England | Sydney | 1888 |
58/10 | England | Brisbane | 1936 |
76/10 | West Indies | Perth | 1984 |
80/10 | England | Sydney | 1936 |
82/10 | England | Sydney | 1888 |
82/10 | West Indies | Adelaide | 1951 |
The match ended with Australia losing by 126 runs. England’s bowlers, particularly Peel and Lohmann, were instrumental in this dominant performance, taking 18 wickets between them.
The match, played from February 10 to 15, 1888, saw England dominate throughout, with Australia struggling to deal with the seaming conditions. Australia’s second innings was disastrous, as the team could only manage a meager 42 runs.
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The bowling performance of England’s Peel and Lohmann was extraordinary, with the duo taking a combined 18 wickets. Despite some fine individual efforts from the English team, Australia’s collapse was inevitable, and the match concluded with England’s comfortable 126-run victory.
This was a significant low in Australian cricket history and stands as a benchmark for the team’s worst performance at home in Test cricket.
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Australia’s historical low total of 42 runs in 1888 is a reminder of the unpredictability of cricket, even for the most dominant teams. The current Test series between India and Australia in 2024/25 highlights the challenges Australia faces, particularly when under pressure, as India’s bowlers have shown early signs of dominance.