Think of a situation where the bowling side has been bowling for over a hundred overs in a Test match and still haven’t cleared up the batting side. It would be frustrating. Technically, when the top seven batsmen get out fast, any bowling side would expect the innings to end soon.
Though it doesn’t happen often, there have been instances when a No. 11 batsman gets settled to play a cameo, hitting fours and sixes. If the last man standing hits a fifty, wouldn’t it be awesome to watch? Most times, it helps the team register an even better total and allows them to get out of the situation of follow-on or even win a match.
So, let us head on to talk about the top 10 highest scores by a No. 11 batter in Test cricket.
Highest Test Score by No. 11 Batters
| Player | Score (Balls) | Against | Venue | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton Agar (AUS) | 98 (101) | England | Nottingham | 10 Jul 2013 |
| Tino Best (WI) | 95 (112) | England | Birmingham | 7 Jun 2012 |
| James Anderson (ENG) | 81 (130) | India | Nottingham | 9 Jul 2014 |
| Zaheer Khan (IND) | 75 (115) | Bangladesh | Dhaka | 10 Dec 2004 |
| Richard Collinge (NZ) | 68* (-) | Pakistan | Auckland | 16 Feb 1973 |
| Albert Vogler (SA) | 62* (-) | England | Cape Town | 30 Mar 1906 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 61 (92) | New Zealand | Brisbane | 18 Nov 2004 |
| Wasim Bari (PAK) | 60* (-) | West Indies | Bridgetown | 18 Feb 1977 |
| John Snow (ENG) | 59* (146) | West Indies | The Oval | 18 Aug 1966 |
| Mushtaq Ahmed (PAK) | 59 (106) | South Africa | Rawalpindi | 6 Oct 1997 |
Key Insights
Ashton Agar has smashed the highest individual score by a No. 11 batter in Test cricket. The Australian left-arm spinner scored a gritty 98-run knock against England in the second innings of the 2013 Nottingham Test.
This was Agar’s first Test, making his 98 the highest Test score by a debutant at No. 11. He is the only No. 11 batter to smash a fifty on Test debut.
Agar’s 98 is also the highest score by a No. 11 batter in a lost Test. Despite his defying knock, Australia lost the Test by 14 runs.
Zaheer Khan, on the other hand, has logged the highest Test knock at No. 11 in a win. His 75 runs helped India beat Bangladesh by an innings and 140 runs.
Wasim Bari is the only wicketkeeper to score a half-century at No. 11 in Tests. The former Pakistani keeper contributed an unbeaten 60 to set a 306-run target for the West Indies in the 1977 Bridgetown Test, which ended in a draw.
James Anderson dotted his 81-run knock with 17 fours against India in the 2014 Nottingham Test. This is the most boundary fours smashed by a No. 11 batter in a Test innings.
Anderson added 198 runs along with Joe Root for the last wicket. This is the highest 10th wicket stand in Test history.
Shane Shillingford’s unbeaten 53 against New Zealand in the 2014 Kingston Test consisted of 5 sixes, the most by a No. 11 batter in a Test innings.
Shillingford reached the 50-run mark in 25 balls, the fastest half-century by a No. 11 batter in Tests. This is the fifth-quickest Test half-century among all batters.
Shillingford struck at 182.75 in his knock off 29 balls. This is the highest strike rate by a No. 11 batter in a Test innings (minimum 50 runs).
Over 20 batters have scored at least one fifty while batting at No. 11 in Test cricket.
Read Next | Most ODI Wickets against a Single Opponent
