Nowadays, it is quite common to see the first day of Test cricket end up in the range of 300-350 runs. It gives an early advantage to the batting side.
This article will focus on the matches where there existed sheer dominance and the pure act of class shown by batsmen, helping their team pile up massive scores and go one-up against the bowling side.
Let us look at the top ten instances when a team hits the most runs on day 1 of a Test Match.
Most Runs on 1st Day of a Test Match
| Batting Team | Score on 1st Day | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 506/4 (75.0) | Pakistan | Rawalpindi | 1 Dec 2022 |
| England | 498/3 (88.0) | Zimbabwe | Nottingham | 22 May 2025 |
| Australia | 494/6 (NA) | South Africa | Sydney | 9 Dec 1910 |
| Australia | 482/5 (86.5) | South Africa | Adelaide | 22 Nov 2012 |
| Australia | 475/2 (NA) | England | The Oval | 18 Aug 1934 |
| England | 471/8 (NA) | India | The Oval | 15 Aug 1936 |
| South Africa | 465/4 (88.0) | Zimbabwe | Bulawayo | 6 Jul 2025 |
| Australia | 458/3 (NA) | England | Leeds | 11 Jul 1930 |
| New Zealand | 452/9d (89.0) | Zimbabwe | Harare | 7 Aug 2005 |
| Australia | 450/10 (97.5) | South Africa | Johannesburg | 12 Nov 1921 |
Key Insights
506 runs scored by England against Pakistan in a Rawalpindi Test in 2022 is the most runs scored by a team on the first day of a Test match.
Australia have scored 450 or more runs on the first day of a Test five times, the most by a team in the format.
In fact, Australia were the first team to aggregate more than 450 runs on the first day. They amassed 494 runs against South Africa in the 1910 Sydney Test.
South Africa and Zimbabwe have conceded 450-plus totals on day one three times, the joint-most by a team.
450 for 10 by Australia against South Africa in the 1921 Johannesburg Test is the highest all-out score on the opening day of a match.
701 Australia’s final total after they reached 475 for 2 against England in the 1934 Oval Test. This is the highest total by a team that scored 425-plus runs on the first day of a Test. Australia’s 701 is their fourth-highest total in Test cricket.
464 runs aggregated by Australia (448) and South Africa (16/1) in the 1912 Manchester Test are the most by two teams combined on day one of a match.
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