Chasing down fourth innings in Tests is one of the most challenging jobs for any team. There are a lot of factors that deny the team batting 4th from chasing down the scores. One of the factors is the fifth-day pitch which is always tough to bat on. Also, the pressure is on the batting side, always with a daunting score.
Test cricket is one format that requires immense patience. One session could easily change the situation of the match, and a collapse is always on the cards. Nevertheless, watching if a team manages to chase down scores in the 4th innings is always exciting.
Let us have a look at the top 5 highest successful 4th innings run chases in Tests.
5) West Indies – 395/7 vs Bangladesh (Chattogram, 2021)
This was the first Test of the two-match series this year at the Chattogram. The home side won the toss and elected to bat first. They used the home conditions’ advantage to score a massive 430 on the board in their first innings on the back of a Mehidy Hasan century. West Indies, in reply, could get to only 259 on the board in their first innings, handing a lead of 171 runs. In their second innings, Bangladesh declared their innings, setting a target of 395 to win for the visitors.
West Indies scripted history as debutant Kyle Mayers scored a brilliant double unbeaten 210 to win the Test for West Indies with 3 wickets in hand with a young batting lineup. The other debutant Nkrumah Bonner also contributed alongside Kyle Mayers.
4) Australia – 404/3 vs England (Leeds, 1948)
This was the fourth Test of the five-match series in 1948 at Leeds, Headingley. England won the toss and chose to bat. England scored 496 in their first innings in an excellent batting wicket. In reply, the visitors scored 458 and went under 42 runs of deficit in their first innings. England, in their second innings, declared at 365 for the loss of 8 wickets, setting a target of 404 for Australia to win. The men in yellow stunned the home side with a phenomenal run chase.
Don Bran and Arthur Morris scored big centuries, with the former playing a captain’s knock of an unbeaten 173. As a result of the win by 7 wickets, Australia moved to a lead of 3-0 in the five-match series. This is also the 5th best 4th innings score on England soil.
3) India – 406/4 vs West Indies (Port of Spain, 1976)
This is one of India’s most incredible ever wins in Test cricket in overseas conditions. The home side won the toss and chose to bat with the series hanging in the balance. However, West Indies managed to post 359 on the board in their first innings. In reply, India was bundled out for 228 in their first innings. In their second innings, West Indies declared at 271 for 6, setting up a target of 403.
India put a spirited effort in the final innings, with the legendary Sunil Gavaskar scoring a century. Gavaskar was always phenomenal during the 4th innings of a Test match, which shows his fighting spirit. He still ranks in this record of Sunny bhai shows why he is one of the best when it comes to chasing in Test cricket.
However, it was Gundappa Viswanath’s 115 and Mohinder Amarnath’s 85 that took India closer to the total. Brijesh Patel stayed unbeaten on 49 as India won the Test by 6 wickets in hand and leveled the series 1-1.
2) South Africa – 414/4 vs Australia (Perth, 2008)
