Top 10 Highest fourth innings totals in Test matches
Batting in a test match usually depends on the nature of wicket and conditions as well as the opposition’s bowling attack. However no matter how the conditions are, batting in the fourth innings always troubles the teams. In normal circumstances a side gets to ply the fourth innings of a match on fifth day. Or being a little relaxant let’s include the half of the fourth day as well. In fact no matter what day it is, fourth innings batting line up always gets a bruised up surface with tons of opportunities for the bowlers. Let highest test totals apart, the highest fourth innings totals alone decide the fate of most games. Obviously the highest fourth innings totals are set up in pursuit of some target and normally a target does not let itself chase with much ease.
Flashing back at the statistics, there are a few fourth innings totals that can somehow be called a brave effort from the chasers. As mentioned earlier chasing in the last innings is never an easy task. However there have been a few instances where even the highest fourth innings totals were chased down. The most recent example of such a chase was in July 2015. The always-unpredictable Pakistan side chased down Sri Lanka’s 377 at Pallekele. The highest fourth innings totals on the winning side however came for West Indies in 2003. The Caribbean side beaten Australia’s 418 runs target to shock the world. Apart from these few performances, most sides usually end up on the losing side while batting in fourth innings.
A good proportion of games also come up as a draw with teams going for the defensive approach. Though being defensive also is not the guarantee for the survival. In the second match of the ongoing series between West Indies and India however the world witnessed the hosts surviving. India after taking a clear edge on the fourth day failed to get all West Indian batters out. Top 10 highest fourth innings totals in tests are as under.
Top 10 Highest fourth innings totals in Test matches
| Team | Score | Target | Overs | RR | Result | Opposition |
| England | 654/5 | 696 | 218.2×8 | 2.24 | draw | South Africa |
| New Zealand | 451 | 550 | 93.3 | 4.82 | lost | England |
| South Africa | 450/7 | 458 | 136.0 | 3.30 | draw | India |
| India | 445 | 493 | 141.4×8 | 2.35 | lost | Australia |
| New Zealand | 440 | 479 | 188.1 | 2.33 | lost | England |
| New Zealand | 431 | 553 | 118.5 | 3.62 | lost | England |
| India | 429/8 | 438 | 150.5 | 2.84 | draw | England |
| South Africa | 423/7 | 451 | 141.0 | 3.00 | draw | England |
| West Indies | 418/7 | 418 | 128.5 | 3.24 | won | Australia |
| England | 417 | 463 | 112.4×8 | 2.78 | lost | Australia |
