Closest Test match wins: Smallest margin of victory in Test cricket history

New Zealand beat England by 1 run in the recently concluded second Test match at the Basin Reserve to register only the second instance of a team winning a Test by a 1-run margin. A rare joint-closest Test match win, which has happened after as many as three decades, powered New Zealand to be able to draw the two-match series 1-1.

In all honesty, the odds were supporting the visitors as one expects England to seal a 258-run chase irrespective of the conditions or opposition. England, who came pretty close to doing the same, became the latest victim of New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner’s tenacity and steadfastness.

Pick of their bowlers in the second innings, Wagner’s bowling figures of 15.2-0-62-4 consisted of dismissing veteran England pacer James Anderson (4) as the last English wicket. Having already pulled Wagner for a boundary in his previous over, Anderson was clearly upset after getting caught down the leg-side today.

Wow! What a game of Test cricket!

— Jonny Bairstow (@jbairstow21) February 28, 2023

Other than Wagner, New Zealand captain Tim Southee (3/45) and fast bowler Matt Henry (2/75) were also among the wickets on the last day of the series.

Resuming Day 5 at 48/1, all England needed were 210 runs to whitewash the Black Caps away from home after six decades. Former captain Joe Root (95) followed a 28th Test century in the first innings with a 56th half-century in the second but ended up playing a nothing shot in his attempt to pull Wagner to perhaps put on display a game-changing dismissal.

Closest Test match wins

Does England’s tour of New Zealand 2023 affect ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023 standings?

No. As was the case during the last England’s tour of New Zealand as well, even this series isn’t part of ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023. Moreover, readers must note that neither New Zealand nor England are eligible to qualify for the final to be played later this year.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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