From Andrew Symonds to Will Young, know players who scored most runs off one ball in Test cricket

Eight runs is the most scored off one ball in Test cricket, by Patsy Hendren, John Wright, Brian Lara and Andrew Symonds. Plus the sevens, including Will Young’s in 2022.

The most runs scored off a single ball in Test cricket is eight, and it has happened four times. Patsy Hendren, John Wright and Andrew Symonds each ran four and collected four overthrows. Brian Lara’s eight at Port of Spain in 2005 was different: three runs plus five penalty runs, so only three went down to his name.

Seven off one ball is almost as rare. New Zealand’s Will Young managed it against Bangladesh at Christchurch in January 2022, and the other reported instances are listed below.

Eight runs off one ball in Test cricket

Batter	Team	Opponent	Venue	Season	How
Patsy Hendren	England	Australia	Melbourne	1928-29	All-run four plus four overthrows, off debutant Percy Hornibrook
John Wright	New Zealand	Australia	Melbourne	1980-81	All-run four plus four overthrows by Rod Marsh, off Lenny Pascoe
Brian Lara	West Indies	South Africa	Port of Spain	2004-05	Three runs plus five penalty runs, off Nicky Boje
Andrew Symonds	Australia	New Zealand	Brisbane	2008-09	All-run four plus four overthrows, off Iain O’Brien

Source: Charlie Wat’s Test Cricket Lists, via ESPNcricinfo’s Steven Lynch (November 2008). No further eight has been reported since Symonds.

Patsy Hendren, Melbourne, 1928-29

The first known eight came in the final Test of Don Bradman’s first series. England’s Patsy Hendren ran four off the Australian debutant Percy Hornibrook and then collected four overthrows.

John Wright, Melbourne, 1980-81

Melbourne saw the second as well. New Zealand opener John Wright ran four off Lenny Pascoe, and Rod Marsh, collecting a fielder’s return, hurled it at the stumps and missed for four overthrows.

Brian Lara, Port of Spain, 2004-05

Brian Lara glanced Nicky Boje for three against South Africa. Mark Boucher chased the ball and threw it back, but the return hit a fielder’s helmet lying on the ground, which cost five penalty runs. Under the earlier Laws those five would have been credited to Lara; after a recent change they went down as penalty extras. He was out later for 196.

Andrew Symonds, Brisbane, 2008-09

Andrew Symonds ran an all-run four off Iain O’Brien at the Gabba in November 2008 and got four overthrows on top, the ball after he had been dropped off the same bowler.

Seven runs off one ball in Test cricket

Batter	Team	Opponent	Year
Alan Knott	England	West Indies	1976
Majid Khan	Pakistan	Australia	1981
Michael Clarke	Australia	England	2006
Chris Rogers	Australia	England	2014
Kraigg Brathwaite	West Indies	South Africa	2015
Will Young	New Zealand	Bangladesh	2022

England wicketkeeper Alan Knott got seven off Vanburn Holder at Headingley in 1976. He pushed towards extra cover for a quick single, Bernard Julien’s throw went past Deryck Murray, and Andy Roberts’ return from there ran away to the long-off boundary.

Will Young, Christchurch, 2022

Will Young‘s seven came off Ebadot Hossain in the first over of the second Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh at Hagley Oval, on 9 January 2022. Young edged the last ball of the over towards the slips, Liton Das dropped it at second slip, and the ball ran away towards third man. Young and Tom Latham ran three, and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan’s throw to the non-striker’s end then went for four overthrows.

What started as a missed chance became a chaotic start for Bangladesh, and New Zealand went on to win the Test by an innings.

Author: William Paul

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Featured photo: AFP / Prakash Singh