The slowest century in Test cricket is Mudassar Nazar’s, which took 557 minutes — nine hours and seventeen minutes — for Pakistan against England at Lahore in December 1977. Five hundreds in the game’s history have taken 500 minutes or more, and all five came in drawn Tests. Complete to 12 September 2026; source ESPNcricinfo.
One thing to be clear about before the list: this ranks time taken to reach the hundred, not the length of the whole innings. They are different numbers, and both are given below.
Slowest hundreds in Test cricket
Every hundred that took 450 minutes or more to reach.
| Minutes to 100 | Batter | Match | Venue | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 557 | Mudassar Nazar | Pakistan v England | Lahore | 1977-78 |
| 545 | Jackie McGlew | South Africa v Australia | Durban | 1957-58 |
| 535 | Asanka Gurusinha | Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe | Harare | 1994-95 |
| 516 | Jeff Crowe | New Zealand v Sri Lanka | Colombo (CCC) | 1986-87 |
| 500 | Sanjay Manjrekar | India v Zimbabwe | Harare | 1992-93 |
| 488 | Peter Richardson | England v South Africa | Johannesburg | 1956-57 |
| 458 | Keith Fletcher | England v Pakistan | The Oval | 1974 |
The 500-minute club has exactly five members, and no innings has joined this list since 1994. Peter Richardson’s 488 minutes is the closest anyone has come to joining them, and that was in December 1956.
The five innings in full
Time to the hundred is one measure. This is what each of those innings looked like from first ball to last.
| Batter | Score | Mins at the crease | Balls faced | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mudassar Nazar | 114 | 591 | 449 | England | Lahore | 14 Dec 1977 |
| Jackie McGlew | 105 | 575 | not recorded | Australia | Durban | 24 Jan 1958 |
| Asanka Gurusinha | 128 | 607 | 461 | Zimbabwe | Harare | 11 Oct 1994 |
| Jeff Crowe | 120* | 609 | 398 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (CCC) | 16 Apr 1987 |
| Sanjay Manjrekar | 104 | 529 | 422 | Zimbabwe | Harare | 18 Oct 1992 |
Jeff Crowe was at the crease longest of the five, 609 minutes, but reached his hundred quicker than three of them. Ball-by-ball figures do not exist for the 1958 Durban Test, which is why McGlew’s balls-faced column is empty rather than zero.
Mudassar Nazar – 557 minutes v England, 1977
In the first Test of England’s tour of Pakistan in December 1977, the Pakistan opener Mudassar Nazar took 557 minutes to reach three figures, and finished with 114 from 449 balls after 591 minutes at the crease. It remains the slowest hundred in Test cricket.
Pakistan elected to bat and, despite losing two early wickets, declared on 407 for 9, Mudassar having steadied the innings alongside Haroon Rasheed. England replied with 288 at a run rate of 1.58 an over; Geoffrey Boycott took nearly six hours over 63. Pakistan’s second innings closed on 106 for 3 and the Test was drawn.
Jackie McGlew – 545 minutes v Australia, 1958
Australia’s tour of South Africa reached Durban in January 1958 for the third Test, and the visitors were held up by the South Africa opener Jackie McGlew.
Australia batted first and managed only 163, with the captain Ian Craig the sole half-centurion. South Africa were 28 for 2 in reply when McGlew and John Waite put on 231 together, McGlew reaching his hundred in 545 minutes. South Africa did not capitalise: from 259 for 2 they were bowled out for 384, the collapse beginning with McGlew’s dismissal for 105 after 575 minutes. Australia made 292 for 7 on the final day and the Test was drawn.
Asanka Gurusinha – 535 minutes v Zimbabwe, 1994
Sri Lanka toured Zimbabwe in October 1994, and in the first Test at Harare Asanka Gurusinha produced the third-slowest hundred on record.
Sri Lanka won the toss and batted, lost Roshan Mahanama early, and then Gurusinha and Sanjeeva Ranatunga added 217 together, both making centuries. Gurusinha needed 535 minutes for his and eventually made 128 from 461 balls. Zimbabwe batted into the last day, reached 319 for 8, and the Test was drawn.
Jeff Crowe – 516 minutes v Sri Lanka, 1987
Jeff Crowe captained New Zealand six times, the first of them against Sri Lanka at Colombo in April 1987, and it produced the fourth-slowest hundred in Test cricket. It was also the third and last century of his Test career.
Sri Lanka declared on 397 for 9, built on Brendon Kuruppu’s double century on debut. New Zealand lost their openers early and were 99 for 4 when Crowe began the innings that would define his captaincy: 516 minutes to the hundred, and 120 not out from 398 balls by the end, with Richard Hadlee unbeaten on 151 alongside him. The Test was drawn.
Sanjay Manjrekar – 500 minutes v Zimbabwe, 1992
The slowest Test hundred by an Indian, made in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test at Harare in October 1992.
Zimbabwe posted 456 in their first innings. India’s top order then collapsed to 219 for 7, and the innings was held together by Sanjay Manjrekar, who reached his century in 500 minutes and was dismissed for 104 from 422 balls. India were bowled out on the fifth day, Zimbabwe batted out the rest of it, and the Test was drawn.
Slowest century in Test cricket: quick answers
What is the slowest century in Test cricket? Mudassar Nazar’s, 557 minutes for Pakistan against England at Lahore in 1977-78.
How many hundreds have taken 500 minutes or more? Five, and no innings has joined that list since 1994.
Who has the slowest Test hundred by an Indian? Sanjay Manjrekar, 500 minutes against Zimbabwe at Harare in 1992.
Did any of these matches produce a result? No. All five Tests were drawn.
Which of the five innings lasted longest? Jeff Crowe’s 120 not out, 609 minutes at the crease, though he was not the slowest to the hundred.
See also the five fastest centuries in Test cricket and the list of the most centuries in Test cricket.
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Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @ICC