List of England Test cricket records

Test cricket is the oldest form of cricket played at international level. A Test match is scheduled to take place over a period of five days, and is played by teams representing full member nations of the International Cricket Council (ICC). England was a founding member of the ICC, having played the first Test match against Australia in March 1877 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. They have played a total of 1,022 matches, the most by any Test playing team. As of January 2020, England is the third most successful team in Test cricket with an overall winning percentage of 36.30, behind Australia on 47.34 and South Africa on 37.58.

Opening batsman and former captain Alastair Cook holds several England Test cricket records. Playing between 2006 and 2018, he scored 12,472 runs, making him the only England player to score 10,000 Test runs. He scored a record 57 half-centuries and 33 centuries. As a slip fielder, Cook has also taken the most catches for England with 175 and holds the England record for the most catches taken in a Test series with 13. Captaining his side from 2010 until he stood down in 2016, Cook holds the record for the most matches played as English skipper with 59, the Test record for the most consecutive matches played with 159 and the record for the most matches played for England with 161.

The most prolific Test wicket-taker for England is James Anderson. Making his debut in 2003, he has taken a total of 584 wickets throughout his 151-match career, as of January 2020 – the most by a fast bowler in Test cricket. He has also achieved 28 five-wicket hauls in an innings, the most by any English cricketer. The record for the most ten-wicket hauls for England is held by Sydney Barnes and James Harrison with seven, Harrison also holds the Test cricket record for the most wickets taken in a series with 52 during the 2017–18 Ashes series. Alan Knott is England's most successful wicket-keeper having taken 269 dismissals. England claims two age records, James Southerton as the oldest player to make his Test debut at 49 and Wilfred Rhodes aged 52 as the oldest cricketer to ever play in a Test match.

## Key

The top five records are listed for each category, except for the team wins, losses and draws and the partnership records. Tied records for fifth place are also included. Explanations of the general symbols and cricketing terms used in the list are given below. Specific details are provided in each category where appropriate. All records include matches played for England only, and are correct as of May 28, 2019.

Key
 \*
 ♠
 d
 Date
 Innings
 Matches
 Opposition
 Period
 Player
 Venue

## Team records

### **Team scoring records**

#### **Most runs in an innings**

 2
 3
 4
 5

#### **Fewest runs in an innings**

 2
 3
 4
 5

#### **Greatest win margins (by innings)**

 2
 3
 4
 5

#### **Greatest win margins (by runs)**

 2
 3
 4
 5

## Individual records

### **Batting records**

#### **Most half-centuries**

A half-century is a score of between 50 and 99 runs. Statistically, once a batsman's score reaches 100, it is no longer considered a half-century but a century.

#### **Most centuries**

A century is a score of 100 or more runs in a single innings.

#### **Most double centuries**

A double century is a score of 200 or more runs in a single innings.

#### **Most triple centuries**

A triple century is a score of 300 or more runs in a single innings.

 2
 John Edrich
 Len Hutton
 Wally Hammond
 Graham Gooch

### **Bowling records**

#### **Most five-wicket hauls in an innings**

 2
 3
 4
 5

#### **Most ten-wicket hauls in a match**

 James Harrison | 424
 3
 4
 Alec Bedser

#### **Most wickets in a series**

 3
 4
 Alec Bedser

### **Fielding records**

#### **Most career catches**

 2
 3
 4
 Colin Cowdrey

### **Other records**

#### **Most career matches**

 2
 3
 4
 5
 Graham Gooch

#### **Most consecutive career matches**

 2
 3
 4
 Ian Botham