The Old Trafford Cricket Ground has been a relatively happy hunting ground for the English side over the years with only Australia enjoying a better head-to-head record against the hosts in Tests at the venue. England have beaten Australia seven times at the venue in Tests and lost on eight occasions against the Aussies in Manchester.
Established in 1857, Old Trafford was opened as a home ground for Manchester Cricket Club and has been Lancashire County Cricket Club’s home since 1864.
It is England’s second oldest Test venue after The Oval and had staged the first Ashes Test against Australia in July 1884. From the first of Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 international tons to Shane Warne’s Ball of the Century to Mike Gatting, the Old Trafford Cricket Ground has witnessed plenty of memorable Test moments over the years.
The Old Trafford Cricket Ground has hosted five ICC Cricket World Cups - 1975, 1979, 1983, 1999 and 2019. Furthermore, the venue has played host to most World Cup Cricket matches (17) by any ground and holds the record for hosting the most number of World Cup semi-finals (5) as well.
Let’s have a look at some Test records made at Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
Old Trafford Cricket Ground Test records
Highest team score: The Australian cricket team posted the highest score in a Test match at Old Trafford. The visitors rode on captain Bob Simpson’s scintillating triple hundred (311) to record the mammoth total of 656/8d against England in the fourth Test in 1964. The match ended in a draw.
Lowest team total: India were bundled out for 58 against England in their first innings of the third Test at Old Trafford in 1952. Fast bowler Fred Trueman was the destroyer-in-chief for England, picking eight wickets for 31 runs in India’s first innings. The Vijay Hazare-led India team lost the Test by an innings and 207 runs.
Most runs: Denis Compton has made the most runs at Old Trafford. The former England batter played eight Tests at Old Trafford and scored 818 runs at an average of 81.80. He made three hundreds and four fifties at the venue.
Most wickets: Former England fast bowler Alec Bedser has taken the most wickets in Tests at Old Trafford. In seven matches, Bedser took 51 wickets at an average of 13.45 and an economy of 2.26.
Highest individual score: Former Australia captain Bob Simpson holds the record for the highest individual score at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Tests. Playing a staggering 743 balls, Simpson had scored 311 runs against hosts England in the first innings of the fourth Test in Manchester. Simpson’s 311 powered Australia to 656/8d, the highest team total at this venue in Test cricket. In reply, England had managed 611 in their first innings.
Best bowling figures: Former England spinner Jim Laker became the first cricketer to claim a 10-wicket haul in a single innings at Old Trafford in 1956. Laker bagged a total of 19 wickets against Australia in the Test match, which is still the best-ever bowling figures in Tests and first-class cricket. Laker’s figures of 9 for 37 and 10 for 53 in the match helped England win the Test by an innings and 170 runs. Jim Laker's 19 for 90 in the game is also the best bowling figures in a match at Old Trafford.
Highest partnership: England’s Michael Vaughan (120) and Graham Thorpe (138) stitched a 267-run partnership for the third wicket against Pakistan in their first innings of the second Test in 2001. It remains the highest Test partnership at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground to date. However, England suffered a 108-run defeat in that match.
Featured photo: Twitter/ICC
