588/6: Most runs on single day of Test match

There are times when teams take 6-7 sessions to score around 600 runs but on some rare occasions as many as 588 runs have been scored in a single day of test match cricket.

The record is held by England who piled up 588 on the second day of the second test match on the India tour of England in 1936.

Batting first, India scored 203 runs in their first innings on the back of 40s from Syed Wazir Ali and Cotar Ramaswami. In reply, England dug deep, declaring on 571 for 8 which included 167 runs from Wally Hammond, 87 from Stan Worthington and 94 from Joe Hardstaff.

England were placed at 173/2 in their first innings at the end of day one. Following the next day which was a rest day, the team declared on 571 for 8 after which India scored 190 runs without loss with openers Vijay Merchant and Mushtaq Ali going all out.

The total of the runs scored by both England and India constituted for 588 runs on day two of the test match which holds the record for the most runs scored on a single day.

The second most runs scored on a single day of test cricket was on day 2 of a test match between England and Sri Lanka played at Lord’s in 1924. South Africa were bowled out for 273 runs in their first innings with Bob Catterall scoring 120.

England started their first innings late on day one with the team at 28 without loss. It was the next day that they showed their true colours with openers Sir Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe firing on all cylinders. While Hobbs scored 211, Sutcliffe was dismissed for 122.

Frank Woolley and Patsy Hendren made unbeaten 134 and 50 respectively as the team declared on 531/2 on day two itself, thus finding a place in the record books.

There have been two other occasions when scores in excess of 500 have been scored on a single day of a test match. Sri Lanka scored 509 runs against Bangladesh at Colombo in July 2002. England also struck 508 runs against South Africa on day 3 of a test match at The Oval in August 1935.

More than 400 runs have been scored in a single day of a test match on several occasions with the highlights being England’s 496 against Pakistan on day 2 at Nottingham and Australia’s 494 runs against South Africa at Sydney.