Highest Totals in Women's Test Cricket

Test matches are usually slow-paced compared to their counterparts ODIs and T20s. But, recently with the evolution of the shorter formats of the game, Test matches are also seeing an increase in the scoring pace. Women’s Test cricket has witnessed a seismic shift in batting, with two of the biggest-ever recorded team totals in history both occurring within a span of five months in 2024. Let's take a look back at the top five highest totals in women's Test cricket.

Also Read: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma rewrite history by compiling highest partnership for the first wicket in women's Test cricket

Highest Totals in Women's Test Cricket

#5 New Zealand | 517-8 vs England (1996)

Touring England for three Test matches, a Sarah Illingworth-led New Zealand women’s unit stacked up 517 runs in the series opener to record one of the highest format totals of all time. Up against England’s 414-run first innings total, New Zealand openers Shelley Fruin and Debbie Hockley both listed half-centuries at the top before number three batter Kirsty Bond (204) produced the first-ever double ton in women’s Test history.

#4 Australia | 525 all out vs India (1984)

In the third Test of Australia’s month-long tour of India in early 1984, the Aussie smashed 525 runs at Ahmedabad to scale an 182-run first-innings lead over India’s 343. As many as three Australian players brought down centuries in the innings, with captain Jill Kennare top-scoring with a career-best 131. Opening batter Peta Verco scored 105 while unbeaten Karen Price cracked 104 runs while batting at number eight. Australia’s batting effort across Days 2 and 3 of their four-day stalemate with India eventually resulted in a tame draw.

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#3 Australia | 569-6d vs England (1998)

In the opening Test of the 1998 Ashes in England, the visiting Australian team recorded 569-6 before captain Belinda Clark called for a declaration. The innings helped Australia soar past New Zealand’s 517 from 1996 to crack the highest total in women’s Tests. Number three Joanne Broadbent top-scored with 200 from 476 balls to become the first Australian player in Test history to score a double century. Debutant Mel Jones also made her way to a career-best 131 in the very first innings of her five-match Test career.

#2 Australia | 575-9d vs South Africa (2024)

Hosting South Africa in a one-off Test match in February 2024, Australia shattered multiple records at Perth’s WACA. They became the highest-ever recorded total in women’s Tests at the time, breaking their own 26-year-old feat of 569-6d against England. After electing to field first, Australia all out South Africa for a paltry 76 before scoring 575-9d in just 125.2 overs at a prolific scoring rate of 4.58 in response.

Australia were struggling at 12/3 before a 155-run partnership between Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy helped them recover. Annabel Sutherland, who walked in at six, smashed a double century to add. South Africa could not chase the huge 499-run lead taken by the Aussies as they were bowled out for 215, losing the match by an innings and 284 runs.

Also Read: Smriti Mandhana creates history by becoming first Indian woman to hit consecutive ODI hundreds

#1 India | 603-6d vs South Africa (2024)

The India women's cricket team holds the record for the highest totals in women's Test cricket. Opting to bat first, India rode on Shafali Verma's 205 and Smriti Mandhana's 149 to post a huge score of 603/6d in a one-off Test against South Africa Women at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in 2024. Earlier, the hosts put in a stunning display of power-hitting as they reached 525/4 on the first day of the one-off Test. Shafali Verma created history by scoring the fastest double-hundred in Women’s Tests reaching the feat in just 197 balls.

India’s 603-6d was also powered by the half-centuries of middle-order batters Jemimah Rodrigues (55 off 94 balls), captain Harmanpreet Kaur (69 off 115 balls), and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh (90-ball 86).