Cricket: England came so close to beating New Zealand 1955 side's unwanted record

The New Zealand Cricket Team 1955.

Black Caps fans may have been celebrating England's incredible batting collapse yesterday, but New Zealand's 1955 side was left feeling slightly disappointed.

That's because that side who played England in 1955 are owners of one of cricket's most unwanted records – the lowest total in test cricket history.

John Guy, who was 12th man for that infamous Kiwi side who were dismissed by England for 26, was at Eden Park watching with gritted teeth only to see England work their way to 58.

The 83-year-old said it was a shame that the Black Caps couldn't get England – who were at one stage sitting on 23/8 - out for less.

"It was very exciting actually," Guy told Martin Devlin on Radio Sport.

"Everybody that I was with [who were] ex cricketers, most of them were the guys that I picked when I was selector for Northern Disctricts, they were all hoping too but it didn't sort of work out our way.

"It's a pity that we didn't finish them off for 25."

Guy also added that the conditions at Eden Park yesterday were very different to what he experienced back in his day.

"The conditions yesterday were far removed from what New Zealand batted on in that game that I was 12th man because the wicket in [our] game just deteriorated so much.

"The conditions yesterday were okay for batting. Look at New Zealand, I mean it was just bad technique by England. It was unbelievable how bad their technique was against a ball that wasn't swinging all that much."

England were dismissed in the first day of the day-night Test for 58 in 20.4 overs, which was their sixth lowest all-time total.

Lowest totals in test cricket:

1: New Zealand 26 v England at Auckland March 25 1955
2: South Africa 30 v England at Port Elizabeth February 13 1896
3: South Africa 30 v England at Birmingham June 14 1924
4: South Africa 35 v England at Cape Town April 1 1899
5: South Africa 36 v Australia at Melbourne February 12 1932
6: Australia 36 v England at Birmingham May 29 1902
7: New Zealand 42 v Australia at Wellington Mar

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