In Test cricket, you don't often see a team losing a match after taking a big lead in the first innings. One side always tries to score as many runs as possible in the first innings to put pressure on the opposition and take a good lead. But strange things have happened in this beautiful game when even after taking huge first innings lead, teams have lost the game.
Let's take a look at the 5 biggest first innings leads that ended in defeat in Test history:
5.Australia (227)
Australia finds itself in fifth place on this unwanted list. In the 1981 Ashes series against England at Leeds, the Kangaroos batted first and scored 401/9 d. With Ian Botham's 50 and Australia leading by 227, the hosts were reduced to just 174 runs. Thereafter, England managed to score 356 runs in their second innings as they won the thrilling match by just 18 runs, with the visitors bowling out for 111. Bob Willis wreaked havoc with his 8/43 spell.
4.South Africa (236)
South Africa managed to take a lead of 236 runs in the first innings but still lost the match. Batting first, South Africa were bundled out for 311 against Australia in Durban in 1950. After taking a big lead, the hosts bundled out the visiting team for just 75 runs. In their second innings, Rainbow Nation was bowled out for just 99 as Australia chased down a target of 336 with five wickets in hand.
3.Australia (261)
Australia and England played a thrilling match in the year 1894. Batting first, Australia scored 586 runs in their first innings in Sydney with a double century from Sid Gregory. The visitors were bowled out for 325 as the Kangaroos took a massive 261-run lead. Following this, England scored 437 runs on the board, with Australia losing the match by ten runs scoring only 166 runs.
2.Australia (274)
This has to be one of the most epic and historic matches in the history of Test cricket. Australia scored 445 runs in the first innings against India at Kolkata in 2001. India were cheaply bowled out for just 171 runs to give the visitors a 274-run lead. This was followed by a storm of VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, who scored 281 and 180 respectively as India. Hit 657/7d. Chasing 384, Australia were bowled out for 212 as India registered a memorable 171 run win.
1.Sri Lanka (291)
The Aussies were not on the receiving end this time around after securing a close win against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 1992. Australia scored 256 runs with 547/8 d with Sri Lanka in their first innings. The visiting team scored 471 runs in the second innings, in which four players scored half-centuries. Sri Lanka were reduced to 164 runs and the bottom team won by 16 runs.
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