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Tail-enders with most 50-plus scores from No.9 or below (Tests)
14 Jun 2025

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has set a new record in Test cricket by scoring a brilliant 58* in the third innings of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's.

This was his eighth Test fifty while batting at nine or lower in Tests. No other batter has even seven such scores.

Here we look at tail-enders with the most 50-plus scores while operating at nine or lower.

Mitchell Starc - 8 50-plus scores
#1

Starc's unbeaten 58 came off 136 balls at a strike rate of 42.65, with five fours.

His mix of defense and aggression helped Australia take a second innings lead of 281 runs against South Africa.

As mentioned, this was his eighth Test fifty while batting at nine or lower as 99 is his best score, which came against India in 2013 (Mohali).

Starc's tally of 1,568 Test runs in these positions is the third-most for any player, as per ESPNcricinfo.

Stuart Broad - 6 50-plus scores
#2

Starc also equaled Stuart Broad's record of scoring five 50-plus runs on English soil while batting at No.9 or lower in Tests.

Meanwhile, Broad trails Starc on this list with six 50-plus scores. This also includes a brilliant 169 in the 2010 Lord's Test against Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the England talisman mustered 2,305 runs at 16.46 while batting in these positions. No other batter has even 1,800 runs in this regard.

Daniel Vettori - 6 50-plus scores
#3

The only other player with at least six 50-plus scores on this list is New Zealand legend Daniel Vettori.

His tally accounts for five fifties and a ton, which includes a gritty 137* in the 2003 Hamilton Test against Pakistan.

The former left-arm spinner accumulated 1,275 runs while batting at nine or lower at a decent average of 21.98.

Other tail-enders with five such scores
Fact

WI's Michael Holding, India's Kiran More, NZ's Tim Southee, and England's Graeme Swann share the following position on this list with five 50-plus scores. However, none of these tail-enders could touch the 90-run mark in Test cricket.