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eventREF E-0095043Revised

Event record

The longest cricket test match in history is played between South Africa and England in Durban

The longest cricket test match in history is played between South Africa and England in Durban

South African cricket player, Bruce Mitchell source:www.espncricinfo.com

Updated
30 Sep 2019
The longest cricket test match in history is played between South Africa and England in Durban

South African cricket player, Bruce Mitchell source:www.espncricinfo.com

Today marks the anniversary of the longest cricket test match in history. The game was played between South Africa and England in Durban. The game continued until the 14 March - 9 days in total. England needed 41 runs to win at the close of the 9th day, but the match was drawn because the English players had to leave to catch their boat back to England. Due to the draw result, and the length of this match, it is often referred to as the 'timeless' test, and the only one of its kind in history. Since then, the South African Cricket team, the Proteas, continue to break world records. On 01 February, 2013, Proteas captain Graeme Smith made history by becoming the first man in cricket history to captain his side in 100 Test matches. Among South African players who participated in that history game were: A Melville, PGV van der Bijl, EAB Rowan, B Michell and many more.

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How we know this

  1. 01ESPN, ‘England tour of South Africa, 1938/39’, from ESPN Cricinfo, [online], Available at www.espncricinfo.com [Accessed: 04 February 2014]
  2. 02Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.
  3. 03Cricket Trivia, Test Cricket, from Crictrivia, [online], Available at crictrivia.com [Accessed: 25 February 2009]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2013, February 27). The longest cricket test match in history is played between South Africa and England in Durban. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095043

South African History Online (2013) 'The longest cricket test match in history is played between South Africa and England in Durban', South African History Online, 27 February. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095043 (Accessed: 2 September 2026).

South African History Online, The longest cricket test match in history is played between South Africa and England in Durban [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095043, (accessed 2 September 2026).

"The longest cricket test match in history is played between South Africa and England in Durban." South African History Online, 27 Feb. 2013, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095043. Accessed 2 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "The longest cricket test match in history is played between South Africa and England in Durban." South African History Online. February 27, 2013. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095043.

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