South AfricaTest and ODI ground1923 to 2022
Kingsmead
Durban, South Africa
Kingsmead records at a glance
At Kingsmead, the highest Test team total is 658/9 by South Africa in 2003; the highest individual score is 275 by Gary Kirsten in 1999; the highest successful chase is 340/5 by South Africa in 2002.
At Kingsmead, the highest ODI team total is 372/6 by South Africa in 2016; the highest individual score is 128 by Brian Lara in 1993; the highest successful chase is 372/6 by South Africa in 2016.
| Record | Test | ODI |
|---|---|---|
| Highest team total | 658/9 (South Africa, 2003) | 372/6 (South Africa, 2016) |
| Lowest completed total | 53 (Bangladesh, 2022) | 91 (India, 2006) |
| Highest successful chase | 340/5 (South Africa, 2002) | 372/6 (South Africa, 2016) |
| Highest individual score | Gary Kirsten 275 (1999) | Brian Lara 128 (1993) |
| Best bowling | Hugh Tayfield 8/69 (1957) | Ashish Nehra 6/23 (2003) |
| Most runs at the ground | Jacques Kallis 1,266 | Jacques Kallis 773 |
| Most wickets at the ground | Dale Steyn 50 | Shaun Pollock 24 |
| Average first-innings total | 301 | 235 |
About Kingsmead
Kingsmead, close to the Indian Ocean in Durban, has staged Tests since 1923 and is remembered for the last timeless Test, in March 1939, which was abandoned as a draw after ten days so that England could catch their ship home, 42 runs short of their target. The sea air is often said to help swing bowling late in the day. Gary Kirsten's 275 against England in 1999 and Graeme Pollock's 274 against Australia in 1970 are the highest scores here, and Jacques Kallis leads the run-scorers with 1,266. Hugh Tayfield's 8 for 69 against England in 1957 is the best bowling. South Africa's Test record at the ground is almost level: 15 wins and 16 defeats. In one-day cricket South Africa have won 22 of their 39 matches at the ground, and it staged matches in the 2003 World Cup, including India's win over England in which Ashish Nehra took 6 for 23, still the best one-day figures here.
Kingsmead in numbers
Kingsmead, in Durban, South Africa, has staged 45 Tests and 47 one-day internationals in CricArcade's archives. The first was a Test between England and South Africa in 1923, and the most recent international here was in 2022. Its Tests span 90 years and more.
In Tests
Of the 45 Tests played at Kingsmead, 14 were drawn (31%), 18 won by the side batting first and 13 by the side batting second. That is 58% of decided Tests to the side batting first, a ground where setting the pace has paid. South Africa have played 45 of those Tests and won 15, lost 16 and drawn or tied 14, a win rate of 33%. The most frequent visitors have been England (16) and Australia (11).
The average first-innings total was 309 in the 1920s (4 Tests) and 290 in the 2010s (7 Tests), peaking at 359 in the 1960s. Its busiest decade was the 2000s, with 10 Tests, against 8 in the 1990s.
Jacques Kallis has made more Test runs here than anyone, 1,266 in 27 innings with 5 hundreds, and Dale Steyn has taken the most wickets, 50 in 10 Tests.
- Highest total: South Africa's 658 for 9 (2003)
- Lowest completed innings: Bangladesh's 53 (2022)
- Highest individual score: Gary Kirsten, 275 against England (1999)
- Best bowling: Hugh Tayfield, 8 for 69 (1957)
- Heaviest defeat: Australia, by an innings and 129 runs against South Africa (1970)
- Closest finish: Sri Lanka won by 1 wicket (2019)
In one-day internationals
Of the 47 ODIs played at Kingsmead, sides batting first have won 22 and chasing sides 18, with 1 tie; 6 produced no result. Decided ODIs have split close to evenly between the side batting first and the side batting second. South Africa have played 39 of those ODIs and won 22, lost 11 and tied or had no result in 6, a win rate of 56%. The most frequent visitors have been India (10) and Australia (9).
The average first-innings total was 226 in the 1990s (12 ODIs) and 279 in the 2010s (11 ODIs). Its busiest decade was the 2000s, with 23 ODIs, against 12 in the 1990s.
Jacques Kallis has made more ODI runs here than anyone, 773 in 24 innings with 2 hundreds, and Shaun Pollock has taken the most wickets, 24 in 20 ODIs.
- Highest total: South Africa's 372 for 6 (2016)
- Lowest completed innings: India's 91 (2006)
- Highest individual score: Brian Lara, 128 against Pakistan (1993)
- Best bowling: Ashish Nehra, 6 for 23 (2003)
- Widest win by runs: South Africa, by 157 runs over India (2006)
- Closest finishes: Australia won by 1 wicket (2006) and Match tied (2003)
Tests at Kingsmead
45 Tests, 1923 to 2022. The first was England v South Africa on 18 January 1923: match drawn.
- Won batting first
- Won batting second
- Drawn / tied
First-innings totals by decade
| Decade | Tests | Average first-innings total |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 4 | 309 |
| 1930s | 6 | 316 |
| 1940s | 1 | 161 |
| 1950s | 4 | 282 |
| 1960s | 3 | 359 |
| 1970s | 1 | 622 |
| 1990s | 8 | 249 |
| 2000s | 10 | 304 |
| 2010s | 7 | 290 |
| 2020s | 1 | 367 |
Most runs
| Batter | Team | Inns | Runs | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 27 | 1,266 | 5 |
| Gary Kirsten | South Africa | 18 | 1,048 | 3 |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 20 | 818 | 1 |
| Herschelle Gibbs | South Africa | 18 | 646 | 2 |
| Wally Hammond | England | 10 | 637 | 3 |
Most wickets
| Bowler | Team | Tests | Wkts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Steyn | South Africa | 10 | 50 |
| Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 12 | 44 |
| Makhaya Ntini | South Africa | 10 | 43 |
| Hugh Tayfield | South Africa | 4 | 30 |
| Allan Donald | South Africa | 7 | 29 |
Test records
- Highest total
- 658/9
- Lowest completed total
- 53
- Highest score
- 275 · Gary Kirsten
- Best bowling
- 8/69 · Hugh Tayfield
- Biggest innings win
- Inns & 129
- Biggest win by runs
- 328 runs
Closest finishes
- Sri Lanka won by 1 wicket (2019)
ODIs at Kingsmead
47 ODIs, 1992 to 2020. The first was South Africa v India on 17 December 1992: South Africa won by 39 runs.
- Won batting first
- Won batting second
- Tied / NR
First-innings totals by decade
| Decade | ODIs | Average first-innings total |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12 | 226 |
| 2000s | 23 | 227 |
| 2010s | 11 | 279 |
| 2020s | 1 | 71 |
Most runs
| Batter | Team | Inns | Runs | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 24 | 773 | 2 |
| AB de Villiers | Africa XI | 14 | 635 | 0 |
| David Miller | South Africa | 11 | 507 | 2 |
| Jonty Rhodes | South Africa | 15 | 502 | 0 |
| Graeme Smith | South Africa | 17 | 486 | 1 |
Most wickets
| Bowler | Team | ODIs | Wkts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 20 | 24 |
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 18 | 20 |
| Makhaya Ntini | South Africa | 14 | 17 |
| Dale Steyn | Africa XI | 9 | 16 |
| Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 6 | 15 |
ODI records
- Highest total
- 372/6
- Lowest completed total
- 91
- Highest score
- 128 · Brian Lara
- Best bowling
- 6/23 · Ashish Nehra
- Biggest win by runs
- 157 runs
Closest finishes
Most recent matches
- South Africa v Bangladesh (Test, 31 March 2022): South Africa won by 220 runs
- South Africa v England (ODI, 7 February 2020): No result
- South Africa v Sri Lanka (ODI, 10 March 2019): South Africa won by 71 runs (D/L method)
- South Africa v Sri Lanka (Test, 13 February 2019): Sri Lanka won by 1 wicket
- Pakistan v South Africa (ODI, 22 January 2019): South Africa won by 5 wickets (with 48 balls remaining)
- Australia v South Africa (Test, 1 March 2018): Australia won by 118 runs
- South Africa v India (ODI, 1 February 2018): India won by 6 wickets (with 27 balls remaining)
- South Africa v Sri Lanka (ODI, 1 February 2017): South Africa won by 121 runs
- Australia v South Africa (ODI, 5 October 2016): South Africa won by 4 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
- South Africa v New Zealand (Test, 19 August 2016): Match drawn
Sources
- CricArcade Test archive: 45 scorecards at this ground
- CricArcade ODI archive: 47 scorecards at this ground
- Figures compiled from the official match scorecards in CricArcade's archive