The longest duck in Test cricket history belongs to New Zealand’s Geoff Allott, who faced 77 balls and batted for 101 minutes against South Africa in Auckland in 1999 without scoring a single run. The list came back into the news on October 9, 2026, when Australia’s Nic Maddinson faced 33 balls for his duck against South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban, before Marco Jansen bowled him.
A duck usually means a quick walk back to the pavilion. But some batters have stayed at the crease for well over an hour, blocking ball after ball, and still ended up with a zero next to their name. Here is a look at the longest ducks ever recorded in Test cricket.
Nic Maddinson’s 33-Ball Duck at Kingsmead
Maddinson walked out to open the batting with Travis Head after Australia won the toss and chose to bat in the 1st Test of the series. On a pitch that offered early movement, he defended carefully and saw off the new ball for 33 deliveries without getting off the mark.
In the 11th over, he went for a cut shot against Marco Jansen and dragged the ball back onto his stumps. The 33 balls put him among the 20 longest ducks in Test history by balls faced, and only Mike Whitney, with 42 balls in 1981, has faced more deliveries for a Test duck among Australians on this list.
Longest Ducks in Test Cricket History (By Balls Faced)
| Rank | Player | Team | Balls | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geoff Allott | New Zealand | 77 | South Africa | 1999 |
| 2 | James Anderson | England | 55 | Sri Lanka | 2014 |
| 3 | Richard Ellison | England | 52 | India | 1984 |
| 4 | Peter Such | England | 51 | New Zealand | 1999 |
| 5 | Miguel Cummins | West Indies | 45 | India | 2019 |
| 6 | Mike Whitney | Australia | 42 | England | 1981 |
| 6 | Shoaib Akhtar | Pakistan | 42 | Sri Lanka | 2000 |
| 8 | Manjural Islam | Bangladesh | 41 | Sri Lanka | 2002 |
| 9 | Keith Arthurton | West Indies | 40 | England | 1995 |
| 10 | Darrin Murray | New Zealand | 39 | Sri Lanka | 1995 |
| 11 | Iain O’Brien | New Zealand | 38 | – | – |
| 12 | Trevor Gripper | Zimbabwe | 36 | West Indies | 2000 |
| 13 | Heath Streak | Zimbabwe | 35 | – | – |
| 14 | Geoff Arnold | England | 34 | – | – |
| 14 | Abdur Rauf | Pakistan | 34 | – | – |
| 16 | Nic Maddinson | Australia | 33 | South Africa | 2026 |
Ball-by-ball data is not available for many older Tests, so this list only covers matches where the number of balls faced was recorded.
The Stories Behind the Longest Ducks
1. Geoff Allott – 77 Balls, 101 Minutes (1999)
New Zealand fast bowler Geoff Allott holds one of cricket’s strangest records. Batting against South Africa in Auckland, he blocked 77 deliveries over 101 minutes and never scored a run. No batter in Test history has faced more balls or batted longer for a duck. More than 25 years later, nobody has come close to breaking it.
2. James Anderson – 55 Balls, 81 Minutes (2014)
This is the most heartbreaking duck on the list. At Headingley in 2014, Anderson batted for 81 minutes trying to save the Test against Sri Lanka. He survived 55 balls but was dismissed on the second-last ball of the match, handing Sri Lanka the win and the series. Anderson broke down in tears in the post-match interview.
3. Richard Ellison – 52 Balls (1984)
England’s Richard Ellison, a swing bowler, faced 52 balls against India in 1984 without scoring. His innings stood as one of the longest ducks for many years.
4. Peter Such – 51 Balls, 72 Minutes (1999)
England off-spinner Peter Such was known as a stubborn tailender. Against New Zealand in 1999, he defended 51 balls over 72 minutes and still could not get off the mark.
5. Miguel Cummins – 45 Balls, 95 Minutes (2019)
West Indies fast bowler Miguel Cummins batted for 95 minutes against India at North Sound, Antigua, in 2019. He faced 45 balls before Ravindra Jadeja finally got him out. In terms of time spent at the crease, it is the second-longest duck in Test history, behind only Allott.
6. Mike Whitney and Shoaib Akhtar – 42 Balls Each
Australia’s Mike Whitney faced 42 balls for a duck against England during the 1981 Ashes. Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar, better known for bowling at over 150 kph, matched that number against Sri Lanka in 2000, showing a patience few expected from him.
8. Manjural Islam – 41 Balls, 72 Minutes (2002)
Bangladesh left-arm seamer Manjural Islam batted for 72 minutes against Sri Lanka in 2002 and faced 41 balls without scoring.
9. Keith Arthurton – 40 Balls (1995)
West Indies batter Keith Arthurton is one of the few specialist batters on this list. He faced 40 balls against England in 1995 without scoring.
10. Darrin Murray – 39 Balls (1995)
New Zealand opener Darrin Murray completes the top 10, facing 39 balls against Sri Lanka in Dunedin in 1995.
Longest Ducks by Time at the Crease
| Player | Team | Minutes | Balls | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geoff Allott | New Zealand | 101 | 77 | South Africa | 1999 |
| Miguel Cummins | West Indies | 95 | 45 | India | 2019 |
| James Anderson | England | 81 | 55 | Sri Lanka | 2014 |
| Peter Such | England | 72 | 51 | New Zealand | 1999 |
| Manjural Islam | Bangladesh | 72 | 41 | Sri Lanka | 2002 |
Interesting Facts About Long Ducks
- Most of the longest ducks were made by tailenders batting to save a match, not by specialist batters.
- England have the most entries in the top 15 with four players, followed by New Zealand with three, including the record holder Geoff Allott.
- Geoff Allott also once held the record for the longest time without scoring in any Test innings. Stuart Broad broke it in March 2013, batting 103 minutes against New Zealand before scoring his first run.
- Nic Maddinson and Darrin Murray are among the few openers on this list. Most openers who survive 30 or more balls usually manage at least a single.
For more on how the pitch played on Day 1, read the full Kingsmead Durban pitch report.
