Greatest Cricket Moments

The Timeless Test — Durban, 1939

1939-03-03South Africa v England5th Test, South Africa v England, Durban (timeless)2 min readSeverity: Serious

Summary

Played from 3 to 14 March 1939, the Durban 'Timeless Test' between South Africa and England ran for ten days and an aggregate of 43 hours and 16 minutes before being abandoned as a draw because the England team had to catch the boat home. With 1981 runs scored across four innings, it remains the longest Test ever played and effectively ended the timeless-Test format.

Background

Pre-war Tests in South Africa were timeless to ensure a result; in England and Australia, four- and five-day matches were the norm. The Durban experiment in 1939 followed a series of drawn matches at home.

What Happened

The match was scheduled to be played to a finish so that the series — South Africa led 1-0 — could not end inconclusively. South Africa scored 530 and England 316, the home side then making 481 to leave England 696 to win. By the eighth day's stumps England had reached 654 for 5, with Bill Edrich making 219 and Wally Hammond 140.

Rain fell on the ninth day. The teams resumed on the tenth, but England's only scheduled boat from Cape Town would sail before another full day's play could be added. With the train journey back and a two-day buffer factored in, play was halted at tea on 14 March with England 42 short of victory and five wickets in hand. The match was declared a draw.

The ball had been changed many times; the pitch, repeatedly rolled, had become a polished, lifeless strip; spectators had thinned to a few hundred. South African Cricket Association officials, who had pushed for timeless conditions, conceded the format was unworkable.

Key Moments

1

Day 1: South Africa 35-0 in 75 mins of bowling.

2

Day 5: South Africa set England 696 to win.

3

Day 8: England 654-5; Edrich 219, Hammond 140.

4

Day 9: rain washes out play.

5

Day 10: England agree to halt at tea to catch boat.

6

Match drawn after 43 hours 16 minutes — the longest Test ever played.

Timeline

3 Mar 1939

Match begins; SA win toss and bat.

8 Mar

South Africa set England 696.

13 Mar

Rain washes out day 9.

14 Mar, tea

Play halted; match drawn.

14 Mar, evening

England team boards train for Cape Town.

Notable Quotes

“We had a boat to catch.”

— Wally Hammond, on the abandonment

Aftermath

The teams travelled overnight to Cape Town and sailed for England on the Athlone Castle the next afternoon. Within months war was declared; international cricket would not resume for seven years. Timeless Tests were abandoned as a format; from 1948 onwards Tests were limited to five days everywhere.

⚖️ The Verdict

The longest Test in history and the moment timeless cricket was quietly buried.

Legacy & Impact

The Durban Test is the canonical argument against timeless cricket. Its statistical lines — 1981 runs, 5447 balls, 43 hr 16 min — appear in every long-form record list. Edrich's 219 and Hammond's 140 are remembered chiefly because they happened in a match nobody could finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days did the match last?▾
Ten — the longest Test in history.
Why was it abandoned?▾
England had to catch their boat home; another day would have made them miss it.
Was it the last timeless Test?▾
Yes — the format was abandoned worldwide after the war.

Tags

#timeless-test#durban#1939#south-africa#england#draw#ship-home

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