England were dismissed for just 77 in their first innings of the first Test against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Thursday.
This was England’s fourth-lowest completed innings total in a Test against the West Indies, with fast bowler Kemar Roach taking five wickets for 17 runs in 11 overs.
It was the sixth time this century England had been dismissed for under a hundred in a Test innings.
They made 79 against Australia in 2002, 81 against Sri Lanka in 2007, 51 in Kingston in 2009, 72 against Pakistan in 2012 and 58 against New Zealand last year.
Thursday’s collapse was also the lowest completed innings total in a Test at the Kensington Oval, breaking the record of 81 shared by India in 1997 and Pakistan in 2017.
The one meagre consolation for Joe Root’s tourists was that they avoided posting a new England’s low against the West Indies.
In 1994, needing 194 to win the third Test in Port of Spain, Trinidad, England slumped to 46 all out as outstanding fast bowler Curtly Ambrose took six for 24 in 10 overs.
They were also bundled out for 51 in an innings and 123-run defeat in the first Test at Kingston, Jamaica, in 2009, with Jerome Taylor taking five for 11 and spinner Sulieman Benn four for 31.
England’s lowest completed first-innings total in a Test against the West Indies was their 71 all out at Old Trafford back in 1976.
Fast-bowling great Michael Holding, like Roach on Thursday, took five for 17 but in 14.5 overs.
West Indies eventually won that match in Manchester by 425 runs after opener Gordon Greendige scored hundreds in each of their innings.
Here are some of the statistical highlights from that England batting performance:
Fifty-plus opening stands for the Windies in both innings of this Test match. England lost seven wickets by the time they reached 50 in their first innings. #WIvENG
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) January 24, 2019
Keaton Jennings' top score of 17 was the joint third lowest top score in a completed England Test innings. Lowest: 15: Hussain v SA, Lord's 1998, and 15: Quaife & Jessop, v Aus, SCG 1901-02.https://t.co/htxqMD6H4z #WIvENG
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) January 24, 2019
And England take an unwanted record off Pakistan #WIvEng #Cricket pic.twitter.com/GGfoyzm82u
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) January 24, 2019
Most wickets falling in a day's play in a Test in West Indies:
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) January 24, 2019
20 WI-SL (Bridgetown 2018-3rd day)
19 WI-Ban (Kingston 2018- 3rd day)
18 WI-Eng (Bridgetown 2015- 2nd day)
18 WI-Eng (Bridgetown 2019- 2nd day)#WIvENG
3rd time in the last four Tests in West Indies that 18 wickets have fallen in a day's play. Before that it had happened only once in 88 years of cricket in the Caribbean. #WIvEng
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 24, 2019
77 - 77 is the second-lowest first innings total England have been bowled out for against the Windies in Test cricket (71 in 1976, Old Trafford). Crushed. #WIvENG pic.twitter.com/wQ3hDaNc8M
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) January 24, 2019
In the last ten years West Indies have knocked out the opposition for less than 100 in Tests on 4 occasions:
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 24, 2019
51 - England @ Kingston Feb 2009
81 - Pakistan @ Bridgetown Apr 2017
43 - Bangladesh @ North Sound Jul 2018
77 - England @ Bridgetown Jan 2019#WIvENG
As you’d expect, the collapse set Twitter abuzz:
How does @ECB_cricket go from good in Sri Lanka to poor in West Indies??? Intelligent lateral movement by Keymar Roach and Jason Holder, absolutely lovely bowling. But the England batting couldn’t handle it, embarrassing.
— Geoffrey Boycott (@GeoffreyBoycott) January 24, 2019
This is quality from the West Indies 👍👍👍👍
— Darren Gough (@DGoughie) January 24, 2019
Going to find that tweet where someone said to me England were wrong to pick Curran because they don’t need all that batting against West Indies.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) January 24, 2019
If you love cricket though...high class bowling by West Indies quicks in the Caribbean is just brilliant to watch. It’s what drew so many to the game in the first place. #WINvENG
— Rob Williams (@rob_zooter) January 24, 2019
My first Test in the West Indies and it seems I've flown here in a time machine.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) January 24, 2019
BREAKING: England 77 all out, pitifully capitulating to a ferocious & relentless bombardment from four West Indies fast bowlers... what is this, the ‘80s?
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 24, 2019
Brilliant bowling - especially by @KemarAJR. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/Ev3l525E7t
I think all cricket lovers should enjoy seeing the Windies play well. Forget about England and hope that this is the making of a decent West Indies side. Test cricket misses days like this @JohnSunCricket @Aggerscricket It’s not all about Ashes and India
— John Pratt (@jprhino13) January 24, 2019
West Indies did what....?! 😳
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) January 24, 2019
Errr... what happened to England? Put the kids to bed... WALLOP! 77 all out #WIvENG
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) January 24, 2019
All the talk will be about selection & did England get it wrong .. Fair arguments .. But don’t let it be an excuse for a Batting unit with so much talent being bowled out for 77 .. Simply not good enough for a unit that Bats so deep ... #WIvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 24, 2019
Is there a support group for people who watched every ball of the 46ao in 1994, the 51ao in 2009 and the 77ao today? #WIvENG #bbccricket
— Paul Barrow (@paulbarrow1) January 24, 2019
BCCI should donate KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya to England 🙊 #WIvENG
— Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) January 24, 2019
was about to go to sleep but got offered a trip to the 1980s #WIvENG
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) January 24, 2019
#10YearChallenge
— JSK (@imjsk27) January 24, 2019
2009 - England 51 all out Vs West Indies in West Indies
2019 - England 77 all out Vs West Indies in West Indies#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/t1uyrItPO9