Since 1907, the South African men’s cricket team has played 18 tests at the iconic Lord’s cricket ground in London.
The 20th century saw the Proteas entering the English cricketing landscape with their first match ending in a draw. This set the stage for several high-voltage battles in the future.
Later, the Triangular tournament in 1912 featured South Africa along with England and Australia, where Lord’s hosted three out of nine matches. England, as the hosts, triumphed in that contest with a 244-run victory against Australia in the final.
This was the only instance when the Proteas competed against any opponent in tests at a neutral venue.
After 113 years, South Africa secured a dominating victory against Australia at the Lord’s in the recently concluded World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final.
Over the past few years, South Africa has aimed to build on their legacy at cricket’s most prestigious grounds.
There are mixed fortunes for South Africa in test matches played at the Lord’s, which highlight their struggles and moments of success. Let’s have a look at their performance and stats ahead of their future encounters.
South Africa’s Performance in Tests at Lord’s, London: From 1907 to Latest (2022)
It took 28 years for South Africa to achieve its first-ever test victory at Lord’s in 1935, thereby establishing a proof of their growing strength in international cricket.
Following a few setbacks from 1947 to 1960, the visitors managed to secure a draw in 1965 by improving their competence and came back stronger from 1994 onwards.
Here is a detailed list of South Africa’s matches at Lord’s starting from 1907 till their recent game against Australia in WTC 2025 Final:
S.No | Year | Opponent team | Outcome at Lord’s |
1. | 1907 | England | Draw |
2. | 1912 (Triangular Tournament) | Australia | South Africa Lost by 10 Wickets |
3. | 1912 (Triangular Tournament) | England | South Africa Lost by an Innings and 62 Runs |
4. | 1924 | England | South Africa Lost by an Innings and 18 Runs |
5. | 1929 | England | Draw |
6. | 1935 | England | South Africa Won by 157 Runs |
7. | 1947 | England | South Africa Lost by 10 Wickets |
8. | 1951 | England | South Africa Lost by 10 Wickets |
9. | 1955 | England | South Africa Lost by 71 Runs |
10. | 1960 | England | South Africa Lost by an Innings and 73 Runs |
11. | 1965 | England | Draw |
12. | 1994 | England | South Africa Won by 356 Runs |
13. | 1998 | England | South Africa Won by 10 Wickets |
14. | 2003 | England | South Africa Won by an Innings and 92 Runs |
15. | 2008 (Basil D’Oliveira Trophy) | England | Draw |
16. | 2012 (Basil D’Oliveira Trophy) | England | South Africa Won by 51 Runs |
17. | 2017 (Basil D’Oliveira Trophy) | England | South Africa Lost by 211 Runs |
18. | 2022 (Basil D’Oliveira Trophy) | England | South Africa Won by an Innings and 12 Runs |
19. | World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final | Australia | South Africa Won by 5 Wickets |
Final Review: South Africa’s Overall Test Records At Lord’s, London
The following table illustrates the stats of South Africa in test matches played at the Lord’s in terms of highest and lowest team total, leading run scorer, and wicket-taker, the highest individual scores, best bowling figures, and so on…
Total Matches Played (From 1907 to 2022) | 19 |
Won | 7 |
Lost | 8 |
Draw | 4 |
Success Rate at Lord’s | 36.84% |
Highest Innings Total | 682/6 (declared) in 177 overs vs England in 2003 |
Lowest Innings Total | 107 all-out in 32.1 overs vs England in 2003 |
Leading Run Scorer | Graeme Smith: 411 Runs in 5 Innings (From 2003 to 2012) |
Leading Wicket-Taker | Kagiso Rabada: 22 wickets in 6 Innings (from 2017 to 2025) |
Best Individual Score in an inning | Graeme Smith: 259 Runs from 370 Balls (including 34 fours) vs England in 2003 |
Best Bowling Figures in an inning | Sid Pegler: 7/65 in 31 overs vs England in 1912 |
Most Test Centuries at Lord’s | Graeme Smith: 2 centuries |
Most 5-Wicket Hauls in Tests at Lord’s | Allan Donald: 3 (From 1994 to 1998) |
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above stats are updated after the WTC 2025 final between South Africa and Australia. Further information or changes will be updated on this page based on the South Africa’s upcoming test matches at this venues.
