Most consecutive balls faced without scoring a run in a Test match

On 30 July 2016, during the final day of the First Test between Sri Lanka and Australia at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka, Australian batsmen Steve O'Keefe, Peter Nevill and Josh Hazelwood faced 154 balls – or 25.4 overs – without scoring a run as they tried in vain to stave off defeat. The scoreless sequence was masterminded by Sri Lankan spinners Rangana Herath, Lakshan Sandakan and Dhananjaya de Silva, all of whom finished the innings with economy rates of below two runs per over.

Chasing 268 to win the match, Australia were bowled out for 161 in their second innings, in 88.3 overs. Nevill (nine from 115 balls) was the ninth wicket to fall, off the bowling of de Silva (one for 12 off 11 overs, with seven maidens), and O'Keefe (four from 98 balls) went shortly afterwards, bowled by Herath (five for 54 off 33.3 overs, with 16 maidens). Hazlewood (0 not out off seven balls) remained unbeaten at the end.

The previous record is believed to be the 92 consecutive balls England faced when they lost to the West Indies at Lord's, UK, in 1950.

O'Keefe and Nevill's ninth-wicket partnership produced a run rate of 0.13 runs per over – the lowest run rate of any partnership lasting 100 balls or more in Test history.