CRICKET WICKET RESEARCH

How common is a drawn Test? Read the result mix by decade

Men’s and women’s Test draw shares by decade, with completed-result denominators and sample sizes.

Cricket Wicket · Published 2026-09-07 · Data checked 2026-09-07

THE QUESTION

A count of draws and a draw percentage answer different questions. This analysis divides draws by Tests recorded with a winner, draw or tie in each decade, and reports incomplete or unclassified outcomes separately.

Men · Test results

Men Test draw percentage among completed results

1870s0.00%

1880s13.79%

1890s18.75%

1900s24.39%

1910s13.79%

1920s31.37%

1930s40.44%

1940s48.88%

1950s31.09%

1960s47.31%

1970s42.42%

1980s45.86%

1990s35.73%

2000s24.62%

2010s19.39%

2020s12.06%

Men Test result mix by decade
Decade	Recorded Tests	Winner	Draw	Tie	Other/no result	Draw %
1870s	3	3	0	0	0	0.00
1880s	29	25	4	0	0	13.79
1890s	33	26	6	0	1	18.75
1900s	41	31	10	0	0	24.39
1910s	29	25	4	0	0	13.79
1920s	51	35	16	0	0	31.37
1930s	90	53	36	0	1	40.44
1940s	45	23	22	0	0	48.88
1950s	164	113	51	0	0	31.09
1960s	186	97	88	1	0	47.31
1970s	199	114	84	0	1	42.42
1980s	271	143	122	1	5	45.86
1990s	351	223	124	0	4	35.73
2000s	464	349	114	0	1	24.62
2010s	434	349	84	0	1	19.39
2020s	263	226	31	0	6	12.06

Women · Test results

Women Test draw percentage among completed results

1930s28.57%

1940s40.00%

1950s66.66%

1960s76.47%

1970s66.66%

1980s80.95%

1990s70.83%

2000s52.38%

2010s37.50%

2020s30.76%

Women Test result mix by decade
Decade	Recorded Tests	Winner	Draw	Other/no result	Draw %
1930s	7	5	2	0	28.57
1940s	5	3	2	0	40.00
1950s	13	4	8	1	66.66
1960s	17	4	13	0	76.47
1970s	24	8	16	0	66.66
1980s	21	4	17	0	80.95
1990s	24	7	17	0	70.83
2000s	22	10	11	1	52.38
2010s	8	5	3	0	37.50
2020s	13	9	4	0	30.76

What the comparison can establish

The table describes the result distribution in the published archive. More scheduled matches can produce more draws even when the draw share is lower. Women’s decade samples can be much smaller, so a single result may move their percentages substantially.

A result label does not say how much play was lost or whether a pitch, tactical choice or weather determined the outcome. Those explanations need additional evidence. The current decade is unfinished; its percentage can change with each newly added result.