<P> Test cricket is the oldest form of cricket played at international level . A Test match is scheduled to take place over a period of five days, and is played by teams representing full member nations of the International Cricket Council (ICC). England was a founding member of the ICC having played the first Test match against Australia in March 1877 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground . They have played a total of 1,004 matches, the most by any Test playing team . As of October 2018, England is the third most successful team in Test cricket with an overall winning percentage of 35.95, behind Australia on 47.05 and South Africa on 37.70 . </P> <P> Opening batsman and former captain Alastair Cook holds several England Test cricket records . Playing between 2006 and 2018, he scored 12,472 runs, making him the only England player to score 10,000 Test runs . He scored a record 57 half - centuries and 33 centuries . As a slip fielder, Cook has also taken the most catches for England with 175 and holds the England record for the most catches taken in Test series with 13 . Captaining his side from 2010 until he stood down in 2016, Cook holds the record for the most matches played as English skipper with 59, the Test record for the most consecutive matches played with 159 and the record for the most matches played for England with 161 . </P> <P> The most prolific Test wicket - taker for England is James Anderson . Making his debut in 2003, he has taken a total of 564 wickets throughout his 143 - match career, as of October 2018--the most by a fast bowler in Test cricket . He has also achieved 26 five - wicket hauls in an innings, second only to Ian Botham with 27 . The record for the most ten - wicket hauls for England is held by Sydney Barnes with seven, who also holds the Test cricket record for the most wickets taken in a series with 49 during the English tour of South Africa in 1913--14 . Alan Knott is England's most successful wicket - keeper having taken 269 dismissals . England claims two age records, James Southerton as the oldest player to make his Test debut at 49 and Wilfred Rhodes aged 52 as the oldest cricketer to ever play in a Test match . </P>

Who has scored most test runs for england