Best Test Bowling Sequences
These
sequences are not, for the most part, whole spells. Unless otherwise stated,
all sequences took place as part of one bowling spell.
10/49
(292 balls) JC Laker 10/53 Eng v Aus Manchester 1956
9/16 (46 balls) JC Laker
9/37 Eng v Aus Manchester 1956
8/4 (~44 balls) GA Lohmann
8/7 Eng v SA Johannesburg 1895/96
8/6 (~95 balls) LR Gibbs 8/38 WI v Ind Bridgetown 1961/62
8/10 (~52 balls) J Briggs 8/11 Eng v SA Cape Town
1888/89
8/19 (including 4 overthrows, 78
balls) GD McGrath 8/24 Aus v Pak Perth 2004/05
7/1 (32 balls)
CEL Ambrose 7/25 WI v Aus Perth
1992/93
7/2 (~28 balls) GA Lohmann 8/7 Eng v SA Johannesburg 1895/96
7/4 (7/1, plus 3 nb) (33 deliveries) Sarfraz Nawaz 9/86 Pak v Aus
Melbourne 1978/79
7/5 (~90 balls) LR Gibbs 8/38 WI v Ind Bridgetown 1961/62
7/8 (22 balls)
JC Laker
9/37 Eng v Aus Manchester 1956
7/9 (~44 balls) J Briggs 8/11 Eng v SA Cape Town
1888/89
7/9 (~25 balls) MA Noble 7/17 Aus v Eng Melbourne
1901/02
6/0 (18 balls) JJC Lawson 6/3 WI v Bangladesh
Dhaka 2001/02
6/4 (24 balls) FS Trueman
7/44 Eng v WI Birmingham 1963
6/4 (33 balls) PCR Tufnell 6/25 Eng v WI The Oval
1991
6/5 (~20 balls) MA Noble 7/17 Aus v Eng
Melbourne 1901/02
6/5 (47 balls) FS Trueman
6/30 Eng v Aus Leeds 1961
6/6 (45 balls) S Haigh 6/11 Eng v SA Cape Town 1898/99
6/6 (37 balls) W Rhodes 7/17 Eng v Aus Birmingham
1902
6/7 (29 balls) Waqar Younis 6/55 Pak v Ban 2001/02
6/7 (29 balls) MJ Clarke 6/9 Aus v Ind 2004/05
6/8 (~36 balls) J Briggs 8/11 Eng v SA Cape Town
1888/89
6/8 (7 overs) R Peel 6/23 The Oval 1896
6/8 (20 balls) H Trumble
7/28 Melbourne 1903/04
6/8 (41 balls) GA Faulkner SA v Eng Leeds 1907
6/8 (28 balls)
SJ Pegler 7/65 SA v Eng
Lord's 1912
6/8 (36 balls)
H Ironmonger 6/18 Aus v SA Melbourne
1931/32
6/8 (68 balls) GD McGrath 6/17 Aus v WI Brisbane
2000/01
6/9 (6/7, plus 2 nb)(40 deliveries) 6/7 AER Gilligan Eng v SA Birmingham
1924
6/9 (56 balls)
CV Grimmett
7/83 Aus v SA Adelaide 1931/32
6/9 (43 balls) S Ramadhin
7/49 WI v Eng Birmingham 1957
6/9 (71b) DL Underwood 8/51 Eng v Pak Lord’s 1974
6/10 (28 balls) RO Schwarz 6/47 SA v Aus Sydney
1910/11 (2 spells)
6/10 (43 balls) H Verity 8/43 Eng v Aus Lord’s
1934
6/10 (92 balls) HJ Tayfield
6/13 Johannesburg SA v NZ 1953/54
5/0 (32 balls) HJ Tayfield
6/13 Johannesburg SA v NZ 1953/54
5/0 (24 balls) FS Trueman
6/30 Eng v Aus Leeds 1961
5/0 (~36 balls) LR Gibbs 8/38 WI v Ind Bridgetown 1961/62
5/0 (18 balls)
BKV Prasad 6/33 Ind v Pak Chennai
1998/99
5/0 (13 balls)
Waqar Younis 6/55
Pak v Ban 2001/02
5/1 (17 balls)
GR Hazlitt 7/25 Aus v Eng The Oval
1912
5/1 (28 balls) IT Botham 5/11 Eng v Aus Birmingham 1981
5/2 (~25
balls) WJ O’Reilly 5/14, Aus v NZ Wellington 1945/46
5/2 (19 balls)
ERH Toshack
5/2 Aus v Ind Brisbane 1947/48
5/2 (21 balls) Mitchell Johnson 8/61 v SAf Perth 2008/09
5/2 (28 balls) GD McGrath 6/17 Aus v WI Brisbane
2000/01
5/2 (31 balls) GD McGrath 5/53 Aus v Eng Lord’s
2005
5/2 (39 balls) SLV Raju,
Ind v SL 6/12 Chandigarh, 1990/91
5/3 (17 balls)
H Ironmonger 5/6 Aus v SA Melbourne
1931/32
5/3 (~21 balls)
H Ironmonger 6/18 Aus v SA Melbourne
1931/32
5/3 (49 balls) CV Grimmett
Aus v SA Durban 1935/36
5/3 (14 balls) JC Laker 9/37 Eng v Aus Manchester 1956
5/3 (29 balls) MHN Walker 6/15 Aus v Pak Sydney
1972/73
5/3 (5/1, plus 2 nb) (17 deliveries) 9/86 Sarfraz Nawaz Pak v Aus
Melbourne 1978/79
5/3 (25 balls) Imran Khan 8/60 Pak v Ind Karachi
1982/83
5/4 (~28 balls) J Briggs 8/11 Eng v SA Cape Town
1888/89
5/4 (32 balls) W Rhodes 7/17 Eng v Aus Birmingham
1902
5/4 (21 balls) Kapil Dev 8/106 Ind v Aus Adelaide 1985/86
5/5 (7 overs) H Trumble
6/53 Aus v Eng Manchester 1902
5/5 (43 balls) WW Armstrong 6/35 Aus v Eng Lord’s
1909
5/5 (21 balls) RO Schwarz 6/47 SA v Aus Sydney
1910/11
5/5 (66 balls) WJ O’Reilly 5/20 Aus v SA
Johannesburg 1935/36
5/5 (34 balls) JE Emburey
6/33 Eng v SL Colombo (PSS) 1981/82
5/5 (32 balls) TBA May 5/9 Aus v WI Adelaide
1992/93
5/5 (22 balls) SK Warne 7/56 Aus v SA Sydney
1993/94
5/5 (18 balls) IR Bishop 5/32 WI v Eng Leeds 1995
5/5 (including 1 no-ball, 15 deliveries) AR Caddick 5/14 Eng v WI Leeds 2000
5/5 (25 balls) Shoaib Akhtar 5/21 Pak v Aus Colombo(PSS) 2002/03
5/5 (including 2 nb, 17
deliveries) Shoaib Akhtar
6/50 Pak v Ban Peshawar 2003/04
5/7 (including 4 overthrows, 31
balls) GD McGrath 8/24 Aus v Pak Perth 2004/05
Hazlitt’s
5/1 came from the last 17 balls he bowled in Test cricket.
I have
not included subsets of listed sequences unless they involved fewer runs than
the whole sequence. For example, Ambrose naturally recorded 5/1 and 6/1 as part
of his record spell, but these are not listed separately.
Quickest five-hauls
|
Balls |
Runs |
||
|
13 |
0 |
Waqar
Younis 6/55 Pak v Ban 2001/02 |
|
|
approx |
13 |
5 |
MA Noble 7/17 Aus v Eng Melbourne
1901/02 |
|
14 |
0 |
JJC Lawson 6/3 WI v Bangladesh Dhaka
2001/02 |
|
|
14 |
3 |
JC Laker
9/37 Eng v Aus Manchester 1956 |
|
|
15 |
5 |
including 1 nb,
AR Caddick 5/14 Eng v WI Leeds 2000 |
|
|
17 |
3 |
H Ironmonger 5/6 Aus v SA Melbourne
1931/32 |
|
|
17 |
3 |
including 2 nb,
Sarfraz Nawaz 9/86 Pak v Aus Melbourne 1978/79 |
|
|
17 |
1 |
GR Hazlitt 7/25 Aus v Eng The Oval 1912 |
|
|
17 |
5 |
including 2 nb,
Shoaib Akhtar 6/50 Pak v
Ban Peshawar 2003/04 |
|
|
17 |
4 |
FS Trueman
7/44 Eng v WI Birmingham 1963 |
|
|
17 |
5 |
Shoaib
Akhtar 6/50 Pak v Ban Peshawar 2003/04 |
|
|
18 |
0 |
BKV Prasad 6/33 Ind v Pak
Chennai 1998/99 |
|
|
18 |
5 |
IR Bishop 5/32 WI v Eng Leeds 1995 |
|
|
approx |
18 |
2 |
GA Lohmann
8/7 Eng v SA Johannesburg 1895/96 |
|
19 |
7 |
H Trumble
7/28 Aus v Eng Melbourne 1903/04 |
|
|
19 |
7 |
AA Mailey
9/121 Aus v Eng Melbourne 1920/21 |
|
|
19 |
2 |
ERH Toshack 5/2 Aus v Ind
Brisbane 1947/48 |
Fast First-class Triple Centuries
|
Macartney
1921 |
Woolley
1912 |
Rutherford
1986 |
Richards
1985 |
GC
Smith 2005 |
Trumper
1914 |
Compton
1948 |
Lara
1994 |
Bradman
1930 |
|
|
345(343)
off 274 balls |
305*
off 235 balls |
317
off 245 balls |
322
off 258 balls |
311
off 255 balls |
293(294)
off 252 balls |
300
off 262 balls |
501*
off 427 balls |
452*
off 465 balls |
|
|
50 runs |
55 |
28 |
64 |
63 |
55 |
80 |
55 |
||
|
100 runs |
98 |
93 |
98 |
105 |
88 |
110 |
94 |
138 |
122 |
|
150 runs |
123 |
134 |
152 |
140 |
158 |
193 |
170 |
||
|
200 runs |
156 |
160 |
193 |
181 |
173 |
184 |
201 |
220 |
209 |
|
250 runs |
186 |
191 |
215 |
213 |
226 |
245 |
264 |
||
|
300 runs |
221 |
230 |
234 |
244 |
249 |
261 |
278 |
311 |
|
|
350 runs |
311 |
359 |
|||||||
|
400 runs |
367 |
407 |
|||||||
|
450 runs |
398 |
465 |
|||||||
|
500 runs |
427 |
Note : Bradman’s 369 v Tasmania in 1935/36 (300 in 213 minutes) would
figure on this list, but balls faced are unknown.
Most Runs in a Two-Hour (maximum)
Session – Test matches
236 (43 overs) Aus v SA, Lunch-Tea, Joburg
1921 (119 off 85 balls by Jack Gregory)
233 (41 overs) Eng v Pak, Lunch-Tea, Nottingham 1954 (Denis Compton 173)
231 (45
overs) Eng v NZ, Lunch-tea 3rd day, Leeds 1949 (both teams batted)
223 (43 overs) Eng v SA, Lunch-Tea, Lord’s 1924
220 (47 overs) Eng v NZ, Lunch-Tea, Wellington 1933 (Wally Hammond
150)
216 (28
overs) Pak v Ind, lunch-tea, Lahore 2006 (two teams)
208 (32 overs, 100 minutes) Aus v SA, lunch-tea, Sydney 1910/11
208 (34 eight-ball overs) WI v Eng, The Oval 1939 (KH Weekes 113)
207 (29 overs) Aus v Zimbabwe Lunch-Tea Perth 2003 (both Matt Hayden
and Adam Gilchrist scored centuries in the session)
201 (38 overs) Aus v SA, before lunch 3rd day, Johannesburg 1902 (1st Test), (Clem Hill 116 runs)
Most Runs
in a Longer Session
249 (33 overs) SA v Zim, post-tea 1st
day, Cape Town 2005
244 (58 overs, 165 minutes), Eng v Aus, post-tea, Oval 1921
239 (45 overs,
140 minutes), Eng v NZ, pre-lunch, Lord’s 1937 (two teams)
236 (35
overs, 160 minutes) Eng v Aus, post-tea, Edgbaston 2001 (two teams)
227 (150 minutes) Eng v India, pre-Lunch, Manchester 1936
223 (35 overs, 150 minutes) Eng v Ban, post-tea, Chester-le-Street
2005 (Marcus Trescothick 127)
221 (150 minutes) Eng v SA, pre-Lunch, Oval 1935 (Les Ames 123) 3rd day
219 (35 overs, 150 minutes) NZ v Zimbabwe, post-Tea, Harare 2005 (Daniel Vettori 127)
~210 (150 minutes) Eng v India, pre-Lunch, Oval 1936
209 (150 minutes) SAf v Eng, pre-lunch, Oval 1929
208 (47 overs, 154 minutes) Aus v SA, post-tea, Melbourne 1910/11 (Victor Trumper 133)
208 (150 minutes) Aus v SA, pre-Lunch, Lord’s 1912 (Warren Bardsley 118)
203 (150 minutes) Eng v SA, pre-Lunch, Oval 1935 (two teams, 2nd day)
200 (57 overs, 150 minutes) Eng v SA, pre-Lunch, Lord’s 1924
Note that prior to 1940, tea break timings, and lengths of afternoon
sessions, were rather variable. Prior to 1915, tea breaks often did not take
place if there was a change of innings after lunch; tea was incorporated into
the change of innings. Sometimes this resulted in a long extension of one
session and shortening of another. Prior to 1900, tea breaks often did not take
place at all. In most series in England from 1899 to 1949, pre-lunch sessions
were normally 150 minutes, except on the first day.
Most Runs
in a Session (Individuals)
173 DCS Compton (278) Eng v
Pak Nottingham 1954 (lunch-tea)
150 WR Hammond (336*) Eng v
NZ Auckland 1932-33 (lunch-tea)**
140 IDS Smith (173) NZ v Ind
Auckland 1989-90 (tea-close)
139 NJ Astle
222 NZ v Eng Christchurch 2002 (tea-close)
133 VT Trumper 159 Aus v
RSA Melbourne 1910-11 (tea-close: 154min session)
127 ME Trescothick
165 Eng v Ban Chester-le-Street 2005 (tea-close) (about 140 mins)
127 SJ McCabe 232 Aus v Eng
Nottingham 1938 (lunch-tea)
127 DL Vettori
127 NZ v Zim Harare 2005 (tea-close: 150 min session)
123 LEG Ames 148* Eng v RSA
The Oval 1935 (pre-lunch: 150 min session)
122 CA Roach 209 Georgetown
1929-30 (tea-close, 105 mins)
121 R Benaud
121 Aus v WI Kingston 1954-55
(lunch-tea)
**Close analysis of the scoresheet suggests that Hammond may have
scored 151 or 152 runs in the session. However, there are anomalies in the
score.
Longest Bowling Spells (where known)
354 balls
(59 overs) Hirwani at the Oval 1990.
352 balls
(44 eight-ball overs), AMB Rowan, Durban 1948/49.
328 balls
(41 eight-ball overs) GS Sobers MCG 1960/61.
322 balls
(53.4 overs) Hugh Tayfield, Saf
v Eng, The Oval 1955.
312 balls
(52 overs) Tom Veivers Calcutta 1964
308 balls
(51.2 overs) Tom Veivers Manchester 1964.
300 balls
(50 overs) George Giffen, Sydney 1894/95.
300 balls
(50 overs) Mohammad Nazir, Pak vs
Ind, Nagpur 1983/84.
See also Ramadhin and Valentine at the Gabba
1951, below.
Two bowlers
unchanged (six-ball overs):
86 overs, S
Ramadhin and AL Valentine, Lord’s 1950
79 overs, W
Rhodes and WE Astill, Georgetown 1930
75 overs,
DA Allen and GAR Lock, Calcutta 1961/62
73 overs, S
Ramadhin and AL Valentine, Christchurch 1952.
At the ’Gabba in 1951, Ramadhin (40) and
Valentine (40.7) bowled 80.7 out of the last 81.7 eight-ball overs, with only a
change of ends after about 16 overs.
Most Balls Before First Wicket in
Tests
AG Kripal Singh: 651 balls. Kripal
Singh was regarded as an all-rounder, but his bowling in Tests never made the
grade. He took his first wicket in 1961-62, in his 10th innings of
bowling for India, conceding 235 runs up to that point. His first wicket was
Geoff Pullar.
RGCE Wijesuriya: 561 balls (thanks to Shahzad Khan for the
info). He bowled only 25 more balls in Tests. He “beat” JJ Warr’s
record bowling average in the 1980s, finishing on 294.00.
JJ Warr: 551 balls. Warr’s unsought
fame lies in his career bowling average of 281.00. His only wicket, Ian
Johnson, came in his last Test in 1951.
IM
Chappell: 536 balls. Chappell became an occasionally useful part-time spinner,
but he didn’t have much luck early.
PR Umrigar: 500-550 balls, hard to be more precise with this
one.
JC Alabaster:
510-522 balls. Most highly rated bowler on this list. Took 49 Test wickets. His
susequent strike rate was 71 balls per wicket.
Honourable
mention: Kerry O’Keeffe became a respected bowler for a while in the Australian
team, but he didn’t take a wicket until he had bowled 442 balls.
The longest
wicket-free bowling career was JL Hopwood of England, 462 balls in 1934.
Longest without New Ball
185 overs
India v W Indies Bridgetown 1961-62*
177 overs
NZ v WI Wellington 1986/87
161 overs
South Africa V Zimbabwe Harare 2001/02
148 overs
England v India Kanpur 1963/64
Prior to
1965, the new ball was only available after 200 runs were scored(depending on
the country where the Test was played). Since India only scored 187 runs in
these 185 overs, the new ball was not available during the innings.
Most Balls Faced without Scoring (where known)
|
Balls
without scoring |
On |
Minutes |
|
|
~95 |
45 |
B Mitchell (58) SA v AU
Brisbane 1931-32 |
90 |
|
85 |
56 |
B Mitchell (73) SA v EN Johannesburg
1938-39 |
60 |
|
78-82 |
1 |
TE Bailey (8) EN v
SA Leeds 1955 |
79 |
|
79 |
0 |
JT Murray (3*) EN v
AU
Sydney 1962-63 |
74 |
|
77 |
0 |
GI Allott
(0) NZ v
SA Auckland
1998-99 |
101 |
|
~75 |
24 |
WH Scotton (34)
EN v AU The Oval 1886 |
67 |
|
74 |
0 |
CG Rackemann (9)
AU v EN
Sydney 1990-91 |
72 |
|
72-75 |
0 |
AC Bannerman (4) AU v EN
Sydney 1886-87 |
60 |
|
68 |
9 |
RJ Shastri (23)
IN v SA Johannesburg 1992-93 |
89 |
|
67 |
114 |
C Washbrook (114) En v WI
Lord's 1950 |
50 |
|
66 |
10 |
DR Jardine (24) EN v AU
Brisbane 1932-33 |
63 |
|
65 |
1 |
JJ Crowe (21) NZ v WI
Bridgetown 1984-85 |
91 |
Notes: Geoff Allott faced 90 consecutive balls in all without scoring, spanning three innings. MC Snedden batted for 94 minutes without scoring at Wellington 1989/90, but reportedly faced only 54 balls. In 1881, George Giffen took about 63 balls to get off the mark in his Test debut.
Most Balls without Scoring (Teams)
92 England
v West Indies, Lord's 1950 - 2nd Inns
During the final stage of a
famous West Indies victory, England tailenders Wardle and Jenkins faced 15
consecutive maiden overs from four bowlers.
88-92 Australia
v England, Melbourne (MCG) 1882 - 1st Inns
Alec Bannerman and Bill
Murdoch faced 22 maiden (4-ball) overs from
Barnes, Barlow and Bates.
81 New
Zealand v England, Leeds (Headingley) 1958 - 2nd Inns
Faced mostly by John Reid
and Bert Sutcliffe (0 from 51 balls) off Lock and Laker
79 England
v India, Madras 1964 - 1st Inns
Bolus and Barrington around
lunch on the 3rd day, during Bapu Nadkarni’s record 21 consecutive maidens. Borde and Kripal Singh also
bowled.
77 England
v West Indies, Lord's 1950 - 1st Inns
The same team and match as
the #1 spot. Ramadhin and Valentine bowled. Bill Edrich scored one run off his first 84 balls faced in this
innings.
74 Pakistan
v England, Lord's 1954 - 1st Inns
Hanif Mohammad scored 20 off 223
balls in this innings, the slowest innings of its size known. Laker and Wardle were the bowlers.
74 Australia
v South Africa, Johannesburg (New Wanderers) 1957 - 2nd Inns
‘Slasher’ Mackay and Peter
Burge off Tayfield, VI Smith and Goddard.
71 West
Indies v England, Birmingham (Edgbaston) 1957 - 2nd Inns
The Three ‘W’s, believe it
or not (Worrell, Walcott, Weekes). This was in the aftermath of the record
partnership of Cowdrey and May.
70 England
v Australia, Leeds (Headingley) 1961 - 1st Inns
Dexter, Barrington and
Murray off Benaud and Davidson. The first eleven
overs of the second day were maidens.
68 England
v West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados 1953 - 1st Inns
Hutton and Graveney off five different bowlers.
67 Australia
v England, Sydney (SCG) 1884 - 1st Inns
Bannerman and Jones. Quite
uncertain about this one.
67 New
Zealand v England, Auckland 1962 - 1st Inns
Three batsmen off four
bowlers.
Most of the above instances contained sundries. The highest-ranks on the list that definitely contained no sundries is the fourth (79 balls at Madras 1964)