Bowling Records

List: 10-Wicket Hauls in Debut Test Match

Test debuts are always special for a cricketer, irrespective of whether they bat or ball, and performing well on that big occasion will be the icing on the cake.

A memorable performance in a Test can be scoring a big century or coming up with a timely knock if you are a batter. And on the bowling front, there is nothing better than a 5-fer in an innings or 10-wicket match haul.

To achieve one or more of the above on their Test debut is a high level of eliteness, a feat only a few cricketers have accomplished. It takes a lot of calmness, composure, and grit, apart from skill, to score a century or claim a fifer on their maiden Test appearance.

Here in this list, we celebrate the bowlers with 10 wicket hauls on their Test debut.

10-Wicket Hauls in Debut Test Match

PlayerMatch Figures on DebutAgainstVenueMatch Date
Narendra Hirwani (IND)16/136West IndiesChennai11 Jan 1988
Bob Massie (AUS)16/137EnglandLord’s22 Jun 1972
Fred Martin (ENG)12/102AustraliaThe Oval11 Aug 1890
Prabath Jayasuriya (SL)12/177AustraliaGalle08 Jul 2022
Jason Krejza (AUS)12/358IndiaNagpur06 Nov 2008
Clarrie Grimmett (AUS)11/82EnglandSydney27 Feb 1925
Charles Marriott (ENG)11/96West IndiesThe Oval12 Aug 1933
Alfred Hall (SA)11/112EnglandCape Town01 Jan 1923
Mohammad Zahid (PAK)11/130New ZealandRawalpindi28 Nov 1996
Alec Bedser (ENG)11/145IndiaLord’s22 Jun 1946
Praveen Jayawickrama (SL)11/178BangladeshPallekele29 Apr 2021
Sydney Burke (SA)11/196New ZealandCape Town01 Jan 1962
Alf Valentine (WI)11/204EnglandManchester08 Jun 1950
Abrar Ahmed (PAK)11/234EnglandMultan09 Dec 2022
John Lever (ENG)10/70IndiaDelhi17 Dec 1976
Hines Johnson (WI)10/96EnglandKingston27 Mar 1948
Tom Richardson (ENG)10/156AustraliaManchester24 Aug 1893
Kenneth Farnes (ENG)10/179AustraliaNottingham08 Jun 1934
Gus Atkinson (ENG)12/106West IndiesLord’s10 Jul 2024

Key Insights

Over 170 cricketers from different Test-playing nations have taken a 5-wicket haul on their Test debut. England leads the way with 50+ such bowlers who have breached the 5-wicket mark in any of the 2 innings on their Test debut, while Australia comes in next with 33+ bowlers, and 25+ South African bowlers have taken 5-fer on their debut.

11 of the 170+ cricketers went on to take 5-wicket hauls in both innings of their Test debut. Fred Martin, Tom Richardson, Clarrie Grimmett, Charles Marriott, Kenneth Farnes, Hines Johnson, Sydney Burke, Bob Massie, and Narendra Hirwani are the ones who took 5 wickets or more in both innings of their Test debut.

6 English cricketers have taken 10 wickets or more on their Test debut, the most by any team. Australia comes in second with 3 players taking 10-fer in their debut Test match, while Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies have 2 representations each.

Also Read | Top 10: Most 10-Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket

Only 1 Indian player features in this list, and he is Narendra Hirwani. He holds the record for having the best bowling figures on Test debut, as he took 16/136 in a Test against the West Indies in Chennai in 1988. He took 8 wickets each in both innings, which is exactly similar to Bob Massie (16/137) of Australia, who achieved this feat 16 years earlier against England.

Though not featured on this list, Albert Trott’s 8/43 in 1895 is the best bowling figure by a Test debutant, followed by Massie’s 8/53, Hirwani’s 8/61, and Lance Klusener’s 8/64.

Jason Krejza’s 12/358 is the most runs conceded in a Test by a debutant and the second most ever in Test history after 9/374 by Tommy Scott back in 1930.

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