Greatest Test Bowling Spells - A working project

[Days of Grace]

Happy New Year to all,

Been working on a formula for test bowling spells during the break, similar to the one I posted earlier on Test innings, which got great feedback.

Here is a top 50 so far. I have only rated a small sample of bowling spells. If there is any obvious ones that I am missing out, let me know.

Let me know what you think.

Can't believe Dougeh isn't in the top one.


1 R.G.D. Willis 8/43 Australia Leeds 1981 Won 18 runs 43.57
2 D.E. Malcolm 9/57 South Africa The Oval 1994 Won 8 wkts 38.71
3 P.S. de Villiers 6/43 Australia Sydney 1994 Won 5 runs 38.57
4 H.J. Tayfield 9/113 England Johannesburg 1957 Won 17 runs 38.51
5 R.J. Hadlee 9/52 Australia Brisbane 1985 Won Inns & 41 runs 38.10
6 J.C. Laker 10/53 Australia Manchester 1956 Won Inns & 170 runs 38.05
7 C.E.L. Ambrose 7/25 Australia Perth 1993 Won Inns & 25 runs 37.99
8 A. Kumble 10/74 Pakistan Delhi 1999 Won 212 runs 37.76
9 J.C. Laker 9/37 Australia Manchester 1956 Won Inns & 170 runs 37.06
10 F.R. Spofforth 7/44 England The Oval 1882 Won 7 runs 36.71
11 G.D. McGrath 8/24 Pakistan Perth 2004 Won 491 runs 36.56
12 Harbhajan Singh 8/84 Australia Chennai 2001 Won 2 wkts 36.47
13 H. Verity 8/43 Australia Lord's 1934 Won Inns & 38 runs 35.85
14 G.A. Lohmann 8/7 South Africa Port Elizabeth 1896 Won 288 runs 35.35
15 S.K. Warne 7/23 Pakistan Brisbane 1995 Won Inns & 126 runs 35.05
16 D.W. Steyn 7/51 India Nagpur 2010 Won Inns & 6 runs 35.05
17 W. Barnes 6/28 Australia Sydney 1887 Won 13 runs 35.02
18 M. Muralitharan 8/70 England Nottingham 2006 Won 134 runs 35.01
19 M. Muralitharan 9/65 England The Oval 1998 Won 10 wkts 34.80
20 V.D. Philander 5/15 Australia Cape Town 2011 Won 8 wkts 34.78
21 Shoaib Akhtar 6/11 New Zealand Lahore 2002 Won Inns & 324 runs 34.34
22 I.T. Botham 5/11 Australia Birmingham 1981 Won 29 runs 34.32
23 D.K. Lillee 6/26 England Melbourne 1977 Won 45 runs 34.23
24 L. Klusener 8/64 India Calcutta 1996 Won 329 runs 33.75
25 S.J. Harmison 7/12 West Indies Kingston 2004 Won 10 wkts 33.49
26 Sarfraz Nawaz 9/86 Australia Melbourne 1979 Won 71 runs 33.31
27 Shoaib Akhtar 6/30 New Zealand Wellington 2003 Won 7 wkts 32.95
28 D.A.J. Bracewell 6/40 Australia Hobart 2011 Won 7 runs 32.78
29 I.T. Botham 7/48 India Bombay 1980 Won 10 wkts 32.61
30 R.A.L. Massie 8/53 England Lord's 1972 Won 8 wkts 32.52
31 I.T. Botham 8/34 Pakistan Lord's 1978 Won Inns & 120 runs 32.08
32 M.A. Holding 8/92 England The Oval 1976 Won 231 runs 31.94
33 M.D. Marshall 7/22 England Manchester 1988 Won Inns & 156 runs 31.92
34 J.E. Taylor 5/11 England Kingston 2009 Won Inns & 23 runs 31.67
35 G.D. McKenzie 8/71 West Indies Melbourne 1968 Won Inns & 30 runs 31.46
36 J. Briggs 8/11 South Africa Cape Town 1889 Won Inns & 202 runs 31.18
37 Abdul Qadir 6/16 West Indies Faisalabad 1986 Won 186 runs 31.17
38 R.J. Hadlee 6/26 England Wellington 1978 Won 72 runs 31.13
39 A.A. Mallett 8/59 Pakistan Adelaide 1972 Won Inns & 114 runs 31.00
40 J.A. Snow 7/40 Australia Sydney 1971 Won 299 runs 30.98
41 I.W.G. Johnson 7/44 West Indies Georgetown 1955 Won 8 wkts 30.83
42 W.J. O'Reilly 7/54 England Nottingham 1934 Won 238 runs 30.53
43 L.R. Gibbs 8/38 India Bridgetown 1962 Won Inns & 30 runs 30.46
44 S.K. Warne 8/71 England Brisbane 1994 Won 184 runs 29.90
45 Imran Khan 8/60 India Karachi 1982 Won Inns & 86 runs 29.81
46 C.L. Cairns 7/27 West Indies Hamilton 1999 Won 9 wkts 29.79
47 R.J. Hadlee 7/23 India Wellington 1976 Won Inns & 33 runs 29.70
48 A.R. Caddick 7/94 Australia Sydney 2003 Won 225 runs 29.68
49 J.C. White 8/126 Australia Adelaide 1929 Won 12 runs 29.65
50 Waqar Younis 5/22 New Zealand Hamilton 1993 Won 33 runs 29.40

[flibbertyjibber]

Good list, can't argue with many of them but Stuart Broad should be in there ahead of many other English ones with Oval 09. Matchwinning performance in an ashes series that was alive in the last game, adds to the importance of it above say Caddick in a dead rubber.

[Burgey]

There was a battle thread a few years back on this theme, and I think Sarfraz's spell came out on top.

Cheers for the thread mate. Always interesting reading.

[Days of Grace]

Originally Posted by Burgey

There was a battle thread a few years back on this theme, and I think Sarfraz's spell came out on top.

.

You wanna dig it?

[Burgey]

I know it's not technically a test, but would you consider rating DK's at Perth v the World XI please?

[benchmark00]

Michael Clarke at the SCG in 2008??

[Spikey]

HowSTAT! Match Scorecard

tbh

[fredfertang]

What about that ridiculous effort of Alan Border at the SCG in 88/89?

[Teja.]

Very intresting list

DoG,

Could you check the rating for Agarkar's 6-41 in this game.

Twas a ridiculously flat pitch, against possibly the best ever batting line-up in the 3rd innings after the 1st innings and 2nd innings scores were 553 and 526, respectively.

[Teja.]

Kapil Dev's 9-81 against the WI was a stunning performance too.

[GingerFurball]

McGrath's 5/1 at Lord's in 2005?

[Burgey]

Originally Posted by benchmark00

Michael Clarke at the SCG in 2008??

Zip it, ****

[JBMAC]

Interesting you don't have Ritchie Benaud in that listing.....Is your list timelined? If not suggest you look at his stats and consistency.....eg.......
7/72 vs India @ Chennai 1956
6/56(1st inns), 5/53(2nd inns) vs India@Eden Gardens 1956
5/83 vs England 1959 SCG
5/91 vs England 1959 Adelaide Oval
5/96 vs Windies 1961 Adelaide Oval
These are just a few check the rest out

[JBMAC]

Also gave thought to 2 more.....
Jeff Thomson 6/46 Gabba vs England 1974
Wes Hall 7/69 Sabina Park vs England 1960 or 61

[smalishah84]

two of Shoaib's spells against NZ ahead of Imran's 8/60 against India???