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Great All-Rounder Performances in a Test Series

Line and Length

International Coach
Over the years there have been some truly great all-rounders with names like Sobers. Imran, Miller, Kallis et al.
Some, like Imran had periods where they dominated with the ball in some series and were outstanding with the bat in others.
All, no doubt, have had series in which they returned outstanding figures with both bat and ball. Members will, I'm sure, detail such feats if this thread continues over time.

However, I am opening this discussion by detailing one player who had a truly outstanding series.
Stanley Jackson only played 20 Tests and all were in England. This, plus the fact that he was born into a titled family (his father was 1st Baron Allerton) and his political leanings as a Tory MP, wouldn't see him rated too highly by most CW membership.

Back to his cricketing ability and, in particular, one series. In 1905 Jackson captained England to an Ashes series win. In that series he scored 492 runs at an average of 70.29 and took 13 wickets at 15.46 with his medium pace bowling.
Outside that series, Jackson's claim to cricketing fame was as a batsman. His overall batting average (48.79) was boosted by the abovementioned series but, in his other 15 Tests he still averaged a creditable 41.95 with 3 centuries. It was his bowling in those 15 Tests (11 wickets @ 54.36) that gave no indication of what he might do in 1905, his final Test series.
 

sayon basak

International Coach
Jackson's test record is too good for his time tbh. Massively underrated.


Ian Botham's performance in the 1981 Ashes would be first in the list I suppose.
699 runs @36.27 and 34 wickets @20.58 in 12 innings, with 3 5'fers and 2 centuries, His 149 not out in the 3rd test is probably one of the top 5 greatest knocks ever.
 
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tony p

State Regular
Not sure what your criteria is , but a very underrated all-round series by Ritchie Benaud in South Africa in 1957/58 has gone unnoticed I feel.

329 Runs @54.83 with 2 centuries. Top score 122.
30 wkts @21.93 with four 5wkts in an innings in each of the last 4 Tests. (BB, 5-49)
Twice he took 9 wkts in a match, one of those he also scored a century, Johannesburg, 100, 4-70, 5-84
 

Coronis

Hall of Fame Member
Jack Gregory, debut series, 1920/21 Ashes.

442 @ 73.66, 23 @ 24.17, 15 catches

One of 3 occasions Australia had a perfect 5-0 win.
Notably, this is also the record for most catches in a single series. (non keeper)

No run outs though.

Also just noticed apart from listing most of the players involved in earlier series’ runouts, Davis has also got the fielding positions listed where known for catches. Super impressive database, I’ll say it again.
 

capt_Luffy

Hall of Fame Member
Not a very long list. Kallis and Pollock both in that list only once, in the same (tight) series. Pollock better with the bat, and Kallis better with the ball. Funny.
Tbf I think 20 wickets is much tougher than 250 runs. It should be 15 imo. Gallant that despite that, Sobers appears thrice, more than anyone else; and would had been 4 had they included the RoW vs England series. Surprised Shakib, Jadeja and most of all, Imran, never appears as well.
 

sayon basak

International Coach
Tbf I think 20 wickets is much tougher than 250 runs. It should be 15 imo. Gallant that despite that, Sobers appears thrice, more than anyone else; and would had been 4 had they included the RoW vs England series. Surprised Shakib, Jadeja and most of all, Imran, never appears as well.
Imran's batting and bowling sensations are mostly in separate periods of his career.
 

Coronis

Hall of Fame Member
Tbf I think 20 wickets is much tougher than 250 runs. It should be 15 imo. Gallant that despite that, Sobers appears thrice, more than anyone else; and would had been 4 had they included the RoW vs England series. Surprised Shakib, Jadeja and most of all, Imran, never appears as well.
I’d be shocked if Shakib had appeared at all.

Considering he’s only played one 3 test series in his career, all the rest have been 2 test series or one offs. All of those achievements have been in 4+ test series.

He did come relatively close in that one 3 test series though.

251 @ 41.83 and 18 @ 18.27
 

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