OTD | Jim Laker took 19 wickets in a Test match against Australia in 1956

It was on this day in 1956 when England’s Jim Laker created history and a record that is yet to be broken or equalled by any other bowler in Test cricket to date. It was this day when Laker picked up 19 wickets in a single Test to achieve immortality.

It was the fourth Test of the 1956 Ashes series between England and Australia, played at Old Trafford in Manchester. England captain Peter May won the toss and chose to bat first. Openers Peter Richardson made 103 and Colin Cowdrey made 80 and added 174 for the first wicket. Then David Shepperd made 113, while Godfrey Evans made 49 as England posted 459 runs in the first innings.

For Australia, Ian Johnson picked four wickets, while Ray Lindwall and Richie Benaud took two wickets apiece.

In their first innings, Australia managed 84 runs, with both openers, Colin McDonald (32) and Jim Burke (33), being the only ones to get to double figures. Jim Laker turned the ball square on the Manchester turf to take 9/37. He was denied a 10-wicket haul only because fellow spinner Tony Lock picked the wicket of Jim Burke.

England captain Peter May had no issues in asking Australia to follow on, and that is when Laker truly showed his magic. This time Australia did well to score 205 runs, with Colin McDonald scoring 89 and Jim Burke scoring 33. Even Ian Craig made 38 runs, but Laker who destroyed the Australian batting lineup with his brilliant spin bowling.

He picked all the ten Australian wickets to fall and ended up with figures of 10/53 in the second innings. As England won the match by an innings and 170 runs, Laker was the hero for the hosts, and he took a record 19/90, which remains the best bowling figures in a Test match.

Though Anil Kumble, with his 10/74 against Pakistan in 1999, and Ajaz Patel, with his 10/119 against India in Mumbai, became the second and third bowlers after Laker to take 10 wickets in an innings, no other bowler has come close to Laker’s record of 19 wickets in a Test match.

The second best is Sydney Barnes’ 17/159 for Australia against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1913, followed by Narendra Hirwani’s 16/136 and Bob Massie’s 16/137.

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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