L.A. Archived Highlights: English spinner from the Lakers' squad dismisses 10 batsmen in a single inning
Remarkable Performance: Jim Laker's Unmatched 19 Wickets in a Test Match
Jim Laker, the Australian leg-spin great, described Laker's bowling as accurate, a testament to the legendary performance the English spinner delivered during the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford in 1956. Laker's historic performance of 10/53 came in the Australian second innings, combining it with 9 wickets in the first innings for a total match haul of 19/90.
This incredible feat remains the greatest bowling performance in Test cricket history. No one else has claimed more than 17 wickets in a single match, not even in the history of first-class cricket. England won the third Test at Leeds, where Australia struggled against two finger spinners, setting the stage for Laker's remarkable performance.
Laker's 10-wicket innings on July 31, 1956, was a response to a near-perfect storm that hit Australia's first innings where he captured 9/37. Laker sealed the perfect 10 by trapping the last man Len Maddock leg before wicket.
Laker's career began to rise after joining Surrey county and forming a great combination with left-arm spinner Tony Lock on turning pitches. In the summer of 1956, Laker made his presence felt again, capturing 10 wickets twice in a season, a feat that has not been repeated.
Notable instances of bowlers taking all 10 wickets in a Test innings include Jim Laker in 1956 and Anil Kumble in 1999. Kumble also achieved this feat by taking all 10 wickets for 74 runs against Pakistan at the Feroz Shah Kotla in 1999, becoming only the second bowler to do so after Laker.
However, Laker's performance is considered extraordinary because not only did he take all 10 wickets in one innings, but his combined 19 wickets in the match set an unmatched record. In contrast, Kumble’s 10-wicket haul is remarkable but did not come with a record-breaking total match haul.
England skipper Peter May won the toss at Old Trafford, and the hosts amassed 459 runs. Notable instances include Neil Harvey bagging a pair and Keith Miller being out for zero and 6 against England at Old Trafford. Australia won the second Test at Lord's by 185 runs. The first Test between England and Australia in 1956 was drawn.
Laker, originally a medium-pacer and batsman, was advised to switch to bowling off-spin while serving in the British army to get into a strong team. Laker was named one of the five Cricketers of the Year by Wisden in 1952 after taking 100 wickets for Surrey alone.
Despite the great careers of Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, and James Anderson, they have not taken all 10 wickets in a single innings; their best innings figures are below 10 wickets. Thus, Laker's 10-wicket innings remains unique and legendary in the history of Test cricket. Lock gave an outstanding example of bowling too well to get wickets at Old Trafford.
References: [1] ESPNcricinfo. (n.d.). Jim Laker. ESPN Sports Media Ltd. [2] ESPNcricinfo. (n.d.). Anil Kumble. ESPN Sports Media Ltd. [3] Wisden. (1956). Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. John Wisden & Co. Ltd.
India's cricket history shares a connection with the unmatched 19 wickets taken by Jim Laker in a Test match, as Anil Kumble, an Indian cricketer, became the second bowler to achieve the feat of taking all 10 wickets in a Test innings, following Laker's groundbreaking performance in 1956. Sporting prowess in India, especially in cricket, has consistently been shaped by remarkable performances such as this one.
