Best Individual Test Bowling by Age

Best Individual Test Bowling by Age by Muhammad Asim

Anil Kumble’s analysis of 8 for 141 in the Sydney Test of the recently concluded four-match rubber against Australia was interestingly the best innings bowling by a bowler in the 34th year of his life. Kumble was 33 years & 79 days old at the end of Australia’s first innings, in which he achieved this feat, on the third day. Kumble thus bettered England’s Johnny Henry Wardle’s performance of 7 for 36 against South Africa at Cape Town in January 1957, as the previous best individual bowling by a bowler in his 34th year. Johnny’s exact age at tat time was 33 years and 359 days.

Curiously enough, Mushtaq Muhammad of Pakistan is the youngest ever cricketer to bowl a ball in Test cricket’s history. Mushtaq who was born on November 22, 1943 bowled his first ball on the first day of his debut against West Indies at Lawrence Gardens, Lahore on March 26, 1959. However, Mohammed Sharif of Bangladesh is the youngest ever cricketer to take a wicket. Sharif who was born on December 12, 1985 made his debut against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on April 19, 2001. But he bowled his first ball and got his first scalp in Test cricket on the second day of his debut match at the age of 15 years and 129 days. His 2 for 108 in his second match at Harare also remains the best individual bowling by a bowler in his 16th year.

On the other end of the scale, England’s Wilfred Rhodes is the oldest cricketer to take a wicket at the age 52 years and 163 days. He is also the oldest to deliver a ball at the age of 52 years and 164 days. His 3 for 110 against West Indies at Bridgetown in January 1930 still remains as the best bowing by a player in his 53rd year (the oldest). The accompanying table lists best individual bowling figures for each age in Test cricket.

Best individual bowling at each age in a Test innings

Age   Exact age Figures Bowler             For  Vs   Inn Test Date          Venue
      [Yrs-Dys]
15th  no one has delivered a single ball in Test cricket in his 15th year.
16th  15-137    2/108   Mohammed Sharif    BD   Zim  1st 2nd  Apr 28, 2001  Harare
17th  16-320    6/67    Nasim-ul-Ghani     Pak  WI   2nd 5th  Mar 30, 1958  Port-of-Spain
18th  17-282    4/35    Nasim-ul-Ghani     Pak  WI   1st 1st  Feb 20, 1959  Karachi
19th  18-335    8/72    Venkataraghavan, S Ind  NZ   1st 4th  Mar 22, 1965  Delhi (FSK)
20th  19-88     8/61    Hirwani, ND        Ind  WI   1st 4th  Jan 14, 1988  Chepauk
21st  20-262    8/84    Harbhajan Singh    Ind  Aus  2nd 3rd  Mar 22, 2001  Chepauk
22nd  21-164    8/31    Trueman, FS        Eng  Ind  1st 3rd  Jul 19, 1952  Old Trafford
23rd  22-206    8/34    Botham, IT         Eng  Pak  2nd 2nd  Jun 18, 1978  Lord's
24th  23-358    8/29    Croft, CEH         WI   Pak  1st 2nd  Mar 08, 1977  Port-of-Spain
25th  24-313    9/83    Kapil Dev, N       Ind  WI   2nd 3rd  Nov 15, 1983  Ahmedabad (GS)
26th  25-72     8/53    Massie, RAL        Aus  Eng  2nd 2nd  Jun 25, 1972  Lord's
27th  26-136    9/65    Muralitharan, M    SL   Eng  2nd 1st  Aug 31, 1998  The Oval
28th  27-130    8/38    McGrath, GD        Aus  Eng  1st 2nd  Jun 19, 1997  Lord's
      27-179    8/38    Gibbs, LR          WI   Ind  2nd 3rd  Mar 27, 1962  Bridgetown
29th  28-113    10/74   Kumble, A          Ind  Pak  2nd 2nd  Feb 07, 1999  Delhi (FSK)
30th  29-265    9/51    Muralitharan, M    SL   Zim  1st 2nd  Jan 07, 2002  Kandy
31st  30-276    9/28    Lohmann, GA        Eng  SA   1st 2nd  Mar 04, 1896  Old Wanderers
32nd  31-180    9/57    Malcolm, DE        Eng  SA   2nd 3rd  Aug 21, 1994  The Oval
33rd  32-74     9/56    Abdul Qadir        Pak  Eng  1st 1st  Nov 28, 1987  Lahore (GS)
34th  33-79     8/141   Kumble, A          Ind  Aus  1st 4th  Jan 04, 2004  Sydney (SCG)
35th  34-172    10/53   Laker, JC          Eng  Aus  2nd 4th  Jul 30, 1956  Old Trafford
36th  35-27     9/69    Patel, JM          Ind  Aus  1st 2nd  Dec 23, 1959  Kanpur
37th  36-300    7/28    Trumble, H         Aus  Eng  2nd 5th  Mar 07, 1904  Melbourne
38th  37-353    8/126   White, JC          Eng  Aus  2nd 4th  Feb 06, 1929  Adelaide
39th  38-355    7/87    Grimmett, CV       Aus  WI   1st 1st  Dec 15, 1930  Adelaide
40th  39-116    8/29    Barnes, SF         Eng  SA   2nd 3rd  Aug 13, 1912  The Oval
41st  40-254    9/103   Barnes, SF         Eng  SA   2nd 2nd  Dec 29, 1913  Old Wanderers
42nd  41-73     7/71    Freeman, AP        Eng  SA   1st 4th  Jul 29, 1929  Old Trafford
43rd  42-244    7/76    Woolley, FE        Eng  NZ   1st 2nd  Jan 26, 1930  Wellington
44th  43-357    3/83    Grimmett, CV       Aus  SA   2nd 1st  Dec 17, 1935  Durban
45th  44-53     7/40    Grimmett, CV       Aus  SA   2nd 4th  Feb 16, 1936  Old Wanderers
46th  45-158    5/86    Traicos, AJ        Zim  Ind  1st 1st  Oct 22, 1992  Harare
47th  46-274    6/94    Blackie, DD        Aus  Eng  1st 3rd  Jan 04, 1929  Melbourne
48th  47-285    2/82    Malik Miran Bux    Pak  Ind  1st 3rd  Jan 30, 1955  Lahore (LG)
49th  48-313    7/23    Ironmonger, H      Aus  WI   1st 4th  Feb 14, 1931  Melbourne
50th  49-312    6/18    Ironmonger, H      Aus  SA   2nd 5th  Feb 13, 1932  Melbourne
51st  50-271    4/26    Ironmonger, H      Aus  Eng  2nd 2nd  Jan 03, 1933  Melbourne
52nd  no one has played Test cricket in his 52nd year
53rd  52-79     3/110   Rhodes, W          Eng  WI   2nd 1st  Jan 16, 1930  Bridgetown

Dates and ages are listed according to the actual day of the end of the innings in which the player achieved feat the feat
Note: "43rd" (for example) means that the record-holder was in the 43rd year of his life - that is, he was 42 years old.

All statistical research has been updated till January 30, 2004.