Top 10 Best Bowling Performances In Cricket History | ICC Rankings
July 6, 2021 By Sourav
Several bowlers reached unparalleled levels of performance. Many of them broke records during the years, while some also achieved uncommon feats. Several performances with the ball were noteworthy, but very few of them stood out, which may explain some of the lowest totals in history. Others displayed sensational ball skills under unfamiliar support conditions in the process. Here we discuss the best bowling performances in cricket history.
In truth, batting is a joyless experience without good bowling. Fans in bowling have a special place in their hearts for remarkable moments in the sport's history.
Best Bowling Performances | All-Time Ranking
10. Bob Willis - 8/43 vs. Australia
9. Devon Malcolm - 9/57 vs. South Africa
8. Richard Hadlee - 9/52 vs. Australia
7. Anil Kumble - 10/74 vs. Pakistan
6. Hugh Tayfield - 9/113 vs. England
5. Chaminda Vaas - 8/19 vs. Zimbabwe
4. Muttiah Muralitharan - 7/30 vs. India
3. Waqar Younis - 7/36 vs. England
2. Aaqib Javed - 7/37 vs. India
1. Gary Gilmour - 6/14 vs. England
Don’t Miss
• Best Bowling Performances – All-Time Infographics
• FAQs Regarding Best Bowling Performances
Cricket is not just the most popular sport in India but also one of the most played sports in the world. And this sport has already seen some of the best bowlers delivering amazing performances. So, here they are!
10. Bob Willis - 8/43 vs. Australia
Match: England vs. Australia (Test)
Season: 1981
Venue: Headingly Stadium, Leeds, England
Overall Rating: 226.1
Willis' most noteworthy moment in his career came during the third Ashes Series match in 1981, as the British side won their second Test match in a row. The England cricket team, trailing 1-0 in the series, set Australia 130 to win the final test, with Ian Botham scoring 149 not out.
At the start of the match, Willis bowled 15.1 overs, which ranked among the best bowling performances ever. After bowling Ray Bright clean, he secured an 18-run victory, and England went on to win the series 3-1.
In 1981, the Headingley miracle was made in English cricket history with one of the best bowling figures in a test. In general, the victory was attributed primarily to Ian Botham's batsmanship. However, Willis' deadly spell was what determined the outcome of England's miracle.
9. Devon Malcolm - 9/57 vs. South Africa
Match: England vs. South Africa (Test)
Season: 1994
Venue: The Oval, London, England
Overall Rating: 234.4
The team leads the three-match series 1-0 and has taken the lead in the first innings. As a result, South Africa knew that a strong batting effort would secure victory in the first series against England since 1965; their isolation due to apartheid caused the break.
Alec Stewart commented on England's fast bowling in a dramatic third-day match that it was likely the fastest they have seen in Test cricket. During the fourth, England demolished the visiting team with pace and power and won by eight wickets before lunch.
The excellent performance of Devon is one of the best bowling performances for his team. It was his match-winning 9-57 against South Africa at the Oval in August 1994 that made him the best bowler for a test match ever.
8. Richard Hadlee - 9/52 vs. Australia
Match: New Zealand vs. Australia (Test)
Season: 1985
Venue: Brisbane (Gabba), Australia
Overall Rating: 237.1
It is a magnificent performance by Richard Hadlee in the opening test in Brisbane, who demolished the Australia batting. Having posted the top innings (9 for 52) and match (15 for 123) figures for New Zealand in Tests, Hadlee handed the Black Caps an innings win. It is still dubbed as the greatest bowling figure in test cricket history.
The fantastic day for Richard is considered one of the best bowling performances in cricket history. However, Hadlee's ultimate act of selflessness came after he picked up the first eight wickets to fall when he caught Vaughan Brown on his first Test wicket.
It seems impossible now, but during the 1980s, Australia was having a rough time. They had won only one of twenty tests during this period.
7. Anil Kumble - 10/74 vs. Pakistan
Match: India vs. Pakistan (Test)
Season: 1998
Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi, India
Overall Rating: 248.6
In the game, India set Pakistan a target of 420 runs. Pakistan got off to a steady start with 101 runs from Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar. India won by 212 runs at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in Delhi thanks to one of the greatest spinners of all time, Kumble's epochal 10/74 in 26.3 overs against archrivals Pakistan.
In the history of Test cricket, only Jim Laker had taken all ten wickets in an innings before Anil Kumble. Anil Kumble's 10 for 74 was the second-best bowling figure by a right-arm spinner in Test matches.
When one of the greatest batsmen of all time, VVS Laxman, caught Wasim Akram at short leg, celebrations erupted from the team and crowd as Kumble collected his 10-wicket haul. In a historical series for a spinner, India leveled the series.
6. Hugh Tayfield - 9/113 vs. England
Match: South Africa vs. England (Test)
Season: 1957
Venue: The Imperial Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
Overall Rating: 248.6
In the fourth test, England needed 232 to win and win the series. They soon had 147 for two and were scoring freely. Tayfield also broke his own record by taking nine wickets in an inning in the previous test. Breaking his record set in the last Test by Tayfield with 8 for 69.
One of the tallest bowlers of all time, Tayfield's remarkable bowling figure is known as one of the best bowling performances of all time. After giving England a problematic time the previous day, he bowled 35 eight-ball overs of remarkably accurate off-spin, chipping away at England's lineup composed of Peter May, Colin Cowdrey, and Denis Compton.
Having won by 17 runs, South Africa came back to win the series after having trailed 2-0. Tayfield has pulled off the pitch after the South Africans won.
5. Chaminda Vaas - 8/19 vs. Zimbabwe
Match: Sri Lanka vs. Zimbabwe (ODI)
Season: 2001
Venue: Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Overall Rating: 174.94
With eight wickets, Chaminda Vaas set a world record. And since then, he held his place among the greatest fast bowlers ever to grace the cricket ground. A low score of 35 was the lowest ever in a one-day international when Sri Lanka dismissed Zimbabwe in the first match of the tri-series in Colombo on Saturday.
In only 15.4 overs, Zimbabwe was bowled out for 38 as Vaas became the first bowler in one-day international history to claim eight wickets. In one-dayers, the previous low was 43 by Pakistan against the West Indies in 1993 at Cape Town. Vaas's hat-trick came in his sixth over, which was a masterful display of swing bowling.
This astonishing attack by Vaas is known as one of the best bowling performances in ODI history. In addition to the fine catch that Vaas had of Stuart Carlisle at third man, he also dismissed Craig Wishart and Tatenda Tibu's leg before wicket. The first ball of Zimbabwe's innings was bowled by Vaas, and Dion Ebrahim was trapped leg before wicket as it came in.
4. Muttiah Muralitharan - 7/30 vs. India
Match: Sri Lanka vs. India (ODI)
Season: 2000
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
Overall Rating: 160.02
The Sri Lankan spinner and one of the greatest cricketers of all time, Muttiah Muralitharan, contributed a record 7-wicket haul against India, including a maiden. During the fifth match of a triangular tournament sponsored by Coca-Cola, Muttiah Muralitharan's 7 for 30 was one of the best bowling performances in One-Day international cricket history.
On 27th October 2000, an impressive spell by Muralitharan resulted in India's defeat at the Sharjah Cricket Ground. In their first inning, Sri Lanka scored 294 runs, which is a challenging total. The Sri Lankans were led by centuries by Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene.
Muralitharan's magic brought about the downfall of the Indian batsmen. With the Indian side bowled out for just 226 runs, the off-spinner picked up seven wickets and conceded just 30 runs.
3. Waqar Younis - 7/36 vs. England
Match: Pakistan vs. England (ODI)
Season: 2001
Venue: Headingly Stadium, Leeds, England
Overall Rating: 181.34
At Leeds, Waqar Younis had his best bowling figures against England as one of the most successful bowlers in ODI history. The England team lost to Pakistan's fast bowler Waqar Younis due to some spectacular swing and seam.
A score of 156 was all the host could manage. It was a comfortable victory for Pakistan as they won by six wickets. The "Man of the Match" award went to Waqar Younis for his seven wickets in 10 overs. During the speed gun test, Waqar was hitting no higher than 130 mph (kph).
One of the fastest bowlers in cricket history, Waqar, had a beautiful rhythm that day, and his movement off the pitch was subtle. His left hand looked incredibly fluid as he led his action. Yonus' game is known as one of the best bowling performances.
2. Aaqib Javed - 7/37 vs. India
Match: Pakistan vs. India (ODI)
Season: 1991
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
Overall Rating: 202.25
The right-arm Aaqib Javed emerged as more than a second fiddle pacer during Pakistan's golden era of pace bowling, which featured Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis. 1991, in the triangular final of The Wills Trophy at Sharjah against India, the fast bowler reached his peak.
During that ODI, the then 19-year-old created the world record for the best bowling figures ever recorded in an ODI when he bowled a hostile spell of fast bowling. Aaqib bowled his team to a resounding 72-run victory over the Azharuddin-led Indian side.
In this match, Aaqib pinned a then-young one of the most popular cricketers, Sachin Tendulkar, with the first ball of his innings to pick up a well-deserved hat-trick. It followed a raucous celebration as his teammates pursued Aaqib. Muttiah Muralitharan almost broke the 46-year-old's record by taking 7/37 in the final match nearly nine years ago.
1. Gary Gilmour - 6/14 vs. England
Match: Australia vs. England (ODI)
Season: 1975
Venue: Headingly Stadium, Leeds, England
Overall Rating: 205.56
Gilmour broke all the three records at once in the semi-final of the 1975 World Cup at Headingley while picking up six for 14. It is one of the best bowling performances in the history of ODIs. Aaqib Javed made a 7 for 37 at Sharjah, Shaun Pollock made a 5 for 36 at Edgbaston, and Courtney Walsh made a 5 for one at Sharjah.
With a score of 93 runs, the English team was dismissed after batting first. Garry Gilmour, a pacer from Australia, was the star of the match as he picked up six wickets in his 12 overs and gave away only 14 runs to the batting lineup of England.
This match ended with Australia winning by four wickets with 28.4 overs remaining. As a result of his incredible skills on the ball, Gilmour was named player of the game.
Final Words
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Best Bowling Performances In Cricket - All-Time Infographics
FAQs Regarding Best Bowling Performance
Q. Who is the No 1 bowler in the world?
Trent Boult from New Zealand is in the top position with his remarkable performances. Boult always surprises his opponents with thrilling bowling and fielding.
Q. What are the best bowling figures ever?
Jim Laker is on top with his 10/53 record bowling figure in 1956.
Q. What is the best bowling figure in the ICC World Cup?
The incredible performance of Glenn McGrath with 7/15 made his effort to be one of the best bowling figures in the ICC world cup.
Q. Who is the best bowler in the world?
With his outstanding performances, Trent Boult from New Zealand holds the top spot right now. Whenever he bowls or fields, Boult surprises his opponents.
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