10 Wickets in a Test Match: Cricket's Greatest Bowling Achievement
Taking 10 or more wickets across both innings of a Test match is the pinnacle of bowling. Learn how the feat works, who has achieved it most often, and which performances stand out in cricket history.
What Counts as a 10-Wicket Haul?
A '10-wicket haul' in cricket refers to a bowler taking 10 or more wickets across the two innings of a single Test match. It combines a bowler's first-innings and second-innings wickets: if a bowler takes 6/45 in the first innings and 5/60 in the second, they finish the match with 11 wickets.
This is distinct from the rarer feat of taking all 10 wickets in a single innings — which has only happened twice in Test history (Jim Laker in 1956 and Anil Kumble in 1999). The match 10-wicket haul is demanding but achieved far more regularly, and is considered the gold standard of a complete bowling performance in Test cricket.
Who Has the Most 10-Wicket Hauls in Tests?
Muttiah Muralitharan leads this table too, with 22 ten-wicket match hauls in Test cricket — nearly double Richard Hadlee's long-standing record of 9. Shane Warne recorded 10, and Anil Kumble took 8 such hauls. Among pace bowlers, Richard Hadlee was the pioneer, with his 9 match hauls coming despite New Zealand playing fewer Tests than larger nations.
| Bowler | Country | 10-Wkt Match Hauls | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 22 | 1992–2010 |
| Shane Warne | Australia | 10 | 1992–2007 |
| Richard Hadlee | New Zealand | 9 | 1973–1990 |
| Anil Kumble | India | 8 | 1990–2008 |
| Sydney Barnes | England | 7 | 1901–1914 |
| Clarrie Grimmett | Australia | 7 | 1925–1936 |
Jim Laker at Old Trafford 1956: The Unbeatable Match
The greatest bowling performance in Test history belongs to Jim Laker, the England off-spinner, against Australia at Old Trafford in July 1956. In the fourth Test of the Ashes series, Laker took 9/37 in the first innings and 10/53 in the second — a match total of 19/90. No other bowler in the history of Test cricket has even managed 17 wickets in a match, let alone 19.
Remarkably, Laker's bowling partner Tony Lock — an excellent spinner himself — took just 1 wicket across the entire match, despite bowling from the other end for days. The pitch turned sharply and Laker was virtually unplayable, varying flight and spin with metronomic accuracy throughout.
Anil Kumble's Perfect Innings: 10/74 vs Pakistan
Anil Kumble took all 10 Pakistani wickets in a single innings in Delhi in February 1999 for 74 runs — only the second time any bowler has achieved the feat in a Test innings. Kumble was not as dramatic a turner of the ball as many great spinners; his success was built on accuracy, persistence, and the ability to extract unexpected lift. With a fractured jaw, he bowled on. The 10-wicket innings ended when Wasim Akram was caught at slip.
10-Wicket Hauls in Modern Cricket
In the post-2000 era of flat pitches and protective batting, 10-wicket match hauls have become rarer. Stuart Broad (England) and James Anderson have each taken multiple 10-wicket hauls, confirming that seam bowling can still produce match-winning performances even on modern pitches. Ravichandran Ashwin has taken several 10-wicket hauls for India, primarily on spin-friendly surfaces.
What Conditions Produce 10-Wicket Hauls?
Most 10-wicket hauls in Test history have been achieved on pitches that offer spin, seam, or significant deterioration over four or five days. Flat pitches in places like the United Arab Emirates or some South Asian venues make 10-wicket hauls far rarer for pace bowlers. Spinning tracks in Asia — Chepauk, Pune, Nagpur — or seaming English conditions at Headingley or Lord's have produced a disproportionate share.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 10-wicket haul in cricket?
A 10-wicket haul means a bowler takes 10 or more wickets across both innings of a single Test match. It is cricket's equivalent of a double century for batsmen — a rare, landmark achievement.
Who has the most 10-wicket Test match hauls?
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record with 22 ten-wicket match hauls. Shane Warne (10) and Richard Hadlee (9) are second and third.
Has any bowler ever taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings?
Yes, twice: Jim Laker took 10/53 for England vs Australia at Old Trafford in 1956. Anil Kumble took 10/74 for India vs Pakistan in Delhi in 1999. No one else has done it in Test cricket.
What is Laker's Test match record?
Jim Laker took 19/90 (19 wickets for 90 runs) across both innings in the Fourth Test against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956 — 9/37 in the first innings and 10/53 in the second. It remains the greatest single match bowling performance in Test history.