Ten Wickets in a Match: Cricket's Rarest Bowling Achievement
Taking 10 or more wickets across both innings of a Test match is one of cricket's most demanding bowling feats — learn who has done it most and what it takes.
What Is a Ten-Wicket Match?
A ten-wicket match haul occurs when a bowler takes 10 or more wickets across both innings of a single Test match. With 20 wickets available across two innings, a bowler who takes 10 has claimed half. Only the greatest Test performances produce this result — it typically requires conditions highly favourable to the bowler's style and a brilliant sustained performance.
The Record: Jim Laker's 19 Wickets
Jim Laker's performance against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956 is the most extraordinary bowling performance in Test history. He took 19 wickets in the match — 9/37 in the first innings and 10/53 in the second — a record that stands alone after nearly 70 years. No other bowler has taken more than 17 wickets in a match. In the second innings, he took all 10 — still one of only two instances of a bowler taking 10 wickets in a single innings.
Most Wickets in a Single Test Innings
| Figures | Bowler | Match | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/53 | Jim Laker (England) | vs Australia | 1956 |
| 10/74 | Anil Kumble (India) | vs Pakistan | 1999 |
| 9/28 | George Lohmann (England) | vs South Africa | 1896 |
| 9/37 | Jim Laker (England) | vs Australia | 1956 |
How Modern Bowlers Achieve Match Hauls
Modern ten-wicket matches are more evenly split — a six-wicket first innings followed by a five-wicket second, for example. Sustained bowling excellence across two days, exploiting pitch conditions as they develop, and maintaining peak accuracy in the second spell are all required. Muralitharan, Warne, and McGrath all took multiple match hauls of 10+ wickets in their careers.
Frequently asked questions
How many bowlers have taken 10+ wickets in a Test match?
Hundreds of bowlers have achieved the feat across Test history. However, the number who did so multiple times is far fewer. Muralitharan achieved it most frequently.
Is a match haul better assessed than innings figures?
For overall bowling dominance in a match, yes. A bowler who takes 5/150 and 5/100 has 10 wickets but conceded heavily. Match figures of 10/80 are far more impressive in terms of quality.
Has anyone taken all 10 wickets in both innings?
No. Even Jim Laker, who took 19 wickets in one match, took only 9 in the first innings. A 10-wicket haul in both innings of the same match would be 20 wickets in a match — statistically impossible as only 20 wickets are available and at least one bowler on the team would need to take none.