Jim Laker: The Man Who Took 19 Wickets in a Test Match

Jim Laker holds the most extraordinary single-match bowling record in the history of cricket — 19 wickets for 90 runs against Australia at Old Trafford in the fourth Test of the 1956 Ashes series. The Surrey off-spinner played 46 Tests for England between 1948 and 1959, taking 193 wickets at an average of 21.24 with 9 five-wicket hauls. His overall Test record is excellent; his 1956 Old Trafford performance is in a category of its own — no bowler in the 150+ years of Test cricket history has taken more than 17 wickets in a Test, and Laker's 19 is widely considered the most untouchable record in cricket.

The 1956 Old Trafford Test

In the fourth Test of the 1956 Ashes at Old Trafford, Old Trafford's pitch was prepared — whether deliberately or otherwise — in conditions that heavily favoured off-spin. Laker took advantage with exceptional skill: 9/37 in Australia's first innings and 10/53 in the second, giving him 19/90 for the match. His bowling partner Tony Lock — also an England spinner — bowled throughout from the other end without taking a single wicket from the same pitch, a statistic that highlights how extraordinarily dominant Laker was. The Australians were mystified by a spinning pitch they could not decipher.

Legacy

Laker was a classical off-spinner — high action, good loop and sharp turn on responsive surfaces. He was also effective on flatter pitches, having the control to contain runs and create pressure. His career ended somewhat controversially: he wrote an autobiography critical of England cricket management that led to his association with Surrey and England being suspended. He was later reinstated and worked as a respected BBC cricket commentator for many years.