5 most devastating fast-bowling spells in Test cricket

A fast bowler bowling at full tilt and making the batsmen hop, jump and look generally ridiculous, is one of the most thrilling sights in Test cricket. It is the format of the game that allows a fast bowler to bowl with complete freedom and he is not limited by a fixed quota of overs either. If he feels like bowling seven or eight overs on the trot, flat out, then he can do so and this is what makes great spells in Test matches all the more special.

Over the years, some of the best fast bowlers in the world have turned Test matches on their heads with spells of fast bowling that simply blew oppositions away. Sometimes, it is raw pace, while at other times, it may be a combination of seam, reverse swing and unerring length that make them unplayable. Here is a look at 5 of the most devastating spells of fast bowling in Test cricket's modern history.

#5 Stuart Broad swings Australia into the dust, Nottingham, 2015

The biggest highlight of the 2015 Ashes in England was the first session of the first day of the 4th Test and it will forever be remembered for Stuart Broad's 9.3-over spell that destroyed the old enemy on the first morning. In the absence of James Anderson, Broad had to come good and he did so in the most devastating way possible.

Off the 3rd ball of the Test match, he took the wicket of Chris Rogers with a perfectly pitched outswinger and from then on, the wickets continued to tumble as the Australians simply had no answer to what was happening around them.

Fast and accurate swing bowling coupled with seam movement completely blew the Australians away. Broad made them all look like novices as he ended with dream figures of 8-15 and Australia were ground into the dust, all out for 60 in 18.3 overs.

#4 England run into a raging Mitchell Johnson, Adelaide, 2013

Mitchell Johnson

The 2013-14 Ashes in Australia was a series that was defined by Mitchell Johnson and his intimidating bowling that broke England. He took 37 wickets in the series and it was his terrifying spell during England's first innings at Adelaide that outlined his performance that year. It was a throwback to the era of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson when batsmen went back to the pavilion shell-shocked.

Johnson's bowling was designed to intimidate and his use of the bouncer in that spell (and throughout the series) made for exhilarating viewing. Even the tailenders weren't spared and many of them simply gave up.

After taking Alastair Cook's wicket with an outstanding delivery early on, Johnson returned after lunch to finish off England's middle and lower orders. He took 5 wickets in the space of 3 overs, including 3 in one over and 2 in another.

Johnson finished with 7-40 as England collapsed to 172 all out. It remains one of the greatest spells of fast bowling that has ever been witnessed in Test cricket.

#3 Curtly Ambrose decimates England, Port of Spain, 1994

Curtly Ambrose, Port of Spain, 1994

At a time when the West Indies were still an excellent side, England seemed to be on the verge of a rare victory against them at Port of Spain back in 1994. They needed 194 to win the Test match but the absolute mayhem that Curly Ambrose unleashed on them saw them collapse in a heap.

In a spell that lasted all of 10 overs, Ambrose toyed with the English batsmen and they had no answer to his pace, bounce and seam movement. The innings lasted only 19.1 overs and as one batsman after another went back to the pavilion in a state of shock, England's collapse became a foregone conclusion.

After Ambrose took the wicket of 1st innings top scorer Graham Thorpe by destroying his stumps, England were reduced to 40-8, eventually crumbling for 46. It remains one of the most devastating spells of fast bowling ever been witnessed in Test cricket.

Writing about this spell in his book Supreme Bowling: 100 Great Test Performances, sports writer Rob Smyth explained, “This wasn’t a case of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory; they’d had glory snatched from them in exchange for humiliation. They never ever saw it coming at all.”

#2 Aussies blown away by Shoaib Akhtar, Colombo, 2002

Shoaib Akhtar v Australia

When Shoaib Akhtar was in the mood, he could be absolutely unplayable irrespective of the nature of the pitch. His raw pace and swing were good enough to simply blast batsmen out but unleashing such thunder against the best side in the world is quite another thing altogether.

Having conceded a 188-run first innings lead, Pakistan needed to dismiss Australia for a low score but it was not going their way. The Aussies were completely at ease with the scoreboard reading 74-1 and Hayden and Ponting playing comfortably, that is until Shoaib bowled that 8-over spell.

Ponting played one on to his stumps but Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne were blasted out by Akhtar as Australia went from 74-1 to 89-7. Akhtar had done his job, helping Pakistan dismiss Australia for 127 but they somehow contrived to lose the Test by 41 runs.

#1 Curtly Ambrose's spell from hell floors Australia, Perth, 1993

Curtly Ambrose at Perth, 1993

The 1st day of the deciding 5th game of the Test series between Australia and West Indies at Perth saw the greatest spell of fast bowling in cricket history when Curtly Ambrose floored the hosts with a spell that ended the Test match on the first day.

Australia were doing reasonably well, reaching 85-2 with Mark Waugh and David Boon at the crease, but soon enough, Ambrose came on to bowl, changing the complexion of the game. On a fast, bouncy pitch, the Australian batsmen had no answer to Ambrose's pace, bounce, accuracy, and seam movement and from 85-2, they crashed to 119 all out with Ambrose picking up 7 wickets for only 1 run in that spell.

West Indies won the game by an innings and 25 runs and with that, the series. Following the Test match, the curator at Perth was dismissed for having prepared a pitch that played into the hands of the West Indies in such devastating fashion.