5 oldest players to take 10 wicket haul in Tests

In most professional sports, people beyond the age of 35 are considered old and not only are their core skills on the wane, but also their fitness. When it comes to bowlers in Test cricket, it can be an even more of a challenge than batsmen. They might have to run in for a long time and also have to do their bit on the field.

In that regard, it is quite clear that the whole thing can be a lot easier for someone younger. Hence, taking a 10 wicket haul in a Test cricket when the bowler is clearly on the last legs of his career is a remarkable achievement and deserves to be celebrated.

Here is a look at 5 of the oldest players ever to have taken a 10 wicket match haul in Test cricket.

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#5 Rangana Herath (39 years 193 days) vs Pakistan at Abu Dhabi, 2017

The Sri Lankan spin bowling great maybe the senior citizen of world cricket but Rangana Herath remains one of the world’s best spinner and last year, he showed that again in the Test against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi. The teams had pretty much canceled each other out in the 1st innings after Pakistan got 422 in response to Sri Lanka’s 419.

However, Herath toiled hard and sent down 40 overs to take 5/93. In the 2nd innings, Sri Lanka were dismissed for 138 and with a target of 136, and it seemed that Pakistan were only a session away from a win. However, Herath had other ideas and spun a web around the Pakistan batsmen, as they collapsed in a heap. In 21.4 overs, Herath returned figures of 6 for 43 and led Sri Lanka to a famous victory at the age of 39 years and 193 days.

#4 Sydney Barnes (40 years 301 days) vs South Africa at Durban, 1914

He might have existed in a different era altogether but according to those who watched him play, Sydney Barnes was the greatest bowler of his time and certainly, one of the greatest bowlers to have ever played for England. An average of 16.43 in 27 Test matches a testament to his talents as a bowler and even in his last Test match, he ended with a match haul of 14 wickets against South Africa at Durban.

Barnes was almost 41 years old at the time and that makes him one of the oldest cricketers ever to have taken a 10 wicket haul. He was one of the earliest bowlers to use the seam of the ball to extract movement and in addition to that, his leg-break and off-breaks almost always had batsmen in trouble. In that Test at Durban, Barnes took 7 for 56 in the first innings and followed it up with 7 for 88 in the 2nd innings. However, the Test match ended in a draw.

#3 Alfred Freeman (41 years 71 days) vs South Africa at Old Trafford, 1929

He played only 12 Test matches in his career but Alfred ‘Tich’ Freeman was regarded as one of the finest leg-spinners in England at the time. He was particularly well known for his ability to deceive batsmen with his turn and was also known to bowl a superbly well disguised googly. Last but certainly not the least, he had the stamina to bowl long spells and hence, it does not come as a surprise that Freeman picked up a 12 wicket haul at the age of 41 years and 71 days.

England had declared at 427 for 7 in their first innings at Old Trafford and then it was left to Freeman as he led the rout of the visiting South Africans. He returned figures of 7 for 71 in the first innings and 5 for 100 in the second innings as South Africa were routed by an innings and 32 runs.

#2 Clarie Grimmett (44 years 65 days) vs South Africa at Durban, 1936

He remains one of the greatest spin bowlers to have ever played the game and during the course of his career, Clarie Grimmett was instrumental to many a victory for his team Australia. He was a crafty bowler, who teased the batsmen with his variation in lengths and flight. On the other hand, he was extremely accurate and remained Australia’s premier strike bowler for most of his career.

His skills were such that even in the last Test match of his career, Grimmett led South Africa’s rout at Durban by picking up 13 wickets in the game. In the 1st innings, he picked up 7 for 100 in 45 overs as South Africa were dismissed for 222. After Australia made 455, Grimmett got into the act again and returned figures of 6 for 73 as the hosts crashed to an innings and 6 runs defeat.

#1 Bert Ironmonger (49 years 311 days) vs South Africa at Melbourne, 1932

The left-arm spin bowler did not have a particularly long international career but Bert Ironmonger was almost 51 years old when he played his final Test match. However, prior to that, he had also been responsible for South Africa’s embarrassing capitulation at Melbourne in 1932. He was 49 years and 311 days old at the time, which made him the oldest player in the history of the game to have taken a 10 wicket haul in Test cricket. It is unlikely that the record is ever going to be broken.

On a difficult pitch for batsmen, he picked up 5 for 6 in just over 7 overs to help dismiss South Africa for only 36 in the 1st innings. Australia were dismissed for 153 but it did not matter much as Ironmonger did the job in the 2nd innings again and picked up 6 for 18 as South Africa collapsed to 45 all out.