Number Cruncher: Least Expensive Five-Wicket Hauls in Tests

A bowler picking up five-wickets in an innings is considered to be a memorable achievement. However, if a bowler picks up a five-wicket haul and concedes less than ten runs in his spell, the feat is nothing but extraordinary.

It might be the batsmen who score runs and set up big totals, but it is the bowlers who have to pick up wickets and ensure that their sides emerge victoriously. Since the inception of limited-overs cricket, a majority of rules have favoured the batting side which made it increasingly difficult for bowlers to pick wickets.

The bowlers who feature in this list have managed to pick up wickets while being able to curtail the run flow which made it doubly difficult for the opposition batsmen.

Criteria: This list features the bowlers who have achieved this feat after 2000.

Let's have a look at the bowlers who have achieved this feat in chronological order.

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#1 Jermaine Lawson- 6/3 for West Indies against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2002

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Though his Test career was short-lived, the pace bowler from Jamaica gave sleepless nights to the batsmen with his fiery pace and accuracy. His notable accomplishments in the Test arena included the rare figures of 6/3 against a helpless Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2002.

He represented West Indies in 13 Tests and picked up 51 wickets at an average of 29.65 including two five-wicket hauls.

Later, he joined the English County side Leicestershire as a Kolpak player in the year 2008.

#2 Michael Clarke- 6/9 for Australia against India at Mumbai in 2004

Known for his stroke-making abilities, it is surprising to see the former Australian captain feature in this list. He represented Australia in 115 Tests, 245 ODIs and 34 T20Is. Apart from his batting and leadership abilities, Clarke was a more than useful Left-arm orthodox bowler for the Baggy green side.

Clarke playing the fourth Test of his career, on a rank turner picked up six wickets for nine runs (his best bowling figures in Tests) to destroy the mighty Indian batting lineup in the fourth and final Test of the series held in 2004. His bowling efforts helped Australia restrict the Indians to 205.

Injuries over the course of his career meant that Clarke had to give up on his bowling and his contribution to the side was through his batting and agile fielding skills.

#3 Vernon Philander- 5/7 for South Africa against New Zealand at Cape Town in 2013

Vernon Philander is one of the top Test bowlers going around at the moment. He destroyed oppositions with his quality swing bowling which enabled him to pick up more than 200 wickets in the Test arena. Needless to say, Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn formed one of the deadliest bowling combinations in Tests.

Till date, he has picked up 204 wickets at an average of 21.46 including 13 five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls. His accurate bowling helped him finish with excellent figures of 5/7 which enabled the African nation to bundle out New Zealand for 45 in 100 minutes.

Though he has achieved tremendous success in the longest format of the game, he has failed to replicate his performances in the shorter versions of the game.

#4 Dale Steyn- 6/8 for South Africa against Pakistan at Johannesburg in 2013

Dale Steyn made his Test debut for the African nation against England at St George's Park in 2004. Little did we know that he would become one of the greatest fast bowlers of his generation. Though he did not have the greatest of starts to his career, as he picked up only 8 wickets in his first three tests, he gradually climbed up the ranks and went on to set high standards for him and for his country.

He features in this list, thanks to his fiery spell of pace bowling against Pakistan when he returned with figures of 6/8 which enabled the African nation to bundle out the visitors for 49 and helped them take control of the Test and the series.

Of late, injuries have kept Steyn away from the game and he has struggled to bowl over 140kmph mark consistently.