Top five leading Test wicket-takers Of 2019

2019 saw some of the thrilling action in Test cricket. The bowlers especially the pacers took giant strides in the year and they were right on the money. The likes of Jofra Archer, Mohammed Shami, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins impressed with their express pace and breathed down the neck of the opposition batsmen.

2019 was dominated by fast bowlers as a solitary spinner makes the cut into the top 10 leading wicket-takers of the year. The pacers were relentless in their approach and the run-scoring was not made easy for the batters as they had to toil hard for their runs.

The year saw some fine spells from world-class bowlers as they were able to hit the right line and length. On that note, we take a look at five bowlers who ended the year as the leading wicket-takers in 2019.

#5 Mitchell Starc - 42 wickets

Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc's career has always been impeded by a glut of injuries. However, Starc was able to keep himself injury-free in 2019 and also twisted his action.

The gun pacer scalped 42 wickets in the eight Test matches he played at an impressive average of 20.71. The left-arm pacer took four five-wicket haul and one ten-wicket haul in the calendar year.

However, Starc only played one Test match in the Ashes in which he took four wickets. Starc's best bowling performance of the year came against Pakistan when he took 6-66 at Adelaide and finished the match with 10-100. The 29-year old was relentless against the opposition tail as he once again delivered the goods for Australia.

Starc also took nine wickets in the first Test match against New Zealand at Perth. The left-arm pacer bowled at the top of his game to borne rewards for himself and the team.

#4 Stuart Broad - 43 wickets

Stuart Broad

England's veteran pacer Stuart Broad has got better with his experience. Broad is mostly right on the money and hardly greets the batsman with any looseners. The right-arm pacer was England's pack leader as James Anderson missed most of the year's action due to an injury.

Broad snared 43 wickets in the 11 Test matches he played for the English side. The lanky pacer bowled with an average of 25.11 and a strike rate of 51.3. However, Broad could only take one five-wicket haul in the whole year. Broad was England's leading wicket-taker in the Ashes with 23 wickets and breathed down the neck of Australian opener David Warner, as he dismissed him on seven occasions in the series.

Broad's best performance of the year (5-86) came against arch-rivals Australia in the first Ashes Test but his efforts went in vain as England lost by 251 runs.

#3 Neil Wagner - 43 wickets

Neil Wagner

New Zealand's Neil Wagner is like a bowling machine and doesn't give an inch to the batsmen. Wagner is always at the batsmen and hardly takes his foot off the pedal. The left-arm pacer is known to give his all to the team and New Zealand knows that they will get 120% from him whenever he turns up on the field.

Wagner took 43 wickets in only six Test matches he played in 2019. The 33-year-old pacer bowled at a staggering average of 17.81 (which is the best for the top five bowlers of the year) and a strike rate of 37.6. Wagner scalped four wicket-hauls in the year.

The pacer took 14 wickets in the two-Test matches of the year against Australia as he bowled at his absolute best. Wagner was also able to dismiss Steven Smith on all four occasions in the four innings as he peppered him with short stuff.

#2. Nathan Lyon - 45 wickets.

Nathan Lyon.

Nathan Lyon has shown over the years that he has the skills to get his wickets in all conditions. Lyon doesn't require a rank turner to get him wickets and he has been a consistent performer for Australia. The off-spinner gets most of his wickets because he is able to extract extra bounce from the surface.

Lyon generally hits the good length area and the batters need to be on their toes while facing him. The Australian spinner snared 45 wickets in 12 Test matches this year. The 32-year-old bowled at an average of 33.6 and a strike rate of 68.7. The experienced spinner took two five-wicket hauls in the year.

Lyon was also at his best in the Ashes he scalped 20 wickets in the five Test matches allowing Australia to keep the pressure on from both the ends.

#1. Pat Cummins - 59 wickets.

Pat Cummins.

What a year Australia's ace paceman Pat Cummins has had! Cummins has breathed down the neck of the opposition bowlers with his accurate line and length. The right-arm pacer has been deadly with his express pace and took giant strides in 2019.

Cummins took 59 wickets in the 12 Test matches he played in the year. The gun pacer bowled at a stunning average of 20.13 and a strike rate of 44.7. The New South Wales pacer took two five-wicket and one ten-wicket haul in the year.

The Australian vice-captain had a fine year as he took 99 International wickets (40 wickets collectively in ODIs and T20Is), to finish as the highest wicket-taking pacer since Mitchell Johnson in 2009. The talisman was also the leading wicket-getter of the Ashes as he snared 29 wickets in the five-match series. No doubt Cummins comfortably perch at the numero uno position in the Test rankings.