Bowlers who have dismissed all 11 batsmen in a Test match

Cricket might be a batsman dominated game, but bowlers from time to time have produced magical spell of bowling which has left the followers of game spellbound. Nothing can be more fascinating than to watch a bowler bowling in full rhythm and dismantling the opposition. We’ve seen bowlers takes heaps of wickets and single-handedly change the face of the matches. But, snapping all the 11 batsmen from the opposition in the same game is a very rare feat. So rare that only six have managed to do so in Test cricket’s 139-year rich history.

6. Muttiah Muralitharan v South Africa, 2000:

Muttiah Muralitharan played a huge role in Sri Lanka’s massive victory by an innings and 15 runs over South Africa at Galle international Stadium in the year 2000. The off-spinning wizard took a wonderful match haul of 13/171 in the match to script a thumping win for the home side. Batting in reply to Sri Lanka’s massive first innings total of 522, the South Africans were rattled by Muralitharan’s 6/87 in the 2nd innings and 7/84 in the 3rd innings. Wickets fell in clusters in both the innings for South Africa who had no answer to Murali’s attacking bowling style.

His mystery ball – The doosra kept the Proteas on their toes. From a certain point, the match looked like a contest between the Proteas and the off-spinner. But, he didn’t really face much competition from the opposition and gleefully tossed the ball up in the air, literally toying with them. The 1st innings saw him shake up the top and the middle order while in the 2nd innings he came back with more intent and snapped the entire bottom half of the Proteas side to ensure a quick victory. Daryll Cullinan, who played with immense skill to remain unbeaten with 114 in the 1st innings, later commented: “I could have been out three or four times. He’s unique.”