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Harbhajan Singh – Latest entrant in the Lohmann, Barnes and Hadlee Club

Arshad Chughtai

March 27, 2001

The latest member to join this `bowlers club' is India's ace bowler, Harbhajan Singh. In the recently concluded Australia v India Test series, Harbhajan Singh, bowled India to one of the most fantastic series wins in Test Cricket history by claiming a series haul of 32 wickets. Incidentally these 32 wickets by the 20-year old off-spinner also made him the fourth highest wicket-taker in a 3-Test rubber. Only George Lohmann (35), Sydney Barnes (34) and Sir Richard Hadlee (33) have claimed more wickets than the Indian Man of the Series.

A summarised review of the remarkable bowling performances of the above claimants for the highest number of wickets in a 3-Test series is presented below:

1. George Alfred Lohmann - 35 wickets v South Africa in South Africa, 1885-96

George Alfred Lohmann, the Surrey and England all-rounder, who holds the record of highest wicket taking rate, with a wicket every 34 balls (112 wickets in 3821 balls at an amazing average of 10.75) also holds the record for the highest number (35) of wickets in a 3-Test series. He achieved this distinguished feat in the test series when England's Lord Hawkes led team visited South Africa in 1895-96. He claimed 7 for 38 and 8 for 7 at Port Elizabeth then 9 for 28 in the first innings at Johannesburg and again 7 for 42 in the first innings at Cape Town. His final analysis for the series read 35 wickets for 203 runs off 520 balls, averaging 5.80, claiming 5 wickets in an innings four times and twice, ten wickets in a match. The average of 5.80 is the lowest recorded by any bowler to have taken 25 or more wickets in a series in Test Cricket history to date.

2. Sydney Francis Barnes - 34 wickets v South Africa in England, 1912

England's fast medium bowler Sydney Barnes' world record of 49 wickets (in four tests) in a Test series during the 1913-14, series in South Africa still remains intact. Earlier, during the 1912 triangular tournament, SF Barnes claimed 34 wickets at an astonishing average of 8.29 off 128 overs, 38 of which were maidens. He claimed five wickets in an innings five times and thrice ten wickets in a match. The breakup of his 34 wicket haul was: at Lords - 5 for 25 and 6 for 85, at Headingley - 6 for 52 and 4 for 63 and at the Oval - 5 for 28 and 8 for 29. His frequency of wicket taking per test (7) is again a world record and he is considered amongst the best bowlers of all times.

3. Sir Richard Hadlee - 33 wickets v Australia in Australia, 1985-86

Sir Richard Hadlee of New Zealand was the first bowler to claim 400 wickets in Tests and also to achieve this landmark in the fewest numbers of tests (80). He achieved a remarkable bowling performance in the 3-Test series against Australia in 1985-86, which the New Zealand team won 2-1. Hailed as the `swing king' (their present chief selector), claimed 9 for 52 (incidentally, he also caught Geoff Lawson for a `tenth' victim!) in the first innings and 6 for 71 in the second at Brisbane. He took a match total of seven wickets including 5 for 65 in the first innings at Sydney. Finally, at Perth Hadlee claimed 5 for 65 again and 6 for 90. His tally of 33 wickets in the three tests cost him only 11 runs apiece.

4. Harbhajan Singh - 32 wickets v Australia in India, 2000-2001

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh captured 32 out of the total of 49 Australian wickets that fell to bowlers in the recent exciting 3-Test series, which India won 2-1. His final analysis for the rubber read: 178.3 overs, 44 maidens, 545 runs claiming 32 wickets at an average of 17.03 runs per wicket. His splendid performance was instrumental in India's victories at Calcutta (7 for 123 including a hat-trick and 6/73) and at Chennai (7 for 133 and 8/84).