5 oldest bowlers to take a 5-wicket haul in Tests in 21st century
No run comes easy in Test cricket and the same is the case for wickets. A bowler needs to put the hard yards in to earn dismissals in the purest format as the batters don’t generally require scoring quick runs. Hence, they can play everything with a dead bat for a significant amount of time. This shows how tough it is to take wickets in red-ball cricket.
Fitness is also a vital aspect of the longest format. With a Test match spanning for five days, a player can’t afford to have mediocre physical health. The challenge gets sterner with time as the body tends to lose sheen with age. However, there are several bowlers who embraced this challenge and troubled batters in the twilight of their careers.
Meanwhile, let’s look at 5 oldest bowlers to pick up a five-wicket haul in Test cricket in 21st century:
Tim Murtagh – 37 years 356 days
Just days before his 38th birthday, Ireland’s Tim Murtagh produced a sensational spell against England team at the iconic Lord’s. The track was conducive for fast bowlers and the Three Lions were struggling against Murtagh. His five-fer meant England got skittled out for just 85 while batting first. The right-arm pacer’s efforts eventually went in vain as Ireland lost the contest by 143 runs.
Muttiah Muralitharan – 38 years 92 days
It was Muttiah Muralitharan’s final Test match and the spin magician didn’t miss out on making the ball talk. As Sri Lanka declared at 520/8 while batting first in Colombo, the Galle track looked ideal for batters. However, that wasn’t the case when India came into bat in the 2010 Test. Muralitharan took a five-fer and took Sri Lanka to a 10-wicket triumph.
Courtney Walsh – 38 years 138 days
One of the four pacers to take have taken over 500 Test wickets, Courtney Walsh spearheaded West Indies’ pace attack during his heydays. He could set the speed gun on fire and his accuracy made him even more lethal. Although his pace came down with time, he remained effective in the last few years of his career. Walsh, at the age of 38 years 138 days, took a five-fer against South Africa in the 2001 Port of Spain Test. The Proteas side, however, won that game by 69 runs.
James Anderson – 39 years 13 days
Veteran England pacer James Anderson is certainly ageing like fine wine and only seems to get better with time. Days after his 39th birthday, the pacer produced a sensational spell against India in the 2021 Lord’s Test. Anderson was at his best as he dismissed the likes of KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara to earn a five-fer in India’s first innings. His efforts, however, went in vain as England suffered a 151-run defeat.
Rangana Herath – 40 years 123 days
The top spot in this list is occupied by former Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath. He, in fact, had entered his 40s when he took his last five-fer in the longest format. It was a 2018 Galle Test and the opposition was South Africa. The talismanic bowler spun his web around and scalped a six-fer in South Africa’s final innings. His efforts took Sri Lanka to a 199-run triumph.
