All hands on deck: Instances when all 11 players bowled in a Test innings
In an era of specialist batsmen and specialist bowlers, we don’t get to see way too many people turning up in bowling shoes. This is prominent especially in Test cricket, where teams don’t bat long enough on pitches assisting bowlers.
However, until a decade ago, every team used to have at least 2-3 reliable options to ensure their bowlers stay fresh. The long history of Test cricket has witnessed as many as four instances where 11 players were made to bowl in an innings.
Here are all the instances where all 11 players rolled their arms in a Test innings:
England vs Australia, The Oval – 1884
Australia got to bat first on a flat deck at The Oval after being 0-1 down in the 3-match Test series ahead of the final game. Their skipper Billy Murdoch was a major contributor with a 525-ball 211 and had partnerships of 143 and 207 runs respectively with Percy McDonnell (103) and Tup Scott (102). Australia’s innings lasted 311 overs (4-ball overs) where they posted 551 as a declaration was not allowed in Test cricket at that point.
This made England use all the 11 players in their line-up including their wicketkeeper, Alfred Lyttelton to bowl. It turned out to be the first-ever instance of 11 players bowling in a single innings. Lyttelton turned out to be the best of the lot as he took four wickets for just 19 runs in the 12 overs he bowled. No other England player took more than two wickets in the Australian innings.
Australia vs Pakistan, Faisalabad – 1980
It took another 96 years for Test cricket to witness 11 players bowling in an innings as Australia achieved this feat in the 1980 Faisalabad Test. Batting first, Australia posted 617 from 211 overs after coming into the game 0-1 behind in the series. Aussie skipper Greg Chappell produced a marathon knock scoring 235 in 441 minutes at the crease.
But they had to work hard to take wickets as Pakistan batted 126 overs for scoring 382/2 before the game, affected by weather, ended in a draw. The Australian bowlers picked only one wicket in those 126 overs which is why they had to use all the 11 players for bowling to keep the main guys fresh for the final Test.
India vs West Indies, St John’s – 2002
The Test series between India and West Indies was spiced up after both teams won one game each and a dead track welcomed them in the 4th Test at Antigua. India posted 513/9 batting first in 196 overs and declared on the 3rd day morning. The Indian team was made to bowl in the remainder of the game as the hosts made 629/9 batting out 248 overs.
The specialist pacers in the Indian line-up bowled 45+ overs each while leg-spinner Anil Kumble could only bowl 14 overs as he broke his jaw. This made Sachin Tendulkar alone bowl 34 overs and cover up for Kumble while the top-order batters Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Wasim Jaffer also rolled their arms to claim their maiden wicket in Test cricket.
South Africa vs West Indies, St John’s – 2005
Three years after the infamous India-West Indies Test, the Antigua ground provided yet another flat track and history repeated itself. Four centurions in the South African innings helped them post 588/6 in 163 overs. Later, they spent 235.2 overs on the field as West Indies went on to make 747 with four individual centuries including Chris Gayle’s triple hundred. South Africa made all the 11 players bowl including their keeper Mark Boucher who ended up taking a wicket.
