Do you know? Who has the record for most stumpings in Test cricket
For a wicketkeeper, stumping is not an easy job to do. It requires great reflexes and solid reaction time from the keepers to affect a stumping and it needs super glovework for the keepers to achieve a stumping. While it may look easy for the ones sitting outside, to affect a stumping also requires great deal of agility that not every player has. Former Australian Bert Oldfield is one such man who still holds the record for most stumpings in Tests.
Oldfield affected a total of 52 stumpings in his entire Test career, which is the most by any wicketkeeper to date. 28 of those were off spin bowler Clarrie Grimmett alone. He made his Test debut against arch-rivals England in Sydney in the 1920/21 Ashes series.
He played 54 Tests for Australia and affected 130 dismissals as a wicketkeeper. Oldfield also took 78 catches in his total dismissals in 101 innings. He is still six stumpings ahead as England’s Godfrey Evans occupies the second position for his 46 stumpings.
A right-handed batter, Oldfield scored 1427 runs in 54 games at an average of 22.65. He smashed four half-centuries with the highest score of 65* in 80 innings. He also appeared in 245 First-Class matches and struck 6135 runs at an average of 23.77. Bert slammed six centuries and 21 half-centuries with the best score of 137 in 315 innings. He took 399 catches affected 263 stumpings in FC cricket.
Born on September 09, 1894, in Sydney, New South Wales, his international career spanned 17 long years, with his last Test appearance coming against the English side in Melbourne in 1937. On August 10, 1976, Oldfield took his last breath as he passed away aged 81y 336d in Sydney.
