There will be blood
Mitchell Johnson's spell at Kingsmead threatened to send several South Africans to the physio's table. We look back at some of the most hostile bowling spells in Test cricket
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Devon Malcolm v South Africa, The Oval, 1994
Bouncing a tailender is not uncommon, but striking him flush on the helmet isn't always recommended, as South Africa found out in the rudest possible manner. When Malcolm copped a blow close to his eyes off Fanie de Villiers, he muttered in anger, "You guys are history." And he didn't just talk the talk. Earlier in the game, he had politely refused his captain's request to bounce the South African tail, but as the match wore on, he turned over a new leaf and proceeded to demonise the visitors on a lightning-fast pitch. Malcolm set the tone with a nasty lifter to get rid of Gary Kirsten, and South Africa were soon in a mess at 1 for 3. He swung the ball in at raw pace, got it to kick and bounce, and looked set to snatch all 10. Daryll Cullinan, whose 94 got lost in the procession of wickets, was the only one to escape the whirlwind, falling to Darren Gough. Malcolm finished with 9 for 57, a spell that set up England's series-levelling win.
Bouncing a tailender is not uncommon, but striking him flush on the helmet isn't always recommended, as South Africa found out in the rudest possible manner. When Malcolm copped a blow close to his eyes off Fanie de Villiers, he muttered in anger, "You guys are history." And he didn't just talk the talk. Earlier in the game, he had politely refused his captain's request to bounce the South African tail, but as the match wore on, he turned over a new leaf and proceeded to demonise the visitors on a lightning-fast pitch. Malcolm set the tone with a nasty lifter to get rid of Gary Kirsten, and South Africa were soon in a mess at 1 for 3. He swung the ball in at raw pace, got it to kick and bounce, and looked set to snatch all 10. Daryll Cullinan, whose 94 got lost in the procession of wickets, was the only one to escape the whirlwind, falling to Darren Gough. Malcolm finished with 9 for 57, a spell that set up England's series-levelling win.
Watch a clip on Youtube.
Curtly Ambrose v Australia, Perth, 1992-93
Allan Border would deeply regret his decision to bat first on a trampoline WACA pitch. Australia were bowled out for 119 after being caught in a spell of bowling that redefined the word devastation. Ambrose, 6ft 7, with the Fremantle Doctor behind him, sparked off a cycle-stand collapse with a remarkable 32-ball spell that yielded seven wickets for just one run. Ambrose didn't have to overuse the short-pitched stuff - he merely relied on line and length. Six of his victims were caught behind the wicket. The Australians were psychologically wounded, failed to mount a recovery, and conceded the Frank Worrell Trophy yet again.
Allan Border would deeply regret his decision to bat first on a trampoline WACA pitch. Australia were bowled out for 119 after being caught in a spell of bowling that redefined the word devastation. Ambrose, 6ft 7, with the Fremantle Doctor behind him, sparked off a cycle-stand collapse with a remarkable 32-ball spell that yielded seven wickets for just one run. Ambrose didn't have to overuse the short-pitched stuff - he merely relied on line and length. Six of his victims were caught behind the wicket. The Australians were psychologically wounded, failed to mount a recovery, and conceded the Frank Worrell Trophy yet again.
Watch a clip on Youtube.
Harold Larwood v Australia, Adelaide, 1932-33
Nothing less than the sight of blood on the pitch was going to please Douglas Jardine during the most acrimonious series in history. The resentment between the two sides was palpable during the third Test in Adelaide, when Larwood, Jardine's right-hand man, hit Bill Woodfull in the chest. What followed nearly led to a diplomatic falling-out between the two countries. England took the new ball but stuck to their conventional field. However, Bert Oldfield, caught in two minds, inside-edged a Larwood snorter into his head. Though the injury didn't directly come about as a result of leg-theory, the heart-wrenching sight of him collapsing on his knees with a fractured skull was the defining image of the series. Larwood's spell was one of several hostile ones on the tour, each of which was a story in itself.
Nothing less than the sight of blood on the pitch was going to please Douglas Jardine during the most acrimonious series in history. The resentment between the two sides was palpable during the third Test in Adelaide, when Larwood, Jardine's right-hand man, hit Bill Woodfull in the chest. What followed nearly led to a diplomatic falling-out between the two countries. England took the new ball but stuck to their conventional field. However, Bert Oldfield, caught in two minds, inside-edged a Larwood snorter into his head. Though the injury didn't directly come about as a result of leg-theory, the heart-wrenching sight of him collapsing on his knees with a fractured skull was the defining image of the series. Larwood's spell was one of several hostile ones on the tour, each of which was a story in itself.
Imran Khan v India, Karachi 1982-83
On the morning of the second day of the Karachi Test, Imran woke up to a sharp pain in his shin, one that made fleeting reappearances as the Test progressed. Shrugging it off, Imran proceeded to produce one of the deadliest displays of swing bowling, taking 5 for 7 in India's second innings. The dismissal of Gundappa Viswanath, where the ball swung in from outside off and took the middle stump - is part of Pakistani cricket folklore. India, well-placed at 100 for 1, chasing a deficit of 283, collapsed to 114 for 7 and Imran finished with 8 for 60. The battle with pain only brought out the hostility in the spell and Imran, in his book All Round View, wrote of how the setback infused a renewed sense of self-belief: "Little did I know that it [pain] would transform my career, my life and the shape of Pakistan cricket for the next two years.
On the morning of the second day of the Karachi Test, Imran woke up to a sharp pain in his shin, one that made fleeting reappearances as the Test progressed. Shrugging it off, Imran proceeded to produce one of the deadliest displays of swing bowling, taking 5 for 7 in India's second innings. The dismissal of Gundappa Viswanath, where the ball swung in from outside off and took the middle stump - is part of Pakistani cricket folklore. India, well-placed at 100 for 1, chasing a deficit of 283, collapsed to 114 for 7 and Imran finished with 8 for 60. The battle with pain only brought out the hostility in the spell and Imran, in his book All Round View, wrote of how the setback infused a renewed sense of self-belief: "Little did I know that it [pain] would transform my career, my life and the shape of Pakistan cricket for the next two years.
Bob Willis v Australia, Headingley, 1981
A dodgy knee didn't stop Willis from orchestrating what at the time was the greatest comeback victory in a Test. A belligerent 149 by Ian Botham gave England a flicker of hope after they followed on, but Willis knew the job was only half done. The captain, Mike Brearley, held Willis back as Australia began their chase of 130 and then had him change ends. The idea of having him bowl downhill was a masterstroke: Willis thundered in from the Kirkstall Lane end, peppered the hapless Australians with rip snorters and ran through the line-up. When he flattened Ray Bright's middle stump, Willis finished with 8 for 43 and all the pre-match talk about his possible retirement seemed a distant memory. "No wonder he ran in that day like a man possessed, and as though his life depended on it," Botham wrote in his autobiography. "He knew that his career probably did."
A dodgy knee didn't stop Willis from orchestrating what at the time was the greatest comeback victory in a Test. A belligerent 149 by Ian Botham gave England a flicker of hope after they followed on, but Willis knew the job was only half done. The captain, Mike Brearley, held Willis back as Australia began their chase of 130 and then had him change ends. The idea of having him bowl downhill was a masterstroke: Willis thundered in from the Kirkstall Lane end, peppered the hapless Australians with rip snorters and ran through the line-up. When he flattened Ray Bright's middle stump, Willis finished with 8 for 43 and all the pre-match talk about his possible retirement seemed a distant memory. "No wonder he ran in that day like a man possessed, and as though his life depended on it," Botham wrote in his autobiography. "He knew that his career probably did."
Watch a clip on Youtube.
Shoaib Akhtar v Australia, Colombo, 2002-03
An otherwise sleepy afternoon, on which Australia were threatening to bat the opposition out of the match, sprang to life when Shoaib got the ball to talk, sing and swerve, sending Australia crashing from 74 for 2 to a scarcely believable 127 all out. The illustrious names on the wickets list added lustre to Shoaib's frightening spell, which yielded the small matter of five wickets for eight runs. Ricky Ponting chopped one onto his stumps, and Steve Waugh was trapped in front, while Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh had their stumps shattered with toe-crushing yorkers. Shoaib blew away three in the space of four balls, and in all probability ruined the match-report templates laid out by the press covering the game. Fierce as it was, his spell was not good enough to win Pakistan the game - they fell short by 41 runs.
An otherwise sleepy afternoon, on which Australia were threatening to bat the opposition out of the match, sprang to life when Shoaib got the ball to talk, sing and swerve, sending Australia crashing from 74 for 2 to a scarcely believable 127 all out. The illustrious names on the wickets list added lustre to Shoaib's frightening spell, which yielded the small matter of five wickets for eight runs. Ricky Ponting chopped one onto his stumps, and Steve Waugh was trapped in front, while Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh had their stumps shattered with toe-crushing yorkers. Shoaib blew away three in the space of four balls, and in all probability ruined the match-report templates laid out by the press covering the game. Fierce as it was, his spell was not good enough to win Pakistan the game - they fell short by 41 runs.
Frederick Spofforth v England, The Oval, 1882
The spell that spawned the Ashes. Australia had lost six wickets in the second innings, and had a slender lead of 76. Sammy Jones was then run out by WG Grace when he wandered out of the crease to level out a bump on the pitch after completing a single. Fred "the Demon" Spofforth was so incensed at this unsporting conduct that he abused Grace after the innings in "the best Australian vernacular for full five minutes", and announced, "This will lose you the match." England needed only 85 to win, but the wickets tumbled in a shower; Spofforth took seven of the first eight to fall and Australia won a low-scoring classic by seven runs. The last 11 overs of his spell went for only two runs, and yielded four wickets. Not content with merely causing the "death of English cricket", after the match Spofforth criticised the approach of several England batsmen in the second innings.
The spell that spawned the Ashes. Australia had lost six wickets in the second innings, and had a slender lead of 76. Sammy Jones was then run out by WG Grace when he wandered out of the crease to level out a bump on the pitch after completing a single. Fred "the Demon" Spofforth was so incensed at this unsporting conduct that he abused Grace after the innings in "the best Australian vernacular for full five minutes", and announced, "This will lose you the match." England needed only 85 to win, but the wickets tumbled in a shower; Spofforth took seven of the first eight to fall and Australia won a low-scoring classic by seven runs. The last 11 overs of his spell went for only two runs, and yielded four wickets. Not content with merely causing the "death of English cricket", after the match Spofforth criticised the approach of several England batsmen in the second innings.
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Frank Tyson v Australia, Melbourne, 1954-55
Another fast bowler with a cool nickname. "Typhoon" Tyson had already wrecked Australia with 10 wickets in the previous game in Sydney to level the series, but he saved his best for the third Test in Melbourne. Fifty thousand people had come to the MCG on the final day to see an Australian victory: their side was 165 runs away with eight wickets in hand. But they hadn't reckoned with Tyson on a deteriorating track. His express deliveries shot through or sprang viciously when they hit the cracks. Neil Harvey was the first to go, edging down the leg side in the day's first over. Richie Benaud followed, bottom-edging onto the stumps, and Keith Miller nicked a quick one to the slips. With the big names gone, Australia folded 128 runs short, the last eight wickets going down in 80 minutes - well before lunch, leaving the ground caterers with a huge stockpile of unsold meat pies. Tyson had taken 6 for 16 in the day, and England were one step closer to regaining the Ashes after 22 years.
Another fast bowler with a cool nickname. "Typhoon" Tyson had already wrecked Australia with 10 wickets in the previous game in Sydney to level the series, but he saved his best for the third Test in Melbourne. Fifty thousand people had come to the MCG on the final day to see an Australian victory: their side was 165 runs away with eight wickets in hand. But they hadn't reckoned with Tyson on a deteriorating track. His express deliveries shot through or sprang viciously when they hit the cracks. Neil Harvey was the first to go, edging down the leg side in the day's first over. Richie Benaud followed, bottom-edging onto the stumps, and Keith Miller nicked a quick one to the slips. With the big names gone, Australia folded 128 runs short, the last eight wickets going down in 80 minutes - well before lunch, leaving the ground caterers with a huge stockpile of unsold meat pies. Tyson had taken 6 for 16 in the day, and England were one step closer to regaining the Ashes after 22 years.
Jeff Thomson v England, Brisbane, 1974-75
The man Don Bradman rated as the fastest bowler he had seen, alongside Tyson. When the series started, Thomson was a greenhorn with one Test under his belt, and the one bowler of repute in the side, Dennis Lillee, was on the comeback trail from a career-threatening back injury. On an unreliable pitch Thomson peppered the batsmen with bouncers, slipping in the odd lightning-quick yorker, one of which Tony Greig had no answer to. England had to play out nearly seven hours to save the Test, but Thomson's devastating 6 for 46 secured a hard-fought win for the home side, who went on to carry the momentum through the series. Thomson and Lillee were virtually unplayable all through the summer and shared 58 wickets to hammer England 4-1.
The man Don Bradman rated as the fastest bowler he had seen, alongside Tyson. When the series started, Thomson was a greenhorn with one Test under his belt, and the one bowler of repute in the side, Dennis Lillee, was on the comeback trail from a career-threatening back injury. On an unreliable pitch Thomson peppered the batsmen with bouncers, slipping in the odd lightning-quick yorker, one of which Tony Greig had no answer to. England had to play out nearly seven hours to save the Test, but Thomson's devastating 6 for 46 secured a hard-fought win for the home side, who went on to carry the momentum through the series. Thomson and Lillee were virtually unplayable all through the summer and shared 58 wickets to hammer England 4-1.
Allan Donald v England, Trent Bridge, 1998
South Africa were pressing for an unassailable 2-0 lead after they set England 247 to win. Donald was at his terrifying best and his spell to Michael Atherton on the fourth day has come to be regarded as one of the game's classic bouts. In Donald's third over, a short-pitched ball leapt towards Atherton's throat, which the batsman fended to the keeper. Atherton didn't walk and the umpire didn't think it was out; an irate Donald let fly a volley of abuse at the batsman. Coming round the wicket, he then unleashed a barrage of bouncers at Atherton, keeping up the banter all the while. Atherton took several blows on the body, hooked some, evaded some, and somehow managed to survive. Towards the end of the spell Mark Boucher spilled a straightforward chance off Nasser Hussain, to leave Donald drained and frustrated. England cruised to an eight-wicket victory, and Atherton gifted his gloves to Donald - with an autograph on the red stain that marked where the ball had brushed on its way through to the keeper.
South Africa were pressing for an unassailable 2-0 lead after they set England 247 to win. Donald was at his terrifying best and his spell to Michael Atherton on the fourth day has come to be regarded as one of the game's classic bouts. In Donald's third over, a short-pitched ball leapt towards Atherton's throat, which the batsman fended to the keeper. Atherton didn't walk and the umpire didn't think it was out; an irate Donald let fly a volley of abuse at the batsman. Coming round the wicket, he then unleashed a barrage of bouncers at Atherton, keeping up the banter all the while. Atherton took several blows on the body, hooked some, evaded some, and somehow managed to survive. Towards the end of the spell Mark Boucher spilled a straightforward chance off Nasser Hussain, to leave Donald drained and frustrated. England cruised to an eight-wicket victory, and Atherton gifted his gloves to Donald - with an autograph on the red stain that marked where the ball had brushed on its way through to the keeper.
Watch a clip on Youtube.
Michael Holding v India, Kingston, 1975-76
India had pulled off a record chase of 403 in the previous Test in Trinidad, against an attack that included three spinners. West Indies, seething after that reverse, promptly dropped two of the slow bowlers and brought in the quicks, Wayne Daniel and Vanburn Holder. Still, India made a great start in Kingston, with the openers, Sunil Gavaskar and Aunshuman Gaekwad, scoring half-centuries. That's when Holding switched to round the wicket and persistently bowled bouncers at a blistering pace. Gaekwad carried on after being hit several times, but was forced to retire after a blow above his left ear. Gundappa Viswanath was also put out of action when he broke a finger. And Brijesh Patel followed after he edged one into his face. Holding took four wickets and India declared at 306 for 6 because they didn't want to risk injury to their two main bowlers, Bishan Bedi and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar. In the second innings five Indians were absent injured and West Indies took the match by 10 wickets.
India had pulled off a record chase of 403 in the previous Test in Trinidad, against an attack that included three spinners. West Indies, seething after that reverse, promptly dropped two of the slow bowlers and brought in the quicks, Wayne Daniel and Vanburn Holder. Still, India made a great start in Kingston, with the openers, Sunil Gavaskar and Aunshuman Gaekwad, scoring half-centuries. That's when Holding switched to round the wicket and persistently bowled bouncers at a blistering pace. Gaekwad carried on after being hit several times, but was forced to retire after a blow above his left ear. Gundappa Viswanath was also put out of action when he broke a finger. And Brijesh Patel followed after he edged one into his face. Holding took four wickets and India declared at 306 for 6 because they didn't want to risk injury to their two main bowlers, Bishan Bedi and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar. In the second innings five Indians were absent injured and West Indies took the match by 10 wickets.
Kanishkaa Balachandran and Siddarth Ravindran are sub-editors at Cricinfo