This post is based on a short talk by David Wood to the visiting Walkers and Talkers on the 10th February 2026.
- Abdur Rehman, played 4 Championship and 3 CB40 matches for Somerset in 2012.
Bowling for Pakistan against Bangladesh in a One Day International in 2014 he achieved a unique record,
His first delivery was beyond the reach of the batsman and wicketkeeper and was called a Wide – 1run.
His second delivery was a full toss over waist high – called a No-ball but was struck for a single – 2 runs.
His third was another full toss over waist high – again called a no ball but hit for a boundary – 5 runs.
Having bowled two full tosses over waist high in the same over he was immediately removed from the attack as required by the conditions of play.
Not having bowled a legitimate ball, his analysis was therefore
0 Overs, 0 Maidens, 0 Wickets, 8 Runs
2. Ten Wickets in an Innings
Since 1772 there have been over 65,000 first class matches, theoretically over 1/4 million innings but of course not all matches had four completed innings (declarations, innings wins etc.) so assume 150,000 completed innings.
There have been 81 occasions when a bowler has taken all 10 wickets so odds of approximately 20,000 to 1, however there have been some strange coincidences/ events.
2.1 All on the same day…20th July 1921
Jack White 10/76 v Worcestershire
Billy Bestwick 10/40 – Derby v Glamorgan
2.2 Five times in less than three months…the above plus
Tom Rusby 19/43 Surrey v Somerset
Charlie Parker 10/79 Gloucestershire v Somerset
Arthur Mailly 10/60 Australia v Gloucestershire
(Note. Somerset involved in 3 of the 5 occasions)
2.3 What then are the odds of a bowler taking 10 wickets in one season against the same opponents?
1956 – Jim Laker…10/56 against Australia (having taken 9/37 in the first innings) and 10/88 for Surrey earlier that season.
3. A few others……
Sammy Woods playing for Cambridge in 1890 – 10/69
W.G. Grace MCC v Oxford University in 1866 – 10/49 (he also scored a century).
Richard Banton (Somerset) – playing for Middlesex 10/45 v Derbyshire in 1994
Ted Tyler – 10/49 v Surrey in 1895 (the ball is displayed in the Somerset Cricket Museum).
Anil Kumble (India) and Ayaz Patel (New Zealand) both started their bowling spells on New Years Eve and completed their spells on New Years Day, thus completing taking 10 wickets in different years.
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