Presented below are summarized highlights of three Unique instance when the entire eleven of one team bowled in a innings. 1884- The Oval: In the third three test day played between England and Australia at the Oval from August 11-13 1884 the visitors piled up a total of 551 off 311 four ball overs. Australia Captain W.L Murdoch who later also represented England in one test (1891-92) scored211, which remained the highest individual innings in the 19th century. P.S Mcdonnel (103) and H.J.H. Scott (102) also scored centuries At the end of the first day the score was 363 for 2.Lord Harris the England Captain was so frustrated that he even had called upon wicket keeper HonAlferedLytelton as the tenth bowler. He initially did not succeed but later did not disappoint his captain and claimed 4 for 19 Interestingly Lytleton was wearing his pads in
his second spell. Dr W.G Grace kept wicket The entire England eleven had bowled in the Australia innings. England replied with 369 and following on were on 85 for 2 when the match petered out in a draw W.W Read scored 117 and W.H.Scotton made 90.
1980 Faisalabad: 95 years later to the above first instance the second instance occurred at Faisalabad during the second test match of 1979-80test series between Australia and Pakistan in March 1980 Rain had washed out entire first days play and the second day was also affected by rain. Australia amassed a huge total of 617 largely contributed by massive knocks of 235 by skipper Grieg Chapell and 172 by GrahamYallop. After the Australian innings only 7 hour and 15 minutes of play remained which Pakistan consumed to score 382 for 2 Amdist agnoy and frustration Grieg Chapell utilized his entire eleven on bowing. Apparently as no result was possible Chapell kept wickets after tea on the last day. While wicket keeper Rodney Marsh sent down 10 overs for for 51 runs The match concluded unceremoniously in adraw..Such was the plight of the situation that after this match, famous fast bowler Dennis Lillee returning wicket less for 91 runs of 21 overs called the pitch as bowlers grave yard and vowed never to return there again.
2002-St' Johns Antigua: The Indians compiled a massive score of 510 for 9 declared VVS Laxman (130), Ajay Ratra (115), Rahul Dravid (91),and Wasim Jaffer (86), were the Chief contributors. Noticeable failure was batting icon Sachin Tendulkar being dismissed for a duck. When the West-Indies batted, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (136 N.o), Skipper CarlHooper (136) and wicket keeper RidneyJacobs (118) made superb hundreds. It was only the first instance in test cricket history that wicket keeper of both teams had scored hundreds in the same match. Incidentlly the match also produced only the third instance in test cricket history when entire eleven of a team had
bowled during a test innings. The whole Indian side bowled in the West - Indies innings of 629 for 9 declared in 248 overs. Intrestngly specialist batsman Wasim Jaffer (2), VVS Laxaman (1) Rahul Dravid (1), to their great amusment claimed wickets. Towards the end wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra also turned his arms around while Rahul Dravid kept wickets.
