Australia are almost like an invincible team in Test cricket. It’s no less than a challenge to beat them.
And the biggest strength behind Australia’s dominance are their batters. So dismissing them is almost equal to achieving some sort of prize. And dismissing them more times is like having a mental edge against the Aussies.
On that note, here’s a look at the bowlers with the most wickets against Australia in Tests.
Leading Wicket-Takers Against Australia in Tests
| Player (Team) | Mat | Inns | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ | 5W/10W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Broad (ENG) | 40 | 74 | 153 | 8/15 | 28.96 | 3.19 | 8/1 |
| Ian Botham (ENG) | 36 | 66 | 148 | 6/78 | 27.65 | 2.89 | 9/2 |
| Courtney Walsh (WI) | 38 | 69 | 135 | 6/54 | 28.68 | 2.71 | 4/0 |
| Richard Hadlee (NZ) | 23 | 41 | 130 | 9/52 | 20.56 | 2.63 | 14/3 |
| Curtly Ambrose (WI) | 27 | 51 | 128 | 7/25 | 21.23 | 2.43 | 8/1 |
| Bob Willis (ENG) | 35 | 69 | 128 | 8/43 | 26.14 | 2.75 | 7/0 |
| James Anderson (ENG) | 39 | 72 | 117 | 6/47 | 35.97 | 2.93 | 5/1 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) | 23 | 43 | 115 | 7/103 | 28.58 | 2.71 | 7/1 |
| Anil Kumble (IND) | 20 | 38 | 111 | 8/141 | 30.32 | 3.09 | 10/2 |
| Wilfred Rhodes (ENG) | 41 | 65 | 109 | 8/68 | 24.00 | 2.71 | 6/1 |
| Sydney Barnes (ENG) | 20 | 36 | 106 | 7/60 | 21.58 | 2.38 | 12/1 |
| Derek Underwood (ENG) | 29 | 53 | 105 | 7/50 | 26.38 | 2.07 | 4/2 |
| Alec Bedser (ENG) | 21 | 37 | 104 | 7/44 | 27.49 | 2.42 | 7/2 |
| Lance Gibbs (WI) | 24 | 44 | 103 | 6/29 | 31.28 | 2.06 | 6/0 |
| Bobby Peel (ENG) | 20 | 35 | 101 | 7/31 | 16.98 | 1.97 | 5/1 |
Key Insights on Leading Wicket-Takers against Australia in Test Cricket
Historical Milestones and Career Wickets vs Australia in Tests
England’s Stuart Broad has taken the most wickets against Australia in Tests, with 153 scalps in 74 innings. This is the fifth-most wickets a bowler has taken against a Test opponent.
Broad picked up 106 of his 153 wickets in England, the most by a bowler against Australia in a country in Tests.
West Indies’ Curtly Ambrose has the most Test wickets against Australia in Australia, with 78 scalps in 28 outings.
Most Five-Wicket and Ten-Wicket Hauls vs Australia in Tests
New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee has bagged the most five-wicket hauls against Australia in Tests. He had 14 spells of five or more wickets across 41 outings.
England’s Sydney Barnes (12), England’s Tom Richardson (11) and India’s Anil Kumble (10) are the other bowlers with 10 or more five-fors against the Aussies in Tests.
Tom Richardson has also picked up the most ten-wicket hauls against Australia in Tests, with four hauls to his name.
Best Match Figures and Bilateral Series Dominance vs Australia in Tests
England’s Jim Laker has claimed the best bowling figures against Australia in a Test innings. He returned 10 for 53 in the third innings of the 1956 Manchester Test. This is also the best bowling figures by any bowler in a Test innings.
Laker has also delivered the best match haul against the Aussies, taking 19 for 90 in the 1956 Manchester Test. He had 9 for 37 in the second innings of the match before the ten-for. This is also the best Test match haul by a bowler.
Laker has picked up the most wickets against Australia in a bilateral Test series. He fetched 46 scalps in the five-match Ashes at home in 1956. This is the second-most wickets by a bowler in a bilateral Test series. (Read more on Laker’s incredible feat here.)
Best Metrics and Venue Dominance vs Australia in Tests
England’s Barnes and George Lohmann have taken the joint most wickets against Australia at a single venue in Tests. Both took 35 scalps each at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground, respectively.
Lohmann has the best bowling average against Australia in Tests, taking 77 wickets at 13.01 across 30 innings (minimum 50 wickets).
South Africa’s Mike Procter has the lowest bowling strike rate against Australia, claiming 41 wickets at 36.9 in 14 innings (minimum 1000 balls bowled).
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