The Saga of Hat-Tricks in Test Cricket: A Historical Record
Published on 1/24/2025 | Abhay Raj Patel
The exclusive club of Test cricket bowlers who've achieved hat-tricks, from Spofforth to Noman Ali.
A Look at Hat-Tricks in Test Cricket
The Rarest of Feats in Cricket
In Test cricket, a hat-trick, where a bowler takes three wickets in consecutive deliveries, is one of the most celebrated achievements. This blog post delves into the history of hat-tricks in Test matches, highlighting the elite bunch of bowlers who have accomplished this extraordinary feat.
Historical Overview
The first Test hat-trick was recorded by Frederick Spofforth of Australia against England in 1879 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Since then, only 48 bowlers have managed to join this exclusive club, showcasing the rarity and difficulty of this achievement in the longest format of the game.
List of Bowlers with Hat-Tricks
- Frederick Spofforth - Aus vs Eng, Melbourne, 1878-79
- William Bates - Eng vs Aus, Melbourne, 1882-83
- Johnny Briggs - Eng vs Aus, Sydney, 1891-92
- George Lohmann - Eng vs RSA, Port Elizabeth, 1895-96
- Jack Hearne - Eng vs Aus, Leeds, 1899
- Hugh Trumble - Aus vs Eng, Melbourne, 1901-02 & 1903-04 (twice)
- Thomas Matthews - Aus vs RSA, Manchester, 1912 (twice in the same match)
- Maurice Allom - Eng vs NZ, Christchurch, 1929-30
- Tom Goddard - Eng vs RSA, Johannesburg, 1938-39
- Peter Loader - Eng vs WI, Leeds, 1957
- Lindsay Kline - Aus vs RSA, Cape Town, 1957-58
- Wes Hall - WI vs Pak, Lahore, 1958-59
- Geoff Griffin - RSA vs Eng, Lord's, 1960
- Lance Gibbs - WI vs Aus, Adelaide, 1960-61
- Peter Petherick - NZ vs Pak, Lahore, 1976-77
- Courtney Walsh - WI vs Aus, Brisbane, 1988-89
- Merv Hughes - Aus vs WI, Perth, 1988-89
- Damien Fleming - Aus vs Pak, Rawalpindi, 1994-95
- Shane Warne - Aus vs Eng, Melbourne, 1994-95
- Dominic Cork - Eng vs WI, Manchester, 1995
- Darren Gough - Eng vs Aus, Sydney, 1998-99
- Wasim Akram - Pak vs SL, Lahore & Dhaka, 1998-99 (twice)
- Nuwan Zoysa - SL vs Zim, Harare, 1999-2000
- Abdul Razzaq - Pak vs SL, Galle, 1999-2000
- Glenn McGrath - Aus vs WI, Perth, 2000-01
- Harbhajan Singh - Ind vs Aus, Kolkata, 2000-01
- Mohammad Sami - Pak vs SL, Lahore, 2001-02
- Jermaine Lawson - WI vs Aus, Bridgetown, 2002-03
- Alok Kapali - Ban vs Pak, Peshawar, 2003
- Andy Blignaut - Zim vs Ban, Harare, 2003-04
- Matthew Hoggard - Eng vs WI, Barbados, 2003-04
- James Franklin - NZ vs Ban, Dhaka, 2004-05
- Irfan Pathan - Ind vs Pak, Karachi, 2005-06
- Ryan Sidebottom - Eng vs NZ, Hamilton, 2007-08
- Peter Siddle - Aus vs Eng, Brisbane, 2010-11
- Stuart Broad - Eng vs Ind, Nottingham & Eng vs SL, Leeds, 2011 & 2014 (twice)
- Sohag Gazi - Ban vs NZ, Chittagong, 2013-14
- Rangana Herath - SL vs Aus, Galle, 2016
- Moeen Ali - Eng vs RSA, The Oval, 2017
- Jasprit Bumrah - Ind vs WI, Kingston, 2019
- Naseem Shah - Pak vs Ban, Rawalpindi, 2020
- Keshav Maharaj - RSA vs WI, Gros Islet, 2021
- Gus Atkinson - Eng vs NZ, Wellington, 2024-25
- Noman Ali - Pak vs WI, Multan, 2025
Notable Facts
- Only four bowlers have managed to take two hat-tricks in Test cricket: Hugh Trumble, Thomas Matthews, Wasim Akram, and Stuart Broad.
- Thomas Matthews is unique for taking hat-tricks in both innings of the same Test match.
- Several bowlers have taken hat-tricks on their Test debut, including Maurice Allom, Peter Petherick, and Damien Fleming.
The Legacy
Each hat-trick in Test cricket creates moments of magic that are remembered for generations. These feats are not just about the skill of the bowler but also about the context of the match, the conditions, and sometimes, sheer luck. As cricket continues to evolve, each new hat-trick adds to the rich tapestry of Test cricket's history, reminding fans of the unpredictable and thrilling nature of the sport.
Indians to Take test Hat Tricks
Three Indian bowlers, Harbhajan Singh against Australia in Kolkata 2000-01, Irfan Pathan vs Pakistan in Karachi 2005-06, and Jasprit Bumrah vs West Indies in Kingston 2019, have taken test hat tricks for India.