Against Sri Lanka at Durban, Marco Jansen registered the best ever Test match figures by a South African left-arm fast bowler.
Jansen had already entered the record books during his first-innings burst at Kingsmead, when he took 7-13 to send Sri Lanka packing for 42. Building on that 149-run lead, South Africa declared the second innings closed on 366-5, setting a target of 516.
Jansen had dismissed Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis on the third evening. On the fourth afternoon, he claimed Kusal Mendis to get become the second South African left-arm fast bowler, after Alf Hall, to take ten wickets in a Test match. He then bowled Asitha Fernando to finish with 11-86, eclipsing Hall’s record of 11-112.
Hall’s famous performance came on Test debut. Despite England’s one-wicket win in that thriller, he was chaired off the ground. He was an immensely popular cricketer (his delightfully poor batting probably played a part in that), particularly in Transvaal. Business commitments restricted his career to seven Tests, but Hall still managed 40 Test wickets at 22.15.
Jansen also became the first South African left-arm seamer to take eight or more wickets in the same Test while conceding so few runs (Trevor Goddard used to hold that record, with 8-92).
Best Test match figures by South African left-arm pacers
| Bowler | Figures | Opposition | Venue | Season |
| Marco Jansen | 11-86 | Sri Lanka | Durban (Kingsmead) | 2024-25 |
| Alf Hall | 11-112 | England | Cape Town | 1922-23 |
| Brett Schultz | 9-106 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | 1993-94 |
| Alf Hall | 9-167 | England | Johannesburg (Old Wanderers) | 1928-29 |
| Trevor Goddard | 8-92 | Australia | Johannesburg (New Wanderers) | 1966-67 |
| Nandre Burger | 7-83 | India | Centurion | 2023-24 |
| Marco Jansen | 7-91 | India | Cape Town | 2021-22 |
| Trevor Goddard | 7-93 | England | Nottingham | 1960 |
| ‘Gobo’ Ashley | 7-95 | England | Cape Town | 1888-89 |
| Marco Jansen | 7-98 | India | Johannesburg (New Wanderers) | 2021-22 |
Note:
- Chaminda Vaas’s 14-191 against the West Indies at the SSC in 2001-02 are the best Test match figures by any left-arm seamer. Mitchell Johnson (12-127 at Centurion in 2013-14) holds the record in South Africa.
- Makhaya Ntini (13-132 against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 2005) has the best Test match figures for any type of South African bowler.
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