Best match figures on Test debut

England fast bowler Gus Atkinson took 12 wickets on Test debut at Lord's to help England secure victory over West Indies by an innings and 114 runs - Where does his effort rank among the best figures on Test debut? 

The Surrey pacer impressed in the first innings of the match, as he returned figures of 7-45, the second-best by an Englishman on Test debut. This haul included a breathtaking burst of three wickets in four deliveries, as he narrowly missed a hat-trick.

In the second innings, Atkinson dismissed Kavem Hodge and Jason Holder on Day 2 of the match, before returning on Day 3 to take the wickets of Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales to clean up the tail and secure victory for his side.

When he took his tenth wicket of the match, Atkinson became the seventh Englishman and the 19th man overall to take that many in their first Test match. The last man from England to do so was John Lever in December 1976, and the last pacer to do so was Pakistan's Mohammad Zahid in November 1996.

Atkinson's effort has also seen him rank fourth for the best match figures on Test debut by any man.

Best match figures on men's Test debut: The top five

Narendra Hirwani (IND): 16-136 vs West Indies, 1988

In a scarcely believable effort, leg spinner Narendra Hirwani stole the show on Test debut in 1988, as he picked up eight wickets in each innings against West Indies in Chennai. In the first innings, he took 8-61 as only openers Phil Simmons and Desmond Haynes were spared. But Hirwani got both of them in his second effort, as he returned 8-75 to help India to a 255-run win. Till date, he remains the only Indian to pick up 10 or more wickets on Test debut.

Robert Massie (AUS): 16-137 vs England, 1972

Like Hirwani, Australian pacer Bob Massie also took eight wickets apiece in both innings of his first Test match. Playing against England at Lord's in 1972, he sent down 32.5 overs to return 8-84 in the first innings, before improving upon those figures in the third with 8-53. Australia went on to win by eight wickets, chasing 81 in the fourth innings.

Fred Martin (ENG): 12-102 vs Australia, 1890

The early days of Test cricket were dominated by bowlers due to the nature of the wickets in those days, but Fred Martin's 12-102 against Australia remains a superb effort on debut nonetheless. The left-arm pacer took 6-50 & 6-52 as England won by eight wickets. Curiously, he only played one more Test match, in which he took 2-39 against South Africa in 1892.

Gus Atkinson (ENG): 12-106 vs West Indies, 2024

Atkinson's 12-wicket haul may actually have been overshadowed. The match which he did it in had been dominated by the impending retirement of veteran pacer James Anderson, but the youngster ensured he put in a stellar audition to step up as the legend's replacement. With figures of 7-45 & 5-61, he helped England to a win by an innings and 114 runs.

Prabath Jayasuriya (SL): 12-177 vs Australia, 2022

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya debuted in Test cricket at the age of 30, against Australia in Galle. But when he did, he made sure to make an impact. Jayasuriya foxed Australia's middle-order before cleaning up the tail to pick up 6-118 in his first attempt. Second time around, he took 6-59 including three of the Aussies' top four to help skittle them for 151 and secure victory by an innings and 39 runs.

Full list of players to take 10 or more wickets on Test debut

  1. Narendra Hirwani (IND): 16-136 vs West Indies, 1988
  2. Robert Massie (AUS): 16-137 vs England, 1972
  3. Fred Martin (ENG): 12-102 vs Australia, 1890
  4. Gus Atkinson (ENG): 12-106 vs West Indies, 2024
  5. Prabath Jayasuriya (SL): 12-177 vs Australia, 2022
  6. Jason Krejza (AUS): 12-358 vs India, 2008
  7. Clarrie Grimmett (AUS): 11-82 vs England, 1925
  8. Charles Marriott (ENG): 11-96 vs West Indies, 1933
  9. Alf Hall (SA): 11-112 vs England, 1923
  10. Mohammad Zahid (PAK): 11-130 vs New Zealand, 1996
  11. Alec Bedser (ENG): 11-145 vs India, 1946
  12. Praveen Jayawickrama (SL): 11-178 vs Bangladesh, 2021
  13. Sydney Burke (SA): 11-196 vs New Zealand, 1962
  14. Alf Valentine (WI): 11-204 vs England, 1950
  15. Abrar Ahmed (PAK): 11-234 vs England, 2022
  16. John Lever (ENG): 10-70 vs India, 1970
  17. Hines Johnson (WI): 10-96 vs England, 1948
  18. Tom Richardson (ENG): 10-156 vs Australia, 1893
  19. Ken Farnes (ENG): 10-179 vs Australia, 1934

You can watch Atkinson in action for Surrey and England in style with Seat Unique.

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