The things Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla will always be remembered for

Immediately on his accession in 1915, Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla began construction of a large civil hospital, and a railway bridge over River Karjan and new terminus right at the edge of the capital town. The railway bridge and station were inaugurated in 1917, and the hospital in 1919.

Infrastructure was always on top of the Maharaja’s mind, and he commissioned a power house and water works.

He then turned his attention to education, and built a stately high school in the early 1930s on a hillock overlooking the new main bazaar that he had laid out in line with contemporary town planning methods. Sports were made compulsory for youngsters and the dhaba ground was laid out for cricket, hockey and football. On the other hand, the Rajpipla Gymkhana and polo ground were set up, along with a public garden for leisure activities of the people. The Rajpipla Chitrashala not only housed a fine collection of art but also trained budding artists.

6th June 1934: Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla leading in his colt Windsor Lad after winning the Epsom Derby of England.

Maharaja Vijaysinhji was a horseman to the core. Polo was played every evening in Rajpipla during the winter, and over the years he became a world-famous racehorse owner. His horses won several prestigious races in India, United Kingdom and Europe. He clinched a hat-trick of Derbys, being victorious in the Indian Derby in 1919, Irish Derby in 1926 and reached the pinnacle in 1934 when his Windsor Lad triumphed in the blue riband of the turf, the Epsom Derby of England.

Indrajit-Padmini Mahal, also known as Vadia Palace, dubbed the Taj of Gujarat in its heyday.

While he carried out several benevolent reforms for the benefit of every section of society, his taste and sophistication were reflected in the architectural marvels that he created, principally the Hanumanteshwar Castle on the banks of River Narmada, Sommerville European Guest House and the best of them all, Indrajit-Padmini Mahal also known as Vadia Palace, dubbed in its heyday as ‘The Taj of Gujarat’. 

The aerodrome that he laid out may now be revived with the coming of the Statue of Unity and the growing importance of Rajpipla.

Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla, second from left, with Raja Joginder Sen of Mandi, Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala and Maharaja Pratap Singh of Nabha.

Post independence of India came the question of merger of princely States. In 1948, Mr. V.P. Menon, Secretary in the Ministry of States under Sardar Patel, approached Maharaja Vijaysinhji to convene meetings at his seaside home ‘Palm Beach’ on Nepeansea Road, Bombay, with his fellow rulers of Gujarat and convince them to merge their States with the Union of India. Maharaja Vijaysinhji chaired meetings for three consecutive days which went into the late hours, at the end of which he read out a statement on behalf of the rulers of Gujarat announcing their decision to merge their States with the mother country.

He then sailed for England where he had a property ‘The Manor’ at Old Windsor, after handing over the administration of his beloved Rajpipla State to the praja mandal or people’s group for the last few months till it was taken over by the administrator appointed by the government. Maharaja Vijaysinhji was a multi-faceted personality, but three things that he will always be remembered for are (a) his great Epsom Derby triumph, still the only Indian owner to win this coveted race; (b) the magnificent Indrajit-Padmini Mahal; and (c) his magnanimous role in the merger of Gujarat States with the Union of India. He left a mark that will not be forgotten for a long, long time.

Rajpipla State, a perspective

 

The last two rulers of Rajpipla State. Maharana Chhatrasinhji (back, reign 1897-1915) and Maharaja Vijaysinhji (reign 1915-1948, titular head 1948-1951).

Sincere thanks for all the good wishes on my 71st birthday, 29th July 2026.

 My sincere thanks to all my dear relatives and friends who wished me on my 71st birthday, 29th July 2026. I am exctremely grateful for your blessings and good wishes. It is a wonderful feeling to be remembered by so many gracious people, and I reciprocate the sentiments in equal measure. Thank you very much. Warm regards and best wishes. 

Gary Sobers, cricketer beyond compare, genius like no other. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century’

Just as the memorable careers of the three Ws were drawing to a close, there appeared on the stage a cricketer blessed by nature like no other. Inarguably the most versatile and complete player, with class stamped all over, the left-handed genius Garfield Sobers was the only one apart from Bradman who would walk into everybody’s all-time dream team. To state the obvious, Sobers was a powerful strokeplayer, predecessor to Brian Lara in myriad ways, not the least in hitting up the record score and highest aggregate in Test cricket; bowler of greater variety than anyone in history - genuine speed, medium-pace swing, left-arm orthodox as well as chinaman; and a superb fielder, particularly close to the wicket in the slips or at backward short-leg.  Like Bradman, the game is not likely to see another with his amazing skills.

The doyen himself, Sir Neville Cardus, described Sobers’ batting thus: “He makes a stroke with moments to spare. The sure sign of mastery, of genius of any order, is absence of strain, natural freedom of rhythm.” How aptly can this be applied to sportspersons of any discipline. Brian Johnston, legend in the commentary box, observed Sobers for years. He wrote in his book It’s Been a Piece of Cake: “…..like all the greats - he had a sound defensive technique, but in attack with a high backlift and perfect timing the power of his strokes had to be seen to be believed. His sizzling drives and crashing hooks were hammered to the boundary, leaving the fielders helpless to stop them.”

Sobers never wore a thigh pad, and except for early in his career had no use for a cap, batting or fielding. His rasping cuts were facilitated by a light bat weighing around 2 lb 4 oz. There was no less power in his shots than seen today by those wielding the chunky modern day bludgeons. That is one of the reasons why there are not many players today who can play genuine horizontal bat shots like the cut, pull and hook with authority. Sobers rarely went down the wicket to the spinners, either using his long reach to drive or playing right back.

For someone who was pitchforked into the Test arena as a 17-year-old left-arm spinner in 1953-54 after just two first-class appearances, it is quite amazing that Sobers went on to become one of the greatest batsmen in history. Four years after his debut, he recorded his first Test hundred against Pakistan at Kingston, an unbeaten 365, the top score at the highest level, surpassing Len Hutton’s mark of two decades earlier. He added 446 for the second wicket in the company of Conrad Hunte, just five runs short of the then all-time high for any wicket put up by Ponsford and Bradman in 1934. Sobers celebrated his achievement by hammering a century in each innings - 125 and 108 not out - in the Georgetown Test. He finished the series with 824 runs at an average of 137.33. The legend of Sobers had been launched.

In 1959-60 against England, Sobers hit up 709 runs at an average of 101.28, crashing 226 at Bridgetown, 147 at Kingston and 146 at Georgetown. He put on 399 for the fourth wicket with Worrell in the Georgetown Test. Though a natural successor to Worrell, Sobers was not as diligent a captain as Bradman. From 1966 to 1967-68, Sobers had a golden run with the bat, averaging over 100 in two successive series, and 90 in the third. During the 1966 tour of England, he scored 722 runs at an average of 103.14 in five Tests, took 20 wickets at 27.25 apiece and held 10 catches. England were again given a 3-1 hammering, and Sobers once more hit up three centuries - 161 at Old Trafford, 163 not out at Lord’s and 174 at Headingley. He then went to India in 1966-67, scoring half-centuries in all his five innings with a highest of 95, aggregating 342 runs and averaging 114. By now the West Indies were the best side in the world. In 1967-68 against England at home, Sobers knocked up 545 runs in five Tests at 90.83 per innings but his over-confident declaration in the fourth Test at Kingston - 215 to win in 165 minutes - handed the series to England, who won that game with three minutes to spare, and the crown slipped.

The irrepressible Sobers became the first batsman in first-class cricket to hit 6 sixes in an over for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan, smashing a bewildered Malcolm Nash at St Helen’s Ground, Swansea in 1968. It was in the evening of his career that Sobers played what Sir Donald Bradman described as the best innings he had seen in Australia, comparing it to Stan McCabe’s superb 232 at Trent Bridge in 1938. He slammed 254 for the Rest of the World against Australia at Melbourne in 1971-72 against a young and lightning fast Dennis Lillee. It was an amazing display of pyrotechnics, and when it reached its crescendo, rousing applause came from the spectators and fielders alike. 

When a damaged knee ended his 20-year Test career, Sobers had become the highest run-getter in his 93 appearances with 8032 runs at an average of 57.78, having blazed 26 hundreds, second behind Bradman’s 29. He had captured 235 wickets at 34.03 each, and snapped up 109 catches. It would be fair to say that had he batted higher than the no. 6 that he often did as captain, and if the West Indies did not have bowlers of the calibre of Wesley Hall, Charlie Griffith and Lance Gibbs, Sobers would have had many more runs and wickets to his credit. Gary Sobers was a cricketer beyond compare. It was just a matter of time before knighthood was bestowed on him.

Now on Amazon. Indra Vikram Singh’s three volume set of collector’s edition books on all the 13 Men’s One-day Cricket World Cup tournaments 1975-2023

 

A three volume set of collector’s edition books on all the 13 Men’s One-day Cricket World Cup tournaments was published in December 2025. Written, designed and produced by Indra Vikram Singh, the books provide a panorama of the premier event in One-day cricket.

This 1128-page set of books commemorates the golden jubilee of the World Cup. It narrates a definitive history of the tournament, from its inception in 1975 till the previous edition in 2023. It has been written for the connoisseur as well as the novice, for the collector and the aficionado, for the journalist and the statistician, for the diehard and one with a passing interest in the game. It has something for everyone, and everything about World Cup cricket. It is easy to refer to and provides authentic information about every player, every match and every team, and carries photographs from some of the best professionals in the world. It provides highlights as well as sidelights, and brings to the fore the stars, the nail-biting finishes, the drama and controversy, even the momentary flashes of brilliance.

Featured are classic matches, 86 of the most exciting contests; and memorable performances, 102 brilliant individual feats by different players in various matches. The Hall of Fame sections showcase the exploits of 170 top players in the World Cup. These are all with breath-taking photographs, more than 400 of them, from the best professionals around the globe.

Those interested in numbers will find detailed statistics and records of all the 20 teams, and batting, bowling, allround, wicketkeeping, fielding and miscellaneous records. There are complete scorecards of all the 493 matches played, each tournament in a different colour combination. The batting and bowling averages, and fielding numbers, of all the 1222 players who appeared in the World Cup are incorporated, again each team in a different colour.

The trophies, logos, mascots, sponsorship, prize money and commercial aspect have been encapsulated. The Tailenders provide interesting snippets, the sidelights, lighter moments and trivia. And what is bound to delight the fan is a handwritten letter of Sir Donald Bradman received by the author in 1999. It is a collector’s item for the ages, something to be cherished for years, decades and generations.

ISBN of the three-volume set 978-81-967423-0-0

MRP of the three-volume set Indian Rupees 12,000

Available at an attractive price on Amazon https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0H639BXP2

Slip case 9.25 inches (length) x 11.75 inches (height) x 3 inches (width) - (1 set of 3 volumes)

Slip case weight 4.65 kilograms (1 set of 3 volumes)

Carton size (4 sets of 3 volumes) 12.75 inches x 13.25 inches x 10 inches (height)

Carton weight (4 sets of 3 volumes) 19 kilograms

Published in India by Sporting Links, 2025 

Distributed in India by Variety Book Depot, AVG Bhawan 1^st floor, M-3 Connaught Place (Middle Circle), New Delhi-110001, Phones +91 11 23417175, +91 11 23412567, +91 11 42707723, Email varietybookdepot@gmail.com

Available in Mumbai at The Marine Sports, 63A Gokhale Road (North), Dadar, Mumbai-400028, Phones +91 9323421282, +91 702143389, Email themarinesports@gmail.com

Export enquiries welcome

Men’s One-day Cricket World Cup 1975-2023. Indra Vikram Singh's three volume set of collector’s edition books showcases all the 13 tournaments from 1975 to 2023

This set of books commemorates the golden jubilee of the World Cup. It narrates a definitive history of the tournament, from its inception in 1975 till the previous edition in 2023. It has been written for the connoisseur as well as the novice, for the collector and the aficionado, for the journalist and the statistician, for the diehard and one with a passing interest in the game. It has something for everyone, and everything about World Cup cricket. It is easy to refer to and provides authentic information about every player, every match and every team, and carries photographs from some of the best professionals in the world. It provides highlights as well as sidelights, and brings to the fore the stars, the nail-biting finishes, the drama and controversy, even the momentary flashes of brilliance.

Featured are classic matches, 86 of the most exciting contests; and memorable performances, 102 brilliant individual feats by different players in various matches. The Hall of Fame sections showcase the exploits of 170 top players in the World Cup. These are all with breath-taking photographs, more than 400 of them, from the best professionals around the globe.

Those interested in numbers will find detailed statistics and records of all the 20 teams, and batting, bowling, allround, wicketkeeping, fielding and miscellaneous records. There are complete scorecards of all the 493 matches played, each tournament in a different colour combination. The batting and bowling averages, and fielding numbers, of all the 1222 players who appeared in the World Cup are incorporated, again each team ina different colour.

 The trophies, logos, mascots, sponsorship, prize money and commercial aspect have been encapsulated. The Tailenders provide interesting snip pets, the sidelights, lighter moments and trivia. And what is bound to delight the fan is a handwritten letter of Sir Donald Bradman received by the author in 1999. It is a collector’s item for the ages, something to be cherished for years, decades and generations.

 

ISBN of the three-volume set 978-81-967423-0-0

MRP of the three-volume set Indian Rupees 12,000

Available at an attractive price on Amazon https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0H639BXP2

Slip case 9.25 inches (length) x 11.75 inches (height) x 3 inches (width) - (1 set of 3 volumes)

Slip case weight 4.65 kilograms (1 set of 3 volumes)

Carton size (4 sets of 3 volumes) 12.75 inches x 13.25 inches x 10 inches (height)

Carton weight (4 sets of 3 volumes) 19 kilograms

Published in India by Sporting Links, 2025

Distributed in India by Variety Book Depot, AVG Bhawan 1^st floor, M-3 Connaught Place (Middle Circle), New Delhi-110001, Phones +91 11 23417175, +91 11 23412567, +91 11 42707723, Email varietybookdepot@gmail.com

Available in Mumbai at The Marine Sports, 63A Gokhale Road (North), Dadar, Mumbai-400028, Phones +91 9323421282, +91 702143389, Email themarinesports@gmail.com

 Export enquiries welcome

 

Test Cricket 1970s and 1980s - Top Bowlers

 (27 November 1970 to 16 April 1990)

The terrifying duo of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson.

The fearsome foursome of Roberts, Holding, Garner and Croft.

Marshall compounded the miseries of the batsmen.

This epoch of the decades of the 1970s and 1980s saw fast bowling like no other. It was also the time when some of the greatest allrounders in history paraded their wares. In fact, the leading wicket-takers in this period were four of these top-class allrounders. Richard Hadlee became the first bowler to capture 400 Test wickets. Ian Botham had 376 wickets to his name, Kapil Dev 364 and Imran Khan 358. All of them added to their tally, Hadlee finishing with a record 431 scalps. Kapil Dev pipped him towards the end of his career with 434 victims. Botham ended with 383 wickets, and Imran with 362, an era not likely to return.

One of the fiercest fast bowlers ever, Dennis Lillee had the record of 355 wickets to his name when he hung up his boots. The much-feared Malcolm Marshall and the tall and gangling Bob Willis also topped 300 wickets in this time, 329 and 325 respectively. Marshall rounded off his career with 376 wickets. Six bowlers grabbed at least 200 wickets, four of them pacemen, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts and Jeff Thomson, and two spinners Derek Underwood and Abdul Qadir.

Among those who appeared in this time, six bowlers ripped out more than 200 wickets in their entire careers, a myriad collection of three pacemen, one of them a left-armer, and three spinners of different varieties. Courtney Walsh had taken the record with 519 scalps, Wasim Akram called it a day 414 wickets, while Lance Gibbs too was a record-holder with a bag of 309. Bishan SinghBedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and John Snow were other members of the 200 wickets club.

Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner registered some of the best averages ever. Marshall expended 20.76 runs for each of his 329 wickets, while Garner was just a wee bit behind with 20.97 for his 259 wickets. Marshall finally walked away with an average of 20.94, having blasted out 376 wielders of the willow.

Richard Hadlee’s average was 22.23 while he prised out 415 wickets. Imran Khan was close on his heels at 22.87, having claimed 358 victims. Hadlee eventually had an average of 22.29 for his 431 wickets, while Imran’s was 22.81 in his final count of 362 wickets. Colin Croft (125 wickets at 23.30), Holding (249 wickets at 23.68) and Lillee (355 wickets at 23.92) had career averages below 24. Walsh averaged 23.88 for his 134 wickets in this period, and finally gave away 24.44 runs for each of his 519 wickets.

They were followed by Bob Willis (325 wickets at 25.20) and Andy Roberts (202 wickets at 25.61). John Snow averaged 25.85 as he snapped up 103 wickets in this person, while he finally bowed out at 26.66 for his 202 wickets.

These were the top bowlers in the decades of the 1970s and 1980s ruled by speed, speed and more speed, with spin finding it exceedingly difficult to keep pace (pun unintended). While the West Indies speed merchants were spine-chilling, every other team had great fast bowlers in their ranks.

TOP WICKET-TAKERS (minimum 100 wickets)

Richard Hadlee (New Zealand, right-arm fast) 1973-90, Tests 83, Balls 21115, Wickets 415, Average 22.23, BBI 9/52, BBM 15/123, 5WI 35, 10WM 9

Ian Botham (England, right-arm fast-medium) 1977-89, Tests 97, Balls 21281, Wickets 376, Average 28.27, BBI 8/34, BBM 13/106, 5WI 27, 10WM 4

Kapil Dev (India, right-arm fast-medium) 1978-90, Tests 106, Balls 22269, Wickets 364, Average 29.54, BBI 9/83, BBM 11/146, 5WI 21, 10WM 2

Imran Khan (Pakistan, right-arm fast) 1971-90, Tests 82, Balls 19290, Wickets 358, Average 22.87, BBI 8/58, BBM 14/116, 5WI 23, 10WM 6

Dennis Lillee (Australia, right-arm fast) 1971-84, Tests 70, Balls 18467, Wickets 355, Average 23.92, BBI 7/83, BBM 11/123, 5WI 23, 10WM 7

Malcolm Marshall (West Indies, right-arm fast) 1978-90, Tests 68, Balls 15221, Wickets 329, Average 20.76, BBI 7/22, BBM 11/89, 5WI 22, 10WM 4

Bob Willis (England, right-arm fast) 1971-84, Tests 90, Balls 17357, Wickets 325, Average 25.20, BBI 8/43, BBM 9/92, 5WI 16, 10WM –

Joel Garner (West Indies, right-arm fast) 1977-87, Tests 58, Balls 13169, Wickets 259, Average 20.97, BBI 6/56, BBM 9/108, 5WI 7, 10WM -

Michael Holding (West Indies, right-arm fast) 1975-87, Tests 60, Balls 12680, Wickets 249, Average 23.68, BBI 8/92, BBM 14/149, 5WI 13, 10WM 2

Derek Underwood (England, slow left-arm) 1970-82, Tests 70, Balls 17939, Wickets 230, Average 28.46, BBI 8/51, BBM 13/71, 5WI 11, 10WM 4

Abdul Qadir (Pakistan, right-arm legbreak-googly) 1977-89, Tests 63, Balls 16592, Wickets 230, Average 32.42, BBI 9/56, BBM 13/101, 5WI 15, 10WM 5

Andy Roberts (West Indies, right-arm fast) 1974-83, Tests 47, Balls 11135, Wickets 202, Average 25.61, BBI 7/54, BBM 12/121, 5WI 11, 10WM 2

Jeff Thomson (Australia, right-arm fast) 1972-85, Tests 51, Balls 10535, Wickets 200, Average 28.00, BBI 6/46, BBM 9/105, 5WI 8, 10WM –

Bishan Singh Bedi (India, slow left-arm) 1971-79, Tests 48, Balls 15824, Wickets 196, Average 29.79, BBI 6/71, BBM 10/194, 5WI 10, 10WM 1

Bhagwat Chandrasekhar (India, legbreak-googly) 1971-79, Tests 42, Balls 11212, Wickets 180, Average 29.20, BBI 8/79, BBM 12/104, 5WI 14, 10WM 1

Geoff Lawson (Australia, right-arm fast) 1980-89, Tests 46, Balls 11118, Wickets 180, Average 30.56, BBI 8/112, BBM 11/134, 5WI 11, 10WM 2

Sarfraz Nawaz (Pakistan, right-arm fast-medium) 1972-84, Tests 54, Balls 13747, Wickets 177, Average 32.31, BBI 9/86, BBM 11/125, 5WI 4, 10WM 1

Iqbal Qasim (Pakistan, slow left-arm) 1976-88, Tests 50, Balls 13019, Wickets 171, Average 28.11, BBI 7/49, BBM 11/118, 5WI 8, 10WM 2

Terry Alderman (Australia, right-arm fast-medium) 1981-90, Tests 36, Balls 9152, Wickets 153, Average 26.68, BBI 6/128, BBM 10/151, 5WI 13, 10WM 1

Chris Old (England, right-arm fast-medium) 1972-81, Tests 46, Balls 8858, Wickets 143, Average 28.11, BBI 7/50, BBM 9/88, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Tony Greig (England, right-arm medium fast, off-break) 1972-77, Tests 58, Balls 9802, Wickets 141, Average 32.20, BBI 8/86, BBM 13/156, 5WI 6, 10WM 2

Ravi Shastri (India, slow left-arm) 1981-89, Tests 69, Balls 14528, Wickets 141, Average 39.51, BBI 5/75, BBM 8/179, 5WI 2, 10WM –

Graham Dilley (England, right-arm fast) 1979-89, Tests 41, Balls 8192, Wickets 138, Average 29.76, BBI 6/38, BBM 9/128, 5WI 6, 10WM –

John Emburey (England, right-arm off-break) 1978-89, Tests 60, Balls 14227, Wickets 138, Average 36.99, BBI 7/78, BBM 7/105, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Max Walker (Australia, right-arm fast-medium) 1972-77, Tests 34, Balls 10094, Wickets 138, Average 27.47, BBI 8/143, BBM 8/143, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Courtney Walsh (West Indies, right-arm fast) 1984-90, Tests 37, Balls 7177, Wickets 134, Average 23.88, BBI 6/62, BBM 10/101, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Lance Cairns (New Zealand, right-arm medium-fast) 1974-85, Tests 43, Balls 10628, Wickets 130, Average 32.92, BBI 7/74, BBM 10/144, 5WI 6, 10WM 1

Bruce Yardley (Australia, right-arm off-break) 1978-83, Tests 33, Balls 8909, Wickets 126, Average 31.63, BBI 7/98, BBM 10/185, 5WI 6, 10WM 1

Colin Croft (West Indies, right-arm fast) 1977-82, Tests 27, Balls 6165, Wickets 125, Average 23.30, BBI 8/29, BBM 9/95, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Phil Edmonds (England, slow left-arm) 1975-87, Tests 51, Balls 12028, Wickets 125, Average 34.18, BBI 7/76, BBM 7/76, 5WI 2, 10WM –

Ewan Chatfield (New Zealand, right-arm fast-medium) 1975-89, Tests 43, Balls 10360, Wickets 123, Average 32.17, BBI 6/73, BBM 10/124, 5WI 3, 10WM 1

Rodney Hogg (Australia, right-arm fast) 1978-84, Tests 38, Balls 7633, Wickets 123, Average 28.47, BBI 6/74, BBM 10/66, 5WI 6, 10WM 2

Dilip Doshi (India, slow left-arm) 1979-83, Tests 33, Balls 9322, Wickets 114, Average 30.71, BBI 6/102, BBM 8/103, 5WI 6, 10WM -

Wasim Akram (Pakistan, left-arm fast) 1985-90, Tests 32, Balls 7017, Wickets 111, Average 26.72, BBI 6/62, BBM 11/160, 5WI 8, 10WM 2

Karsan Ghavri (India, left-arm fast, slow left-arm) 1974-81, Tests 39, Balls 3656, Wickets 109, Average 33.54, BBI 5/33, BBM 7/120, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Srinivas Venkataraghavan (India, right-arm off-break) 1971-83, Tests 43, Balls 11220, Wickets 109, Average 40.83, BBI 5/95, BBM 7/102, 5WI 1, 10WM –

Geoff Arnold (England, right-arm fast-medium) 1972-75, Tests 31, Balls 7134, Wickets 107, Average 28.75, BBI 6/45, BBM 9/91, 5WI 5, 10WM –

John Snow (England, right-arm fast) 1970-76, Tests 24, Balls 6044, Wickets 103, Average 25.85, BBI 7/40, BBM 8/63, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Shivlal Yadav (India, right-arm off-break) 1979-87, Tests 35, Balls 8360, Wickets 102, Average 35.09, BBI 5/76, BBM 8/118, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Lance Gibbs (West Indies, right-arm off-break) 1971-76, Tests 29, Balls 9886, Wickets 100, Average 32.32, BBI 7/98, BBM 9/143, 5WI 5, 10WM –

Vanburn Holder (West Indies, right-arm fast-medium) 1971-79, Tests 37, Balls 8202, Wickets 100, Average 32.92, BBI 6/28, BBM 8/223, 5WI 3, 10WM -

 

BEST AVERAGES (minimum 100 wickets)

Malcolm Marshall (West Indies) 1978-90, Tests 68, Balls 15221, Wickets 329, Average 20.76, BBI 7/22, BBM 11/89, 5WI 22, 10WM 4

Joel Garner (West Indies) 1977-87, Tests 58, Balls 13169, Wickets 259, Average 20.97, BBI 6/56, BBM 9/108, 5WI 7, 10WM -

Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) 1973-90, Tests 83, Balls 21115, Wickets 415, Average 22.23, BBI 9/52, BBM 15/123, 5WI 35, 10WM 9

Imran Khan (Pakistan) 1971-90, Tests 82, Balls 19290, Wickets 358, Average 22.87, BBI 8/58, BBM 14/116, 5WI 23, 10WM 6

Colin Croft (West Indies) 1977-82, Tests 27, Balls 6165, Wickets 125, Average 23.30, BBI 8/29, BBM 9/95, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Michael Holding (West Indies) 1975-87, Tests 60, Balls 12680, Wickets 249, Average 23.68, BBI 8/92, BBM 14/149, 5WI 13, 10WM 2

Courtney Walsh (West Indies) 1984-90, Tests 37, Balls 7177, Wickets 134, Average 23.88, BBI 6/62, BBM 10/101, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Dennis Lillee (Australia) 1971-84, Tests 70, Balls 18467, Wickets 355, Average 23.92, BBI 7/83, BBM 11/123, 5WI 23, 10WM 7

Bob Willis (England) 1971-84, Tests 90, Balls 17357, Wickets 325, Average 25.20, BBI 8/43, BBM 9/92, 5WI 16, 10WM –

Andy Roberts (West Indies) 1974-83, Tests 47, Balls 11135, Wickets 202, Average 25.61, BBI 7/54, BBM 12/121, 5WI 11, 10WM 2

John Snow (England) 1970-76, Tests 24, Balls 6044, Wickets 103, Average 25.85, BBI 7/40, BBM 8/63, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Terry Alderman (Australia) 1981-90, Tests 36, Balls 9152, Wickets 153, Average 26.68, BBI 6/128, BBM 10/151, 5WI 13, 10WM 1

Wasim Akram (Pakistan) 1985-90, Tests 32, Balls 7017, Wickets 111, Average 26.72, BBI 6/62, BBM 11/160, 5WI 8, 10WM 2

Max Walker (Australia) 1972-77, Tests 34, Balls 10094, Wickets 138, Average 27.47, BBI 8/143, BBM 8/143, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Jeff Thomson (Australia) 1972-85, Tests 51, Balls 10535, Wickets 200, Average 28.00, BBI 6/46, BBM 9/105, 5WI 8, 10WM –

Iqbal Qasim (Pakistan) 1976-88, Tests 50, Balls 13019, Wickets 171, Average 28.11, BBI 7/49, BBM 11/118, 5WI 8, 10WM 2

Chris Old (England) 1972-81, Tests 46, Balls 8858, Wickets 143, Average 28.11, BBI 7/50, BBM 9/88, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Ian Botham (England) 1977-89, Tests 97, Balls 21281, Wickets 376, Average 28.27, BBI 8/34, BBM 13/106, 5WI 27, 10WM 4

Derek Underwood (England) 1970-82, Tests 70, Balls 17939, Wickets 230, Average 28.46, BBI 8/51, BBM 13/71, 5WI 11, 10WM 4

Rodney Hogg (Australia) 1978-84, Tests 38, Balls 7633, Wickets 123, Average 28.47, BBI 6/74, BBM 10/66, 5WI 6, 10WM 2

Geoff Arnold (England) 1972-75, Tests 31, Balls 7134, Wickets 107, Average 28.75, BBI 6/45, BBM 9/91, 5WI 5, 10WM –

Bhagwat Chandrasekhar (India) 1971-79, Tests 42, Balls 11212, Wickets 180, Average 29.20, BBI 8/79, BBM 12/104, 5WI 14, 10WM 1

Kapil Dev (India) 1978-90, Tests 106, Balls 22269, Wickets 364, Average 29.54, BBI 9/83, BBM 11/146, 5WI 21, 10WM 2

Graham Dilley (England) 1979-89, Tests 41, Balls 8192, Wickets 138, Average 29.76, BBI 6/38, BBM 9/128, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Bishan Singh Bedi (India) 1971-79, Tests 48, Balls 15824, Wickets 196, Average 29.79, BBI 6/71, BBM 10/194, 5WI 10, 10WM 1

Geoff Lawson (Australia) 1980-89, Tests 46, Balls 11118, Wickets 180, Average 30.56, BBI 8/112, BBM 11/134, 5WI 11, 10WM 2

Dilip Doshi (India) 1979-83, Tests 33, Balls 9322, Wickets 114, Average 30.71, BBI 6/102, BBM 8/103, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Bruce Yardley (Australia) 1978-83, Tests 33, Balls 8909, Wickets 126, Average 31.63, BBI 7/98, BBM 10/185, 5WI 6, 10WM 1

Ewan Chatfield (New Zealand) 1975-89, Tests 43, Balls 10360, Wickets 123, Average 32.17, BBI 6/73, BBM 10/124, 5WI 3, 10WM 1

Tony Greig (England) 1972-77, Tests 58, Balls 9802, Wickets 141, Average 32.20, BBI 8/86, BBM 13/156, 5WI 6, 10WM 2

Sarfraz Nawaz (Pakistan) 1972-84, Tests 54, Balls 13747, Wickets 177, Average 32.31, BBI 9/86, BBM 11/125, 5WI 4, 10WM 1

Lance Gibbs (West Indies) 1971-76, Tests 29, Balls 9886, Wickets 100, Average 32.32, BBI 7/98, BBM 9/143, 5WI 5, 10WM –

Abdul Qadir (Pakistan) 1977-89, Tests 63, Balls 16592, Wickets 230, Average 32.42, BBI 9/56, BBM 13/101, 5WI 15, 10WM 5

Lance Cairns (New Zealand) 1974-85, Tests 43, Balls 10628, Wickets 130, Average 32.92, BBI 7/74, BBM 10/144, 5WI 6, 10WM 1

Vanburn Holder (West Indies) 1971-79, Tests 37, Balls 8202, Wickets 100, Average 32.92, BBI 6/28, BBM 8/223, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Karsan Ghavri (India) 1974-81, Tests 39, Balls 3656, Wickets 109, Average 33.54, BBI 5/33, BBM 7/120, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Phil Edmonds (England) 1975-87, Tests 51, Balls 12028, Wickets 125, Average 34.18, BBI 7/76, BBM 7/76, 5WI 2, 10WM –
Shivlal Yadav (India) 1979-87, Tests 35, Balls 8360, Wickets 102, Average 35.09, BBI 5/76, BBM 8/118, 5WI 3, 10WM –

John Emburey (England) 1978-89, Tests 60, Balls 14227, Wickets 138, Average 36.99, BBI 7/78, BBM 7/105, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Ravi Shastri (India) 1981-89, Tests 69, Balls 14528, Wickets 141, Average 39.51, BBI 5/75, BBM 8/179, 5WI 2, 10WM –

Srinivas Venkataraghavan (India) 1971-83, Tests 43, Balls 11220, Wickets 109, Average 40.83, BBI 5/95, BBM 7/102, 5WI 1, 10WM

 

FULL CAREER

Courtney Walsh (West Indies) 1984-2001, Tests 132, Balls 30019, Wickets 519, Average 24.44, BBI 7/37, BBM 13/55, 5WI 22, 10WM 3

Kapil Dev (India) 1978-94, Tests 131, Balls 27740, Wickets 434, Average 29.64, BBI 9/83, BBM 11/146, 5WI 23, 10WM 2

Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) 1973-90, Tests 86, Balls 21918, Wickets 431, Average 22.29, BBI 9/52, BBM 15/123, 5WI 36, 10WM 9

Wasim Akram (Pakistan) 1985-2002, Tests 104, Balls 22627, Wickets 414, Average 23.62, BBI 7/119, BBM 11/110, 5WI 25, 10WM 5

Ian Botham (England) 1977-92, Tests 102, Balls 21815, Wickets 383, Average 28.40, BBI 8/34, BBM 13/106, 5WI 27, 10WM 4

Malcolm Marshall (West Indies) 1978-91, Tests 81, Balls 17584, Wickets 376, Average 20.94, BBI 7/22, BBM 11/89, 5WI 22, 10WM 4

Imran Khan (Pakistan) 1971-92, Tests 88, Balls 19458, Wickets 362, Average 22.81, BBI 8/58, BBM 14/116, 5WI 23, 10WM 6

Lance Gibbs (West Indies) 1958-76, Tests 79, Balls 27115, Wickets 309, Average 29.09, BBI 8/38, BBM 11/157, 5WI 18, 10WM 2

Derek Underwood (England) 1966-82, Tests 86, Balls 21862, Wickets 297, Average 25.83, BBI 8/51, BBM 13/71, 5WI 17, 10WM 6

Abdul Qadir (Pakistan) 1977-90, Tests 67, Balls 17126, Wickets 236, Average 32.80, BBI 9/56, BBM 13/101, 5WI 15, 10WM 5

Bishan Singh Bedi (India) 1966-79, Tests 67, Balls 21364, Wickets 266, Average 28.71, BBI 7/98, BBM 10/194, 5WI 14, 10WM 1

Bhagwat Chandrasekhar (India) 1964-79, Tests 58, Balls 15963, Wickets 242, Average 29.74, BBI 8/79, BBM 12/104, 5WI 16, 10WM 2

John Snow (England) 1965-76, Tests 49, Balls 12021, Wickets 202, Average 26.66, BBI 7/40, BBM 10/142, 5WI 8, 10WM 1

Sarfraz Nawaz (Pakistan) 1969-84, Tests 55, Balls 13951, Wickets 177, Average 32.75, BBI 9/86, BBM 11/125, 5WI 4, 10WM 1

Terry Alderman (Australia) 1981-91, Tests 41, Balls 10181, Wickets 170, Average 27.15, BBI 6/47, BBM 10/151, 5WI 14, 10WM 1

Srinivas Venkataraghavan (India) 1965-83, Tests 57, Balls 14877, Wickets 156, Average 36.11, BBI 8/72, BBM 12/152, 5WI 3, 10WM 1

Ravi Shastri (India) 1981-92, Tests 80, Balls 15751, Wickets 151, Average 40.96, BBI 5/75, BBM 8/179, 5WI 2, 10WM –

John Emburey (England) 1978-95, Tests 64, Balls 15391, Wickets 147, Average 38.40, BBI 7/78, BBM 7/105, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Geoff Arnold (England) 1967-75, Tests 34, Balls 7650, Wickets 115, Average 28.29, BBI 6/45, BBM 9/91, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Vanburn Holder (West Indies) 1969-79, Tests 40, Balls 9095, Wickets 109, Average 33.27, BBI 6/28, BBM 8/223, 5WI 3, 10WM –