All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

198 Jim Laker England v Australia, 1956 Old Trafford, Manchester on 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 July 1956 (5-day match) Toss won by England England won by an innings and 170 runs Umpires: DE Davies, FS Lee England 459 (PE Richardson 104, DS Sheppard 113); Australia 84 (JC Laker 9-37) and 205 (JC Laker 10-53) Australia second innings CC McDonald c Oakman b Laker 89 JW Burke c Lock b Laker 33 RN Harvey c Cowdrey b Laker 0 ID Craig lbw b Laker 38 KD Mackay c Oakman b Laker 0 KR Miller b Laker 0 RG Archer c Oakman b Laker 0 R Benaud b Laker 18 RR Lindwall c Lock b Laker 8 *IWG Johnson not out 1 +LV Maddocks lbw b Laker 2 Extras (b 12, lb 4) 16 Total (all out, 150.2 overs) 205 Fall of wickets 1-28, 2-55, 3-114, 4-124, 5-130, 6-130, 7-181, 8-198, 9-203, 10-205 England bowling: JB Statham 16-10-15-0, TE Bailey 20-8-31-0, JC Laker 51.2-23-53-10, GAR Lock 55-30-69-0, ASM Oakman 8-3-21-0 England: PE Richardson, MC Cowdrey, DS Sheppard, PBH May (capt), TE Bailey, C Washbrook, ASM Oakman, TG Evans (wk), JC Laker, GAR Lock, JB Statham Laker’s all-ten at The Oval was completed in a day. His all-ten at Old Trafford just over two months later took a bit longer, starting on Friday afternoon and finishing four days later as Manchester’s weather lived up to reputation. The last Ashes match at the ground to produce a result had been in 1905. The series stood one all: after a draw at Trent Bridge Australia had won at Lord’s, and Lock and Laker had bowled England to victory at Headingley. The pitch apparently breaking up early, the Australians weren’t best pleased by the conditions at Old Trafford but England had no complaints reaching 459 on the second day, with Peter Richardson making his first Test century and the Reverend David Sheppard his second. Johnson’s only consolation was that Cyril Washbrook became his hundredth Test victim. With Colin Cowdrey, Peter May, and Trevor Bailey completing the top order, the first five batsmen were all amateurs, a throwback to the Golden Age. It was a good series for the selectors: Cyril Washbrook, recalled after five years, had turned the series with a fighting 98 in the Third Test; Sheppard, who had given up regular cricket to take Holy Orders, was returning for the Fourth Test having played only four matches in 1956; and Denis Compton would be brought back successfully for the Fifth having recovered from a winter knee operation.