All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

238 Eddie Hemmings George Powell came in next, but didn’t stay too long before Hemmings had him caught behind by wicketkeeper Richards. Together with fellow Jamaican Robert Haynes he was the only member of the West Indies XI not to play Test cricket, although wrist-spinner Haynes would later go on to play eight one-day internationals. After that the West Indians batted consistently, with every batman down to Andy Roberts at number nine reaching double figures (and extras chipping in with 40). The tail didn’t keep Hemmings waiting too long, but it was no foregone conclusion: Clarke had a first-class century to his name and Holding would eventually make six Test fifties. Two of Hemmings’ wickets had fallen to particularly fine boundary catches by Trevor Jesty. Two more were taken by Ordelmo Peters, a young Jamaican batsman fielding substitute for the visitors. Some of the locals apparently weren’t too impressed and pelted him with beer bottles. For his own safety he was moved to a part of the ground where the occupants were a little more sober. Peters made 82 and 79 on his first-class debut against Trinidad and Tobago later in the season, but after this promising start, in a 21-match career, never made a century. The West Indian batsmen had gone for their shots and Hemmings had paid a high price for his success - nobody has ever conceded as many as 175 runs in taking an all-ten, and only Jim Laker at Old Trafford had bowled more balls. Nevertheless it was a considerable achievement to take all-ten against such a strong batting side, and on first-class debut in the West Indies at the age of 33. Hemmings had taken the first all-ten for 13 years. The previous one had also taken place in September, usually a quiet month for records. Not surprisingly the West Indies XI’s 419 was the highest score in which a bowler had taken all-ten, beating the 360 that Kent scored while Jupp took ten for 127 in 1932. Unfortunately rain had the final say and washed out the last day’s play, possibly saving John Wright’s side from defeat. The status of the match was initially unclear and for obvious reasons Hemmings was very pleased when he eventually learned later in 1983 that cricket statisticians had classified it as first-class. Just over two years before, another off-spinner, Derick Parry, playing for Combined Leeward and Windward Islands, had taken nine for 76 against Jamaica, the first nine wicket haul at Sabina Park since first-class cricket began there in 1895. His record hadn’t lasted long. Hemmings’ winter had other highlights. He played three Tests in the Bob Willis side that returned the Ashes to Australia. In the final one, at Sydney, he went in as nightwatchman on the fourth evening and resisted for nearly four hours, falling just five short of an improbable hundred and helping save England from probable defeat. Hemmings was also an effective limited-overs performer: as well as playing in the 1987/88 World Cup Final against Australia he appeared in four Lord’s finals for Nottinghamshire. In the 1989 Benson and Hedges Cup Final against Essex he faced the last ball of the match, bowled by John Lever, needing to hit it for four to bring the Cup to Trent Bridge for the