All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

255 slip catching slow left-armer Matthew Taylor (playing the penultimate match of his four-match career) off Johnson but not before Malcolm had caused a fright by bottom edging one ball just past his stumps and nearly presenting Haynes with what would have been a ninth, and final, first- class wicket. Johnson recalled that Taylor got probably the best ball of the innings, a sharp lifter that took the top of the bat. Derbyshire hadn’t batted very well ( Wisden called their batting ‘reckless’) but it was still an outstanding performance by Johnson on a pitch only doing a little bit off the seam. He had accomplished the first all-ten in Britain for 30 years, and only Imran Adil had done it at a younger age. Seven of his wickets had fallen to catches, five behind the wicket, Cork mis-hooking to fine leg, and Adrian Rollins lobbing a leading edge back to the bowler. Unfortunately, while the rest of the team celebrated in the dressing-room Johnson missed the excitement (and the champagne!) as he had to give several media interviews. Johnson maintained his good form in his next match, taking four for 40 in the Sussex first innings at Arundel, but then the injury curse that was to blight his career struck, knee surgery meaning that he could not return to Championship cricket until September and one last game at a wet Trent Bridge. The selectors had seen enough however, and the following winter found him in the subcontinent as the youngest member of the England A team. Injuries restricted his appearances the next summer but, finishing the season near the top of the national averages, he was selected for the England tour of South Africa. Sadly back trouble forced his withdrawal and then, having recovered, he strained a shoulder and missed much of the beginning of the following season! England recognition eventually came against Zimbabwe in June 2003 as Chester-le-Street staged its first Test match. With two wickets in his first over (a feat only achieved by one other Test cricketer: Graeme Swann, five years later), and first innings figures of six for 33, it was some debut as he outbowled fellow pacemen Jimmy Anderson and Steve Harmison, and achieved figures bettered by only six other England Test debutants. A substantial Test career seemed to beckon. However, with more injuries and competition from the likes of Anderson, Andrew Flintoff, Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones it was over by the end of the year. Sixteen wickets at 17 apiece from three Tests was a good record, but with luck it might have been even better. Out of contract at Middlesex, and to test himself on Taunton’s pitches, Johnson had moved to Somerset in 2001 where, as well as giving good service with the ball, he hit two first-class centuries, the second of which against Durham in 2004 won the Walter Lawrence Trophy for the season’s fastest as he bludgeoned 101 not out off 63 balls. He was back home again in 2007 as Middlesex tried to strengthen its attack. However it was not a successful return and he played only four matches before announcing his retirement at the end of the season having taken 528 first-class wickets at 29 apiece. Richard Johnson