Stats: Rangana Herath records 30th five-wicket haul in Test cricket

Less than 24 hours after joining the 7-man list of players who have taken 250 wickets at home in Test cricket, Rangana Herath became the 5th bowler to take 30 or more five-wicket hauls on Saturday at the Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium against Zimbabwe.

As he picked Donald Tiripano’s wicket on the 2nd day morning, Herath accomplished a 5-wicket haul, his 30th in this format and went past Glenn McGrath who had 29 five-fers in his career. Herath needed 81 Tests to take 30 five-fers. Muralitharan needed 67 Tests while Richard Hadlee took 72. The leg-spinners, Anil Kumble and Shane Warne required 99 and 125 Tests respectively to register the 30th 5-fer of their career.

Most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket:

The 39-year-old left-arm spinner who was under Muttiah Muralitharan’s shadow for a major part of his career returned to the national team after the legendary spinner’s retirement and has not looked back since then having picked all his 30 five-fers in Tests after turning 30. Only Muralitharan (34 five-fers) has taken more five-wicket hauls in Test cricket than Herath after turning 30.

Most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket after turning 30:

On an average, he takes a five-wicket haul every 4.9 innings and 2.7 Tests. His ratio is the 6th best for any player with 15 and more 5-fers in Test cricket. England’s Sydney Barnes picked a 5-fer every 1.13 Tests and 2.08 innings; in other words, he used to take a 5-wicket haul in every Test match where he bowled more than once.

Lowest innings/five-wicket haul ratio in Test cricket:

(Stats as on July 15, 2017)