De Villiers’ performance is well-deservedly the finest bowling performance ever. It ticks all the boxes. He was playing away from home, against a formidable team, and defending a very small target.
THE TOP 25 BOWLING PERFORMANCES
Bowler Rtg pts Figures Inns Venue Year Vs Res
PS DE VILLIERS (SA) 914.9 6/43 4 SYDNEY 1994 AUS W
SCJ BROAD (ENG) 882.9 8/15 1 Trent Bridge 2015 AUS W
DE MALCOLM (ENG) 881.2 9/57 3 OVAL 1994 SA W
TE BAILEY (ENG) 877.4 7/34 1 KINGSTON 1954 WI W
RJ HADLEE (NZ) 870.0 9/52 1 BRISBANE 1985 AUS W
DAJ BRACEWELL (NZ) 868.2 6/40 4 HOBART 2011 AUS W
AW GREIG (ENG) 860.8 8/86 2 Port of Spain 1974 WI W
M MURALIDARAN (SL) 857.5 8/70 4 Trent Bridge 2006 ENG W
FAZAL MAHMOOD (PAK) 849.7 6/46 4 OVAL 1954 ENG W
RGD WILLIS (ENG) 847.0 8/43 4 Headingley 1981 AUS W
ABDUR REHMAN (PAK) 846.1 6/25 4 ABU DHABI 2012 ENG W
SCJ BROAD (ENG) 845.5 6/17 3 Jo’burg-new 2016 SA W
GD MCGRATH (AUS) 844.4 5/53 2 LORD’S 2005 ENG W
DW HEADLEY (ENG) 844.4 6/60 4 Melbourne 1998 AUS W
P LEVER (ENG) 842.2 6/38 1 Melbourne 1975 AUS W
MOHAMMAD ASIF (PAK) 836.5 5/27 3 KANDY 2006 SL W
W VOCE (ENG) 834.1 4/10 2 SYDNEY 1936 AUS W
AB AGARKAR (IND) 831.8 6/41 3 ADELAIDE 2003 AUS W
MJ HOGGARD (ENG) 831.4 7/61 4 Jo’burg-new 2005 SA W
SAEED AJMAL (PAK) 829.6 7/55 1 DUBAI 2012 ENG W
LR GIBBS (WI) 829.6 6/60 4 Georgetown 1968 ENG D
IT BOTHAM (ENG) 829.4 7/48 3 WANKHEDE 1980 IND W
MJ HOGGARD (ENG) 826.2 7/63 2 Christchurch 2002 NZ W
CEL AMBROSE (WI) 826.1 7/25 1 Waca-Perth 1993 AUS W
GD MCGRATH (AUS) 825.0 8/38 1 LORD’S 1997 ENG D
In 1993–94, the South African side was facing Australia at the SCG after returning from the sporting wilderness.
Due to a poor first-innings total of 169, a deficit of more than 100 runs, and a quite average third innings, the strong Australian lineup required just 117 runs to win. After taking the first three wickets, Fanie de Villiers, a fast bowler, removed Tim May, the night watchman.
Next, we reach a spell that is more recent in date and is to be expected. It was a classic English overcast day in Nottingham in 2015 when England won the toss and put Australia into bat. David Warner was dismissed by Mark Wood and Peter Nevill by Steven Finn. Stuart Broad claimed eight wickets in the remaining innings: Chris Rogers and Shaun Marsh for 0; Steven Smith for 6; Michael Clarke for 10; and Adam Voges for 1. Broad ended with figures of 8 for 15 after 57 balls of complete devastation.
Third place rewards a performance that has largely escaped notice in bowling discussions because it occurred in the third innings. Devon Malcolm completed with amazing figures of 9 for 57.