The incredible bowling feat of Hedley Verity

Sampath Bandara

'10 wickets for 10 Runs....?'

'Yes, it is true'

Who performed this incredible feat?

He is Hedley Verity (1905-1943) who played for Yorkshire and England.

On July 12, 1932 he bagged 10 wickets for 10 runs against Nottinghamshire at Headingley. His bowling analysis read 19.4-16-10-10 it is the best bowling analysis in an innings in first class cricket history and the most outstanding bowling analysis of all time which remains unbroken.

Hedley Verity was a slow left-arm bowler with command of both spin and length. He can be described as one of the most skilful left-arm spin bowlers in history.

His average pace was slow-medium on fast wickets about medium and he could send down a lethal yorker.

He took 100 wickets in a season nine times while in 1935, 1936 and 1937 he exceeded 200 wickets. In 1934 at Lord's he took 14 wickets against Australia in a day. 15 for 104 in the match. He was a key bowler of the England side for seven years.

On September 1939, he took 7 for 9 as Yorkshire beat Sussex at Hove. (it was his last match). He claimed 1956 wickets in first-class cricket at an average of 14.87 and got 244 catches.

Hedley Verity played 40 Tests for England and bagged 114 wickets (average 24.37).

Best bowling in Tests was 8 for 43 against Australia at Lord's (1934).

Hedley Verity was born on May 18, 1905 in Headingley, Yorkshire. He died after his 38th birthday in Italy having been wounded on the battle front in Sicily during the Second World War.