Most expensive bowling figures in an innings across formats
Sri Lanka pace bower Kasun Rajitha created an unwanted record in the first T20I of the series against Australia at the Adelaide Oval when he conceded 75 runs in his four overs at an economy rate of 18.75.
Rajitha’s figures are now the most expensive in T20I cricket. The earlier record was in the name of Turkey medium pacer Tunahan Turan, who gave away 70 runs in four overs in a match against Czech Republic on 30 August 2019.
Rajitha had a horror day in the field at Adelaide as he conceded four fours and seven sixes. The trio of Aaron Finch, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell all took a liking to his friendly medium pace on a batting paradise.
Australia posted an imposing 233 for 2 batting first, after which Sri Lanka succumbed to 99 for 9 in the face of intense pressure and some accurate bowling.
In the wake of Rajitha’s record in T20Is, here’s a look at the most expensive bowling figures in different formats of the game.
Test matches
The most expensive figures in an innings in a Test match are in the name of Chuck Fleetwood-Smith from Australia. The left-arm Chinaman bowler conceded 298 runs for 1 wicket in 87 overs in a Test against England at The Oval played from August 20-24, 1938.
This was the same match in which Len Hutton scored a then record 364. Maurice Leyland made 187 and Joe Hardstaff Jr an unbeaten 169 as England posted a mammoth 903 for 7 declared.
The hosts thumped Australia by an innings and 579 runs, and Fleetwood-Smith never played Test cricket again.
India’s Rajesh Chauhan is second on the list. The former off-spinner conceded 276 runs in 78 overs with just one wicket to show against Sri Lanka at Colombo in a Test played from August 2-6, 1997.
This was the same match in which the Lankans amassed a record 952 for 6 declared. Sanath Jayasuriya made 340 before becoming Chauhan’s only wicket of the innings. Roshan Mahanama scored 225 and featured in a massive 576-run stand with Jayasuriya. Mahanama was dismissed by Anil Kumble, who himself conceded 223 runs in 72 overs.
The Test ended in a draw.
ODIs
The worst bowling figures in one-day internationals are in the name of Aussie pacer Mick Lewis. He conceded 113 runs in 10 overs in a match against South Africa at Johannesburg on March 12, 2006.
This was the same game in which the Proteas chased down 435 to create a new world record.
Lewis gave away 13 fours and four sixes in his quota of 10 overs as South Africa won the contest with one ball to spare. Herschelle Gibbs stood out for South Africa with 175 while skipper Graeme Smith made 90 and Mark Boucher remained unbeaten on 50.
Earlier, Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting made 164, as the Aussies looked set for victory before South Africa did the unimaginable.
Wahab Riaz (0/110), Rashid Khan (0/110), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/106) and Nuwan Pradeep (0/106) are some of the other bowlers who have conceded over 100 runs in a one-day innings.
IPL
In the Indian Premier League, the worst bowling figures recorded are by medium pacer Basil Thampi - 4/70 for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bengaluru on May 17, 2018. Thampi conceded five fours and six sixes as RCB posted 218 for 6 with fifties from AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali. RCB went on to win the match by 14 runs.
Ishant Sharma gave away 66 runs without taking a wicket for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Chennai Super Kings in May 2013. In the 2019 edition, Mujeeb Ur Rahman also conceded 66 runs in four overs for Kings XI Punjab against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
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