List of Hat-Tricks Players in Tests Cricket History
A hat-trick in cricket is one of the most dramatic moments in the game. It occurs when a bowler dismisses three bowlers in a row. Although common in the limited-overs format, it is actually rare to achieve in Test cricket, the longest and most difficult format of the game.
Historical Beginnings
The first Test hat-trick was taken by Fred Spofforth against England at Melbourne in 1879. Known as the “Demon Bowler”, Spofforth set the benchmark for future generations. Shortly after, England’s W Bates and Johnny Briggs added to the list, proving how important such spells can be in changing the momentum.
Names Of Players Who Have Made Hat-Tricks
| Bowler | Victims | Match | Venue | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR Spofforth | VPFA Royle, FA Mackinnon, T Emmett | Aus v Eng | Melbourne | 1878-79 |
| W Bates | PS McDonnell, G Giffen, GJ Bonnor | Eng v Aus | Melbourne | 1882-83 |
| J Briggs | WF Giffen, ST Callaway, JM Blackham | Eng v Aus | Sydney | 1891-92 |
| GA Lohmann | FJ Cook, J Middleton, JT Willoughby | Eng v RSA | Port Elizabeth | 1895-96 |
| JT Hearne | C Hill, SE Gregory, MA Noble | Eng v Aus | Leeds | 1899 |
| H Trumble | AO Jones, JR Gunn, SF Barnes | Aus v Eng | Melbourne | 1901-02 |
| H Trumble | BJT Bosanquet, PF Warner, AFA Lilley | Aus v Eng | Melbourne | 1903-04 |
| TJ Matthews (2) | 1st Inns: R Beaumont, SJ Pegler, TA Ward / 2nd Inns: HW Taylor, RO Schwartz, TA Ward | Aus v RSA | Manchester | 1912 |
| MJC Allom | TC Lowry, KC James, FT Badcock | Eng v NZ | Christchurch | 1929-30 |
| TWJ Goddard | AD Nourse, N Gordon, WW Wade | Eng v RSA | Johannesburg | 1938-39 |
| PJ Loader | JDC Goddard, S Ramadhin, R Gilchrist | Eng v WI | Leeds | 1957 |
| LF Kline | ERH Fuller, HJ Tayfield, NAT Adcock | Aus v RSA | Cape Town | 1957-58 |
| WW Hall | Mushtaq Mohammad, Fazal Mahmood, Nasim-ul-Ghani | WI v Pak | Lahore | 1958-59 |
| GM Griffin | MJK Smith, PM Walker, FS Trueman | RSA v Eng | Lord’s | 1960 |
| LR Gibbs | KD Mackay, ATW Grout, FM Misson | WI v Aus | Adelaide | 1960-61 |
| PJ Petherick | Javed Miandad, Wasim Raja, Intikhab Alam | NZ v Pak | Lahore | 1976-77 |
| CA Walsh | AIC Dodemaide, MRJ Veletta, GM Wood | WI v Aus | Brisbane | 1988-89 |
| MG Hughes | CEL Ambrose, BP Patterson, CG Greenidge | Aus v WI | Perth | 1988-89 |
| DW Fleming | Aamer Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saleem Malik | Aus v Pak | Rawalpindi | 1994-95 |
| SK Warne | PAJ DeFreitas, D Gough, DE Malcolm | Aus v Eng | Melbourne | 1994-95 |
| DG Cork | RB Richardson, JR Murray, CL Hooper | Eng v WI | Manchester | 1995 |
| D Gough | IA Healy, SCG MacGill, CR Miller | Eng v Aus | Sydney | 1998-99 |
| Wasim Akram | RS Kaluwitharana, MRCN Bandaratilleke, GP Wickramasinghe | Pak v SL | Lahore | 1998-99 |
| Wasim Akram | DA Gunawardene, WPUJC Vaas, DPMD Jayawardene | Pak v SL | Dhaka | 1998-99 |
| DNT Zoysa | TR Gripper, MW Goodwin, NC Johnson | SL v Zim | Harare | 1999-2000 |
| Abdul Razzaq | RS Kaluwitharana, HMRKB Herath, KR Pushpakumara | Pak v SL | Galle | 1999-2000 |
| GD McGrath | SL Campbell, BC Lara, JC Adams | Aus v WI | Perth | 2000-01 |
| Harbhajan Singh | RT Ponting, AC Gilchrist, SK Warne | Ind v Aus | Kolkata | 2000-01 |
| Mohammad Sami | TCB Fernando, DNT Zoysa, M Muralitharan | Pak v SL | Lahore | 2001-02 |
| JJC Lawson | B Lee, SCG MacGill, JL Langer | WI v Aus | Bridgetown | 2002-03 |
| Alok Kapali | Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, Umar Gul | Ban v Pak | Peshawar | 2003 |
| AM Blignaut | Hannan Sarkar, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahman | Zim v Ban | Harare | 2003-04 |
| MJ Hoggard | RR Sarwan, S Chanderpaul, RO Hinds | Eng v WI | Barbados | 2003-04 |
| JEC Franklin | Manjural Islam Rana, Mohammad Rafique, Tapash Baisya | NZ v Ban | Dhaka | 2004-05 |
| IK Pathan | Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf | Ind v Pak | Karachi | 2005-06 |
| RJ Sidebottom | SP Fleming, MS Sinclair, JDP Oram | Eng v NZ | Hamilton | 2007-08 |
| PM Siddle | AN Cook, MJ Prior, SCJ Broad | Aus v Eng | Brisbane | 2010-11 |
| SCJ Broad | MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, P Kumar | Eng v Ind | Nottingham | 2011 |
| Sohag Gazi | Corey J Anderson, BJ Watling, DAJ Bracewell | Ban v NZ | Chittagong | 2013-14 |
| SCJ Broad | KC Sangakkara, LD Chandimal, RMS Eranga | Eng v SL | Leeds | 2014 |
| HMRKB Herath | AC Voges, PM Nevill, MA Starc | SL v Aus | Galle | 2016 |
| MM Ali | D Elgar, K Rabada, M Morkel | Eng v RSA | The Oval | 2017 |
| JJ Bumrah | DM Bravo, SSJ Brooks, RL Chase | Ind v WI | Kingston | 2019 |
| Naseem Shah | Najmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, Mahmudullah | Pak v Ban | Rawalpindi | 2020 |
| KA Maharaj | KOA Powell, JO Holder, J Da Silva | RSA v WI | Gros Islet | 2021 |
| Gus Atkinson | Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Tim Southee | Eng v NZ | Wellington | 2024-25 |
| Noman Ali | Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach, Kevin Sinclair | Pak v WI | Multan | 2025 |
| Scott Boland | Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican | Aus v WI | Kingston | 2025 |
Also Read: List of Hat-Tricks Players in T20Is Cricket History
Brilliant Performance
Some bowlers have carved their names with unforgettable hat-tricks:
- Australia’s Hugh Trumble is the only player to have taken two hat-tricks against the same opponent (England).
- Jimmy Mathews is the only bowler to have taken two hat-tricks in a single Test match against South Africa in 1912. This was a feat that is still unmatched.
- Pakistan’s “Sultan of Swing”, Wasim Akram, took two hat-tricks in a span of nine days in 1999. He has been showing us his magical ability with reverse swing.
- In the modern era, names like Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Stuart Broad show that the tradition is still alive. Recently, names like Jasprit Bumrah, Naseem Shah and Keshav Maharaj have been added to the list, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
Why is a Hat-Trick Important?
Hat-tricks are not just about statistics, as they often break partnerships and completely turn matches around. In Tests, where patience and endurance are paramount, a hat-trick brings a sudden burst of excitement and drama.
From Spofforth in 1879 to Scott Boland in 2025, the hat-trick has been a prized possession in cricket. It reminds us why Test cricket is still called the ultimate test of skill.
Read More: List of Hat-Tricks Players in ODIs Cricket History
FAQ
1. Who was the first bowler to take a Test hat-trick?
Australia’s Fred Spofforth against England at Melbourne in 1879.
2. Which bowler has taken two hat-tricks in a single Test match?
Jimmy Mathews (Australia) against South Africa in 1912, a unique record.
3. Who has the most Test hat-tricks?
Australia’s Hugh Trumble is the only bowler to have taken two official Test hat-tricks.
4. Which modern bowlers have taken a Test hat-trick?
Jasprit Bumrah, Naseem Shah, Stuart Broad, Harbhajan Singh and Keshav Maharaj are among the recent achievers.
5. Why are hat-tricks so rare in Test cricket?
This is because batsmen generally play with patience and bowlers need consistent accuracy to get three outs in three balls. In short, it is a difficult feat for a bowler.
