England Great Batsman Denis Compton playing towards leg side.

 

Denis Compton - England Glamorous Cricketer

Denis Compton was as glamorous a cricketer as England has ever possessed. He played in a style that captivated the crowds, last-second sweeps blending with sumptuous cover drives. And there was a devil-may-care attitude to everything he did that meant he was not someone to take your eye off.

He rose fast, unknown one minute, scoring runs for England against Australia the next when only a few days past his 20th birthday. Until he developed a chronic knee problem in his early 30s as a result of a parallel career as a winger with Arsenal.

Denis Compton belongs to a below middle-class family, as his father decorator business floundered and he constraint to a lorry driver. His brother Leslie Compton also played cricket for Middlesex. But Compton never ashamed to work hard for a cricketing career. He never really struggled and perhaps as a result never really lost the boyish enthusiasm that suggested he thought everything was just a lark.

But by then, he was already the nation’s darling following his feats in the years immediately after the Second World War, when his batting touched a sublime peak and sport was providing the masses with the perfect antidote to the miseries of war.

If all that was not enough, Compton was handsome too, with an unruly mop of black hair tamed with Brylcreem, but he exhibited the kind of flaws that suggested he was perhaps not really that different from the man in the street. His running between the wickets were chaotic and his time-keeping atrocious.

The stories one has heard of him arriving at Lord’s in his dinner jacket after a night on the tiles and scoring hundreds with borrowed bats can only appeal. He, like others, missed out on some of his best years to the war but that at least meant he was hungry for the game and had reached full maturity when peace finally came.

He made his Test debut against New Zealand in the 3^rd Test at the Oval in 1937. He was playing delightful strokes before he got run out at 65. In the next summer, Compton produced a magnificent match-saving inning of 102 and 76 at Lord’s against Australia. In 1939, he played a lethal inning of 129 against West Indies at Lord’s and made a 248 runs partnership with Hutton.

His achievements for Middlesex and England in the late 1940s, and the long hot summer of 1947 in particular. When he smashed so many records, purely are the stuff of legend. That his friend and teammate Bill Edrich was also in the stupendous form at the same time, and well worth watching, only added to the attraction.

It must have seemed like a racing certainty that one or other, and possibly both, would come off on any given day. No one ever measured Compton by figures alone, but the figures say a lot about his dominance during this golden time.

In the 1946 season, he scored a plethora of runs with many hundreds than any other player (2,403 runs, ten hundred). Therefore, in 1947, he again in super form, scored a heap of runs and more hundreds than anyone, not only in that season but in any season before or since 3,816 runs and 18 hundred.

Hence, in 1948, only Len Hutton did better than Denis Compton’s 2,451 runs and nine hundred. After that in 1949, his tallies of 2,530 runs and nine hundred were eclipsed only by Hutton and James Langridge. In the winter of 1946–47 he toured Australia and New Zealand, and in 1948–49 South Africa, and on each occasion was again the leading batsman in terms of both runs and centuries.

In an up-country match on the South Africa tour he scored a triple century in just 181 minutes, which remains the fastest on record. For England, he was, along with Hutton, one of the two best batsmen in the side. Between 1946 and 1949, he scored 11 hundred in the space of 20 Tests, four against Australia, five against South Africa and two against New Zealand.

Moreover, the 753 runs he scored in the series with South Africa in 1947 still stands as the record for an England batsman in a home series. His duels with Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller formed part of the folklore of the period, and initially, at least he probably had the better of things.

Although his instinct was to play extravagantly, and take more risks than Hutton would have countenanced, his ability to score runs against Lindwall and Miller showed how good his defense must have been. He certainly applied himself when he scored twin centuries to earn England a draw in Adelaide in 1946–47.

At Old Trafford in 1948 he was forced to retire early in his innings after edging a ball from Lindwall on to his head. But he returned bravely – possibly strengthened by a brandy or two – at 119 for five to score a sparkling 145 not out and hoist his side to 363.

How appropriate that the man of the series award in Ashes Tests is now called the Compton–Miller medal. The onset of knee trouble in 1949 resulted in surgery the following year and was a contributory factor in Compton’s wretched series in Australia in 1950–51 when he mustered just 53 runs in his eight innings, a salutary reminder that even the greatest can struggle badly at times.

He had been appointed vice-captain for that tour, the first modern professional to be given the post and a step that paved the way to Hutton’s subsequent appointment to the full captaincy. After that, Denis Compton did not quite so consistently touch the heights of old, and never hit another hundred against Australia. But he nevertheless enjoyed some special moments.

He hit the winning runs at The Oval in 1953 when the Ashes were regained for the first time in 19 years. In 1954 he batted less than five hours in scoring his highest Test score of 278 runs against Pakistan at Trent Bridge. In the famous Oval Test match, he produced 53 runs on a difficult wet pitch which he inclined to his one of the best inning.

Moreover, the series against South Africa in 1955, he was again in brilliant form by scoring 492 runs. In 1952, he scored his 100th hundred in first-class cricket and took fewer innings to do so than any other player apart from Don Bradman.

That, and the fact he averaged more than 50 in both first-class cricket and Tests. That should prove beyond all doubt that his technique was much sounder than his popular reputation as a dasher would suggest. So obvious were Compton’s talents that he joined Middlesex and Arsenal when he left school at 14.

He scored 1,000 runs in the year of his county debut, at 18 the youngest ever to do so, and the following year when he scored 65 in his first match for England, he only narrowly failed to top 2,000 runs. In 1938, he scored 102 in his first Test against Australia – at the age of 20 years 19 days. Then he remains the youngest to score a century for England.

However, in the next match, he saved the game with an unbeaten 76. Nor were his footballing achievements insignificant. He won league and cup with Arsenal and played wartime internationals for England. It seems remarkable now that anyone could combine serious careers in cricket and football at the same time.

Also, Denis Compton managed it for many years, although his football did sometimes prevent him touring with England in the winter. The quick feet he needed for football must have helped his batting. It should also be remembered that Compton was a very useful left-arm wrist-spinner who took more than 600 first-class wickets, including 73 in his amazing summer of 1947!

He also handed down good cricketing genes, his grandson Nick also playing Test matches for England. Denis Charles Scott Compton played 78 Test matches for England from 1937 till 1957. He was born on May 23, 1918 at Hendon Middlesex. He was very handy slow left-arm chinaman bowler as well.  He was great national icon cricketer became a symbol of national hero.

Denis Compton married three times, having one son “Brian” from his first wife. From his second wife, he had two sons, both played cricket for Natal. He had two daughters from his third wife. Moreover, his grandson Nick Compton also played for England and made his test debut against India at Ahmedabad in 2012-13. So, his legacy is continuing to serve England.

Denis Charles Scott Compton played 78 test matches for England, in which he scored 5,807 runs at 50.06 with 17 hundred, 28 fifties, and 49 catches. As a left-arm chinaman, he managed to grab 25 wickets at 56.40 with the best of 5 for 77.

His first-class records are even very impressive. He played 515 matches, scored 38,942 runs at 51.85 with the best of 300, including 123 hundred, 183 fifties, and 416 catches. In the bowling department, he took 622 wickets at 32.27 with the career-best of 7 for 36, including 19 times five wickets haul and 3 times ten wickets in a match.

After retirement, he was commentating for BBC and columnist for Sunday Express. Denis Compton always young as heart, even towards his hip pain to the knee. The finest England batsman Denis Compton died in a hospital on April 23, 1997, at Windsor at the age of 78. His notable achievements are as below.

1.    In 1939, he was Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

2.    He was a member of the FA Cup winner in 1950, represented England in wartimes for professional football for Arsenal.

3.    He was one of 25 Batsman, who scored over one hundred centuries in first-class cricket.

4.    In 2009, he was included in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Harold Larwood - Great England Fast Bowler

Harold Larwood born on 14, November 1904 in the village of Nuncargate at Nottinghamshire. Not many bowlers troubled Don Bradman and other legends still caused him genuine concern. Harold Larwood was one who did. Like the very best express bowlers, there was a lot more to Larwood than an extreme pace. In his case, he had one of the most vicious break-backs in the game. At times he makes the ball come back so much that he is almost unplayable,’ said Wisden of Larwood when he was still at quite an early stage of his career. The great accuracy and speed were his natural phenomena.

Judging purely by Bradman’s scores in his first two series against England. It is not immediately apparent that Larwood caused him much of a problem at all. Larwood was England’s match-winner in Bradman’s first Test at Brisbane in 1928. He has taken 6 for 32 as Australia was skittled for mere 122 runs in the first innings and two more wickets in the second, but although he failed twice, Bradman did not get out to him either time.

Indeed, it was not until the final Test of the 1930 series in England in which Sir Donald Bradman shattered so many records that Larwood took his wicket. But what the scorebooks do not reveal is that Larwood and the rest of the England players were convinced he had. Sir Don Bradman caught behind off a short ball before he had scored the first of his 334 runs at Headingly.

A snick Harold Larwood said could be heard all over the ground – and that Larwood’s short-pitched bowling severely discomfited Bradman during the Oval Test. In which Bradman brilliant scored 232, hitting him in the chest and on the wrist. It was this that led directly to Douglas Jardine’s adoption of Bodyline tactics in Australia in 1932–33. In Harold Larwood, Jardine believed he had the means to keep Bradman quiet.

Harold Larwood was not quite 5ft 8in in height but with a superb sprinting run-up he was able to generate great pace off the ground while remaining highly accurate. Douglas Jardine thought that if Larwood was instructed to bowl like this on the line of Bradman’s body. Or the body of anyone for that matter, with a packed leg-side field, then run-scoring would be very difficult.

And he was proved right! scoring runs off Larwood was very difficult. Bodyline tactics were not in fact adopted on all occasions. But Larwood dismissed Bradman four times in the four Tests in which he played, as well as twice more in a warm-up match. Bradman got past 50 only once in those six innings and was bowled three times.

It was one of the most sustained periods of success any bowler ever enjoyed against Bradman. Larwood took 33 wickets in the series before hobbling from the field during the final Test with a foot injury. Although he never bowled as quickly again because of that injury, which forced him to miss most of the 1933 season, he would certainly have played for England again had not MCC been so eager to appease the feelings of the Australians, who felt Bodyline was unacceptable.

Ahead of the next series in England in 1934, MCC effectively made it a proviso of his selection that he should apologies for his part in Bodyline. Although, he completely admirably – and refused, insisting he had done nothing wrong. That Larwood’s Test career was over before he turned 30 was a personal tragedy. But there was something heroic in his refusal to publicly express regret over something in which he felt only pride.

His bowling in that series had been astonishingly good and the Australians – Bradman apart perhaps – had no personal issue with Larwood, even those such as Bill Woodfull and Bert Oldfield who was injured by him. As fast bowlers do, Larwood rose fast. Emerging from a mining community at Nuncargate near Nottingham.

He played his first match for Nottinghamshire at the age of 19. Therefore, within two years he had sealed his Test selection by bowling Jack Hobbs twice in a county match and England captain Arthur Carr. That who also happened to be his county captain, during a Test trial. In his second match for England, he helped them regain the Ashes with six wickets in a famous victory at The Oval in 1926.

For the next ten years, Larwood was a scourge of county players who found the prospect of facing him from one end. While the left-arm Bill Voce from the other end. However, Bill Voce was another member of Jardine’s Bodyline attack. As perhaps their least comfortable appointments of the summer. Larwood took 80 wickets at 18.43 when Nottinghamshire claimed the championship in 1929 but that was one of his more expensive years.

He has been widely acknowledged greatest fast bowler of that time. If any technology at that time, he would have been easily measured to bowl between 90 to 100 mph. One of Australian cricketing generation, Ernie Jones said; "Larwood wouldn't knock a dint in a pound of butter on a hot day".

A 5ft and 7in short side arm fast bowler, with the smooth and soundless approach. Jack Hobbs faced Larwood many times in county cricket matches, he thought! one of the accurate and speedy bowler he has ever faced. Australian fast bowler Ray Lindwall was very much influenced by Larwood’s bowling action.

One of his 1990 interview, he said, I never intended to hit batsman's head, I always tried to hit batsman rib to unsettle them. Larwood was extremely lethal and speedy at his day, as Reg Sinfield, Patsy Hendren, H.B. Cameron were badly hit in the field and laying unconscious. However, many batsmen were bruises and suffered minor fractures.

Harold Larwood had topped the national bowling averages in 1927 and 1928 with figures of 16.95 and 14.51! Larwood did so again in 1931 and 1932 when his wickets cost only 12.03 and 12.86 respectively. Even as late as 1936, when he took 100 wickets in a season for the eighth and last time, his average was again under 13. These figures bear eloquent testimony to his destructive capabilities, as does the fact that more than half his 1,427 first-class victims were bowled.

The irony of Larwood's story is that in retirement he emigrated to Australia, the place where he had been such a figure of opprobrium and lived there contentedly while counting former opponents such as Jack Fingleton, Woodfull and Oldfield among his friends. He was belatedly and rightly recognized by his own country with an MBE in 1993 when he was 88 years old. His father Robert Larwood was a rigid miner and he was fourth on the list of his five sons. Harold Larwood died on 22 July 1995 in New South Wales at the age of 90.

Overall, he appeared in 21 Test matches for England, scored 485 runs at 19.40 with career best of 98, and credit to 78 wickets at 28.35 with the best of 6 for 32. Moreover, in 361 matches scored 7,290 runs at 19.91 with the best of 102* including three hundred and 23 fifties and 234 catches. So, in these first-class matches, he has taken1427 wickets with the best of 9 for 41 including 98 times five wickets an innings and 20 wickets in a match. He would have remained in the heart of cricket history.

Wally Hammond ! England Giant Batsman 1927–1947

Wally Hammond was a giant among England cricketers. Their premier batsman in the period between Jack Hobbs and Len Hutton while offering them so much more besides. He was a superb slip catcher and a highly able fast-medium bowler who fared best in Tests on the harder overseas pitches.

Tall and strong, he could take great workloads in his stride and be rarely out of the action for long. Walter Reginald Wally Hammond born on 19 June 1903 and his first-class career lasted from 1920 to 1951.

There were similarities in style with Jacques Kallis as a Test all-rounder. Because both were bowlers who could have accomplished more if their batting had not taken priority. Both were natural fielders, but wonderful technician though Kallis was. Wally Hammond was certainly the more imperious, attacking and influential batsman.

England never lost when Hammond scored a hundred, as he did on 22 occasions – a national record until Alastair Cook overhauled him in 2012. He also lost only one of six series as England captain after giving up his professional status to take on the job. Hammond was not lucky though.

The only son of a Royal Artillery major who was killed in the First World War, his career stalled for two years over a battle for his services between Kent, the county of his birth, and Gloucestershire, the county he ended up serving for 20 seasons. The serious illness cost him a season at a crucial stage in his development and then when he did establish himself as the world’s best batsman. He was along coming a diminutive Australian called Don Bradman to steal the position from him.

When he led England on a tour of Australia after the Second World War, the team were not ready to resume serious Test cricket and he himself was 43 years old and not fully fit. But unsurprisingly his team took a hammering and he bowed out from international cricket a loser.

His retirement in South Africa, he lost most of his money in bad investments and spent his final years struggling with ill-health following a car accident before dying in Natal in 1965, aged 62. He had a reputation, too, as a somewhat moody and uncommunicative person. Which was sadly at odds with the cricket he played because teammates, opponents and those watching from the stands all testified to the glory of Hammond in full flow.

He was a batsman of the classical, majestic school,’ Bradman said. ‘Of lovely athletic build, light as a ballet dancer on his feet, always beautifully balanced Bert Oldfield, who stood behind the stumps for many of Hammond’s great innings against Australia, described him as ‘the perfect batting artist’. Tom Goddard, a Gloucestershire and England teammate, reckoned he was even better than Bradman.

Once Don Bradman said he never saw anyone so strong on the off-side as Hammond and it was for his cover-driving that Wally Hammond was best remembered. There is a celebrated photograph of him cover-driving, his trademark handkerchief hanging out of his right pocket.

In his early years, he was a particularly aggressive and adventurous batsman. Therefore, England’s demands meant that he had to rein himself in and grind out the big scores then needed to win Test matches in Australia, where games were played to a finish.

On the 1928–29 tour, which England won 4–1, Hammond contributed a then-record 905 runs. He batted seven and a half hours for 251 at Sydney, another six and three-quarter hours for 200 at Melbourne, and then spent a total of almost 12 hours at the crease in Adelaide while scoring 119 in the first innings and 177 in the second.

Wally Hammond appetite for runs was immense – what you might call Bradman que if it were not a phrase that would have annoyed him. He scored seven double-centuries in Tests (only Bradman with 12, Kumar Sangakkara with 11, and Brian Lara with nine have made more) and no one has scored more doubles against Australia (Hammond made four to Lara’s three, while Graeme Pollock, VVS Laxman, and Sachin Tendulkar scored two apiece).

In all first-class cricket, Hammond’s 36 scores of 200 or more has only been beaten by Bradman (37). His 336 not out against New Zealand at Auckland in 1933 was briefly the world Test record score before being beaten by Len Hutton’s 364 in 1938 and while the bowling may not have been the strongest. He made his runs at a tremendous rate, his whole innings occupying less than five and a half hours.

In all Tests, spanning 85 matches from 1927 to 1947, he scored 7,249 at an average of 58.45. He held the Test run-scoring record from 1937 until 1970 and of the 39 batsmen who, as of 1 January 2015, have scored more Test runs, only Sangakkara has done so at a higher average. These are seriously impressive figures, but he did experience some difficult times against Australia.

Moreover, notably in England in 1930 and 1934 when he ended up dropping down the order from his favored number 3 position in the hope of rediscovering form. Australia during his time possessed two great leg-spin and googly bowlers in Clarrie Grimmett and Bill O’Reilly (who dismissed Hammond ten times in Tests) and they found a way to expose his relative weakness on the leg side. Even if he scored runs, they made sure he scored them more slowly than before.

It is hard to tell what extent he also suffered from the presence in the opposition of Bradman – whose 974 runs in just seven innings in the 1930 series obliterated Hammond’s 1928–29 record – but it was undeniably the case that if England were to compete with Australia, on a regular basis, they needed runs from their star performer. From 1930 onwards, Hammond outscored Bradman in only five of the 27 Tests in which they opposed each other – and in one of those Bradman was injured and did not bat.

But it would be easy to overstate these problems. Hammond added three more centuries in Australia to the four he scored there on his first tour, the last of them a match-winning 231 not out at Sydney in 1936–37, while his 240 at Lord’s in 1938 saw him at his majestic best. Nor did he reserve his best for international cricket.

Wally Hammond maintained a remarkably high standard in county cricket as well. He was dominating the national batting averages throughout the 1930s and regularly finishing among the leading catchers. That said, he perhaps touched a peak in 1928 during his first home summer as an England cricketer when in all first-class cricket he scored 2,825 runs, took 84 wickets and held 78 catches.

During Cheltenham Week in August he scored 139 and 143 and took ten catches against Surrey before following up with 80 runs and 15 wickets (nine for 23 in the first innings) against Worcestershire. Neither his catches for the season nor his catches in the match against Surrey have ever been beaten by an outfielder. Of the seven batsmen who have topped 50,000 first-class runs.

He took 732 first-class wickets at an average of 30.58. As an allrounder, he stands second only to Garry Sobers. He captained England side in 20 test matches, and winning four, losing three, and drawing 13.Wally Hammond’s average of 56.10 is clearly the highest, Herbert Sutcliffe standing next on 52.02, while only Hobbs and Patsy Hendren have managed more first-class hundreds than Hammond’s 167. His 819 catches put him fourth on the all-time list among non-keepers.

He represented England side in 85 test matches, scoring 7,249 runs at an average of 58.45 including 22 centuries, 24 fifties, with the best score of 336*. Overall in all first-class matches, Wally Hammond played 634 matches, scoring 50,551runs at 56.10 including 167 hundred, 185 fifties, 732 wickets, with the best of 9 for 23. These records clearly describe his caliber in the cricket world. He was a true English legend. 

• Ben Hollioake – A Star Which Could Not Shine
• Ian Botham England Greatest Ever All Rounder
• Brian Statham – Modest Background was True Great
• Colin Cowdrey – First Batsmen to Play 100 Tests
• Jack Hobbs – First Professional Cricketer to be Knighted
• Jim Laker – 19 for 90 A Unsurpassable Feat
• Jim McConnon – England Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
• Brian Luckhurst – A Dependable English Batsman
• David Sheppard – A Tall, Graceful off Side Batsman
• 50,000 Runs in all forms of cricket
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Ian Botham – England’s Greatest Ever all-Rounders

Ian Botham was an aggressive batsman and right arm medium fast bowler. Ian Botham was simply magnificent at the cricket headquarters Lord’s Test match of 1978 against Pakistan. He hammered the century 108 runs batting at No. 7 after England had slumped to 134 for 5.

His innings took the England total to 364. Then Pakistan batting crashed to 105 all out. England forced Pakistan to follow on. Sir Ian Botham took the career best bowling of 8 for 34 runs in their second innings to lead England to an innings and 120 runs triumph.

The Somerset all rounder blistering performance has become the first cricketer in the history of Test cricket, to score a century and eight wickets in an innings. His incredible all round performance make him an established all rounder on cricket scenes. England Captain Mike Brearley said, Botham colossus at the moment.

Pakistan Captain Wasim Bari Said, I have never seen a ball swing so much in the sunny weather, Botham was completely unplayable on that day. As a right hand batsman, he managed to scored 14 centuries with the career best of 208 against India in 1982.

Read More – Ben Hollioake – A Star Which Could Not Shine  / Most Stumping in Test Cricket

Young Denis Compton in 1936

Life Lines of Darren Gough in Dec 2000

This life lines of Darren Gough was published in “The Cricketer” in Dec 2000



Most Memorable day in Cricket:

My first one day international and my first test match, both against New Zealand in 1994. My ambition in life was to play for my country and I felt very proud. The Sydney Test if scoring 51 was great taking 6 for 49 was even better. It was my first five wicket haul in test cricket and put me on the honors board. When I got my 5^th wicket I said a little prayer

Worst Day in Cricket:

England A vs. Natal on South Africa’s A tour. Martin Bicknell broke down after two over’s which left us with just three bowlers. I ended with figures of one for 139 off 39 over’s.

Cricketing Heroes:

Ian Botham, Sir Richard Hadlee, Malcom Marshall

Greatest Influence on Cricket:

My wife Anna. She made me realize that to get to the top you have to work hard.

Current Player you Admired:

Allan Donald

Young Cricketers for the Future to Play for England:

Michael Vaughan, Chris Silverwood, Richard Johnson, Mal Loye

Cricketing Ambitions:

Play Well for England in Test Cricket

Favorite Grounds:

Lord’s for its history and great lunches; New Road, Worcester, Newlands in Cape Town, MCG in Australia

Least Favorite Ground:

Middleborough, I never bowl well there and it’s always cold.

Complaint against Cricket:

Once bouncer per over, two runs for a no ball not enough in the game compared to other sports, moreover 20 minutes not long enough for tea.

Most embarrassing moment in life:

Having to make a speech at my wedding

Hobbies and interest:

Golf, Football, Watching Movies

Favorite Pastime:

Going to the movies, eating out, relaxing at home with my wife

Other Sports you followed:

Football off course

Other Sports People you admired:

Kevin Costner, Nick Faldo, Glenn Hoddle, Wayne Morton, the Yorkshire physio.

Favorite Car:

Ford Mondo 1.8TD and Ford Sierra 2.0i GHIA

Favorite Food:

Mexican and Italian

Preferred Clothes:

Jeans and T-Shirt

Newspaper you Read:

Today

Favorite holidays Spot:

Oreland, America, Perth, and Cape Town

Motto in life:

Treat others as you would as expect others to treat you.

You’re Favorite Hotel:

The Swallow, Birmingham

How in your wildest dreams would you most like to spend a day/night?

I would win a million at a casino, retire from cricket and live a life of pleasures. And I would like to fly a jet fighter.

Your Favorite Magazine:

I like The Cricketer International

Any Pet Hates:

My dog chewing

Funniest moment in Cricket: Rolling Peter Hartley in to bowl in a shopping trolley the innings after he had just bowled 41 over’s before play along with Martyn Moxon our cap.

England v India, 3rd Investec Test, Ageas Bowl, 27,28,29,30,31 July 2014 (5-day match) 2014

Indian medium pacer Pankaj Singh Set the unwanted record of most runs conceded on debut test Without Taking any Wicket, beating Pakistan Shoail Khan Record at India vs England 3rd Test at Rose Bowl Southampton 27,28,29,30,31 July 2014 (5-day match) Test Match # 2132. His match figure was 146/0 and 33/0.

Pankaj Singh Woeful Test Debut at Rose Bowl @ Getty Images

Mooen Ali became the first English spinner to take a five-wicket haul against India in the fourth innings of a home Test,
With match figures of 8 for 129, Moeen had shaken off the perception of him being a part-time spinner.

Mooen Ali took five-wicket haul against India in the fourth innings of a home Test © Getty Images

Most Catches on Test Debut

England Jos Buttler and Brad Haddin are the only two wicketkeeper in the last fifteen years who have taken six catches in their debut test. However; the record is most catches on debut test is 7 well achieved by four 4 players Allan Knot, Chris Read, Biran Taber and Chamara Dunusinghe. 

Jos Buttler swings down the ground during his thrilling innings, England v India, 3rd Investec Test, Ageas Bowl, 2nd day, July 28, 2014 @ PA Photo

Moreover; Jos Buttler, Adam Gilchrist and Chamara Dunusinghe are the only three wicket keeper batsman who made fifty and taken five catches at least on debut Test.