Top 5 fastest 5-wicket hauls in test cricket (by balls)

Only four bowlers have completed a five-wicket haul under 20 balls in test cricket.

Batting and bowling are two essential parts of the game of cricket. The role of a bowler in test cricket is very important compared to white-ball cricket. Sometimes bowlers have to bowl long spells without a wicket.

But sometimes, they get wickets in their very first over. With the long history of test cricket, there have been some memorable spells registered.

Some of them will feature in this article, where we will talk about the fastest 5-wicket hauls in test cricket (by balls).

List of Top five fastest 5-wicket hauls in test cricket (by balls)

5. Shane Watson – 21 Balls vs South Africa, Cape Town, 2011

The fifth fastest 5-wicket haul in test cricket (by balls) belongs to former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, who achieved the feat in Cape Town against South Africa in 2011. In reply to Australia‘s 284, the Proteas were bowled out for 96 runs. Watson reached his fifer off just 21 balls and finished with 5/17 in 5 overs.

He dismissed five of the top seven batters. But it went in vain as Australia lost the game by eight wickets, courtesy of a 47-run all-out in the second innings.

4. Scott Boland – 19 Balls vs England, Melbourne, 2021

Scott Boland had an incredible start to his test career, and he has recorded one of the fastest fifers in the longest format of the game. It was against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the Ashes 2020-21. England were bowled out for just 68 runs in the second innings, and Boland took a fifer in just 19 balls.

He finished with 6/7 in four overs, which are his best bowling figures in test cricket. Australia won that game by an innings and 14 runs.

3. Stuart Broad – 19 Balls vs Australia, Nottingham, 2015

Stuart Broad finished with 604 test wickets, and his best bowling figures 8/15, which saw him complete his five-wicket haul in only 19 balls. It was during the Nottingham in Ashes 2015, where Australia were bowled out for just 60 runs in the first innings.

Broad took 8/15 in 9.3 overs in the first innings, which was one of the top bowling spells ever by a pacer. England won that game by an innings and 78 runs.

2. Ernie Toshack – 19 Balls vs India, Brisbane, 1947

Former Australian quick Ernie Toshack registered a test fifer against India in 19 balls. The left-arm quick did it against India at the Gabba, Brisbane in 1947.

It came in first innings of the match when India were bowled out for 58 runs and Ernie took 5/2 in 2.3 overs (8 balls per over). He took 6/29 in the second innings as well, helping Australia register an easy win by an innings and 226 runs.

1. Mitchell Starc – 15 Balls vs West Indies, Kingston, 2025

The introduction of pink ball in test cricket has certainly given fast bowlers bowlers better chance to trouble the batters more. That’s where Mitchell Starc has been incredible. He registered the fastest 5-wicket haul in test cricket (by balls) off just 15 balls.

He did it against the West Indies in Kingston in 2025. Australia scored 225 and 121, and the West Indies scored 143 and 27. Starc took 6/9 in the second innings, where he helped Australia bowl out the West Indies for 27, which is the second-lowest total in the longest format of the game.

(All stats updated till 15th July, 2025)

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