Marco Jansen and Prabath Jayasuriya Set New Test Records in Historic Durban Match
In a remarkable display of bowling prowess, Marco Jansen and Prabath Jayasuriya made history during the first Test match between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Durban on Thursday. Jansen’s record-breaking 7-wicket haul led to Sri Lanka’s lowest-ever Test total of 42, while Jayasuriya etched his name in the record books by becoming the second-fastest player to reach 100 Test wickets.
Jansen, the South African left-arm pacer, produced a stunning performance, taking 7 wickets for just 13 runs. His extraordinary spell shattered the previous record for the best bowling figures by a pacer in World Test Championship (WTC) history, held by New Zealand’s Matt Henry, who had claimed 7 wickets for 23 runs in 2022.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya made history by reaching 100 Test wickets in just 17 matches, becoming the joint second-fastest to achieve this feat. He surpassed some cricketing greats, including Ian Botham and Ravichandran Ashwin, but fell short of the record set by George Alfred Lohmann in 1886 by just one match. Jayasuriya also became the fourth Sri Lankan spinner to achieve the milestone, surpassing Dilruwan Perera’s record of 25 matches.
Fastest to 100 Test Wickets:
- George Alfred Lohmann (England): 16 Tests (1886)
- Prabath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka): 17 Tests (2024)
- Yasir Shah (Pakistan): 17 Tests (2014)
- Charlie Turner (Australia): 17 Tests (1887)
- Ravichandran Ashwin (India): 18 Tests (2011)
Best Bowling Figures by a Fast Bowler in WTC History:
- Marco Jansen (South Africa): 7/13 vs Sri Lanka (2024)
- Matt Henry (New Zealand): 7/23 vs South Africa (2022)
- Gus Atkinson (England): 7/45 vs West Indies (2024)
- Shardul Thakur (India): 7/61 vs South Africa (2022)
Both Jansen and Jayasuriya’s exceptional performances added to what is shaping up to be a historic Test series, with the duo rewriting records and proving their dominance in world cricket.
