Who has the quickest 50 wickets?

Vernon Philander took 6 for 81 in the first innings at the Basin Reserve to go past 50 wickets in his seventh Test. He was the second quickest to the milestone, along with Tom Richardson, needing only 13 innings to get there 135 days after his debut, and the fastest in more than 100 years. Charlie Turner, in 1887-88, did it in six Tests.

Has anyone taken 50 Test wickets (not necessarily the first 50 of a career) in fewer matches than Turner did, though? It's what we've found out in this week's column, along with other purple sequences of wicket-taking and run-scoring.

Two bowlers have taken 50 wickets in a five-Test stretch. Sydney Barnes, who holds the record for most wickets in a series, did it during two overlapping sequences between 1912 and 1914. Barnes took 53 wickets in five consecutive Tests between August 12, 1912 and January 5, 1914. In his next match, against South Africa in Durban, he had figures of 14 for 144, giving him 54 wickets in another five-Test stretch. That turned out to be his final game for England. So in his last six Tests, Barnes had 67 wickets at 9.56 apiece, before World War I put an end to international cricket for a while.

Muttiah Muralitharan took 60 wickets in six Tests between May 25, 2006 and December 18, 2006. That stretch contains two overlapping five-Test sequences in which he claimed 50 wickets each. They consist of matches in England, against South Africa in Colombo, and in New Zealand.

Apart from Murali's multiple appearances in our table, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir are the only other post-1960 bowlers with 50 wickets in six Tests.

Fewest matches for a sequence of 50 Test wickets

Player	Start Date	End Date	Mat	Balls	Wkts	List
SF Barnes (Eng)	Aug 12, 1912	Jan 5, 1914	5	1397	53	13/57, 5/48, 10/105, 17/159, 8/128
SF Barnes (Eng)	Aug 19, 1912	Feb 18, 1914	5	1542	54	5/48, 10/105, 17/159, 8/128, 14/144
M Muralitharan (SL)	May 25, 2006	Dec 9, 2006	5	1856	50	10/115, 11/132, 10/172, 12/225, 7/99
M Muralitharan (SL)	Jun 2, 2006	Dec 18, 2006	5	1910	50	11/132, 10/172, 12/225, 7/99, 10/118
SF Barnes (Eng)	Jul 8, 1912	Dec 30, 1913	6	1333	55	10/115, DNB, 13/57, 5/48, 10/105, 17/159
GA Lohmann (Eng)	Jan 29, 1892	Jun 24, 1896	6	1413	52	10/142, 4/54, 15/45, 12/71, 8/87, 3/52
Waqar Younis (Pak)	Jan 2, 1993	Dec 14, 1993	6	1418	50	9/81, 6/125, 4/132, 9/127, 13/135, 9/138
GA Lohmann (Eng)	Jan 1, 1892	Mar 23, 1896	6	1650	51	2/93, 10/142, 4/54, 15/45, 12/71, 8/87
CTB Turner (Aus)	Jan 28, 1887	Aug 31, 1888	6	1727	50	8/68, 9/93, 12/87, 10/63, 6/112, 5/86
M Muralitharan (SL)	Aug 4, 2006	Jul 14, 2007	6	1727	55	12/225, 7/99, 10/118, 9/102, 5/98, 12/82
M Muralitharan (SL)	Jul 27, 2006	Jul 5, 2007	6	2006	53	10/172, 12/225, 7/99, 10/118, 9/102, 5/98
M Muralitharan (SL)	Apr 3, 2006	Aug 8, 2006	6	2034	51	5/85, 3/158, 10/115, 11/132, 10/172, 12/225
JC Laker (Eng)	Aug 13, 1955	Aug 28, 1956	6	2067	53	7/84, 6/87, 3/64, 11/113, 19/90, 7/88
M Muralitharan (SL)	Jun 2, 2006	Jun 28, 2007	6	2172	59	11/132, 10/172, 12/225, 7/99, 10/118, 9/102
T Richardson (Eng)	Dec 29, 1894	Jul 18, 1896	6	2195	50	7/157, 8/164, 2/78, 9/242, 11/173, 13/244
M Muralitharan (SL)	Aug 14, 2001	Nov 25, 2001	6	2204	54	8/90, 4/158, 11/196, 10/111, 11/170, 10/135
M Muralitharan (SL)	Mar 27, 1998	Sep 11, 1999	6	2243	50	8/157, 9/227, 3/57, 7/90, 16/220, 7/128
M Muralitharan (SL)	Sep 6, 2001	Jan 7, 2002	6	2349	55	10/111, 11/170, 10/135, 3/231, 8/88, 13/115
M Muralitharan (SL)	Nov 21, 2001	Mar 10, 2002	6	2368	51	10/135, 3/231, 8/88, 13/115, 9/91, 8/127
M Muralitharan (SL)	Jun 27, 2003	Mar 20, 2004	6	2408	50	4/71, 11/93, 8/124, 7/103, 11/212, 9/221
M Muralitharan (SL)	Dec 10, 2003	May 8, 2004	6	2434	51	8/124, 7/103, 11/212, 9/221, 8/216, 8/82
M Muralitharan (SL)	Aug 29, 2001	Dec 31, 2001	6	2435	53	11/196, 10/111, 11/170, 10/135, 3/231, 8/88
M Muralitharan (SL)	Mar 19, 1998	Aug 31, 1998	6	2452	51	8/243, 8/157, 9/227, 3/57, 7/90, 16/220
M Muralitharan (SL)	Nov 13, 2001	Jan 15, 2002	6	2525	54	11/170, 10/135, 3/231, 8/88, 13/115, 9/91
CV Grimmett (Aus)	Aug 18, 1934	Mar 3, 1936	6	2533	52	8/167, 5/131, 6/140, 10/88, 10/110, 13/173
M Muralitharan (SL)	Dec 2, 2003	Mar 28, 2004	6	2645	54	11/93, 8/124, 7/103, 11/212, 9/221, 8/216
Abdul Qadir (Pak)	Aug 6, 1987	Apr 19, 1988	6	2688	52	10/211, 13/101, 7/150, 10/186, 4/157, 8/231

Barnes and Murali also dominate the table for the fewest Tests for 100 wickets. Barnes took 102 wickets in 12 Tests, at an average of 12 between February 1912 and 1924. He also has two other 13-match sequences with 100 wickets that overlap with the 12-Test sequence.

Murali's two best stretches of fewest Tests for 100 wickets are discrete. In 12 matches between August 14, 2001 and June 2, 2002, he took 100 wickets at 16.55 apiece, and in 12 games between March 2006 and July 2007, he took 100 at 15.21.

Don Bradman holds the record for scoring 1000 Test runs in the fewest innings. He needed only eight to make 1001 runs at an average of 143 between February 13, 1931 and February 2, 1932. And none of those games was against England; they were at home against West Indies and South Africa. Between 1934 and 1938, Bradman scored 1000 runs in nine consecutive innings on two occasions. He had done it in nine innings between 1931 and 1932 as well. The only other batsmen to score 1000 runs in nine Test innings are Garry Sobers (1958) and Kumar Sangakkara (2006-07).

Bradman scored 2000 Test runs in the fewest innings too - 16, between June 1930 and February 1932. He has also done it in 19 innings three other times. The batsman next quickest after Bradman is Mohammad Yousuf, who made 2011 runs in 20 innings between November 2005 and December 2006. In was in 2006 that Yousuf broke the record for most runs in a year by scoring 1788 in 11 Tests.

Fewest matches for a sequence of 2000 Test runs

Player	Start Date	End Date	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50
DG Bradman (Aus)	Jul 20, 1934	Dec 4, 1946	12	19	2056	304	120.94	9	3
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)	Nov 29, 2005	Dec 1, 2006	12	20	2011	223	105.84	10	3
DG Bradman (Aus)	Jun 27, 1930	Feb 2, 1932	13	16	2088	334	139.20	9	0
DG Bradman (Aus)	Jul 20, 1934	Dec 19, 1946	13	20	2290	304	127.22	10	3
DG Bradman (Aus)	Aug 18, 1934	Jan 7, 1947	13	21	2114	270	111.26	9	4
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)	Nov 29, 2005	Jan 22, 2007	13	22	2061	223	98.14	10	3
DG Bradman (Aus)	Feb 23, 1933	Jun 28, 1938	13	23	2002	304	95.33	7	4
DG Bradman (Aus)	Jun 8, 1934	Jul 25, 1938	13	23	2002	304	95.33	8	3
DG Bradman (Aus)	Jun 27, 1930	Feb 15, 1932	14	16	2088	334	139.20	9	0
DG Bradman (Aus)	Feb 1, 1929	Dec 21, 1931	14	19	2017	334	112.05	9	1
DG Bradman (Aus)	Mar 8, 1929	Jan 6, 1932	14	19	2088	334	116.00	10	0
DG Bradman (Aus)	Dec 29, 1928	Dec 3, 1931	14	20	2096	334	110.31	9	2
DG Bradman (Aus)	Jan 1, 1937	Dec 18, 1947	14	21	2002	270	111.22	9	4
DG Bradman (Aus)	Dec 18, 1936	Dec 4, 1947	14	22	2071	270	109.00	9	5
DG Bradman (Aus)	Jun 8, 1934	Aug 24, 1938	14	23	2002	304	95.33	8	3
DG Bradman (Aus)	Aug 18, 1934	Feb 6, 1947	14	23	2170	270	108.50	9	5
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)	Nov 29, 2005	Jan 28, 2007	14	24	2162	223	94.00	10	4
KC Sangakkara (SL)	Mar 26, 2006	Dec 5, 2007	14	24	2048	287	102.40	8	5
DG Bradman (Aus)	Jan 13, 1933	Jun 14, 1938	14	25	2056	304	85.66	6	6
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)	Jan 13, 2006	Oct 12, 2007	14	25	2027	202	88.13	9	5
GA Gooch (Eng)	Jul 5, 1990	Aug 27, 1991	14	27	2054	333	79.00	7	8
G Gambhir (India)	Jul 23, 2008	Jan 21, 2010	14	27	2000	206	76.92	8	7

In one-day internationals, Sachin Tendulkar scored 1000 runs in the fewest innings - 13 in 14 matches between April and September 1998. Hashim Amla, in various sequences between 2009 and 2010, did it in 14 innings, and so did Matthew Hayden between February and October 2007, when he was the top scorer at the 2007 World Cup. The quickest Tendulkar has scored 2000 runs, however, is in 37 innings, behind Amla, AB de Villiers and Brian Lara. Amla and de Villiers have both scored 2009 runs in 34 innings, while Lara did it in 36.

Fewest matches for a sequence of 2000 ODI runs

Player	Start Date	End Date	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50
HM Amla (SA)	Jan 23, 2009	Mar 12, 2011	34	34	2009	129	64.80	7	12
HM Amla (SA)	Jan 26, 2009	Mar 15, 2011	34	34	2014	129	64.96	7	12
AB de Villiers (SA)	Nov 27, 2009	Feb 25, 2012	34	34	2009	134	77.26	10	8
HM Amla (SA)	Nov 2, 2008	Jan 23, 2011	35	35	2041	140	63.78	7	12
HM Amla (SA)	Nov 9, 2008	Mar 3, 2011	35	35	2055	140	64.21	8	11
HM Amla (SA)	Jan 26, 2009	Mar 19, 2011	35	35	2065	129	64.53	7	13
HM Amla (SA)	Nov 8, 2009	Jan 11, 2012	35	35	2036	129	61.69	8	12
HM Amla (SA)	Nov 22, 2009	Jan 14, 2012	35	35	2011	129	60.93	8	12
AB de Villiers (SA)	Nov 27, 2009	Feb 29, 2012	35	35	2040	134	78.46	10	8
HM Amla (SA)	Feb 24, 2010	Mar 3, 2012	35	35	2033	129	61.60	8	12
HM Amla (SA)	Nov 2, 2008	Feb 24, 2011	36	36	2055	140	62.27	7	12
HM Amla (SA)	Nov 9, 2008	Mar 6, 2011	36	36	2097	140	63.54	8	11
HM Amla (SA)	Jan 26, 2009	Mar 25, 2011	36	36	2072	129	62.78	7	13
HM Amla (SA)	Jan 30, 2009	Oct 19, 2011	36	36	2016	129	59.29	7	12
HM Amla (SA)	Nov 22, 2009	Feb 25, 2012	36	36	2019	129	59.38	8	12
HM Amla (SA)	Nov 27, 2009	Feb 29, 2012	36	36	2054	129	60.41	8	12
AB de Villiers (SA)	Nov 27, 2009	Mar 3, 2012	36	36	2049	134	78.80	10	8
BC Lara (WI)	Nov 7, 1994	Jan 12, 1997	37	36	2016	169	67.20	7	10
HM Amla (SA)	Jan 30, 2009	Oct 23, 2011	37	37	2016	129	57.60	7	12

Waqar Younis took 50 wickets at an average of 11 in 16 ODIs between April 1990 and October 1991. No one has beaten that yet. Ajantha Mendis, who was the quickest debutant to 50 ODI wickets, has taken 50 in 17 matches. The only other bowlers to feature in our table are Allan Donald and Saqlain Mushtaq, whose quickest 50 wickets came in 19 and 20 ODIs.

Mendis hasn't made it to 100 ODI wickets yet; he's stuck on 96 and hasn't played for Sri Lanka in a while. Waqar took 416 wickets but never took 100 of them as quickly as Saqlain and Donald did. Saqlain's fastest 100 came in 46 matches between September 1996 and 1997. Donald's also took 46 games, between January 1996 and 1998.

Fewest matches for a sequence of 100 ODI wickets

Player	Start Date	End Date	Mat	Balls	Wkts	BBI	Ave	SR	4	5
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	Sep 1, 1996	Sep 14, 1997	46	2447	100	5/29	16.50	24.47	4	4
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	Aug 31, 1996	Sep 13, 1997	46	2459	100	5/29	16.85	24.59	4	4
AA Donald (SA)	Jan 9, 1996	Jan 23, 1998	46	2544	100	6/23	17.71	25.44	6	1
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	Sep 1, 1996	Sep 17, 1997	47	2447	100	5/29	16.50	24.47	4	4
AA Donald (SA)	Jan 9, 1996	Jan 26, 1998	47	2562	100	6/23	17.88	25.62	6	1
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	Sep 18, 1996	Sep 28, 1997	48	2495	101	5/29	16.63	24.70	4	4
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	Sep 17, 1996	Sep 21, 1997	48	2501	100	5/29	17.06	25.01	4	4
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	Apr 4, 1997	Apr 7, 1999	48	2502	100	5/38	18.14	25.02	5	2
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak)	Sep 1, 1996	Sep 18, 1997	48	2507	101	5/29	16.81	24.82	4	4
AA Donald (SA)	Jan 9, 1996	Apr 17, 1998	48	2610	101	6/23	17.92	25.84	6	1