In a sport defined by glorious dismissals, a few bowlers stand apart for a different reason: their longevity without a single wicket.
This list pays tribute to those rare Test cricketers who logged the most overs in their careers while forever chasing the elusive first scalp.
These are the legends of endurance who redefined the term “wicketless marathon.“
Most Overs Bowled Without a Wicket in Tests
| Player | Matches | Innings | Overs Bowled | Runs Conceded | Economy Rate | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Hopwood (ENG) | 2 | 3 | 77.0 | 155 | 2.01 | 0 |
| George Headley (WI)* | 22 | 14 | 65.0 | 230 | 3.46 | 0 |
| Anwar Hossain Monir (BAN) | 3 | 3 | 58.0 | 307 | 5.29 | 0 |
| Mohammad Khalil (PAK) | 2 | 4 | 48.2 | 200 | 4.13 | 0 |
| Habibul Bashar (BAN) | 50 | 9 | 47.0 | 217 | 4.61 | 0 |
| Otto Nothling (AUS) | 1 | 2 | 46.0 | 72 | 1.56 | 0 |
| Alfred Scott (WI) | 1 | 2 | 44.0 | 140 | 3.18 | 0 |
| Alamgir Kabir (BAN) | 3 | 4 | 43.3 | 221 | 5.08 | 0 |
| Edward Bowley (ENG) | 5 | 4 | 42.0 | 116 | 2.76 | 0 |
| Charlie Barnett (ENG)* | 20 | 8 | 41.0 | 93 | 2.17 | 0 |
Note: George Headley and Charlie Barnett bowled a few overs consisting eight balls.
Key Insights on Bowlers with Most Wicketless Overs in Test Cricket
Longest Wicketless Spells and Innings in Test History
England’s John Hopwood bowled the most overs without taking a wicket in Tests, going wicketless in 77 overs he delivered across two Tests.
Hopwood’s 32 of the 77 overs were maidens, the most among the bowlers with zero wickets in Tests.
West Indies’ Denis Atkinson, meanwhile, has bowled the most overs in a wicketless spell in Tests, sending down 72 overs for 137 runs in the third innings against England in 1957.
Most Expensive and Economic Wicketless Bowling Figures
Bangladesh’s Anwar Hossain Monir has conceded the most runs (307) while not taking a single wicket in Test cricket.
Australia’s Bryce McGain has the worst economy rate, going at 8.27 while delivering 18 overs in his debut Test against South Africa in 2009.
Adil Rashid has bowled the most expensive wicketless spell on his Test debut, conceding 163 runs in 34 overs in the first innings against Pakistan in 2015. Rashid, though, picked up a 5-for in the second innings of the same game and picked 60 scalps in his career.
Charles Jones has the lowest economy rate among the bowlers who’ve delivered 10 overs without a wicket in Tests. He had an economy rate of 0.64 while bowling 17 overs across three innings (four Tests) for the West Indies.
Captaincy Records and Career Overviews Without a Wicket
India’s Polly Umrigar sent down 69 wicketless overs in eight matches (six innings) while leading the team, the most by a captain in Tests. Umrigar, who was part of India’s historic first Test win ever, ended his career with 35 scalps, though.
There are more than 440 bowlers who’ve delivered at least one over without a wicket in their Test careers.
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