Young English speedster Sam Curran has scripted history right in the second Test of his career. While bowling against India on the second day of the first match at Edgbaston, the 20-year-old left-arm pacer became the youngest English bowler to take a 4-wicket haul in Test cricket.
He broke the 88-year-old record of Bill Voce which he set against West Indies.
Curran picked up 3/23 in his first six overs. One after the other, he removed the Indian top order when the visitors came to bat in the response of England’s 287 in the first innings.
Curran’s first prey was Murali Vijay (20) who stitched an opening partnership of 50 runs with Shikhar Dhawan. 2 balls after having Vijay removed, Curran went on to bamboozle KL Rahul (4), as he bowled him in an extraordinary way.
The third man he hunted down was Shikhar Dhawan who was caught at second slip by Dawid Malan for 26, again through a superb outswinger. And the final one came up during the second session when a brutal bumper had him Pandya’s wicket.
After this incident, he became the youngest seamer to have three for England. In due course, he surpassed James Anderson and Dominic Bess.
Youngest English bowler to claim 3 plus wickets in Tests:
Sam Curran – 20 y 59 d
James Anderson – 20 y 296 d
James Anderson – 20y 310 d
Dominic Bess – 20y 314 d
At the same time, he is also the youngest English bowler to pick a 4-fer, surpassing Bill Voce who did this marvel back in 1930. Bill was 20 year and 179 days old while Sam did it at the age of 27 years and 59 days.