Corbin Bosch becomes first SA player to achieve rare Test record; joins Ashwin, Wasim Akram on elite list
Corbin Bosch became the first South African player in 23 years to score a century and take a fifer in the same Test match since Jacques Kallis. Bosch and Wiaan Mulder's all-round show and led by Lhuan-dre Pretorius' attractive maiden Test ton helped the Proteas win the first Zimbabwe Test.
Corbin Bosch became the first South African to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Test match in 23 years as his all-round show propelled South Africa to a colossal win in the opening game against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Bosch became the fourth South African player to achieve the feat after Jacques Kallis (twice), Jimmy Sinclair and Aubrey Faulkner.
Bosch became the first Proteas player and 14th overall to register the unique feat away from home as all three of Sinclair, Faulkner and Kallis did it at home.
Previously, Charles Kelleway (Australia), Vinoo Mankad (India), Keith Miller (Australia), Richie Benaud (Australia), Collie Smith (West Indies), Pollie Umrigar (India), Bruce Taylor (New Zealand), Sir Ian Botham (England), R Ashwin (India), Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan), Gary Sobers (West Indies), Tony Greig (England) and Paul Strang (Zimbabwe) have all achieved the same feat away from home. Botham is the only one to do it thrice, twice in New Zealand and once in India.
Bosch, who took a four-fer on his debut and scored a fifty, went a step further in his second appearance in the whites for South Africa, smashing his maiden Test ton when the visitors needed someone from the lower order to step up and then delivered with the ball in the fourth innings. The new No 3 Wiaan Mulder fell agonisingly short of the record in the same clash after a superb century in the second innings, but was able to take only four wickets with the ball in the first innings.
Bosch has been a fantastic addition to this young South African Test side as not just the balance, the 30-year-old also provides depth to the Proteas line-up and might be a key member of their World Test Championship defence in the new cycle. Apart from Bosch and Mulder, Lhuan-dre Pretorius was the one, who set it all up for the Proteas with a magnificent 153 on his Test debut.