It’s uncommon for a Bowler to ever remove a father-and-son team in an international game of cricket. However, there are a few situations where bowlers in Test cricket can claim to have set this unique record. Some famous bowlers who were involved in red-ball cricket in the past for an extended length of time were successful in taking both father and son’s wickets.
There have been a few instances this year where bowlers have drawn attention for successfully eliminating a father-and-son team, breaking a record. This unusual milestone, which has only been attained by five bowlers in the history of Test cricket, attests to the reliability of bowlers in cricket’s longest format.
Test cricket bowlers who have eliminated father-and-son teams
1. Ian Botham- Lance Cairns and Chris Cairns
From 1976 through 1992, Ian Botham captained England’s cricket team. He represented his team for 15 years, from 1977 to 1992, in cricket’s longest format. With 383 wickets in 168 innings in 102 matches by the time the legend retired, he was ultimately England’s top Test wicket-taker.
His records were broken by Stuart Broad and James Anderson, who now top England’s lists for wicket-takers. Lance and Chris Cairns were criticized by Botham during his lengthy career. From 1974 through 1985, Lance represented New Zealand on the field, and from 1989 until 2006, his son did the same.
Throughout his Test career, Botham chased Lance three times. The England speedster first outperformed the Lance in the 1978 Trent Bridge game. During England’s tour of New Zealand, Chris, Lance’s son, was once the target of Botham’s methodical bowling.
2. Wasim Akram- Lance Cairns and Chris Cairns
Pakistan’s Wasim Akram, like Ian Botham of England, is the only player to have ever dismissed Lance and Chris, a father and son team. Wasim represented Pakistan in Test matches from 1985 to 2002, and he amassed 414 wickets in 181 innings and 104 games to become his nation’s most successful Test bowler.
Lance’s wicket was taken by Akram once only in the Dunedin Test of Pakistan’s 1985 tour of New Zealand. The game ended with a two-wicket victory for New Zealand, although Akram was named Player of the Match for taking 10 wickets. 1995 saw Chris Cairns and Akram meet for the first time.
Pakistan defeated New Zealand in the Test match they played in Christchurch by a score of 161 runs. In this amazing victory, Akram collected a five-wicket haul in the first innings to help his team maintain its lead in the match. He also got rid of Chris, who had scored 76 runs and had become the top run-scorer for the hosts in the first innings, during his impressive period.
3. Simon Harmer- Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Another bowler who has defeated a father-son team in a Test match is South Africa’s right-arm offspinner Simon Harmer. He set this record by playing cricket’s longest format against Shivnarine Chanderpaul, a legend from the West Indies, and his son Tagenarine Chanderpaul.
At the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, Harmer’s first international game resulted with Shivnarine being stumped by AB de Villiers in the first innings. That game was won by the Proteas by eight wickets. Harmer’s seven wickets in his team’s triumph made his maiden game memorable for him.
Regarding Harmer’s performance against Tagenarine, the off-spinner took on the great Caribbean player’s son in 2023 while the West Indies were on tour in South Africa. He had Tagenarine caught at second slip by Dean Elgar during the second Test at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
4. Mitchell Starc- Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Due to his controlled pace bowling, Mitchell Starc is an essential member of the Australian team. With 323 wickets in 153 innings over 80 matches, he ranks fifth among Australia’s Test bowlers. He also has the distinction of having dismissed Shivanarine and Tagenarine, a father-son duo, in addition to these statistics.
In the third Test at Windsor Park during Australia’s 2012 tour of the West Indies, Starc dismissed Shivnarine by bowling the Caribbean batsman leg-before-wicket. The southpaw was in excellent form during that inning, scoring 68 runs before being removed from the game.
When the West Indies visited Australia in 2022, Starc had success against Tagenarine. The speedster removed the left-handed Windies mainstay in the second innings of the opening Test at the West Australia Cricket Association (WACA) Stadium when he was on 45.
5. Ravichandran Ashwin– Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Since joining the India Test team in November 2011, Ravichandran Ashwin has played in 175 innings and participated in 93 matches. During that time, he has taken 479 wickets. With these outstanding bowling statistics, he is currently India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the sport’s longest format.
The spin wizard also made history when he caught Shivanarine and Tagenarine, a father-and-son team. The experienced Shivanarine was returned to the pavilion on 47 by the 25-year-old Ashwin in his first Test match in Delhi. Shivnarine was struck out three more times by Ashwin in cricket’s longest format following this match.
When Tagenarine was picked up in the first innings of the first Test at Windsor Park, Dominica, in July 2023, the veteran spinner made headlines. When Tagenarine was out on 12, the 36-year-old removed him, giving India its first victory of the game.