Ten out of ten

Many congratulations to Ottis Gibson, the veteran West Indian, who took all ten Hampshire wickets today, the first man to do that in county cricket since Richard Johnson 13 years ago. The achievement is a rarity in itself, but few would have laid money on the 38-year-old Durham bowler, who many thought was winding down time this season before heading for a coaching job somewhere.

Taking all ten wickets in an innings has happened 79 times in first-class cricket but many have got close. Last season, I was reporting from Chelmsford when Zaheer Khan took the first nine Essex wickets in a championship match. Play ended for the day soon afterwards and there was great tension the next morning to see whether the Worcestershire and India bowler could finish the job. It wasn't long the next morning before Darren Gough gave Zaheer his chance, edging behind down the leg side... but Steven Davies dropped the catch! Zaheer failed to find his line and ended with nine for 138, Essex having added 97 for the last wicket before Matt Mason finally got Gough.

I was told later by Andy Flower, the Essex middle-order batsman, that the ball had been swinging wildly for Zaheer and Gough had been sent out with the express purpose of losing the ball. And he succeeded in that, hitting a huge six out of the ground and into the river. Facing a different ball, Gough made 50 off 33 balls and Ravi Bopara finished on 67 not out to prick Zaheer's dreams