5 Bowlers Who Did Not Concede Any Six During Their Test Career

A modern-day cricket match is hardly ever complete without batsmen hitting a flurry of fours and sixes. Regardless of the format, the best of the bowlers experience an off-day and goes for runs, especially in boundaries. With most of the pitches now batting-friendly and rules in favour of batsmen, clearing the fence comfortably has become a routine.

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But there was also a time when bowlers had the upper hand and batsmen had to work hard against them. There also exist bowlers, who have never conceded a six during their Test career through their brilliance, accuracy, and variations. It is truly commendable since men like Viv Richards and Garfield Sobers, who was a marauder could dispatch the ball against any bowler to all parts of the ground.

We take a look at five bowlers who never went for a six during their Test career. The criteria chosen here is a minimum of 5000 deliveries:

Derek Pringle – 5287 balls:

Derek Pringle was the son of Don Pringle, who represented East Africa during the 1975 World Cup. Derek Pringle began his junior career as a batsman but gradually transformed into a medium pace-bowler, who had the potential to contribute his bit with the willow.

However, Pringle’s 30 Tests for England spelt an underwhelming record, having taken only 70 wickets at 35.70. Nevertheless, not conceding even a single six remains an achievement. With the bat, the Kenya-born scored 695 runs at 15.10. The 61-year old also played 44 ODIs.

Also Read: Top 10 Non-Retired Bowlers With Most Wickets In Test Cricket

Mahmood Hussain – 5910 balls:

Mahmood Hussain was part of Pakistan’s squad during their inaugural tour of India in 1952-53. He played the second Test of that series held in Lucknow and took four wickets as the tourists won by an innings and 43 runs. Mahmood Hussain also played an integral role in Pakistan’s triumph in England at the Oval in 1954.

Hussain returned in 1958-59 against the touring West Indies, defeating them by 2-1. The right-arm speedster played his last Test in 1962 but served as the national team’s manager in 1978 tour of England. The Lahore’s born 27 Tests produced 68 scalps at 38.84, having not conceded a single six. He passed away in December 1991 through acute complications due to diabetes.

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Mudassar Nazar – 5967 balls:

Mudassar Nazar is the son of Nazar Mohammad, who was part of Pakistan’s historic inaugural Test against India in 1952 in a losing effort. While Nazar Mohammad played only five Tests, his son ended up playing 76 Tests and 122 ODIs from 1976-1989.

Like his father, Mudassar Nazar was also an opening batsman. Even though he was not attractive, the right-handed batsman was more of a grinder. In 76 Tests, the 64-year old scored 4114 runs at 37.74, picking up 66 wickets without conceding a single six.

Neil Hawke – 6987 balls:

Neil Hawke made his Test debut in 1963 in Sydney against England amongst the likes of Bill Lawry, Bob Simpson, and Richie Benaud with Benaud serving as captain. The South Australian’s first-class career spanned across 145 fixtures, taking 458 wickets with his pace.

However, his international career could not extend beyond 27 Tests. Known as “Hawk-eye”, the late cricketer picked up 91 wickets at an average of 29.41. Hawke passed away on the 25th of December in 2000, aged 61, due to various ailments.

Keith Miller – 10461 balls:

Touted as Australia’s greatest all-rounder ever, Keith Miller made his Test debut against New Zealand in 1946, taking two wickets and scoring 30 runs. Before the prominence of Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee, Australia boasted of another venomous new-ball bowling pair in Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall.

Miller averaged a healthy 48.90 with the bat and 22.30 with the ball across 226 first-class fixtures. His 55 Test career was equally prosperous, taking 170 scalps at 22.97 apiece without conceding a six alongside seven five-wicket hauls and one ten-for. With the willow, the Victorian managed 2898 runs at 36.97 with six centuries. At the age of 84, he passed away in Melbourne in 2004.

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