Top 3 spells of Lance Gibbs in Tests

Lancelot Gibbs also called Lance Gibbs was one of the top off-spinners in the history of the game. He won the Wisden Cricketer of the Year award in the year 1971. He took 309 Test wickets and had an exceptional economy rate of under two runs per over. In 2009, Gibbs was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. His best ever performances came against India 1961–62 home series. He picked up 24 wickets in the five matches he played against them. 

Gibbs picked up16 wickets at an average of over 40 in his last test series. He is the oldest player to reach 300 Test wickets, doing so at the age of 41 in 1975/76. The former off-spinner made just three ODI appearances, during which his best bowling figures were 1 for 12. He is the cousin of former World Cup winning captain Sir Clive Llyod. 

Here are the Top 3 spells of Lance Gibbs in Tests: 

3. 6/29 vs Australia in Georgetown in 1965 

In this match West Indies won the election to bat first. They scored 389 runs in their first innings with Rohan Kanhai scoring a brilliant 89 runs innings. Australia in return was bowled out for 179 runs. 

West Indies came into bat again and were bowled out for 180 runs and set a target of 357 runs. In reply for that the Australia were rattled against Gibss’s spell as he picked up 6 wickets for 29 runs. The Windies won the test series 2-1.

2. 7/98 vs India in Wankhede in 1975. 

A year before calling his retirement Gibbs put up his second best spell against India. He picked up seven wickets, in the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Batting first the Windies put up a huge total of 604/6 and declared the first innings. In reply India also scored 406 runs with Eknath Solkar scoring a century and Gibbs was the pick of the bowlers picking up 7/98 runs. 

In the second innings when the visitors came in again to bat, they scored 205/3 before declaring the innings. India were set to chase a target of 404 runs and the batters were bowled out for 202 runs.

1.  8/38 vs India in Bridgetown in 1962

Gibbs continued to impress by putting up consistent performances. In this test match he bowled his best spell in his life against India, at Bridgetown. In the second innings he single handedly rattled the Indian batting order. Batting first India scored 258 runs with the off-spinner only picking a single wicket. 

Then skipper Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was the highest run scorer in India’s first innings with 48 runs. In reply the two time World Champions scored 475 runs with Rohan Kanhai, Joe Soloman and then skipper Frank Worrell scoring half centuries respectively. In the 2nd innings India were bowled out for 187 runs leading the visitors winning the 3rd Test and the series 3-0.