Corbin Bosch Makes History; First South African In 23 Years To Score Century And Take Five Wickets In A Test, Joins Elite Club | Cricket News

South Africa’s young all-rounder Corbin Bosch created history by becoming only the fourth South African and the first in 23 years to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Test match. His extraordinary performance helped the Proteas crush Zimbabwe by 328 runs in the opening Test at Queens Sports Club.

This rare double puts Bosch in an elite list of cricketers worldwide, including Wasim Akram, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ian Botham, who’ve achieved the feat of a hundred and a fifer in the same Test. In South Africa’s cricketing annals, only Jacques Kallis (2002), Aubrey Faulkner (1910), and Jimmy Sinclair (1898) had previously managed this.

Bosch’s Match-Winning Contributions

Batting Brilliance: Coming in at No. 8 when South Africa were reeling at 55/4, Bosch stitched crucial partnerships and scored a maiden Test century, an unbeaten 100 off 124 balls, decorated with 10 boundaries. His effort rescued the innings and pushed the Proteas to a dominant total of 418/9 declared.

Bowling Heroics: In the fourth innings, Bosch rattled Zimbabwe with figures of 5/43, helping South Africa bowl out the hosts for 144 and seal a massive victory.

Bosch became the first South African since Kallis in 2002 (vs West Indies in Cape Town) to score 100+ and take 5+ wickets in the same Test match.

All-Round Support: Mulder and Pretorius Shine

Bosch’s brilliance was complemented by:

• Wiaan Mulder: Scored a vital 88 and picked 4 wickets, narrowly missing the same double-century-fifer milestone.
• Lhuan-dre Pretorius: The 22-year-old opener made headlines with a commanding 153 on debut, setting the tone for South Africa’s dominance with the bat.

This trio played pivotal roles in what turned out to be South Africa’s ninth consecutive Test victory, equaling their longest winning streak in history (last achieved in 2002–03).

What’s Next?

The second Test begins on July 6 in Bulawayo, and all eyes will be on Bosch to see if he can continue this golden run. With South Africa’s pace attack firing and the emergence of promising all-rounders, the Proteas seem well-positioned for a clean sweep. Bosch’s performance not only cements his place in the Test side but could very well mark the beginning of a new era for South African cricket, one where balance, youth, and skill drive their return to dominance in the longest format.