5 best Test bowling performances of 2019

3. Jofra Archer (6/62 vs Australia, The Oval)

Jofra Archer's bowling at The Oval was spectacular to watch

By any standard, Jofra Archer got off to a flying start in his career. In his debut Test, he bowled a hostile spell to Steve Smith and forced him to retire hurt with a concussion. In the final Test of the Ashes series, he produced another splendid bowling performance to pick up his second six-wicket haul of the series.

Bowling at high pace and getting the ball to rear up from a length, he created trouble for even the mighty Smith who, otherwise, had looked impenetrable in the entire series. But it wasn’t just the short ball that he used to great effect; the right-arm pacer also used the full-length deliveries in a most effective manner.

Batsmen were hesitant to come forward because of his pace. By pitching the ball up and getting it to swing, Archer ended the misery of several Aussie batsmen. It was a masterclass in pace bowling from the English speedster.

The most impressive part of this performance was the spell he bowled to Matthew Wade. It was one of the most riveting patches of Test cricket in 2019 and saw the two combatants not just fighting with their skills but also with their words and body language. It was, simply, cricket at its best.