George Lohmann's Test Breakout — 12 for 104, Oval 1886

Surrey CCC had been rebuilding through the early 1880s under captain John Shuter; by 1885 they were challenging for the unofficial county title and Lohmann was their bowling spearhead. He had been picked for England in 1886 against general expectation of his still-developing technique.

Australia, captained by McDonnell, had been beaten at Old Trafford and Lord's. The Oval was a dead rubber in series terms but a live audition for Lohmann.

Lohmann was a 21-year-old amateur (in name) from Wandsworth who had become the leading wicket-taker in English first-class cricket in 1885 with 142. His first two Tests of the 1886 series had been disappointing: one wicket at Old Trafford, none at Lord's. Selected for The Oval more on Surrey home advantage than form, he produced one of the great Test debutant breakouts.

In Australia's first innings he took 7 for 36 from 36.2 overs of medium-paced offcutters. The wicket was good; Australia were 68 all out before lunch on day two. England replied with 434, Walter Read 94 not out and WG Grace 170. Australia followed on, and Lohmann took 5 for 68 in their second innings; they were dismissed for 149. England won by an innings and 217 runs.

Lohmann finished the 1886 summer with 154 first-class wickets at 14.31. Over the next decade he became the world's best bowler — top of the Test wicket-taking lists by 1896, taking 8/7 against South Africa at Port Elizabeth in 1895-96 (still the third-best innings analysis in Test history). He suffered from tuberculosis, retired early, and died in South Africa in 1901, aged 36, while seeking a healthier climate.

“He established himself as a great bowler with a superb twelve for 104.”

Lohmann played 18 Tests, took 112 wickets at 10.75. He toured Australia in 1886-87, 1887-88 and 1891-92, and South Africa twice. He retired in 1898 after tuberculosis took hold; he became the manager of the South African team but never returned to professional cricket. He died in Matjiesfontein in the Karoo in 1901.

Walter Read's 94* set a then-record for the highest score in a Test by a wicketkeeper-batsman (Read was keeping that match) — though the record-keeping conventions of 1886 were loose enough that the claim is sometimes contested.