In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "five-for" or "fifer") refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a significant achievement. As of 2022, 162 cricketers have taken a five-wicket haul on their debut in a Test match, with 49 of them being England players. Alfred Shaw was the first Englishman to take a five-wicket haul at Test debut. He took five wickets for 38 runs in the first Test in history, against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March 1877, but could not prevent England's defeat. Two Australian bowlers also picked up fifers in the same match. The most recent Englishman to achieve the feat was Josh Tongue. He took five wickets for 66 runs against Ireland at Lords in June 2023. Dominic Cork's seven wickets for 43 runs against West Indies in the second Test of the 1995 series are the best bowling figures for an Englishman on debut.
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List of England cricketers who have taken five-wicket hauls on Test debut
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