4. Sydney Barnes, England, 100 in 17 matches
Acknowledged by competitors and peers alike as the best bowler of the century, Sydney Barnes was one of the first bowlers to combine spin with swing that only a few batsmen could distinguish one from the other. Such impeccable control of the ball was rarely seen before in cricket. Barnes got to the 100 wickets in his 17th game, against Australia in 1912 at Sydney. Barnes finished his career with 189 wickets in 27 games at an average of 16.43.
