Greatest Ever Fast Bowler?

[nightprowler10]

Wouldn't it be more apt to ask the greatest batsmen who the best bowlers were? Just curious.

 

[Perm]

Wouldn't it be more apt to ask the greatest batsmen who the best bowlers were? Just curious.

I don't think so, the bowlers would have studied the art of fast bowling more and will appreciate who is the better bowler. A batsman may struggle against a particular bowler and then his view will be influenced by his own personal struggles, I am sure that Michael Atherton will label McGrath as the best bowler of the recent era because he was dismissed by him an incredibe 19 times. But the bowlers should have a more neutral view about who the greatest was.

 

[Prince EWS]

Underwood wasn't a fast bowler.

What the? How did you quote his post before he posted it!!?!?!

 

[pasag]

What the? How did you quote his post before he posted it!!?!?!

Pup would have deleted it and then reposted it after he saw NP replied. Either that or NP is Jesus.

 

[Salamuddin]

Marshall for me.

Followed by Ambrose, Mcgrath, Wasim and Waqar.

 

[Dasa]

Pup would have deleted it and then reposted it after he saw NP replied. Either that or NP is Jesus.

Leaning towards the latter tbh.

 

[shortpitched713]

Yes it can be tough with so many great bowlers, I decided against Barnes because I don't think he was considered a fast bowler. Reading about Trueman he must have been something special but I will just go for Lillee

I put Barnes on the poll because he bowled at what wold now probably be considered a medium pace. Some of his deliveries were probably slower than that, but on the other hand he was probably considered a pretty quick bowler in his time. In the end his style was more of cut bowling than out and out spin, so that would put him in the realm of fast bowlers IMO.

 

[shortpitched713]

There are lots of players who could have been listed

Richardson
McDonald
Lindwall
Gregory
Miller
Tyson
Larwood
Garner
Roberts
Thomson
Statham
Younis

Just to name a few

Actually the next name on the list would have been Davidson and I was planning to have a cut off of 12 options, but I couldn't separate him and Garner so in the end I excluded them both as I felt that not many people would vote for either. Looking at the results of the poll so far I feel I'm probably justified in my decision.

 

[shortpitched713]

Great responses so far. The usual suspects getting plenty of votes. I figured Ambrose was a little overrated in adharcric's list. Surprised that not as many people voted for Lillee, Barnes or Imran as I would have expected.

Also thought Holding might get some votes as a dark horse. If I were to pick the best fast bowler out of these only on the basis of watching an over or two of their bowling I would definitely pick Holding. Out of all the fast bowlers I've seen he just looked the best.

 

[andyc]

All the fast-bowlers on that poll are all-time greats but still they didn't had the best ends to their careers.


But Pidge is still picking wickets for Australia and he is retiring on his own terms, i just wish from the bottom of my heart that Pidge ends up as the highest wicket-taker in this WC and also as the part of the WC winning side for the 3rd time in a row.

TBF though, McGrath had the luxury of knowing that his retirement wouldn't have that big of a negative effect on Australian cricket.

 

[pasag]

Can't really vote as I haven't seem the majority of the bowlers in action. However I have come across a nicely sized archive of video footage recently and may vote after that.

 

[nightprowler10]

Can't really vote as I haven't seem the majority of the bowlers in action. However I have come across a nicely sized archive of video footage recently and may vote after that.

Tough to find any footage of Malcolm Marshall though. I think I've seen maybe two overs worth.

 

[Ikki]

Either Lillee or McGrath for me, but I voted McGrath.

 

[DCC_legend]

For me it's Curtly Ambrose. I never got the chance to watch him play live (i only really got into cricket last year) but from what video clips i have seen, what i have been told and his impressive stats- That does it for me.

 

[Beleg]

the best fast bowler I have ever seen is probably Curtley Ambrose.

McGrath, Donald, Walsh, Wasim, Shoaib, Bond and Pollock are the other stalwarts.

 

[Arrow]

Ambrose is as good as there has ever been. I think he was better than Mcgrath, he used to kill Aussie lineups.

Waqar is not on the list and always under rated because people focus on his post prime years which isnt fair because when you judge a player you judge them in their prime and waqars prime was probably better than anyones on that entire list.

 

[Fusion]

Marshall for me. Hadlee is next, and very close to Marshall for the top slot. I'm quite surprised with so many people voting McGrath as the greatest ever. He's certainly belongs in the top 10, but the greatest? I don't know about that. After Marshall and Hadlee, the next few on my list for the top spot would be Lillee, Imran, and Ambrose.

 

[nightprowler10]

I'm quite surprised with so many people voting McGrath as the greatest ever. He's certainly belongs in the top 10, but the greatest? I don't know about that.

Probably influenced by his groupie.

 

[silentstriker]

Marshall for me. Hadlee is next, and very close to Marshall for the top slot. I'm quite surprised with so many people voting McGrath as the greatest ever. He's certainly belongs in the top 10, but the greatest? I don't know about that.

He is. He is certainly among the best if you look at purely stats, but the fact that he has done so well in the batting era - and he has done such an amazing job in places like India just adds to that fact. Look at the pitches he has had to work with, and its easy to see IMO. Also, he has made Shane Warne better (his average in games without Warne is about the same) while Warne's average in games without McGrath drops.

He performs the dual role of keeping runs tight AND acts as the main strike bowler for the team. That is so rare, especially in today's environment, that he edges out Marshall IMO (who would be 2nd). Also love how he makes the best batsman of the opposition his personal bitch virtually every time. Takes so much pressure off the other bowlers and puts it on him (Hadlee had to do that to a greater degree tbh, but Hadlee had the benefit of massive greentops prepared just for him in NZ...he's a top five too, but just saying).

 

[PhoenixFire]

Who got SS started on McGrath, he won't shut up for a while now...........