Greatest Ever Fast Bowler?

[Craig]

because all of my books are packed up, I will have to use my memory I think Lillee was a big fan of Garth McKenzie

Yes he was. I had one of his bios from the 1980s and in it he even dedicated a whole chapter to New Zealand cricket and had nothing but positive words to say.

IMO I think that Hadlee was sort of under-rated when compared against the greats, like I mean when people hold Lillee so highly, I guess Hadlee being a Kiwi and he had no real support, the rest he had were honest working class bowlers who did the best they could.

Actually that is the one thing I've always wanted to know, that somebody like Hadlee could have been an even better bowler if he had a great partner in crime, now wouldn't the fact that he had to carry the attack without any geniune world class support and be able to perform so well make him just as good as the likes of Marshall and Lillee? I've always just thought that old sayin was a bit odd.

 

[Craig]

I actually have that book you know...

Would pay to see a cook off between McGrath and Hayden.

 

[Salamuddin]

Yes he was. I had one of his bios from the 1980s and in it he even dedicated a whole chapter to New Zealand cricket and had nothing but positive words to say.

IMO I think that Hadlee was sort of under-rated when compared against the greats, like I mean when people hold Lillee so highly, I guess Hadlee being a Kiwi and he had no real support, the rest he had were honest working class bowlers who did the best they could.

Actually that is the one thing I've always wanted to know, that somebody like Hadlee could have been an even better bowler if he had a great partner in crime, now wouldn't the fact that he had to carry the attack without any geniune world class support and be able to perform so well make him just as good as the likes of Marshall and Lillee? I've always just thought that old sayin was a bit odd.

That works both ways though. Hadlee was part of an average attack.....therefore, he had more opportunity to take more wickets.
Marshall , on the other hand, was part of an extremely strong West Indian pace battery.

 

[adharcric]

That works both ways though. Hadlee was part of an average attack.....therefore, he had more opportunity to take more wickets.
Marshall , on the other hand, was part of an extremely strong West Indian pace battery.

Exactly why strike-rate is so important - it effectively makes a strong support cast exclusively an advantage. Anyways, we've been there before.

 

[archie mac]

Exactly why strike-rate is so important - it effectively makes a strong support cast exclusively an advantage. Anyways, we've been there before.

I would like to see someones strike rate bowling to the following line up

Alick Bannerman
Scotton
Dick Barlow
Boycott
Lawry
Hassett
Tavare
Godfrey Evans (should not be on here but held the record for a long time)
Tayfield
Hoggard
Prasana

 

[LongHopCassidy]

No Gillespie?

 

[archie mac]

No Gillespie?

I was trying to think of bowlers, my whole list is ruined now

 

[Prince EWS]

I would like to see someones strike rate bowling to the following line up

Alick Bannerman
Scotton
Dick Barlow
Boycott
Lawry
Hassett
Tavare
Godfrey Evans (should not be on here but held the record for a long time)
Tayfield
Hoggard
Prasana

His name was Alec, for the record. Wouldn't bother correcting usually, but I'm actually related to the guy so I thought it necessary.

 

[archie mac]

His name was Alec, for the record. Wouldn't bother correcting usually, but I'm actually related to the guy so I thought it necessary.

I have spotted it spelt both ways, but mostly as Alec, one more correction and I will delete my list, and unpack my books

 

[pup11]

For me the most striking factor(s) to why i rate McGrath as the best fast bowler is that, he never played in the era of uncovered pitches,he never had the luxury of having an easy schedule,he had to bowl on flat tracks (in general) to batsmen who had bats filled with sweet-spots all-over.



And after all this the man has most test-wickets by any fast-bowler in history of test cricket and 370 odd odi wickets too.

 

[marc71178]

Would pay to see a cook off between McGrath and Hayden.

Warne and Inzy as judges?

 

[adharcric]

Warne and Inzy as judges?

Leverock feels left out.

 

[Burgey]

very surprising to see waqar not on the list - people have forgotten how good a bowler he was in his prime. he had a strike rate of 39 in tests and of under 30 in ODI's and with over 300 and 400 wickets in each form of the game and average of less than 23. all this was achieved despite playing on some of the most unhelpful and docile wickets of the sub-continent and a fielding side that had some of the worst slip catchers.

for me there has never been a better spectacle of fast bowling than watching waqar in his prime.

he is definitely in my list of the top 3 bowlers ever.

Check out his record in Australia - it may provide a reason for his exclusion from the list...

 

[Burgey]

For me the most striking factor(s) to why i rate McGrath as the best fast bowler is that, he never played in the era of uncovered pitches,he never had the luxury of having an easy schedule,he had to bowl on flat tracks (in general) to batsmen who had bats filled with sweet-spots all-over.



And after all this the man has most test-wickets by any fast-bowler in history of test cricket and 370 odd odi wickets too.

And check out what he did at Lords in 05 on a deck doing a bit - scary.

If only Davo had played enough tests to crack the 200 wicket barrier - his stats are really amazing.

 

[gunner]

mods please add waqar younis too

he has got to be in this list

 

[adharcric]

mods please add waqar younis too

he has got to be in this list

Get over it.

 

[shortpitched713]

Wow, still no votes for Imran.

 

[adharcric]

Wow, still no votes for Imran.

Didn't expect any tbh. Definitely top-10 material but rarely mentioned in the greatest ever debates.

 

[SJS]

Wow, still no votes for Imran.

I think Imran is doing fantastically well here....with just one vote less than the incomparable SF Barnes

 

[Craig]

I would imagine AD will get a vote when a certain Englishman/pseudo South African comes back online.