Select TWO fast bowlers: Best of 00s

[bagapath]

Here are the top fast bowlers of the decade. I have listed out those who have taken 100+ wickets against major test teams accoring to their bowling avg. Please select TWO of them

GD McGrath (Aus) 	2000-2007 	63 	125 	2475.3 	804 	5934 	289 	8/24 	10/27 	20.53 	2.39 	51.3 	14 	2
Shoaib Akhtar (Pak) 	2000-2007 	28 	47 	796.1 	142 	2723 	117 	6/11 	11/78 	23.27 	3.42 	40.8 	10 	1
DW Steyn (SA) 	2004-2009 	29 	54 	998.0 	175 	3651 	148 	6/49 	10/91 	24.66 	3.65 	40.4 	10 	3
SM Pollock (SA) 	2000-2008 	64 	123 	2488.4 	764 	6100 	242 	6/30 	10/147 	25.20 	2.45 	61.7 	6 	1
MG Johnson (Aus) 	2007-2009 	27 	52 	1075.4 	193 	3394 	118 	8/61 	11/159 	28.76 	3.15 	54.6 	3 	1
JN Gillespie (Aus) 	2000-2005 	52 	103 	1868.1 	488 	5344 	185 	6/40 	9/80 	28.88 	2.86 	60.5 	5 	0
M Ntini (SA) 	2000-2009 	84 	157 	2962.1 	616 	9800 	337 	7/37 	13/132 	29.08 	3.30 	52.7 	17 	4
WPUJC Vaas (SL) 	2000-2009 	65 	117 	2343.0 	532 	6403 	214 	7/71 	14/191 	29.92 	2.73 	65.6 	8 	1
B Lee (Aus) 	2000-2008 	68 	135 	2530.5 	499 	8782 	287 	5/30 	9/171 	30.59 	3.47 	52.9 	9 	0
AR Caddick (Eng) 	2000-2003 	32 	53 	1137.2 	237 	3735 	120 	7/94 	10/215 	31.12 	3.28 	56.8 	6 	1
MJ Hoggard (Eng) 	2000-2008 	62 	112 	2153.0 	442 	7120 	222 	7/61 	12/205 	32.07 	3.30 	58.1 	6 	1
A Nel (SA) 	2002-2008 	33 	63 	1188.5 	253 	3692 	114 	6/32 	10/88 	32.38 	3.10 	62.5 	3 	1
A Flintoff (Eng) 	2000-2009 	69 	120 	2310.1 	471 	6844 	204 	5/58 	8/156 	33.54 	2.96 	67.9 	3 	0
M Dillon (WI) 	2000-2004 	30 	53 	1173.4 	220 	3582 	106 	5/71 	8/123 	33.79 	3.05 	66.4 	1 	0
SJ Harmison (Eng) 	2002-2009 	57 	103 	2039.1 	387 	6663 	194 	7/12 	11/76 	34.34 	3.26 	63.0 	6 	1
JH Kallis (SA) 	2000-2009 	88 	152 	2020.1 	469 	6039 	173 	6/54 	9/92 	34.90 	2.98 	70.0 	2 	0
Z Khan (India) 	2001-2009 	57 	101 	1951.0 	402 	6367 	178 	5/29 	9/134 	35.76 	3.26 	65.7 	6 	0
JM Anderson (Eng) 	2003-2009 	40 	72 	1344.5 	282 	4660 	129 	7/43 	9/98 	36.12 	3.46 	62.5 	6 	0
CS Martin (NZ) 	2000-2009 	45 	78 	1507.5 	320 	5215 	144 	6/54 	11/180 	36.21 	3.45 	62.8 	6 	1
FH Edwards (WI) 	2003-2009 	39 	68 	1084.2 	122 	4373 	110 	7/87 	8/133 	39.75 	4.03 	59.1 	7 	0

For similar stats including the ICC/Aus match and against all opponents including Zim & Bang click here.

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

 

[Prince EWS]

McGrath was obvious, and I've gone for Pollock as well. I was very tempted to vote for Steyn but he hasn't really played a lot of Tests yet and he's only had impact in the last quarter of the decade. Pollock was awesome for the vast majority of the decade and he can bat too - I'd have definitely picked him as my fourth bowler/second allrounder/whatever selection if I didn't pick him here anyway.

 

[Faisal1985]

Akhtar and McGrath..................what a new ball attack.........This attack will be ideal on any type of pitch.....

 

[Furball]

McGrath and Steyn.

 

[subshakerz]

Pollock and Mcgrath...strange given that they made their debuts in the mid-90s.

 

[bagapath]

mcgrath and akhthar - combination of, possibly, the best ever and, possibly, the quickest ever pace bowlers. pollock may still sneak in later.

 

[arcane]

I think that the combination of Pollock and Mcgrath would do much more damage than others. Both will make really difficult for batsmen and pressure them to death. Both are champions of line and length.

 

[G.I.Joe]

McGrath and Pollock. Akhtar would have made it ahead of Pollock for me, had he played more than 28 matches.

 

[silentstriker]

Yea, Akhtar needed to play more. McGrath obviously, and saddened I can't vote for him twice. McGrath and Pollock though.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

There's really very few fast bowlers who have been good throughout this decade, which makes the second bowler a tough choice. In the end, meant to vote for Steyn but accidentally selected Akhtar, which about reflects my certainty.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Very tempting to go for McGrath & Pollock and they very probably are the stand-out seamers of the decade, but if I were a selector I'd be more tempted to go for Shoaib to partner McGrath and there's a sameness about him and Polly as bowlers.

That said, when one factors in Polly's batting, the seletorial pendulum swings back his way. However, purely on bowling, I'm sticking to my guns: McGrath & Ahktar.

 

[aussie]

McGrath & Akhtar. Flintoff would be my 3rd seamer when the team in finally picked for balance, since i would pick both Warne & Murali personally in the team of the decade.

 

[aussie]

McGrath was obvious, and I've gone for Pollock as well. I was very tempted to vote for Steyn but he hasn't really played a lot of Tests yet and he's only had impact in the last quarter of the decade. Pollock was awesome for the vast majority of the decade and he can bat too - I'd have definitely picked him as my fourth bowler/second allrounder/whatever selection if I didn't pick him here anyway.

With the ball not really tbh. He was excellent in the early years of the decade 2000 - 2003 averaging 21.

Lost zip & potency in this period. 2003 - 2008 averaging 29. No 5 wicket haul in almost 5 years, surprising the average didn't go past 30, since he was really average by the end of his career in tests.

Not sure i'd pick him as 3rd seamer based on this. Plus my all-rounder of this decade would definately be Freddie.

 

[Days of Grace]

I'd take Bond over any of those bowlers, apart from McGrath, tbh.

 

[Shri]

No Bond?

Not too fussed about stats. Bond and the old in form Akhtar without warts for me.

 

[morgieb]

McGrath & Pollock. Akhtar suffers from "Bond syndrome" in this regard - he didn't play enough. Steyn only was good for 3 years.

 

[DingDong]

No Bond?

Not too fussed about stats. Bond and the old in form Akhtar without warts for me.

yeah its pretty silly.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

mcgrath and akhthar - combination of, possibly, the best ever and, possibly, the quickest ever pace bowlers. pollock may still sneak in later.

Gone for Akhtar and McGrath for similar reasons. The two bowlers will provide a really different challenge for opposition batsmen. Pollock and McGrath too similar to be a new ball attack for my liking. Pollock to have a good chance at being first-change all rounder for my liking.

 

[Uppercut]

McGrath and Steyn for me. Two reasons why Steyn edged out Pollock- firstly, the Pollock of this period and McGrath are a bit similar. Secondly, Steyn's strike rate gets me every time. The difference between a strike rate of 40.4 and one of 61.7 is pretty statistically significant. When you throw the ball to Pollock he's over 50% less likely to get you a breakthrough than Steyn is.

Although depending on the makeup of the team, Polly's batting might give him the edge in the end. It's a very close call.

 

[Blakus]

Gone for Mcgrath an Stryn. Mcgrath is a given and I think Steyn gives me more sustainability than Akhtar(in terms of stringing matches together) and is more penetrative than Pollock, as can be seen in the strike rate and number five fors. Haven't considered batting since Gilchrist is almost certainly going to be at 7