Top 3 fast bowlers in tests ATM?

[Prince EWS]

Sangakkara didn't keep when he wasn't captain either tbh.

 

[Cevno]

Depends, in India, probably. Anywhere else then no.
Anderson in England and Morkel or Johnson in SA/Aus

Zaheer was very good the last time India toured England and also was very good in county cricket.

He was very good the last time India toured South Africa too and he has grown leaps and bounds as a bowler since then.

 

[Cevno]

Hopefully Zaheer remains fit for the SA and English tours coming up for India.

As those series in more helpful conditions will not only give him a chance to get his average below 30 and also establish himself among the top fast bowlers currently ,which he thoroughly deserves.

 

[irottev]

Hamich Bennett (hasn't played yet, but he's a better FC bowler than ListA and he was amazing in the Bangladesh ODI) , Dale Steyn, Ben Hilfenhaus

 

[Flem274*]

knew it was only a matter of time.

 

[Black_Warrior]

How quick is Bennett?

 

[Prince EWS]

how quick is bennett?

135-145.

 

[aussie]

Sangakkara didn't keep when he wasn't captain either tbh.

No.

Without even checking i can remember 2 series i watched him keeping & he wasn't captain.

Vs AUS (home & away 04)
Vs ENG in ENG 06

 

[social]

SA vs India is compelling viewing IMO because it pitches Steyn & Morkel vs Sehwag

Doesnt get any better than watching the world's most attacking bowlers up against the world's most attacking batsman

Can't wait

 

[aussie]

SA vs India is compelling viewing IMO because it pitches Steyn & Morkel vs Sehwag

Doesnt get any better than watching the world's most attacking bowlers up against the world's most attacking batsman

Can't wait

Indeed. But i certainly except Steyn/Morkel to be all over him.

Steyn will test his weakness to the inswingers. While Morkel will expose his vulnerability to @ the body short pitched bowling.

 

[Jarquis]

Zaheer was very good the last time India toured England and also was very good in county cricket.

He was very good the last time India toured South Africa too and he has grown leaps and bounds as a bowler since then.

Yeah he was, but not as good as Anderson this year.

And while he was impressive in SA, Johnson and Morkel have also both impressed there more recently and in Morkel's case longer. You'll also see I mentioned Aus in the same sentence as SA, where the gap between Morkel and Johnson and Zak is wider.

 

[vcs]

Yeah he was, but not as good as Anderson this year.

And while he was impressive in SA, Johnson and Morkel have also both impressed there more recently and in Morkel's case longer. You'll also see I mentioned Aus in the same sentence as SA, where the gap between Morkel and Johnson and Zak is wider.

Faced better batsmen TBF.

 

[Shri]

Yeah he was, but not as good as Anderson this year.

And while he was impressive in SA, Johnson and Morkel have also both impressed there more recently and in Morkel's case longer. You'll also see I mentioned Aus in the same sentence as SA, where the gap between Morkel and Johnson and Zak is wider.

Aus and Pak batsmen are sitting ducks to good swing bowling. Geoff Boycott's mum will get them out.

 

[Jarquis]

Faced better batsmen TBF.

Anderson took his wickets against Pakistan at an average of 13. Regardless of opposition that's nuts.
There's also the fact that Zaheer hasn't played in England for over 3 years and has major fitness worries for God knows how long. One decent series against Australia and one exceptional one against Bangladesh doesn't mean he deserves to be picked ahead of, who I would argue is, the best bowler in the world at utilising English conditions.

 

[andyc]

No.

Without even checking i can remember 2 series i watched him keeping & he wasn't captain.

Vs AUS (home & away 04)
Vs ENG in ENG 06

Sangakkara was captain in none of those games. Probably should've checked, tbh.

 

[Prince EWS]

No.

Without even checking i can remember 2 series i watched him keeping & he wasn't captain.

Vs AUS (home & away 04)
Vs ENG in ENG 06

Sangakkara's played 32 Tests in which he was neither keeper nor captain, which was my point. I don't know what point you're trying to make there.

Are you attributing Mahela Jayawardene's entire captaincy reign or Sangakkara or something? Sangakkara's only been captain since last year; he gave up the gloves a few years back now. He didn't give up the gloves because he was captain - he gave up the gloves because he thought it'd help his batting. And low and behold..

 

[vcs]

Anderson took his wickets against Pakistan at an average of 13. Regardless of opposition that's nuts.
There's also the fact that Zaheer hasn't played in England for over 3 years and has major fitness worries for God knows how long. One decent series against Australia and one exceptional one against Bangladesh doesn't mean he deserves to be picked ahead of, who I would argue is, the best bowler in the world at utilising English conditions.

He averaged 21.83 in the recent series in pace-unfriendly conditions, that's much better than decent. Your point about fitness and Anderson's overall record in England is a valid one.

 

[Jarquis]

He averaged 21.83 in the recent series in pace-unfriendly conditions, that's much better than decent. Your point about fitness and Anderson's overall record in England is a valid one.

Is still only one series though
Plus if you go back and read my original post, I say that I'd strongly consider Zak in for Bollinger in England! Preaching to the (semi-) converted!

 

[aussie]

Sangakkara's played 32 Tests in which he was neither keeper nor captain, which was my point. I don't know what point you're trying to make there.

I never disputed this. My point was the bolded:

Their seems to be an incorrect notion that Sangakkara not keeping is sign that affects his test batting or something. When it fact his batting peak just coincided with him leaving the gloves IMO. AFAIS, the only reasons Sangaka doesn't keep in tests is because its a great strain to do that along with being captain & # 3. He does all 3 in ODIs & T20 very well. If SRI had a WC all-rounder batting @ 6 or 7in tests for example, i think it would have been very possible for him to stay keeping & his rate of runscoring wouldn't decline at all IMHO.

More correctly "leaving the gloves full-time". Which was circa 2004 vs Zimbabwe.

Are you attributing Mahela Jayawardene's entire captaincy reign or Sangakkara or something? Sangakkara's only been captain since last year; he gave up the gloves a few years back now. He didn't give up the gloves because he was captain - he gave up the gloves because he thought it'd help his batting. And low and behold..

This how Sanga's career evovled to to best of my knowledge.

From 2000-2004. He was basically SRI full-time keeper in tests, as he outsed Kaluwitharana. Although for team balance sake (the lack of another quality middle-order bat during this period, since SRI usually had a batsman batting @ # 7 alot), Kaluwitharana kept in a few tests. While Sanga's his batting was showed potential but wasn't the finised article.

Then has his batting began to peak in 2004 after the AUS series (home & away). When he scored those two big double hundreds vs ZIM & SA. Between 2004-20008 (vs WI in WI). He kept on & off as P Jaywardene emergened. But his batting was already in peak mode batting @ # 3 & scoring big runs as he shuffled between keeping & not keeping due to SRI team balance.

Then after the 2008 series vs WI. P Jayawardene became full-time keeper in tests. The last year Sanga became captain & the runs continued.

So quite clearly giving up the gloves had nothing to do with his batting form improving in tests.

 

[Prince EWS]

Well what I was disputing was this:

AFAIS, the only reasons Sangaka doesn't keep in tests is because its a great strain to do that along with being captain & # 3

If that was the case, why did he give up keeping before he got the captaincy?