Who was the better bowler: Glenn Mcgrath or Wasim Akram?

[Jono]

McGrath

 

[Austerlitz]

Equals.

All time

1.Marshall
2.Ambrose
3.Akram/mcgrath.

 

[Spark]

I voted for Wasim, but there isn't much in it. Agree with Fusion that if McGrath had played for Pakistan he would have found a lot of his edges behind going down, would have had less backup at the other end (except for when Waqar was bowling, obviously) and, most importantly, would have had less chance to pad his stats out by bowling at the tail.

Errr what

 

[hang on]

interesting points about skill and utility crop up. for example, who is a more skilled bowler - the one who can do a few things better than anyone else (for example, landing a ball on a penny everytime and moving it just the right amount over and over again) OR someone who can do many, many different things at the 90th percentile of skill or aptitude?

also, who is more useful for the team? should it only be judged on results? or moments of magic?

 

[Rush]

McGrath is the only bowler that consistently troubled the 2 best batsman of his time.

How often did he bowl to Ajit Agarkar?

 

[roro]

I had read the funniest thing form a Pakistani fan once. There was this video of Mcgrath getting hit by five 4s in an over by Razzaq. He was arguing that Wasim and Waquar were better than Mcgrath because they would never get hit like that. Pretty ridiculous excuse to give for saying someone is better.

Btw, does anybody know of any bad overs by Wasim and Waquar? I am pretty sure I remember of this one over by Wasim in 2001 where he went for 20+ runs against Gilchrist.

Ajay Jadeja hit Waqar for a few sixes in an over or two in a world cup game. No idea if anyone smacked Wasim though...

 

[Son Of Coco]

Enjoyed watching Akram bowl, and was leaning towards voting for him. Took quite a bit of thought, but the stupid comments re:McGrath swung it his way for me.

 

[salman85]

Would Wasim perhaps be more influential than McGrath?

Had this discussion with a guy at work today.I want to know what people here think.

 

[TumTum]

Would Wasim perhaps be more influential than McGrath?

Had this discussion with a guy at work today.I want to know what people here think.

Definitely imo.

 

[Manee]

Enjoyed watching Akram bowl, and was leaning towards voting for him. Took quite a bit of thought, but the stupid comments re:McGrath swung it his way for me.

I hope mine wasn't one of the aforementioned comments, I thought pretty hard about that one.

 

[Furball]

McGrath, and frankly it's not close.

Yes, Wasim had super ***y tools like masterful swing and seam movement whichever way he wanted it to go.

McGrath? He just got the best batsmen that he faced out. Time and time and time and time again. For all Wasim looked like the better bowler, McGrath got more wickets, got them cheaper than Wasim and got them faster than Wasim. This is a case where statistics do tell the entire story.

McGrath also averaged 20 in one of the most batting friendly eras there's ever been.

 

[zaremba]

Wasim is more talented and can do more with the ball but has to be McGrath for his unbelieveable consistency.

Not fond of voting against Akram. I hate you BlazeDragon.

This.

 

[zaremba]

McGrath, and frankly it's not close.

Yes, Wasim had super ***y tools like masterful swing and seam movement whichever way he wanted it to go.

McGrath? He just got the best batsmen that he faced out. Time and time and time and time again. For all Wasim looked like the better bowler, McGrath got more wickets, got them cheaper than Wasim and got them faster than Wasim. This is a case where statistics do tell the entire story.

McGrath also averaged 20 in one of the most batting friendly eras there's ever been.

And this.

 

[grecian]

Enjoyed watching Akram bowl, and was leaning towards voting for him. Took quite a bit of thought, but the stupid comments re:McGrath swung it his way for me.

Umm, surely there's been more stupid comments about Akram not being in McGraths class. I voted for Glenn, BTW.

 

[Athlai]

I do wonder how many catches they both had dropped off their bowling over the course of their careers.

 

[GotSpin]

McGrath was decent but he was no Courtney Walsh

 

[Goughy]

I dont think it is even close. Wasim and Donald are more comparable. Both Wasim and Donald are ATGs but McGrath is in the discussion as possibly the best ever which Wasim is a mile from.

Frankly, there isnt a rational argument for Wasim over McGrath apart from "I like Wasim and I enjoyed watching him more so therefore he gets my vote"

 

[Son Of Coco]

I hope mine wasn't one of the aforementioned comments, I thought pretty hard about that one.

Haha, no mate not directed at you at all.

More the comments about him getting out the tail and being boring...although the latter is a matter of personal taste I suppose. I think some people seriously underestimate the talent it takes to land the ball where you want to almost every time you bowl. I also can't understand how someone could get bored watching someone work over the best batsmen in the game on pitches that don't really give him a lot of help.

I also liked watching Akram bowl though, he was pretty special when he was hooping it around corners. Have to wonder whether at times he wasn't a little too good and maybe didn't pick up a many wickets as he could have...although I'm not sure that applies as much at that level as it does sometimes in club cricket.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Umm, surely there's been more stupid comments about Akram not being in McGraths class. I voted for Glenn, BTW.

Well, that was Silentstriker so I took him being McGrath's biggest fan into account.

 

[ankitj]

Curtly Ambrose