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Greatest Aussie fast bowler

Greatest Aussie paceman???

  • Total voters
    49
weldone

weldone

Hall of Fame Member
Himannv said:
McGrath probably takes this one easily. Will throw a vote Lindwall's way. I think he's a bit underrated at times.
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Good job. People often forget Lindwall's career progression while judging him. This was Lindwall's career:

1942-45: probably Lindwall's best years as a bowler, lost to WWII
1946-53: Lindwall's best years as a test bowler - 158 wickets @ 20.12
1954-56: Lindwall's career hampered by a few injuries - 54 wickets @ 28.13
1957-58: career-threatening injury, no test cricket for Lindwall
1959-60: Old Lindwall came back from injury to have one last go - 16 wickets @ 34.56

He had 11 brilliant years as a bowler (the bolded part), and in that period was as good as any fast bowler in history (though 4 among those 11 years he spent playing FC only, due to war).

Also, the relationship between Lindwall and Davidson was like Imran and Wasim in so many ways. Lindwall was Davidson's mentor for so many years.
 
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weldone

weldone

Hall of Fame Member
smalishah84 said:
158 wickets at 20 is frickin good
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Yeah, could well have been 200 @ 19 had there been no WWII.

Can someone assist me with Lindwall's FC performances in the time-span 1941-45? I don't know how to filter FC performance for that specific period. But Ian Chappell suggests that 1942-45 were Lindwall's best 4 years as a bowler.
 
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Outswinger@Pace

Outswinger@Pace

International 12th Man
Great stats there, Weldone.

Lindwall's position in fast bowling history is further immortalised by the fact that he was the perfect prototype for the modern day fast bowler. As far I know, Harold Larwood was one of the first to have a powerful bowling action with a long rhythmic run-up, brilliant transfer of momentum through the crease and dragged his backfoot to generate maximum pace within the rules that were in place back then.

Lindwall possibly modelled his own action on the Englishman's. His timing was perfect for cricket as he carried forward that great action to the other side of the War. A bit round-arm perhaps for the purists' liking, but that's what made his awayswingers awfully difficult to play (with that angle). Also a superb athlete who could have held his own, I reckon, even in the professional era. From cricinfo:

He was a phenomenal all-round sportsman: had he not played cricket, Lindwall could easily have been a rugby league international, and he ran 100 yards in 10.6 seconds.
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Lillee, Trueman, Hall (to a lesser degree) and many great bowlers that subsequently emerged had Lindwall to look upto. Lillee then became the role model for the next generation, but Lindwall's position as the first great fast bowler after the war is etched in history for good.
 
smash84

smash84

The Tiger King
always surprised at your knowledge of cricket OSP, given that you reside in Western Europe somewhere :p
 
archie mac

archie mac

International Coach
Slifer said:
Think this thread is long overdue. We all know that Mr Warnie is regarded as the greatest Oz spinner (and possibly of all time), no comment about Bradman or Adam Gilchrist in their respective traits. Who exactly though, is the greatest Aussie paceman. I have narrowed it down to the following: Lillee, Mcgrath, Lindwall, Miller, Davidson.
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Personally I think O'Reilly the best ATA spinner but that would be a different thread
 
Outswinger@Pace

Outswinger@Pace

International 12th Man
smalishah84 said:
always surprised at your knowledge of cricket OSP, given that you reside in Western Europe somewhere :p
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Thanks, mate. Tbf, I haven't lived in Europe for long. Grew up in a former test champion nation, as you well know! :laugh:

Sorry, mods.. Just an off-topic reply!
 
Fusion

Fusion

Global Moderator
If SJS was still posting in CC regularly, I think the poll results would be a bit different.
 
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
archie mac said:
Personally I think O'Reilly the best ATA spinner but that would be a different thread
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Since we are all in the mood for polls. Maybe we should do a contest with like the top 25 or so spinners of all time (same way we did with the fast bowlers).
 
Burgey

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
McGrath
Lillee
Lindwall
Davo
Miller

for mine. But I only saw the first two play, and there is little between them tbh.
 
weldone

weldone

Hall of Fame Member
Hopefully there'll be lot of Indians too, unlike the fast bowlers list (quite rightly).
 
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