Your top ten TEST bowlers of ALL-TIME

[Burgey]

You read my replies to your other posts this time didn't you?

Yes, sorry I didn't comment on them coz I actually think we are pretty much in agreement on this issue re Donald & Lillee - one of us may prefer one to the other as a bowler, but (without putting words in your mouth) I think it's a close run thing between them.

My (ridiculously long) post yesterday was more an attempt at explaining why there appears to be a difference in perceptions which people have between the two, and I eventually (I think) reached a view that it may be partly due to their respective sides records, in that Lillee was a great bowler in that superb Aussie side of the mid 70s, whereas a Donald was a great bowler in a good/ very good SA side which wasn't the best of its era. Not saying it's fair, just saying that may have a lot to do with it.

Thanks also for your corrections on the details of some of the things I posted. Appreciate it.

FTR, I don't agree with the view that Donald wasn't feared & respected by batsmen in his time.

As for sconning that UAE batter, I've got this great old book called "Cricket Action through the Camera" - a collection of Aussie cricket action photos from 1973-1977. There's a classic one where Lillee bounces one of the WI tail enders, with the ball just whizzing past his chin. The caption says the batsman is getting the "Gillette" treamtent. So I think we can say that by the mid-70 the old fast bowlers' pact re no bouncers (if it ever existed) had gone. If the UAE bloke was dumb enough not to wear a lid, fair play.

 

[Richard]

Don't often do this but feel compelled to here:

 

[Engle]

From CI on Lindwall :

While still playing for New South Wales, he once saw the young Alan Davidson bowl a bouncer at an opposing No. 8. You've just insulted all fast bowlers, Lindwall told him. You've admitted No. 8 can bat better than you can bowl. Get into the nets and learn how to bowl. And he took him there, and taught him.

Bowling a bouncer to an unknown batsman from the UAE in a meaningless match is nothing a great fast bowler could be proud of. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one

 

[Richard]

Lindwall's day compared to Lillee's and Donald's was a completely different matter.

In any case, Zarawani was not a hapless tailender.

 

[The Sean]

The fact that he doesn't give up after the 999th droped catch of the innings off his bowling means he definitely has a bigger heart than most fast bowlers.

If there's one thing Shoaib's not it's lacking in heart when ball is in hand. Guilty of acting without brain in gear - both with ball in hand and off the field - beyond question. In possession of a wholly unhelpful ego - beyond question. Someone Pakistan cricket might well have been better-off if he'd never picked-up a cricket-ball? Quite possibly.

Lacking in heart with ball in hand? No.

FTR, my post was made in half-jest.

I don't doubt his efforts on field. I have, however, questioned the selectivity of his availability in the past, and his attitude from time to time.

Fair enough lads, I appreciate your feedback.

I guess it's all about perception and TBF maybe I just haven't seen Shoaib at the right times. But it has seemed to me on a few occasions that I've watched him, particularly in Australia, that his effort and commitment fluctuates greatly and that he needs to be feeling the love, as it were, to put everything he's got into it. I've just felt, personally, that if the conditions aren't in his favour or he's feeling a tweak or whatever, he tends to let it get to him and drop his bundle from time to time.

Perhaps I'm just misreading him and it's more a case of him trying to maximise his efforts at certain times to produce the best results. He's certainly got enough fans on here to indicate I might not have a fully accurate vision of him.

 

[subshakerz]

I doubt would stoop so low[/I]

Didnt Lillee kick Miandad? Isnt that worse?

 

[The Sean]

Didnt Lillee kick Miandad? Isnt that worse?

The act was petulant, the chance of bodily harm coming to Miandad from the force of the "kick" was less than zero. One of cricket's great handbags moments.

 

[funnygirl]

Didnt Lillee kick Miandad? Isnt that worse?

.That was the funniest picture i have ever seen on a cricket pitch .

BTW ,for Donald ,that batsman Sultan sherwani ,he was asking for it .He was showing the world that how much ignorant yet so arrogant useless he was .Infact i was waiting to see a huge bouncer to that man . And i am glad that Donald did .

Nothing wrong with that ,who the hell is he to challenge the great fast bowler ? what did he think of himself ,Viv Richards ?.

 

[Engle]

Here's an example of why Lillee was held in such high esteem, 8/29 against a World XI

http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1971-72/WORLD-XI_IN_AUS/WORLD-XI_AUS_10-12DEC1971.html

Record breaking as his Test tally was during his time, had such competitive World XI / WSC matches been taken into account, he would've breached other ceilings, viz, the first bowler to get 400 wkts

Think of Lillee as the fast bowlers version of Viv Richards

 

[Perm]

Think of Lillee as the fast bowlers version of Viv Richards

His reputation has blinded people to his actual performances?

 

[Richard]

Think of Lillee as the fast bowlers version of Viv Richards

There's so, so much the two of them have got in common.

Which is why I find it so strange that BhupinderSingh talks down Lillee and talks UP Richards.

 

[archie mac]

From CI on Lindwall :

While still playing for New South Wales, he once saw the young Alan Davidson bowl a bouncer at an opposing No. 8. You've just insulted all fast bowlers, Lindwall told him. You've admitted No. 8 can bat better than you can bowl. Get into the nets and learn how to bowl. And he took him there, and taught him.

Bowling a bouncer to an unknown batsman from the UAE in a meaningless match is nothing a great fast bowler could be proud of. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one

Maybe Davo should have asked why Lindwall sent Tyson to hospital with a very large bump on his head

 

[TINJU Jishnu]

1.WASIM AKRAM
2.malcom marshal
3.lillee
4.hadlee
5.holding
6.donald
7.mcgrath
8.ambrose
.............................
waquar
walsh
imran
murali
warne
kumble
garner
kapil..................etc

 

[morgieb]

Restricting myself to post-War bowlers as the game was much different back then....

1. Marshall
2. Hadlee
3. Warne
4. Murali
5. Ambrose
6. McGrath
7. Lillee
8. Imran
9. Wasim
10. Davidson

Barnes & Lohmann would've been there instead had they played after WWI. Had Waqar not declined he'd have made it as well, and the likes of Donald were quite unlucky.

 

[kyear2]

Malcolm Marshall
Shane Warne
Glenn Mcgrath
Syd Barnes
Muttiah Muralitharan
Richard Hadlee
Curtly Ambrose
Bill O'Reilly
Fred Trueman
Denis Lillee/Alan Donald/Wasim Akram/Imran Khan/Ray Lindwall/Michael Holding

 

[bagapath]

Marshall
Murali
Oreilly
Warne
McGrath
Barnes
Lillee
Hadlee
Ambrose
Imran

EDIT: Didnt realize I had already posted in this thread 4 years ago. Glad the names have not changed at all; just tweaked the rankings a little. thats it

 

[weldone]

1. Sydney Barnes
2. Richard Hadlee
3. Malcolm Marshall
4. Muttiah Muralitharan
5. Glenn McGrath
6. Fred Trueman
7. Imran Khan
8. Bill O'Reilly
9. George Lohmann
10. Curtly Ambrose

 

[JBMAC]

Notable names missing from most lists

Hall, Walsh, Statham, Tayfield,Underwood,Laker, Benaud,Lindwall Davidson, Thompson,Larwood, Spofforth,Gibbs(Lance),


Just went and revisited my original list


S F Barnes
S Warne
C Walsh
M Marshall
R Lindwall
D Lillee
F Trueman
R Hadlee
W O'Reilly
R Benaud/L Gibbs (can't separate them)


Posted 2007

 

[Debris]

McGrath
Barnes
Marshall
Spofforth
Lillee
Ambrose
FS Trueman
Imran Khan
Allan Donald
Alan Davidson

I can never convince myself that spinners are as valuable as pace men.

 

[ankitj]

Muralitharan
Marshall
Barnes
Hadlee
Warne
Ambrose
McGrath
Trueman
O'Reilly
Donald