Fast bowlers' favorite fast bowlers

[Ikki]

Christ, this Lillee chap must be good.

 

[NasserFan207]

was about to add that........

Interesting to note that so many of Wasim's contemporaries rate him so highly. Not so many fans for Waqar.

Inswinging yorkers are fun to watch but any professional would recognise Wasim's body of work as more useful to a team.

 

[Hurricane]

It's a different thing to say Anderson is your favourite bowler and a completely different thing to say he's a better bowler than Steyn. Hadlee's a bit ****ed in the head imo.

Hadlee wasn't that quick in the latter parts of his career - I suspect that he views Anderson gets wickets more with movement compared to pace and perhaps he respects that more.

 

[smash84]

Inswinging yorkers are fun to watch but any professional would recognise Wasim's body of work as more useful to a team.

haha....dude you talk as if bowling inswinging yorkers is an easy task. Haven't seen too many do that over the years and probably none could do it better than Waqar

 

[Athlai]

Fidel getting a mention

 

[r3alist]

Donald's favorite bowler is Wasim too, btw.

You wouldn't happen to have a quote for that?

 

[silentstriker]

Lillee and Wasim were both bowler's bowlers. Lillee really signified aggression and skill, and he pioneered, or at least perfected, many of the techniques which he then passed on to guys like Marshall (eg leg cutter) and to the generation afterwards - so its obvious why so many bowlers look up to him. Wasim was simply a talent freak - the bowlers would look at him and simply ask 'how in the world does he do that?' He simply could do so much with the ball that other people couldn't, so bowlers obviously looked up to him.

There might have been "better" bowlers (arguable of course) but there are certain qualities that players (and fans) admire more than others.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Great Post SS

Really not surprised at Lillee being everyone's favourite.

Realist, I don't understand why you think Anderson is ordinary. He is the 2nd best bowler currently and is very good.

 

[r3alist]

Great Post SS

Really not surprised at Lillee being everyone's favourite.

Realist, I don't understand why you think Anderson is ordinary. He is the 2nd best bowler currently and is very good.

He is an improved player slightly above average who had thrived in helpful home conditions over the past few years, and against India and pak who were both minnow standard for one reason or another, a lot of his fans dont have the honesty to accept that, he is not the same ballpark as steyn, who had years of awesomeness behind him, Anderson just a few above average really.

 

[Furball]

just read the piece. just cannot fathom how anderson, excellent though he might be at times, is a patch on steyn. one is very good and could possibly become great if he bowls like he is capable for another couple of years, while the other is, or is close to being, an all time great bowler.

Same way people rank Wasim ahead of McGrath. Anderson has far more in his locker than Steyn does, but Steyn uses what he has better.

 

[NasserFan207]

haha....dude you talk as if bowling inswinging yorkers is an easy task. Haven't seen too many do that over the years and probably none could do it better than Waqar

Agreed, but I don't believe that one delivery can make a bowler. I always thought Wasim was more versatile than Waqar.

 

[Jacknife]

He is an improved player slightly above average who had thrived in helpful home conditions over the past few years, and against India and pak who were both minnow standard for one reason or another, a lot of his fans dont have the honesty to accept that, he is not the same ballpark as steyn, who had years of awesomeness behind him, Anderson just a few above average really.

No mate I think it's clear your just a hater.

 

[smash84]

Same way people rank Wasim ahead of McGrath. Anderson has far more in his locker than Steyn does, but Steyn uses what he has better.

I think the gap between Wasim and McGrath seems a lot less than between the gap between Anderson and Steyn

 

[bagapath]

but for the match fixing whispers akram would be my most favorite bowler of all time (now it is marshall and warne). i still am a huge fan of his, albiet with a bit of disappointment. still, no wonder so many of his contemporaries admire his talent and what he chose to do it most of the time. lillee, as explained by SS, is the ultimate fast bowler's fast bowler for being an inspiration to the next two generations of speedsters with his work ethic and aggression and intelligence.

 

[smash84]

You wouldn't happen to have a quote for that?

Fast bowling - Allan Donald laments decline of fast bowlers | South Africa Cricket News | ESPN Cricinfo

"He rated the Pakistani pair of Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram as the best fast-bowling combination he's seen play. "Those two were the most skilful bowlers on any pitch around the world, especially in their own backyard. They reversed the ball beautifully. They had real pace through the air. These days you've got Shaun Tait, Dale Steyn and Brett Lee who are capable of doing that but those two were the most unbelievable. "

"Wasim was the most skilful of all bowlers. He was outstanding, whether he was reversing over or round the wicket you just never knew what was coming."

 

[BoyBrumby]

I love that Brett Lee is Shane Bond's favourite current fast bowler.

Man with his finger on the pulse, obvz.

 

[hang on]

throbbing pulse, morelike.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Same way people rank Wasim ahead of McGrath. Anderson has far more in his locker than Steyn does, but Steyn uses what he has better.

I get the gist of what you're saying, mate but disagree with the "far more in the locker" part. The only genuine delivery that Anderson has and Steyn hasn't is the conventional inswinger.

In fact, one reason why Steyn isn't as accurate as a bowler of his stature ought to be is because he tries too many things. Swing in the air, movement of the deck, the cutters (like Nagpur, 2010) and the odd steep bouncer - and not to mention all at a pace higher than Anderson's.

Talking about completeness of repertoire, I'd stick my neck ahead and say that Zaheer Khan and Anderson are the two most complete bowlers in the world today. Reverse swinging the old ball both ways and with such consistency is something that not many people before these two managed successfully. It's an awe-inspiring art, IMHO. Steyn is pretty much breathing down their necks and as an overall package, he is certainly better.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Sir R.J.Hadlee should lay down the pipe for time being. It's not a hidden fact that he gravitates towards swing bowlers more than bowlers of genuine pace. While I appreciate that every man has his favs, to pass that as an objective statement (that Mr. X is superior to Mr. Y) is taking it a bit too far.

In 2007/08, I remember that Sir Richard had a lot of complimentary things to say about Ryan Sidebottom. Another one of those very good (rather than great) genuine swing bowlers that Paddles has a knack of hyping up a bit too much.

 

[r3alist]

Same way people rank Wasim ahead of McGrath. Anderson has far more in his locker than Steyn does, but Steyn uses what he has better.

Are you seriously £&@"!?£ kidding me?

LOL

you must live in a parallel universe where another James Anderson is a gun bowler, Anderson is not fit to wipe steyns boots, period.