Dale Steyn

[watson]

I just took all that time to make a long post about why comparing their records against England and Australia was stupid but you ignored it.

Which is why I didn't comment at all.

Still, what a lovely set of numbers just the same, if only for their aesthetic value.

 

[DriveClub]

When was the last time the poms produced an ATG bowler? 100 years ago? Or even ATG batsman? Geoffrey putmetosleep Boycott?

 

[Dan]

Brett Lee was better.

Look, Lee was a decent bowler (and was totes adorbs enough to warrant a fandom), but Steyn was a whole other level of amazeballs. If you actually think Lee was better, you're cray.

Also, YOLO.

 

[Cabinet96]

Look, Lee was a decent bowler (and was totes adorbs enough to warrant a fandom), but Steyn was a whole other level of amazeballs. If you actually think Lee was better, you're cray.

Also, YOLO.

Sledger. SMH.

 

[Slifer]

I just took all that time to make a long post about why comparing their records against England and Australia was stupid but you ignored it.

It's not stupid to compare their records, because u have to start somewhere when ur comparing players of this caliber...stats. If u can't compare players (reasonably using stats) then the only other thing we have left is an educated guess. We'll have it ur way...my educated guess is telling me that if Steyn played in the 80s in the WI teams (replacing MM) I don't see how he could possibly do any better. Fast forwarding MM to now I think I would guess he would be on par with Steyn

 

[sledger]

Look, Lee was a decent bowler (and was totes adorbs enough to warrant a fandom), but Steyn was a whole other level of amazeballs. If you actually think Lee was better, you're cray.

Also, YOLO.

You may just have found a way to keep me out of CC forever.

 

[Kirkut]

Marshall never won any World Cups.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Marshall never won any World Cups.

I don't think you've thought this line of argument through.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Number of 'Allan Border medals' won by Dale Steyn - 0.

 

[Slifer]

I think this has been mentioned before but the top ten or so fast bowlers are more or less interchangeable. IMO the top ten fast bowlers in no order looks like this:

Donald
Mcgrath
MM
Steyn
Ambrose
Lillee
Imran
Hadlee
Trueman
Wasim

Then there are the likes of : Waqar, Lindwall, Garner, Holding, Walsh, Fazal, Pollock, Roberts etc etc etc

My top ten changes all time but my top five in order as of now would be: MM/Mcgrath (I refuse to split these 2), Hadlee, Steyn (if he were to retire right now), Imran.

 

[ImpatientLime]

It still astounds me that so few talk about Ambrose as #1.

 

[harsh.ag]

Ambrose can't be #1. Simply because we can't have him say "Curtly talk to no man" when the reporter from the Mars XI crew comes for an interview of our best ever.

So maybe after he's dead then.

 

[ankitj]

Ambrose can't be #1. Simply because we can't have him say "Curtly talk to no man" when the reporter from the Mars XI crew comes for an interview of our best ever.

That'd win him the coolness contest hands down though.

 

[Ray.]

I still find it hard how people compare a mediocre bowler like Jimmy Anderson who averaged 30+ throughout his career to simply one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time (Steyn).

Steyn is leagues ahead of him.

 

[Slifer]

He's definitely in the argument for me. IMO the bowler of the 90s. Some people talk as if Mcgrath was miles ahead of him which I think is laughable. IMO Mcgrath is greater but by a coat of varnish. Then there are others who feel like his record isn't incomplete because of his record vs India. In the grand scheme of things when ATG bowlers are so close I guess such stats have to be taken into consideration. But even looking at his stats he is outstanding. Averaging 25 or less away vs all comers and only averaging over 30 vs 1 team. What does it for me when it comes to Ambrose is his performances vs great Australian lineups of his time (especially in Australia) where several other greats failed miserably

 

[Spark]

Can't for the life of me see why he should have his record in Aus counted against him when he's been the key contributor to both series wins

 

[Red]

Because I'm an ATG nerd, I like to think in terms of a 3 paceman combo.

Hard to go past Lillee, Ambrose/McGrath and Wasim IMO, as a threatening, diverse but complimentary trio.

Steyn would have to push Lillee out based on the combo's make up.

 

[Red]

And as someone might've said, Marshall bowled to some absolutely **** Aust and Eng batting lineups. I would've averaged high 20s against some of them*

* no I wouldn't have

 

[Burgey]

Was Marshall a better bowler than Lillee??

Yes he was IMO. Not by a massive margin, but he was. He sort of took what Lillee was and added to it.

Lillee was kind if the godfather of fast bowlers for the guys who came along in the late 70s then the 80s. And he was happy to share his knowledge too. Iirc Marshall credits him with teaching him the leg cutter.

Marshall was a complete bowler. He also had a pretty unusual approach to the wicket, and I still can't work out how he managed to get the ball to swing away with that open chested action.

I rate Steyn enormously. He is easily the best bowler of any kind since McGrath, and hands down the best quick going around. I love the way he visibly ups the ante when the mood takes him and the way he gets te poker machine eyes too.

I don't quite rate him in the Marahall-McGrath league, but fmd he's not very far behind, and I can understand him being in the argument.

 

[Burgey]

Someone post the Steyn looking like Chris Isaak pic from the series vs Aus earlier this year ffs.