Second best fast attack in the history

[Zinzan]

Hoggard-Harmison-Jones-Flintoff was fairly potent - admittedly only for about 2 matches.

Think that was the line-up in the series a year before the Ashes against NZ in 2004.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Anderson-broad-Bresnan were all pretty damn good at the same time when India toured in 2011.

 

[Zinzan]

Actually, in terms of peaking at the same time for a short period, the English 2010/11 bowling attack of Anderson, Bresnan, Tremlett & Finn would be up there, in spite of the fact 3 of them were utterly ordinary after that.

 

[fredfertang]

When your 2 wedding presents are Ashes tickets and afternoon tea in the Long Room at Lords, you know you've hit the jackpot.

You certainly have - where did you find her?

 

[watson]

Don't necessarily need 3 fast bowlers to take lots of wickets at an exceptional average. Just 2 exceptional bowlers, plus 1 very good bowler. In the case of Hadlee, just 1 exceptional bowler will do.

However, Lindwall - Miller - Johnston is as good a pace attack as any in history.



McGrath - Lee - Warne = 519 wickets at 25.53

McGrath - Gillespie - Warne = 624 wickets at 24.38

Lindwall - Miller - Johnston = 391 wickets at 22.96

Ambrose - Walsh - Bishop = 412 wickets at 23.92

Marshall - Holding - Garner = 331 wickets at 22.51

Hall - Sobers - Hall = 421 wickets at 27.75

Willis - Hendrick - Botham = 204 wickets at 22.27

Anderson - Broad - Swann = 428 wickets at 29.02

Bedi - Chandra - Prasanna = 266 wickets at 30.82

Kumble - Harbhajan - Zaheer = 316 wickets at 30.32

Wasim - Waqar - Mushtaq = 431 wickets at 23.69

Hadlee - Cairns - Chatfield = 197 wickets at 25.53

Donald - Pollock - Kallis = 415 wickets at 22.80

Murali - Vaas - Fernando = 248 wickets at 28.81

Flintoff - Hoggard - Harmeson = 383 wickets at 29.38


The best bowling trios in Test cricket | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[stephen]

If we are talking about actual teams and effectiveness:

Johnson (37 @ 14)
Harris (22 @ 19)
Siddle (16 @ 24)
and then throw in Lyon (19 @ 29)

in 2013 were about as good as I've seen. In that series they were as good as any bowling attack in history really.

 

[Migara]

There was a string of great WI pace attacks with 3 or even 4 top-class fast bowlers.

Same isn't true of Pakistan, though, I think. They had two great pairs in the late 80s and 90s: Imran/Wasim and then Waqar/Wasim. The third seamer behind each of those pairs was relatively mediocre.

Third seamer for Pakistan, with Wasim and Waqar it was Imran in wane. Then Aaqib Javed, who is as good as a swing bowler you could think of. While Waqar was in wane it was Shoaib. Yes the third seamer was not flashy, but they were bowlers with great potential almost all the time. Mohammed Zahid and Mohammed Akram were 3rd seamers for some time, and these two were as quick as anybody in the cricket history.

 

[Zinzan]

Awesome article Watson. Worth posting the breakdowns.....

Surprised Hadlee, Chatfield & L Cairns averaged 25.


Holding, Garner & Marshall

P05. Total: 331 @ 22.51
Holding 98 @ 25.63, Garner 110 @ 21.04, Marshall 123 @ 21.33

Sobers, Gibbs & Hall

P06. Total: 421 @ 27.75
Sobers 124 @ 30.73, Gibbs 161 @ 25.93, Hall 136 @ 27.18


Willis, Hendrick & Botham

P07. Total: 204 @ 22.27
Willis 65 @ 24.02, Hendrick 54 @ 21.37, Botham 85 @ 21.51


Anderson, Broad & Swann

P08. Total: 428 @ 29.02
Anderson 140 @ 29.19, Broad 127 @ 29.69, Swann 161 @ 28.35

Prasanna, ChandraSekar & Bedi

P09. Total: 266 @ 30.82
Prasanna 61 @ 40.02, ChandraSekar 103 @ 27.82, Bedi 102 @ 28.34


Kumble, Harbhajan & Zaheer

P10. Total: 316 @ 30.32
Kumble 125 @ 28.93, Harbhajan 116 @ 29.35, Zaheer 75 @ 34.15

Wasim, Waqar & Mushtaq Ahd

P11. Total: 431 @ 23.69
Wasim 173 @ 18.97, Waqar 150 @ 23.18, MushtaqAhmed 108 @ 31.96


Hadlee, Cairns & Chatfield

P12. Total: 197 @ 25.53
Hadlee 80 @ 21.54, Cairns 57 @ 29.82, Chatfield 60 @ 26.78


Donald, Pollock & Kallis

P13. Total: 415 @ 22.80
Donald 175 @ 21.85, Pollock 163 @ 21.36, Kallis 77 @ 28.04


Muralitharan, Vaas & Fernando

P14. Total: 248 @ 28.81
Muralitharan 128 @ 23.32, Vaas 60 @ 33.75, Fernando 60 @ 35.60

Flintoff, Hoggard & Harmison

P15. Total: 383 @ 29.38
Flintoff 123 @ 28.62, Hoggard 133 @ 28.51, Harmison 127 @ 31.02

 

[zaremba]

Third seamer for Pakistan, with Wasim and Waqar it was Imran in wane.

Yes - Imran wasn't much of a bowler by then, and played pretty much as a batsman.

Then Aaqib Javed, who is as good as a swing bowler you could think of.

He honestly isn't.

While Waqar was in wane it was Shoaib.

Shoaib was a great bowler IMHO, but by the time he arrived on the scene Wasim wasn't the force he once was: Wasim average 39 in the matches the 3 played together.

Mohammed Zahid and Mohammed Akram were 3rd seamers for some time, and these two were as quick as anybody in the cricket history.

Mo Akram's bowling average when playing with Wasim and Waqar was 89.

Mo Zahid didn't play with Wasim (and in his only match with Waqar he took 2 wickets @ 54).


Sorry for getting Statsguru out!

 

[Migara]

He honestly isn't.

Sorry he was. Dead set 300 wicket bowler if played for another country.

Shoaib was a great bowler IMHO, but by the time he arrived on the scene Wasim wasn't the force he once was: Wasim average 39 in the matches the 3 played together.

Says nothing much. Wasim developed diabetes around that time if I am not mistaken.

Mo Akram's bowling average when playing with Wasim and Waqar was 89. Mo Zahid didn't play with Wasim (and in his only match with Waqar he took 2 wickets @ 54).
Sorry for getting Statsguru out!

Pretty harsh on them because they never had much of a career due to injuries. Mo Akram injured when he first played with Wasim IIRC in England. Zahid was over bowled and had to contend with Aravinda and Jayasuriya in God mode. And as expected, broke down.

Wasim and Waqar always had a third seamer with plenty of potential. Aaqib was the best, then the rest.

 

[ankitj]

When your 2 wedding presents are Ashes tickets and afternoon tea in the Long Room at Lords, you know you've hit the jackpot.

I know a lady (who must be about 40) who happily recalls Joel Garner and Malcolm Marshall as deadly fast bowlers. I was so delighted! Some guy must be very lucky.

 

[mr_mister]

I wonder what year was the peak of fast bowling.

Surely it must have been in the mid to late 90s somewhere. Ambrose, Walsh, Pollock, Donald, McGrath, Waqar, Wasim, Shoaib, Gough and Streak were all around

 

[zaremba]

Says nothing much. Wasim developed diabetes around that time if I am not mistaken.

Pretty harsh on them because they never had much of a career due to injuries.

I'm not being either kind or harsh to anyone - I'm just pointing out the fact that Wasim and Waqar were a great pair but happened never to be part of a great trio.

 

[watson]

I'm not being either kind or harsh to anyone - I'm just pointing out the fact that Wasim and Waqar were a great pair but happened never to be part of a great trio.

Initially thought of Wasim - Waqar - Shoaib, but unfortunately only 5 Tests and 40 wickets together isn't significant enough.

 

[the big bambino]

Yeah mo akram was rubbish and not all that fast. If aaquib was that good he'd have taken those wickets for Pakistan.

 

[social]

I wonder what year was the peak of fast bowling.

Surely it must have been in the mid to late 90s somewhere. Ambrose, Walsh, Pollock, Donald, McGrath, Waqar, Wasim, Shoaib, Gough and Streak were all around

In the 70s there was Lillee, Thomson, Pascoe, Hogg, Gilmour, Walker, about 10 west Indians, Hadlee, Willis, peak Botham, Hendricks, Dev, Imran, Sarfraz, Le Roux, Rice etc

 

[kyear2]

Lindwall, Miller and Johnston.

Ambrose, Bishop, Walsh

McGrath, Gillespie, Lee

 

[OverratedSanity]

I think Kane Williamson would've handled such attacks with aplomb