Dale Steyn among the top three pacers of all time, says Waqar Younis

[Chrish]

Donald is one of the few bowlers I might rank alongside with Steyn.. He gets underrated due to lack of longevity (not by his own fault), relatively poor record against Australia and that fiasco in WC semi.

The guy was an embodiment of hostility and aggressiveness

 

[Debris]

Waqar and Johnson are definitely different categories.

I should clarify that this is type of bowler, not quality of bowler. Johnson is clearly better than Waqar.

 

[smash84]

I should clarify that this is type of bowler, not quality of bowler. Johnson is clearly better than Waqar.

Of course Johnson is better. Goes without saying

 

[marc71178]

Waqar and Johnson are definitely different categories.

Oh definitely, and neither as good as Steyn. In fact calling Steyn in the same category as Johnson is a total bull**** one-eyed patriotic call.

 

[Debris]

Oh definitely, and neither as good as Steyn. In fact calling Steyn in the same category as Johnson is a total bull**** one-eyed patriotic call.

Did you read my above post at all? No-one is saying that Johnson is close to as good as Steyn.

 

[OverratedSanity]

And then he returned to SA and bowled some absolute ****e which cost SA the return series against Australia. His best is so good but then he will deal up rubbish like that. He fits into the same category as Waqar and Johnson for me. How much you like them depends on how much you like to gamble.

Are you joking here? Which series are you talking about? 2013-14 at home? Steyn was playing half injured for most of it, and still produced a silly good spell at Capetown tp win them the match.

And saying Steyn's bad spells are anywhere near as bad as Mitch or Shoaib is just wrong.

 

[honestbharani]

dem lemons abt Steyn here.;. a LOT of it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Allan Donald was a ferocious bowler. Can't think of any other way to describe him. Was an absolutely joy to watch. Definitely underrated.

 

[cnerd123]

I can understand if people want to claim that the gap between Peak Steyn and Regular Steyn is fairly large. That's pretty true. He's not a reliably ATG quality like guys like McGrath, Ambrose and Hadlee. But Regular Steyn is still a world-class fast bowler. He's still really ****ing good, and then when he enters God Mode for those couple of spells each series, he's absolutely incredible. Literally unplayable.

Comparisons to Waqar and Mitch are quite off IMO.

 

[Chrish]

God mode is completely imaginary.. There is no such thing

 

[cnerd123]

God mode is completely imaginary.. There is no such thing

0.o

 

[Pratters]

That Steyn has lasted so long as a fast bowler in this era of rigorous constant cricket is incredible. The last outright fast bowler (Anderson is fast medium) who took 400 test wickets was Ambrose who played his last test in 2000. I wonder how many years it will be before another comes along who takes 400. The number of test matches has increased compared to the previous century. However, it is infinitely harder for a fast bowler to last so long in an era of cricket all round the year.

 

[Pratters]

God mode is completely imaginary.. There is no such thing

This isn't true. As Frith mentioned in The Fast Men, when a proper fast bowler is bowling at his best, one cannot really do much as a batsman. That's god mode.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Ambrose wasn't really that much faster than James Anderson tbh.

 

[Pratters]

Nah, Ambrose was an out and out fast bowler. He slowed down a bit last 2-3 years but till 97 or so he was quite fast and lethal.

 

[Flem274*]

I can understand if people want to claim that the gap between Peak Steyn and Regular Steyn is fairly large. That's pretty true. He's not a reliably ATG quality like guys like McGrath, Ambrose and Hadlee. But Regular Steyn is still a world-class fast bowler. He's still really ****ing good, and then when he enters God Mode for those couple of spells each series, he's absolutely incredible. Literally unplayable.

Comparisons to Waqar and Mitch are quite off IMO.

hmm I think Steyn's issue is we're judging him by watching him every day whereas people only ever remember the highlights of the other three you mention. They had bad days too.

the effect is even more pronounced with bowlers who played before TV and youtube.

 

[smash84]

That Steyn has lasted so long as a fast bowler in this era of rigorous constant cricket is incredible. The last outright fast bowler (Anderson is fast medium) who took 400 test wickets was Ambrose who played his last test in 2000. I wonder how many years it will be before another comes along who takes 400. The number of test matches has increased compared to the previous century. However, it is infinitely harder for a fast bowler to last so long in an era of cricket all round the year.

Wasim took 400 wickets after Ambrose

 

[Pratters]

I suppose one could put Walsh in there too. Or Anderson as well. Point is that it's extremely difficult to take 400 test wickets for an express fast bowler today. Case in point is Johnson. Steyn's 400 is a bit like Trueman's 300. It's very impressive.

 

[smash84]

I suppose one could put Walsh in there too. Or Anderson as well. Point is that it's extremely difficult to take 400 test wickets for an express fast bowler today. Case in point is Johnson. Steyn's 400 is a bit like Trueman's 300. It's very impressive.

SA do play less cricket than the others i suppose.

 

[OverratedSanity]

hmm I think Steyn's issue is we're judging him by watching him every day whereas people only ever remember the highlights of the other three you mention. They had bad days too.

the effect is even more pronounced with bowlers who played before TV and youtube.

True.

I do think he has more bad days than say, McGrath and Ambrose though. But then he has those crazy destructive days more often too.