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Dale Steyn -Greatest of All Time

Where does Dale Steyn rank as a pace bowler?


  • Total voters
    75

Engle

State Vice-Captain
I usually rate by Three's. Thus :

Marshall
Ambrose
Imran

Lillee
McGrath
Hadlee

Trueman
Lindwall
Holding

Wasim Akram

So, no - Steyn does not make the Top 10. 11 perhaps as of now.
 

Slifer

International Captain
Atg fast bowlers imo:

WI

Amby
Mm
Holding
Garner


Oz

Lindwall
Lillee
McGrath
Davidson

PAK

Wasim
Imran
Waqar

RSA

Donald
Steyn
S Pollock
Admittedly don't know much about RSA

Nz

Hadlee

Eng

Trueman

My point?? There isn't much to choose between the top 15 or so fast bowlers. I'm sure I've forgotten a few.
 

Chrish

International Debutant
Steyn is comfortably better bowler than Mcgrath in Asia. They have both played similar innings in SC (34 vs 36) and Steyn has five 5fer in his resume compared to only one for Mcgrath.

Something to consider.
 

Flem274*

123/5
Steyn's in my top 5, but Apart from McGrath and Marshall being at my 1-2 I'm not sure on the order of the rest.
 

a massive zebra

International Captain
Top 5 for me as well, although there is not much between the very best fast bowlers ever so top 10 would be a perfectly reasonable viewpoint. Below Marshall and alongside the likes of Hadlee, Ambrose and McGrath.

Not often I say this but Fredfertang's comments are absurd. Not necessarily in the top five South Africans? Steyn is objectively just so far ahead of all his contemporaries, with a strike rate that compares favourably to pretty much anyone ever in one of the most batting friendly eras, a great record in traditional fast bowling graveyards and a history of ripping through some of the best batting lineups in the world. What more can you ask?
 
Last edited:

Chrish

International Debutant
Ambrose often goes missing into such debates. Is it because he didn't play enough in Asia? Or because he played in more bowling friendly era? Any thoughts?
 

Chrish

International Debutant
His name is there in one in 3 posts of this thread.
Talking in general. Have read countless old threads and while everyone accepts he is ATG, usually he rarely gets mention in top-tier league of bowlers.
 
Last edited:

stephen

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Ambrose is second only to Marshall amongst West Indies quicks. He's only just a shade behind McGrath I'm most people's minds I'd say.

It's hard to compare bowlers and even harder to do so between countries and across eras but in my mind Steyn is unquestionably the best South African quick of all time. He takes the new pill with Pollock, Donald bowling first change in an AT South African XI.

Top shelf quicks by country:

Aus:
McGrath
Lillee
Lindwall
Davidson

West Indies:
Marshall
Ambrose
Holding
Garner
Roberts

England:
Trueman

New Zealand:
Hadlee

South Africa:
Steyn
Donald

Pakistan:
Wasim
Imran
Waqar

You can pretty much pick any combination of the above fast bowlers and have an ATG fast bowling attack.
 

CricAddict

Cricketer Of The Year
Ambrose is second only to Marshall amongst West Indies quicks. He's only just a shade behind McGrath I'm most people's minds I'd say.

It's hard to compare bowlers and even harder to do so between countries and across eras but in my mind Steyn is unquestionably the best South African quick of all time. He takes the new pill with Pollock, Donald bowling first change in an AT South African XI.

Top shelf quicks by country:

Aus:
McGrath
Lillee
Lindwall
Davidson

West Indies:
Marshall
Ambrose
Holding
Garner
Roberts

England:
Trueman

New Zealand:
Hadlee

South Africa:
Steyn
Donald

Pakistan:
Wasim
Imran
Waqar

You can pretty much pick any combination of the above fast bowlers and have an ATG fast bowling attack.
If only Bond had played more.
 

stephen

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
If only Bond had played more.
I originally had him on the list but then removed him since I'd have to put bowlers like Reid, Harris and Bishop on there. This is about the cream of the crop. Only the very best make it.
 

Slifer

International Captain
Ambrose is second only to Marshall amongst West Indies quicks. He's only just a shade behind McGrath I'm most people's minds I'd say.

It's hard to compare bowlers and even harder to do so between countries and across eras but in my mind Steyn is unquestionably the best South African quick of all time. He takes the new pill with Pollock, Donald bowling first change in an AT South African XI.

Top shelf quicks by country:

Aus:
McGrath
Lillee
Lindwall
Davidson

West Indies:
Marshall
Ambrose
Holding
Garner
Roberts

England:
Trueman

New Zealand:
Hadlee

South Africa:
Steyn
Donald

Pakistan:
Wasim
Imran
Waqar

You can pretty much pick any combination of the above fast bowlers and have an ATG fast bowling attack.
Awta!!!
 

SeamUp

International Coach
SA quicks for me :

Tier 1

Steyn
Donald
Procter
Adcock
P.Pollock
S.Pollock
Le Roux
Van der Bijl
Philander
(Rabada potentially)

Tier 2 :

Hanley
Ntini
Heine
De Villiers
Morkel
Jefferies
Van Zyl
Schultz
Watson
Abbott
 
Last edited:

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
SA quicks for me :

Tier 1

Steyn
Donald
Procter
Adcock
P.Pollock
S.Pollock
Le Roux
Van der Bijl
Philander
(Rabada potentially)

Tier 2 :

Hanley
Ntini
Heine
De Villiers
Morkel
Jefferies
Van Zyl
Schultz
Watson
Abbott
Does Clive Rice not make your tier 2?
 

SeamUp

International Coach
Does Clive Rice not make your tier 2?
Was sort of looking for guys who were 'opening bowlers' or was their main suit but definitely would be capable to get in there.

Clive was a proper all-rounder but always felt batting was his bread and butter.
 

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Was sort of looking for guys who were 'opening bowlers' or was their main suit but definitely would be capable to get in there.

Clive was a proper all-rounder but always felt batting was his bread and butter.
Fair enough. I suppose if Rice was picked a young Kallis would have to be as well.
 

Arachnodouche

International Captain
He's just behind Allan Donald for mine. I thought Donald tapered off for the last three years of his career but his average is still a pretty great 22. Only Australia ever really got the better of him, and not by much; at his peak, he was as arresting to watch as any of the other phenoms from the 90s.

Of course, pitches have eased up drastically since Donald's time, even those in SA itself. So Steyn will always have that argument going for him.
 
Last edited:

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Top 10 for me, I am very conservative with these things

he may make the top 5 in my mind somedays, but usually just falls short
 

S.Kennedy

International Vice-Captain
Ambrose is second only to Marshall amongst West Indies quicks. He's only just a shade behind McGrath I'm most people's minds I'd say.

It's hard to compare bowlers and even harder to do so between countries and across eras but in my mind Steyn is unquestionably the best South African quick of all time. He takes the new pill with Pollock, Donald bowling first change in an AT South African XI.

Top shelf quicks by country:

Aus:
McGrath
Lillee
Lindwall
Davidson

West Indies:
Marshall
Ambrose
Holding
Garner
Roberts

England:

Trueman

New Zealand:
Hadlee

South Africa:
Steyn
Donald

Pakistan:
Wasim
Imran
Waqar

You can pretty much pick any combination of the above fast bowlers and have an ATG fast bowling attack.
No room for Steve Harmison?
 

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