Ranking the candidates for best fast bowler ever - ~20 contenders

[Coronis]

They did form a duo, but not a deadly duo that will be remembered like we do of Lillee/Thomson, Roberts/Holding, Wasim/Waqar.... or going back to days of yore, we still read of McDonald/Gregory, Lindwall/Miller, Hall/Griffith...

More effective than some of these duos tho.

 

[Burgey]

Big effort this from mr_mister. Good stuff.

 

[stephen]

Gillespie is the most overrated bowler on these forums. He bowled like an overseas bowler at home - always too short getting carried away with the bounce. Gillespie looked great because he beat the bat a lot but he never stood up when McGrath was missing and never took huge bags of wickets. He also kept us from seeing more of peak Bichel as well which is another black mark against him.

Gillespie was a lesser Walsh without the longevity - living in the shadow of a superior bowler. I can never rate him too highly.

When I saw Anderson back in the 2003 WC I always thought he looked like he had a lot of potential. I even argued for people to give him a chance and let him settle in circa 2007 when everyone thought he was rubbish.

He's the attack leader who has beaten Australia in Australia. He's been incredible at home and very good overseas. He's not McGrath but there's a lot to respect with Jimmy that isn't just his longevity.

I have rubbished him at times but most of that is tongue in cheek leading up to an ashes battle. Expect more rubbishing to occur in another 6 months.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Gillespie is the most underrated bowler on these forums everywhere.

fixed.

not disagreeing that Anderson will probably be remembered more than dizzy, but in no universe is Jimmy Anderson a superior bowler to Jason Gillespie

 

[Slifer]

I don't have a dog in this Anderson vs Gillespie fight but until a few seconds ago I never realized how pretty useless Anderson was outside of England . I took a look at his stats and apart from wi and UAE he's going at over 30 everywhere else. Say what ever you want but that's simply not good enough . More so, when you compare that with recent contemporaries. Again I dont have a dog in this fight but at least Gillespie went at sub 30 outside of Australia.

 

[stephen]

Anderson in his last 100 tests had averaged under 25 in total and just a shade over 30 away. Given the era he's been playing in this is pretty good, even if it's not as great as Steyn (who is a special bowler).

He's like the Ashwin of pace. His style is ridiculously well suited to his home conditions but doesn't travel well. He doesn't have the express pace to take wickets in India or the seam to take wickets in Australia or South Africa. That doesn't mean he's not a fine bowler.

 

[Slifer]

He's a fine bowler but he's no where near elite. Sorry. Ashwin is at least starting to prove his mettle away. But as it is, ashwin has nice numbers but he too is too home reliant to be ranked among the elite.

 

[vcs]

I think his overall stats don't always do him justice, Slifer.

For example, he's had some outstanding series in places like Australia and India (generally graveyards for visiting quicks) and played a big part in series wins. But that's been offset by some tours where he's had zero support and been either below par/injured and gone at 50-60, so it looks bad statistically. But impact-wise, I'd take that over averaging a steady 35 every time.

Ashwin still has plenty to do away from home to match Anderson.

 

[Slifer]

Andersons away stats can't be put down to injuries, no support or a myriad of other excuses. He just plain and simple wasn't good enough. Otherwise, how do u explain his success in the wi?? I'll tell the answer, wi of Andersons time were a pathetic team and would therefore succumb to any half decent bowler. Anderson is a great bowler at home, merely decent away and therefore overall can't be considered anywhere near elite.

 

[Zinzan]

Excellent work MM.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Andersons away stats can't be put down to injuries, no support or a myriad of other excuses. He just plain and simple wasn't good enough. Otherwise, how do u explain his success in the wi?? I'll tell the answer, wi of Andersons time were a pathetic team and would therefore succumb to any half decent bowler.

It's more because WI use the duke.

 

[Adders]

I don't have a dog in this Anderson vs Gillespie fight but until a few seconds ago I never realized how pretty useless Anderson was outside of England . I took a look at his stats and apart from wi and UAE he's going at over 30 everywhere else. Say what ever you want but that's simply not good enough . More so, when you compare that with recent contemporaries. Again I dont have a dog in this fight but at least Gillespie went at sub 30 outside of Australia.

Arggggh hideous post. You've got to look beyond just stats ffs.

One of JA crowing overseas achievements was England's win in India.......he was ****ing outstanding in that series and even MSD said afterwards he was the difference between the two sides. Series stats......12 wickets at 30.25.

You're looking at that +30 average and thinking it's ****........if you watched the series you would know that it was anything but.

 

[R!TTER]

I think his overall stats don't always do him justice, Slifer.

For example, he's had some outstanding series in places like Australia and India (generally graveyards for visiting quicks) and played a big part in series wins. But that's been offset by some tours where he's had zero support and been either below par/injured and gone at 50-60, so it looks bad statistically. But impact-wise, I'd take that over averaging a steady 35 every time.

Ashwin still has plenty to do away from home to match Anderson.

Tbf that was against an aging lineup or a team in transition, respectively. There's a reason he avg that high in Aus or India, while someone like Steyn doesn't.

 

[Adders]

Tbf that was against an aging lineup or a team in transition, respectively. There's a reason he avg that high in Aus or India, while someone like Steyn doesn't.

No one is comparing him to Steyn. Steyn is a legitimate ATG......no one is saying JA is in that tier, but when someone comes out and says "I didn't realise how useless Anderson is overseas" it's just mind bogglingly stupid.

 

[R!TTER]

No one is comparing him to Steyn. Steyn is a legitimate ATG......no one is saying JA is in that tier, but when someone comes out and says "I didn't realise how useless Anderson is overseas" it's just mind bogglingly stupid.

He isn't useless otherwise he wouldn't be playing right now, at 36 and counting. However, as with most other greats of the past, some people overrate him while others underrate him. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, as usual.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Anderson is an ATG with the Dukes and a skilled toiler without

 

[Adders]

That's a fair enough call.

 

[TheJediBrah]

No one is comparing him to Steyn. Steyn is a legitimate ATG......no one is saying JA is in that tier, but when someone comes out and says "I didn't realise how useless Anderson is overseas" it's just mind bogglingly stupid.

Maybe "useless" is excessive but should be looked at as a relative term. As in compared to how skilled a bowler he is, and how good he is in favourable conditions, he is "useless" in other conditions?

 

[GoodAreasShane]

The one thing that really counts against Anderson is his tendency to go missing in the Ashes, his average of 34.55 against Australia is not even remotely close to ATG status. Let's not forget it took some pretty insipid captaincy from Smith for him to even get a 5-for here. Dizzy was a better bowler and is a far better bloke too.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Better golf swing aswell