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Top 10 Greatest Fast Bowlers of All Time in Tests?

Arachnodouche

International Captain
Do you agree with this list? Personally I thought McGrath the greatest of all time...
He certainly is. Never has a fast-medium bowler carried as much aura. Every bowler on Gob's list had a phase when they were close to express. McGrath never needed that asset.
 

Coronis

International Coach
Marshall
McGrath
Steyn
Hadlee
Ambrose
Trueman
Lillee
Imran
Donald
Wasim

Would be my personal list. Personally I’d prefer Wasim in my attack for the left arm variety, and because to me there is not that big of a drop in quality amongst these top tiered bowlers.
 

Pap Finn Keighl

International Debutant
Not considering "Bowling Bradman" Sydney Barnes,

1.Wasim Akram
2.Marshall
3.Hadlee
4.Steyn
5.Lillee
6.Mcgrath
7.Trueman

8.Donald
9.Imran
10.Ambrose

11 and 12 Waqar and Davidson.
 

Gob

International Coach
Mine

Marshall
McGrath
Hadlee
Steyn
Ambrose
Imran
Donald
Lillee
Akram
Trueman
Not considering "Bowling Bradman" Sydney Barnes,

1.Wasim Akram
2.Marshall
3.Hadlee
4.Steyn
5.Lillee
6.Mcgrath
7.Trueman

8.Donald
9.Imran
10.Ambrose

11 and 12 Waqar and Davidson.
Marshall
McGrath
Steyn
Hadlee
Ambrose
Trueman
Lillee
Imran
Donald
Wasim

Would be my personal list. Personally I’d prefer Wasim in my attack for the left arm variety, and because to me there is not that big of a drop in quality amongst these top tiered bowlers.
Welcome to CW guy. Personally

Marshall
McGrath
Hadlee
Ambrose
Steyn
Imran
Lillee
Wasim
Trueman
Donald

Waqar Younis slightly misses out. You can juggle it around as you please and it'll still be a great list
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Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Bowling seems to be the area on CW where there is reasonably broad agreement around the names which belong in the very top echelon. Much more so than batting. There's a bit of tinkering around the edges on here re who sits precisely where in the top ten or so, but the same names crop up. There's a much greater divergence in opinion on the forum re batting than bowling.
 

CricAddict

Cricketer Of The Year
Bowling seems to be the area on CW where there is reasonably broad agreement around the names which belong in the very top echelon. Much more so than batting. There's a bit of tinkering around the edges on here re who sits precisely where in the top ten or so, but the same names crop up. There's a much greater divergence in opinion on the forum re batting than bowling.
One reason could be that the base is much smaller than that of batsmen. Ratio is almost 7:4 and so it is easier to select a top 10 from a smaller base.
 

stephen

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
One reason could be that the base is much smaller than that of batsmen. Ratio is almost 7:4 and so it is easier to select a top 10 from a smaller base.
I think it has more to do with the fact that the subcontinent hasn't produced much fast bowling talent outside Imran and the two Ws. This means that Indian and Sri Lankan fans are a lot more objective about fast bowlers and that SENA fans are judging more on a level playing field.

The problem with batting agreement is that ideal batting conditions are far more origin-dependent than anything else. Sangakkara was a beast in Sri Lanka and merely very good in Australia. Ponting was a monster in Australia but couldn't buy a run in India. So people tend to over rate the players that suit their home countries and under rate those who don't perform as well in those conditions.

A great example is Hayden. He's a player who averaged over 50, scored more hundreds after the age of 30 than any other batsman, scored more hundreds in his first 50 tests than virtually any other batsman and yet many people rate him more like Gordon Greenidge than Sunil Gavaskar as an opener. Or for that matter, take Allan Border and compare him to Viv Richards. The vast majority rate Viv way more highly despite averaging less than Border and having played against relatively easier attacks and having a stronger team around him.

For that matter, it's interesting to see on here the different ratings of Viv and Greenidge compared to Hayden and Ponting. Both pairs of players have a lot in common - both played for the strongest sides of the era, Greenidge and Hayden were both openers who truly flourished with their favourite opening partner, all were aggressive batsmen who favoured pace bowling and yet there seems to be more legend built up around Viv and Greenidge than Hayden and Ponting.

Pakistani batsmen also seem to be criminally underrated by many. Younis Khan in particular gets virtually completely ignored even though he is statistically up there with the likes of Dravid.

The truth is that batsmen require consistency to be seen as good while bowlers, particularly pace bowlers, can leave a lasting impression with a few magical spells that run through your side.
 

Line and Length

Cricketer Of The Year
The lists are dominated by quicks from West Indies, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan with the odd bowler from England thrown in. Who are the Top 5 from each of those 5 nations? Here are mine:

West Indies
Marshall
Ambrose
Garner
Holding
Roberts/Walsh/Hall

Australia
Lillee
McGrath
Lindwall
Davidson
Thomson

South Africa
Steyn
Donald
Adcock
S. Pollock
P.Pollock/Philander/Rabada

Pakistan
Wasim Akram
Imran Khan
Waqar Younis
Shoaib Akhtar
Fazal Mahmood/Safraz Nawaz

England
Trueman
Tyson
Larwood
Willis
Statham/Bedser/Snow
 

Migara

International Coach
Welcome to CW guy. Personally

Marshall
McGrath
Hadlee
Ambrose
Steyn
Imran
Lillee
Wasim
Trueman
Donald

Waqar Younis slightly misses out. You can juggle it around as you please and it'll still be a great list
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 

Migara

International Coach
Marshall
McGrath
Hadlee
Steyn
Imran
Ambrose
Garner
Wasim
Waqar
Trueman

Donald, Pollock, Davidson, Walsh, Holding, Roberts, Larwood, Anderson and Lindwall also worth mentioning.
 

Gob

International Coach
i'm undecided on wether i need to approach this the traditional way so i ask, there are five lists put together on this page alone and every single one has lillee on them so why did you specifically picked mine for this response?
 

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