Top 10 Greatest Fast Bowlers of All Time in Tests?

[Slifer]

I'm no Lillee fan, far from it but the guy was probably the first great modern bowler. And the fact of the matter is, the likes of Hadlee, Marshall, Imran etc learned the tools of their trade from Lillee. Lillee imo is like the bowling version of Viv. Viv statistically doesn't really stand out but the man (like Lillee) was box office.

 

[honestbharani]

Surely it is ok to rate Lillee as an ATG but also understand that the guys who did do great in the SC are probably gonna be rated ahead of him on performances - guys like McGrath, Steyn etc.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Yes but the main culprit here will say you need to be proven on all types of surface, leave out Lillee on that basis, and then include that ubiquitous globe trotter Harold Larwood in those just outside the top 10.

 

[akilana]

You mentioned Anderson along with the names like Donald and Holding.

What’s wrong with that?

 

[ParwazHaiJunoon]

Bowling averages of everyone who played in 5 or more games involving lillee. Helpful or unhelpful grounds are irrelevant. Lillee practically beats them all in similar conditions.

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

It clearly proves that this man is the best fast bowler of that era.

 

[Red]

You're a complete and utter moron if you dont think Lillee is a top ten all time quick. At the VERY LEAST he belongs in the conversation of the top ten of all time.

If you hold this opinion, you clearly know nothing about cricket, and nothing you say should ever be taken seriously, ever again.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

You're a complete and utter moron if you dont think Lillee is a top ten all time quick. At the VERY LEAST he belongs in the conversation of the top ten of all time.

If you hold this opinion, you clearly know nothing about cricket, and nothing you say should ever be taken seriously, ever again.

To be fair nothing Migara has posted in the past 14 years has ever been taken seriously.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Surely it is ok to rate Lillee as an ATG but also understand that the guys who did do great in the SC are probably gonna be rated ahead of him on performances - guys like McGrath, Steyn etc.

More than fair, likewise ok to rate subcontinent performances but also understand that to a lot of people they are largely irrelevant in the context of Denis Lillee.

It is of course understandable that someone from the subcontinent would consider playing there to be important in this context. Bit like Burgey not rating spinners that don't do well in Australia.

You're a complete and utter moron if you dont think Lillee is a top ten all time quick. At the VERY LEAST he belongs in the conversation of the top ten of all time.

If you hold this opinion, you clearly know nothing about cricket, and nothing you say should ever be taken seriously, ever again.

Ship sailed for Migara on that front a long time ago

 

[h_hurricane]

1.Marshall
2.Hadlee
3.Mcgrath
4.Ambrose
5.Steyn
6.Garner
7.Donald
8.Trueman
9.Imran
10.Lillee

Another 5

11.Wasim
12.Waqar
13.Holding
14.Pollock
15.Walsh

 

[honestbharani]

I wont mind putting Lillee below any of the other 14 there tbh. And it depends on how you define ATG. It is perfectly ok to have a stricter definition of maybe only the top 10 ever are ATG etc.

 

[Burgey]

conveniently not touring India

This is pig ignorant on your part. Aus toured India once during Lillee's career, in 79-80 when WSC players weren't selected. Players didn't avoid India because it was difficult to win there in the 70s ffs.

 

[Burgey]

More than fair, likewise ok to rate subcontinent performances but also understand that to a lot of people they are largely irrelevant in the context of Denis Lillee.

It is of course understandable that someone from the subcontinent would consider playing there to be important in this context. Bit like Burgey not rating spinners that don't do well in Australia.

Ship sailed for Migara on that front a long time ago

This is also why I rate Gavaskar below other openers who sit in the AT category. Averaged 17 here in the only series he played vs a full strength attack. I usually wouldn't hold it against him given it's so small a sample size, but if Lillee's no good because of four tests in Pakistan and SL, then Gavaskar must be marked down on the same basis. In fairness, I should probably add his stats vs Aus for the ROW in 71/72 when he averaged a hefty 28, if you want to take the sample size out to eight "tests."

 

[Burgey]

I wont mind putting Lillee below any of the other 14 there tbh. And it depends on how you define ATG. It is perfectly ok to have a stricter definition of maybe only the top 10 ever are ATG etc.

I don't know how you could rate Dennis Lillee below Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock or Courtney Walsh tbh. But it's always subjective

 

[honestbharani]

I don't know how you could rate Dennis Lillee below Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock or Courtney Walsh tbh. But it's always subjective

TBH, I try to not rate folks I have not watched, as in not rate them at all on a relative scale. But I can see that it is possible for someone to rate those guys above Lillee going by the numbers alone.

But the point is there is a group of 15 bowlers there and he can literally be anywhere on that list depending on how you rate your players. I do think he wont make a top 10 all time seamers but get into the top 15 but knowing I did not see him play, I also understand this is just me rating his stats than his actual skills or performance.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I don't know how you could rate Dennis Lillee below Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock or Courtney Walsh tbh. But it's always subjective

Most of us never saw him play tbf

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Might as well bring Mitchell Johnson into the mixer now.

 

[Burgey]

TBH, I try to not rate folks I have not watched, as in not rate them at all on a relative scale. But I can see that it is possible for someone to rate those guys above Lillee going by the numbers alone.

But the point is there is a group of 15 bowlers there and he can literally be anywhere on that list depending on how you rate your players. I do think he wont make a top 10 all time seamers but get into the top 15 but knowing I did not see him play, I also understand this is just me rating his stats than his actual skills or performance.

Yeah this is a fair enough approach tbh. We aren't comparing spuds here. You end up splitting hairs with players who are all so good.

 

[Starfighter]

I'm no Lillee fan, far from it but the guy was probably the first great modern bowler.

What defines 'modern' in this case?

 

[bagapath]

46 fast bowlers have taken 200+ wickets. trying to figure out what was their frequency of taking 4 wickets or more in an innings to understand how often they played a big part in bowling out the opposition. obviously, there may be occasions when they got the tendulkar and Lara of the opposition out and ended with only those two wickets. which would be more valuable than getting four tailenders. but, hey, I am starting somewhere....

 

[bagapath]

same 200+ club, for taking work load, ordered them according to overs/ innings