Who was the better bowler: Glenn Mcgrath or Wasim Akram?

[Red]

McGrath and Marshall are ever so slightly ahead of the ATG pacers, IMO. Both succeeded everywhere against everyone.

Lillee, Ambrose, Wasim, Steyn, Hadlee, Imran, Garner all pretty close but if I was picking in the schoolyard I’d want MM and McGrath sharing the new ball.

 

[_00_deathscar]

McGrath and Marshall are ever so slightly ahead of the ATG pacers, IMO. Both succeeded everywhere against everyone.

Lillee, Ambrose, Wasim, Steyn, Hadlee, Imran, Garner all pretty close but if I was picking in the schoolyard I’d want MM and McGrath sharing the new ball.

But again, doesn't that speak slightly towards them just being part of the best teams?
Yes them being that good is also WHY their teams were so good, but their teams were also very good outside of those players.

 

[bagapath]

these kind of arguments will go on till the world ends; with mcgrath comfortably winning the battle for tests and akram marginally for ODIs.

On the day the world ends, when all arguments have to be locked forever, Sir Richard Hadlee is likely to go down in eternity as the greatest fast bowler of all time, all things considered.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

these kind of arguments will go on till the world ends; with mcgrath comfortably winning the battle for tests and akram marginally for ODIs.

On the day the world ends, when all arguments have to be locked forever, Sir Richard Hadlee is likely to go down in eternity as the greatest fast bowler of all time, all things considered.

I take it you're not optimistic of the planet lasting much longer.

 

[Engle]

Fast bowlers don’t just take wickets in a bubble. It’s not merely about the technical skills of inswing, outswing, averages and strike rates…

They also provide the firepower factor. Lifting the troops, demonstrating grit, aggro. Demoralizing the opposition, deterring them from taking liberties.

Mentoring junior fasties and lifting their game, forming effective partnerships.

The fast bowlers have the most permeating affect on the team, more so than the other positions (barring the captain of course)

 

[Jack1]

McGrath

 

[bagapath]

I take it you're not optimistic of the planet lasting much longer.

true

also while I can come up with several great fast bowlers who could match Paddles in certain skills of the trade , and a few legends who could surpass him in a few aspects, I still can't come up with anyone who was better than him overall.

 

[Migara]

these kind of arguments will go on till the world ends; with mcgrath comfortably winning the battle for tests and akram marginally for ODIs.

On the day the world ends, when all arguments have to be locked forever, Sir Richard Hadlee is likely to go down in eternity as the greatest fast bowler of all time, all things considered.

McGrath better in both.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Fast bowlers don’t just take wickets in a bubble.

They do in 2021.

 

[Red]

But again, doesn't that speak slightly towards them just being part of the best teams?
Yes them being that good is also WHY their teams were so good, but their teams were also very good outside of those players.

this is a strange argument. great players make great teams. great teams dont make players better than they are

 

[smash84]

this is a strange argument. great players make great teams. great teams dont make players better than they are

Great teams do make the jobs of individual players somewhat easier though. They can feed off the great players around and perform better than if they were to be put into a team of school boys (for example).

 

[TheJediBrah]

Great teams do make the jobs of individual players somewhat easier though. They can feed off the great players around and perform better than if they were to be put into a team of school boys (for example).

I think this applies to support players more than the great players. I don't think McGrath, Warne, Gilchrist or Ponting would have done any worse for weaker sides. But it would be easier for a young Michael Clarke type to come in to an ATG team and perform straight away

 

[smash84]

I think this applies to support players more than the great players. I don't think McGrath, Warne, Gilchrist or Ponting would have done any worse for weaker sides. But it would be easier for a young Michael Clarke type to come in to an ATG team and perform straight away

You think McGrath playing for zimbos would average under 22? I doubt it.

 

[Burgey]

You think McGrath playing for zimbos would average under 22? I doubt it.

Murali did for SL and they were a joke at test level for large parts of his career.

 

[smash84]

Murali did for SL and they were a joke at test level for large parts of his career.

They weren't really a joke though. They had some pretty capable batsmen who could put scoreboard pressure on the opposition. Plus he had other decent bowlers like Vaas through most of his career.

 

[TheJediBrah]

You think McGrath playing for zimbos would average under 22? I doubt it.

Disagree

Might even average lower by getting to bowl more at the tail

 

[smash84]

Disagree

Might even average lower by getting to bowl more at the tail

Assuming the zimbos would get enough shots at the tail.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Assuming the zimbos would get enough shots at the tail.

eh it's all pretty hypothetical. There'd be a lot of factors involved.

eg. another potential factor, Aus rarely played weaker teams during McGrath's time. If he instead played for someone like Sri Lanka who played a quarter of their games against minnows he could have averaged sub-20. Murali benefited significantly from this.

 

[Burgey]

They weren't really a joke though. They had some pretty capable batsmen who could put scoreboard pressure on the opposition. Plus he had other decent bowlers like Vaas through most of his career.

They were as likely to win test series back then as Zimbabwe with Streak & Flower though.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I don't think SL were much better than Zim but Sri Lanka could doctor pitches at home against non-Asian sides to give them a pretty decent advantage. Zim didn't have that option.