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

[Burgey]

If SAF had Saqlain or Kumble instead of Omar Henry, Cliove Eksteen or Pat Symcox that would have happened.

I'm struggling to see how Kumble or Saqlain wold have made a massive difference playing vs Australia here and in SA tbh.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm struggling to see how Kumble or Saqlain wold have made a massive difference playing vs Australia here and in SA tbh.

Kumble did pretty well in Australia as far as visiting spinners go, especially since he typically had a dire pace attack to bowl behind... but yeah I tend to agree anyway. SA didn't have a good spinner but it wasn't why they lost.

 

[subshakerz]

Problem is those combinations never happened in regularity. Imran, Wasim, Waqar and Qadir as well as Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib and Saqlain also look bloody impressive or even more daunting than that WI attack, but the reality is that only two of them peaked together. Where as the Australian attack, played regular and had massive peaks coinciding.

WI were able to put up a pace quartet pretty regularly from 1979 to 1985. And Marshall, Holding, Garner, Roberts and Croft were all worldclass in that period. That is what made them special.

Australia in the late 90s had a great attack but not as relentless as WI. There would always be a weak link fourth seamer like Brett Lee who could be milked for runs.

 

[subshakerz]

South African team wasn’t as good as the Australian side but they were probably the best team he bowed at. An average of 27 at the SR of 71 doesn’t scream best of the best.

To be fair, McGrath did well against SA in SA. He just never quite had a good series against them at home for some reason.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Australia in the late 90s had a great attack but not as relentless as WI. There would always be a weak link fourth seamer like Brett Lee who could be milked for runs.

Tend to agree with this but he was only really a "weak" link in the context of an ATG attack. He was far inferior to McGrath, Gillespie and Warne but I wouldn't want to be the guy trying to "milk" Brett Lee lol

 

[OverratedSanity]

Lee's weaknesses would've been exposed way more if he didnt have that attack around him most of his career. But strangely enough some of his best work came after McGrath retired and he was forced to open the bowling and operate differently. He was awesome in that 2007-08 season, especially in the India series.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Lee's weaknesses would've been exposed way more if he didnt have that attack around him most of his career. But strangely enough some of his best work came after McGrath retired and he was forced to open the bowling and operate differently. He was awesome in that 2007-08 season, especially in the India series.

The second half of your post would tend to indicate that the first part of your post is wrong, and I think that's probably the case. Lee's biggest problem was how he was used in Tests as a bouncer/yorker "enforcer" which was a result of serving as back up for McGrath/Gillespie/Warne. In a weaker attack he would have been better off.

 

[OverratedSanity]

No it would indicate he took years to work out how to actually bowl well. When McGrath was unavailable in 03/04 he got demolished by India because he was **** and hadnt worked things out yet. Difference between that Lee and the one in 08 was massive.

 

[TheJediBrah]

No it would indicate he took years to work out how to actually bowl well. When McGrath was unavailable in 03/04 he got demolished by India because he was **** and hadnt worked things out yet. Difference between that Lee and the one in 08 was massive.

Having watched pretty much his entire career, you are wrong here. He didn't get any better. He just bowled better in that 08 series than he did in that 04 series, but if that's all you saw of him I could see why you would think what you do.

I reckon if you split his career into 2 halves, if anything the first half would be better statistically. But it would be close.

 

[TheJediBrah]

And yeah as Burgey will no doubt tell you he was never really that good in Tests. Probably lucky to play as much Test cricket as he did but Australia's fast bowling depth in the early-mid 00s was not actually as good as some would have you believe.

Mind you he was still would have been just about the best bowler in most other countries IMO

 

[honestbharani]

I'm struggling to see how Kumble or Saqlain wold have made a massive difference playing vs Australia here and in SA tbh.

It is a different story when a good spinner gets a good pace attack to back him up. We have seen that with Ashwin.

 

[sunilz]

And yeah as Burgey will no doubt tell you he was never really that good in Tests. Probably lucky to play as much Test cricket as he did but Australia's fast bowling depth in the early-mid 00s was not actually as good as some would have you believe.

Mind you he was still would have been just about the best bowler in most other countries IMO

Please tell me the name of those countries in which he would have been the best bowler.

He averages 63 in IND, 93 in Bangladesh , 56 in SL .

 

[TheJediBrah]

Please tell me the name of those countries in which he would have been the best bowler.

He averages 63 in IND, 93 in Bangladesh , 56 in SL .

Venezuela, Slovakia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the list goes on

 

[Burgey]

93 in Bangladesh , 56 in SL

Literally no one cares about this. Truly.

Not that I disagree with the point that Lee was mostly pish.

 

[TheJediBrah]

The implication that Bangladesh had better fast bowlers than Brett Lee is amusing though

 

[sunilz]

Literally no one cares about this. Truly.

Not that I disagree with the point that Lee was mostly pish.

As much as you don't rate SL, they were a very good side in 2000-10 ( Murali's peak ) at home. So performance in SL can't be ignored. It is credit to Warne /Martyn that Aus defeated SL 3-0 in 2004.

 

[sunilz]

The implication that Bangladesh had better fast bowlers than Brett Lee is amusing though

So that justifies his 93 average there.
Next time you claim someone would be the best player in other sides, you better back that assertion with some real data.

 

[TheJediBrah]

So that justifies his 93 average there.
Next time you claim someone would be the best player in other sides, you better back that assertion with some real data.

This is a joke right

Old sunilz is back

 

[Gob]

Having watched pretty much his entire career, you are wrong here. He didn't get any better. He just bowled better in that 08 series than he did in that 04 series, but if that's all you saw of him I could see why you would think what you do.

I reckon if you split his career into 2 halves, if anything the first half would be better statistically. But it would be close.

He changed his action. I cant believe people don't pick that up

 

[Migara]

I'm struggling to see how Kumble or Saqlain wold have made a massive difference playing vs Australia here and in SA tbh.

They would have tied up an end effectively, even when they don't take wickets (SAF spinners did neither against AUS). That would have allowed SAF to field three all out attacking fast bowlers rather than fielding Richard Snells, Roger Telemachus or Craig Matthews, with McMillan to support. And if it spins a little, then we know Kumble and Saqlain can dismantle batting lineups.