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Imran Khan vs Curtley Ambrose

Imran or Ambrose (Test)?

  • Total voters
    54
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
SillyCowCorner1 said:
Wow, today I learn that Imran Khan is the greatest bowler of all time.

Respect.
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Lol. News to me as well. I always thought that to be thought of as the best, not only did you have to do well vs the best but it'll help if you did it vs all comers home and away.

Ambrose bodied the best team of his time (Australia), he also bodied the 2nd best team of his time RSA. Just about the only glitch on his resume is one poor series vs India at home in 1990 ( if I recall). Still, Ambrose was as great at home as he was any where else on earth (including Pakistan). Imran just wasn't as good outside his own home country. And that's really odd considering how places like New Zealand and Australia are supposedly better for fast bowlers.
 
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honestbharani

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
Ambrose was consistently the better bowler overall. I have never believed in overly amplifying stats against one particular team, best team or not. What would be interesting to see, given Pak's home umpiring in the 80s, is Imran's record away from home against Windies, and if we are serious about the best of the best argument, his stats in the super tests.
 
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
Migara said:
Listen, anyone with even a bit of semblance would agree Australia of 95-2000 was no where close to West Indies of 1981-1992. Australia only got in to that mode post 2001. Before that they were obliterated in the sub continent. West Indies of 80s never underwent such results. So once again, Australia that Ambrose bowled to was no where as dominant to West Indies that Imran bowled to. Please let this go!!
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Literally nobody said Australia post 95 were better than WI 80s (that's debatable btw).This is what you posted: "Another important thing is that Imran did much better against best opposition of the era. Ambrose, even as a part of a great bowling unit was not as successful against Pakistan as Imran against WI." During Ambrose's era, Australia not Pakistan was the best opposition. Pakistan would come in third behind South Africa. Coincidentally, Ambrose was outstanding vs both those teams.
 
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
honestbharani said:
Ambrose was consistently the better bowler overall. I have never believed in overly amplifying stats against one particular team, best team or not. What would be interesting to see, given Pak's home umpiring in the 80s, is Imran's record away from home against Windies, and if we are serious about the best of the best argument, his stats in the super tests.
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Imran averages 25 striking at 46 in the WI, which is great tbh.
 
honestbharani

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
Slifer said:
Imran averages 25 striking at 46 in the WI, which is great tbh.
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Yeah but that is the same as Ambrose V Pakistan which is one of his weaker records. Imran is great, no doubt, but Ambrose is the best fast bowler I have seen and in the top 5 of all time. Makes him pretty clearly better than Imran for me.
 
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
Can someone do me a big favor, post the Win/loss records for all test teams from 1988 to 2000.
 
Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Australia were clearly an immense side in the late 90's - at least outside of Asia. The fact that Ambrose was good enough to help hold Aus to a 3-2 scoreline in Australia in 1997 and then draw a series in 1999 is a testament to how great a bowler he was. There's absolutely nothing to suggest that Ambrose wouldn't have been as big of a threat against the early 00's team either.
 
honestbharani

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
Also, didn't Wasim get a lot of wickets against Australia in the late 80s when they were still Border and crap? Much like current England I guess. Or the post 95 Windies.
 
S

subshakerz

International Coach
honestbharani said:
Ambrose was consistently the better bowler overall. I have never believed in overly amplifying stats against one particular team, best team or not. What would be interesting to see, given Pak's home umpiring in the 80s, is Imran's record away from home against Windies, and if we are serious about the best of the best argument, his stats in the super tests.
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Imran was impressive both in WI and in the supertests.

Imran played two series in WI, one in 75-76 when he was still a young bowler and took 25 wickets in 5 tests, and the next in 1988 which was his last great series, taking 23 wickets in 3 tests. I would wager that no other major pacer from that era did as well as Imran in the WI.

Imran also had the best average of any major bowler in the supertests.

World Series Cricket player records - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
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