Richard Hadlee vs Curtly Ambrose

[kyear2]

Bowlers.

Akram - definitely not
Marshall / Hadlee - yes on both counts.
Murali - spinners are difficult to compare
Barnes - no. Don't even know what he bowled
Lillee - no, reasons long discussed.
Steyn - close, possibly.
McGrath - agreed.
Warne - see Murali, but my 1st thought is no
Trueman - definitely not
Donald - not hugely apart, but I give Ambrose the edge

 

[bagapath]

Bowlers.

Akram
Marshall / Hadlee
Murali
Barnes
Lillee
Steyn
McGrath
Warne
Trueman
Donald

I would add Imran to this list.

agree that all were as good or slightly better than Ambrose

 

[Slifer]

"Bowlers.

Akram - definitely not
Marshall / Hadlee - yes on both counts.
Murali - spinners are difficult to compare
Barnes - no. Don't even know what he bowled
Lillee - no, reasons long discussed.
Steyn - close, possibly.
McGrath - agreed.
Warne - see Murali, but my 1st thought is no
Trueman - definitely not
Donald - not hugely apart, but I give Ambrose the edge"

This. And Imran no.

 

[a massive zebra]

Bowlers.

Akram
Marshall / Hadlee
Murali
Barnes
Lillee
Steyn
McGrath
Warne
Trueman
Donald

Akram - Absolutely not
Marshall - Yes
Hadlee - Very close, but probably
Murali - Yes
Barnes - Probably, but difficult to compare due to the 90 year gap
Lillee - No
Steyn - Very close, probably not
McGrath - Very close, but probably
Warne - Very close, probably not, but yes in some circumstances
Trueman - Close, but no
Donald - No

 

[honestbharani]

I think Ambrose, Steyn and McGrath are the 3 best fast bowlers I have seen. If I have to rate them in order, I would go

Ambrose
Steyn
McGrath

On another day, I may put McGrath at 2 and Steyn at 3. But I think Ambrose is the best fast bowler I have seen.

 

[Anil]

My top three fast bowlers of all time are Marshall, McGrath and Hadlee so yes I rate him higher than Ambrose…

 

[Coronis]

Far from the craziest fast bowling list list I’ve seen on here.

Wasim
Marshall
Hadlee
Lillee
Steyn
McGrath
Trueman
Donald

All have valid reasons to be in the same discussion with or ranked ahead of Curtly. He’s definitely the scariest of em for me though.

 

[a massive zebra]

I think Ambrose, Steyn and McGrath are the 3 best fast bowlers I have seen. If I have to rate them in order, I would go

Ambrose
Steyn
McGrath

On another day, I may put McGrath at 2 and Steyn at 3. But I think Ambrose is the best fast bowler I have seen.

For what it's worth I agree. Those are also the best three fast bowlers I have seen.

 

[stephen]

Head says Hadlee, heart says Ambrose

 

[trundler]

Another one of those where it's far too marginal to realistically matter but we've all developed a hive mind on after years of self affirming nerdposting. Gimme both.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Would put McGrath Marshall Steyn Hadlee Imran for sure above Ambrose for various reasons (longevity/sustained wicket taking ability across all conditions mainly) . Wasim Donald Lillee have strong arguments as well. The idea that the likes of Wasim has no case over Ambrose is a rubbish lolCW notion. Ambrose definitely in the top 10 though.

 

[Slifer]

Fwiw, I don't think it's a particularly good idea to be comparing pacers to spinners.

 

[Slifer]

Would put McGrath Marshall Steyn Hadlee Imran for sure above Ambrose for various reasons (longevity/sustained wicket taking ability across all conditions mainly) . Wasim Donald Lillee have strong arguments as well. The idea that the likes of Wasim has no case over Ambrose is a rubbish lolCW notion. Ambrose definitely in the top 10 though.

With all due respect, you also said that McGrath, Steyn et al are "for sure" above Ambrose. Except for semantics what's the difference? None of Steyn or Imran etc are for sure above Ambrose.

 

[CodeOfWisden]

Ambrose is amongst the top 5 greatest fast bowlers for me.

My list goes

Marshall
Mcgrath
Ambrose
Hadlee
Steyn

Ambrose definitely ahead of Imran and Wasim for me.

 

[Salamuddin]

Ambrose is amongst the top 5 greatest fast bowlers for me.

My list goes

Marshall
Mcgrath
Ambrose
Hadlee
Steyn

Ambrose definitely ahead of Imran and Wasim for me.

I’d agree with that ranking. Ambrose easily over The likes of Akram Donald pollock etc. he intimated Australia in a way that I haven’t seen any other bowler do so in all my years of living here in Sydney.

McGrath was the main reason that Australia were a genuinely great team from 1995 to 2008 not warney, gilly or Ponting.

And Maco was simple the best quick of all time IMO

 

[subshakerz]

McGrath and Hadlee have a coat of varnish between them, so both are ahead of Ambrose. I think Ambrose was top 5 but compared to Marshall, McGrath and Hadlee was slightly more limited.

 

[kyear2]

McGrath and Hadlee have a coat of varnish between them, so both are ahead of Ambrose. I think Ambrose was top 5 but compared to Marshall, McGrath and Hadlee was slightly more limited.

While this is true, Ambrose also had an aggression and an extra gear that the either two lacked.
But yeah, he's either 4th or 5th for me as well.

 

[bagapath]

for me, the list of top 10 fast bowlers is actually a pool of 20 of them who get ranked in different orders according to my mood.

In some order, Marshall Hadlee McGrath Lillee Trueman Steyn Imran Ambrose Akram Barnes make the top 10/12 places most of the time.

And Donald Waqar Lindwall Davidson Holding Garner walk in and out of the top 10/12.

Once those two bunches are settled in some order, Walsh Roberts Botham S Pollock bring up the last four positions from 17/20.

 

[Migara]

While this is true, Ambrose also had an aggression and an extra gear that the either two lacked.
But yeah, he's either 4th or 5th for me as well.

Now Imran and Wasim had two extra gears when they wanted. These guys when they wanted to be quick were with the quickest of the era.

 

[SteveNZ]

Hadlee.

Ambrose had the physical gifts and used them incredibly well, and was more skillful than people might give him credit for...but Hadlee was a freak in terms of his control and ability to think players out/get them out. Played an insane amount of cricket too, so longevity also goes in his favour.

I know it's not part of this argument but it shouldn't be ignored that for a guy who took over 1400 FC wickets and 431 Test ones, he managed to strike a balance between being one of the greatest bowlers of all time and still being an international quality all-rounder with 14 FC tons and averaging over 30. That is pretty ridiculous.