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Wasim Akram vs Dennis Lillee

Who was the greater bowler?

  • Wasim Akram

    Votes: 32 49.2%

  • Dennis Lillee

    Votes: 33 50.8%
  • Total voters
    65
Pap Finn Keighl

Pap Finn Keighl

International Debutant
OverratedSanity said:
The sly "far better than Kapil and McGrath" as if to say those two are equals as bowlers was genius. Pfk underrated.
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Hmm... Not bad. 1/3.


1. "Kapil Dev is equal to Mcgrath in getting top order wickets " will give his underrated bowling a boost in reader's mind.

2. Mcgrath is the ultimate top order killer is a myth. No relation to reality.

3.This % metric seems flawed if Zaheer is far better than ATGs.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Coronis said:
Anyway, Lillee was more destructive at his peak, Wasim played in more varied conditions and for much longer, I’d probably take Wasim.
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I think the difference between stats makes it hard to put Wasim ahead even though he was one of my favorites.
 
Burgey

Burgey

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I'd take Wasim because he's an AT fave of mine. As opposed to Lillee, who was my childhood favourite. In the true comparison stakes there's probably little between them. Both amazing attacking bowlers who used different methods but were incredible to watch.

Lillee vs Viv probably my ultimate cricketing match up tbh. There were WWE levels of swag and testosterone everywhere.
 
Coronis

Coronis

International Coach
subshakerz said:
Lillee has better WPM, strikerate, fifers/tenfers, plus no minnows. Wasim pretty much underachieved a bit in his career, and I say this as a fan.
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There are of course counter arguments to these stats. Wasim spent his entire career playing alongside Imran or Waqar, and also had Abdul Qadir and Saqlain Mushtaq at different times of his career. It makes sense that playing with far better support around him that Lillee would have a superior WPM (overrated stat anyway) and more 5fers and 10fers without anyone to take wickets from him. A strike rate difference of 2.6 is completely neglible and you know that. No minnows huh? Lets see about that… they barely played Sri Lanka and Bangladesh respectively, Lillee taking 3 wickets at 35 and Wasim taking none. Lillee took 38 wickets at 19.47 in 8 matches against New Zealand, whilst Wasim took 47 at 21.21 in 10 matches against Zimbabwe (whose team average was actually higher than NZ’s during Lillee’s career), personally I’d say that pretty much evens out.

Both players underachieved in their careers imo. Lillee missed what, 30+ tests due to his back, WSC and skipping series. Wasim debuted at 18 and retired at 36, both pushing it for pace bowlers imo, and tbh probably focused too much on ODI’s to fully realise his Test potential.

Anyway both rank closely to me among fast bowlers, not in the very top tier but certainly both ATG’s. I’ll personally take Wasim but theres not that much to pick between them.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Coronis said:
There are of course counter arguments to these stats. Wasim spent his entire career playing alongside Imran or Waqar, and also had Abdul Qadir and Saqlain Mushtaq at different times of his career. It makes sense that playing with far better support around him that Lillee would have a superior WPM (overrated stat anyway) and more 5fers and 10fers without anyone to take wickets from him. A strike rate difference of 2.6 is completely neglible and you know that. No minnows huh? Lets see about that… they barely played Sri Lanka and Bangladesh respectively, Lillee taking 3 wickets at 35 and Wasim taking none. Lillee took 38 wickets at 19.47 in 8 matches against New Zealand, whilst Wasim took 47 at 21.21 in 10 matches against Zimbabwe (whose team average was actually higher than NZ’s during Lillee’s career), personally I’d say that pretty much evens out.

Both players underachieved in their careers imo. Lillee missed what, 30+ tests due to his back, WSC and skipping series. Wasim debuted at 18 and retired at 36, both pushing it for pace bowlers imo, and tbh probably focused too much on ODI’s to fully realise his Test potential.

Anyway both rank closely to me among fast bowlers, not in the very top tier but certainly both ATG’s. I’ll personally take Wasim but theres not that much to pick between them.
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Special pleading. During Wasim's peak from 90-97, Wasim was playing with peak Waqar, peak Mushtaq and Saqlain, yet averaged 5 wickets a test. He lacked wicket taking capacity during his early development (85-89) and late career (98-2002) which was more than half his career, and thats why his stats suffered.

Lillee only played one test against Sri Lanka. New Zealand were not minnow during Lillee's and Wasim's time, but if you do consider them such, then you would have to consider 60 wickets Wasim took against them plus 47 against Zimbabwe. There is no escaping that Wasim benefited more against minnows then Lillee.

Lillee lacks only in proving himself in different conditions, which is enough to put him below top tier bowlers like McGrath, Marshall and Hadlee. But against someone like Wasim, he has such all-round superiority in terms of record that he should be rated higher.
 
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