• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Find a better bowler peak (min 33 Tests) than this (protip, you can't)

shortpitched713

shortpitched713

International Captain
stats.espncricinfo.com

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com stats.espncricinfo.com

So I've long thought that Waqar at his peak was quite possibly the greatest ever, now I'm just going to put it out there as a challenge to anyone else as I'm genuinely interested. Can you find a bowler who performed better, over a minimum of 33 Tests, than this statline for an ace strike bowler?

Ave: 19.15
SR: 36.0 ?!

Rules are it must be a contiguous period, so no omitting any Tests during the period. Also nice if it doesn't have a career break in it as well but not essential, as long as it is a contiguous run of Tests.

Also please spare me your Barnes and Lohmanns' for this exercise and let's keep it to bowlers in the living memory of at least someone on this forum.
 
shortpitched713

shortpitched713

International Captain
Also, I highlight the incredible SR for a reason.

I've always felt if your'e the best, ace bowler for your team (which Waqar clearly was in this period) your goal needs to be to have as low of a strike rate as possible. There's no mathematical or logical reason to argue for a goldilocks SR zone like you could with something like batting SR for maybe an opener needing to bat to the situation or consolidate. If you're the ace your job is to take wickets as often a possible, and you should leave the run restriction approach to your fellow support bowlers.

It's a reason I really rate the great SA strike bowlers of their time Steyn and Donald so highly as well. They understood the assignment, and had no chill when it came to attacking the opposition batsmen.

It's also a reason I can't rate Murali or Warne as the absolute best (even though their strike rate is far superior to a typical spinner), though the have greater wicket hauls and longevity, they simply could never strike at the rate of the very top seam bowlers in cricket history, and this matters if you're the go to bowler for your team.
 
Burgey

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Strike rate of 67 vs Aus and an ordinary average with it. Feasted on mostly trash line ups (good on him for doing so), but simply not an all timer. SL, WI & Zim bring the average & SR down significantly. Basically the Murali of quicks - beat up on minnows and also-ran sides, struggled against the varsity.

Prefer others.
 
TheJediBrah

TheJediBrah

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Burgey said:
Strike rate of 67 vs Aus and an ordinary average with it. Feasted on mostly trash line ups (good on him for doing so), but simply not an all timer. SL, WI & Zim bring the average & SR down significantly. Basically the Murali of quicks - beat up on minnows and also-ran sides, struggled against the varsity.

Prefer others.
Click to expand...
You calling WI minnows from 89 to 94? Your point is accurate but I'd replace WI with NZ
 
Last edited:
Adorable Asshole

Adorable Asshole

International Regular
Burgey said:
Strike rate of 67 vs Aus and an ordinary average with it. Feasted on mostly trash line ups (good on him for doing so), but simply not an all timer. SL, WI & Zim bring the average & SR down significantly. Basically the Murali of quicks - beat up on minnows and also-ran sides, struggled against the varsity.

Prefer others.
Click to expand...
Reminds me of a certain Warne.
 
Burgey

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Yeah, and if I'd made a thread saying his peak was the greatest of all time you could rightly point it out instead of bringing it up here for the standard abominable arsewipe reasons which no one else can understand.
 
Adorable Asshole

Adorable Asshole

International Regular
Burgey said:
Yeah, and if I'd made a thread saying his peak was the greatest of all time you could rightly point it out instead of bringing it up here for the standard abominable arsewipe reasons which no one else can understand.
Click to expand...
What I'm saying is he was the Warne of quicks not the Murali of quicks.

Or maybe you are right since both Waqar and Murali performed well against the WI while Warne couldn't even do that.
 
Burgey

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Adorable Asshole said:
What I'm saying is he was the Warne of quicks not the Murali of quicks.

Or maybe you are right since both Waqar and Murali performed well against the WI while Warne couldn't even do that.
Click to expand...
Or maybe he's the Murali of quicks because they both stank it up vs Australia (Waqar not nearly so much as Murali).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top