Strongest Bowling combination

[shortpitched713]

"As a combination, the aussie lineup wins since it is the only one with a spinner."

Yeah, that definitely helps the Aussie lineup as a collective. Would be comfortably the greatest all time Test team, if Cummins was on the turn of the century team with McGrath and Warne, imo.

 

[CricAddict]

Yeah, that definitely helps the Aussie lineup as a collective. Would be comfortably the greatest all time Test team, if Cummins was on the turn of the century team with McGrath and Warne, imo.

They are already the greatest all time test team. Even the Aussie second XI might be the second greatest all time test team.

 

[capt_Luffy]

They are already the greatest all time test team. Even the Aussie second XI might be the second greatest all time test team.

I think it's a big strech to call them better than Windies....

 

[shortpitched713]

They are already the greatest all time test team. Even the Aussie second XI might be the second greatest all time test team.

You have that Team over circa 1980 West Indies?

 

[CricAddict]

I think it's a big strech to call them better than Windies....

Haven't computed on who the second Australia XI will be. Hence said they might be and not they would be.

Yes, agreed that the windies 80s team is better. But the aussie second XI can give a tough fight to them.

 

[subshakerz]

You are looking at around 81-86 for this average. Imran was injured for a lot of this time. Pak played 46 tests. Imran played 27, plus there is played and could not bowl. It's super impressive that he could manage this kind of record either side of an injury. But I'd rather have a bowler averaging 17ish playing consistently than one averaging a couple of points lower who is frequently getting replaced by someone mediocre.

Imran was injured for two years in between for his shin. But outside that period was largely quite fit.

 

[subshakerz]

As a combination, the aussie lineup wins since it is the only one with a spinner.

But as individuals, it is windies followed by pak and then Australia and then South Africa. Cummins still has to do a bit more to be there along with those greats.

Warne as spinner is only giving an advantage on outright spin tracks. Otherwise McGrath and Cummins are pretty consistent but not that level of awesome as far as peaks go.

 

[CricAddict]

Warne as spinner is only giving an advantage on outright spin tracks. Otherwise McGrath and Cummins are pretty consistent but not that level of awesome as far as peaks go.

Warne has been very good on non-spinny tracks too..

 

[Coronis]

They are already the greatest all time test team. Even the Aussie second XI might be the second greatest all time test team.

lol. We recently had a debate going on about Bradmanless Australia vs Windies being close.

I’m Australian, and there’s no way our second XI compares to some of the other countries first XI’s.

 

[CricAddict]

lol. We recently had a debate going on about Bradmanless Australia vs Windies being close.

I’m Australian, and there’s no way our second XI compares to some of the other countries first XI’s.

England and windies win due to the old timers but what about other countries? How about India's or Pakistan's first XI vs Australia second XI? You don't think they compare well?

 

[capt_Luffy]

England and windies win due to the old timers but what about other countries? How about India's or Pakistan's first XI vs Australia second XI? You don't think they compare well?

England, WI and SA wins easily. Pakistan and India would be closer than you're thinking imo, but I think Australia would win. Australian second XI would probably look like:

Hayden
Morris
Ponting
Harvey
Border
Waugh
Healy
Davidson
Cummins
O'Reilly
Spofforth

wI 2nd XI is closer to this team than it is to WI team imo:

Hunte
Fredericks
Kanhai
Weekes
Lloyd
Chanderpaul
Dujon
Roberts
Holding
Walsh
Ramadhin

 

[Coronis]

England and windies win due to the old timers but what about other countries? How about India's or Pakistan's first XI vs Australia second XI? You don't think they compare well?

My Aussie second XI

Langer
Lawry
Ponting
Harvey
McCabe
Waugh*
Miller
Marsh+
Cummins
Lillee
O’Reilly

I think Windies, South Africa, England, India and Pakistan all beat the Aussie 2nd XI

 

[Aidan11]

Definitely the WIs combo for me.

 

[Bolo.]

Imran was injured for two years in between for his shin. But outside that period was largely quite fit.

Missing over 40% of tests for a period is substantial. You can pick some different date times for peak with a slightly better ratio of games played, but his performances in the games he played won't be as good.

 

[subshakerz]

Missing over 40% of tests for a period is substantial. You can pick some different date times for peak with a slightly better ratio of games played, but his performances in the games he played won't be as good.

I mean, we can use the same for Lillee when he had his back injury. Doesn't mean when Lillee was playing he was expected to regularly breakdown.

Imran's bowling peak is very clear to me from 1980 to 1988, with that gap in between when he couldn't bowl due to shin injury. We can take a small sample in between if we are using a different peak measure.

I make a distinction between a major injury sidelining a player for some time and a player being injury-prone ala Shoaib and Bond.

 

[number11]

Assuming all are prime/peak, Immy and Wasim are probably making a ATX1 so that wins it. But all are equal.

 

[Bolo.]

I mean, we can use the same for Lillee when he had his back injury. Doesn't mean when Lillee was playing he was expected to regularly breakdown.

Imran's bowling peak is very clear to me from 1980 to 1988, with that gap in between when he couldn't bowl due to shin injury. We can take a small sample in between if we are using a different peak measure.

I make a distinction between a major injury sidelining a player for some time and a player being injury-prone ala Shoaib and Bond.

He is still missing a decent proportion of games for that period, and his average goes up to 18. Marshall averages 19 at almost the same time (83-89). More games, with a significantly higher WPM, proportion of games played, and total wickets.

 

[subshakerz]

He is still missing a decent proportion of games for that period, and his average goes up to 18. Marshall averages 19 at almost the same time (83-89). More games, with a significantly higher WPM, proportion of games played, and total wickets.

Again depends on the period we use. I start from 1980 after his WSC to end 1988 he averages 17.7 over 48 tests with 236 wickets, two of which he played as a pure bat, which is still comfortably ahead of Marshalls average in his peak from 83 to 89.

 

[Bolo.]

Again depends on the period we use. I start from 1980 after his WSC to end 1988 he averages 17.7 over 48 tests with 236 wickets, two of which he played as a pure bat, which is still comfortably ahead of Marshalls average in his peak from 83 to 89.

Marshall 83- 89 calendar years, 54 tests 292 wickets 19.2 average. I don't think a run and a half in average is significant in relation to what you are losing on all the other measures. It's only just over 7 runs a match difference for Imran's WPM.

 

[smash84]

At their best, it would be hard to look past Imran and 2Ws. If it was over an extended period, all the other 3 would probably trump them.