Your ATG team pace bowling trio

[Qlder]

It's pretty embarrassing. If McGrath got to bowl on the NZ tracks Hadlee did he'd have averaged about 14

Absolute rubbish. Can't believe your view when you were around to actually see Hadlee destroy Australia in Australia in the 80's

 

[Burgey]

Oh it goes without saying if he'd got to bowl on the Gabba deck in 85/86 NZ would have been all out for about 38*

*would probably still have won. the rest of the Aus side save Border was trash.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Hadlee actually averaged better away from home than at home

 

[ataraxia]

Nice strategic vote for Steyn as the 3rd best ever pacer (rather than Imran or Hadlee, your boy McGrath's main voting threat).

Not only is that kyear's real opinion but also the bolded is a gross misrepresentation of the question.

 

[Burgey]

Hadlee actually averaged better away from home than at home

Yeah he was a great bowler. No two ways about it

 

[kyear2]

Nice strategic vote for Steyn as the 3rd best ever pacer (rather than Imran or Hadlee, your boy McGrath's main voting threat).

Dude, it's crazy how every part of that sentence is bullshit.

It's not a strategic vote, that's not only my choice, it's the reason for the thread and this argument.

And no, the vote isn't for who's 3rd best of all time, it's who I believe would be the best attack.

And you do know I'm not Australian...

 

[Coronis]

Honestly McGrath’s 2000’s record is probably the most impressive thing from a pace bowler ever.

297 @ 20.53 in the friendliest time for batsmen ever.

 

[TheJediBrah]

The most special thing about McGrath isn't just in the surface stats. His effect on the games he played goes beyond that. I don't know if anyone has a higher percentage of top-order batsmen dismissed than him, or his propensity to dismiss the best players. He's like the opposite of a Wasim Akram specialising in sweeping up the tail.

 

[subshakerz]

Marshall, McGrath and Imran. Best for conventional swing, best for seam and best for reverse.

 

[Bolo.]

Marshall, who pretty much everyone is voting for, is the odd one out in terms of style in this list.

For everyone else, a big proportion of quality comes from being an accurate channel bowler (and were slower, and very good with seam movement).

Or from reverse. Who were quicker, less accurate, and mostly better at bowling conventional swing.

 

[Coronis]

Marshall, who pretty much everyone is voting for, is the odd one out in terms of style in this list.

For everyone else, a big proportion of quality comes from being an accurate channel bowler (and were slower, and very good with seam movement).

Or from reverse. Who were quicker, less accurate, and mostly better at bowling conventional swing.

I sense a post about his greatness and bowling style incoming..

 

[Bolo.]

I sense a post about his greatness and bowling style incoming..

His batting is a factor for me too (although I reckon I'd find room for him based on bowling style and quality even if he was a proper spud).

 

[Coronis]

His batting is a factor for me too (although I reckon I'd find room for him based on bowling style and quality even if he was a proper spud).

Oh not from you, from another member of the forum

 

[MartinB]

The most special thing about McGrath isn't just in the surface stats. His effect on the games he played goes beyond that. I don't know if anyone has a higher percentage of top-order batsmen dismissed than him, or his propensity to dismiss the best players. He's like the opposite of a Wasim Akram specialising in sweeping up the tail.

McGrath, Marshal, Ambrose, Lillee are all a similar percentage of Top 6 batsman of around 65/66%. Most specialist bowlers have lower %s.
In comparison Akram and Garner are around 55% to 6 batsmen.

For ATG bowlers Keith Miller is 71.5% top 6 and 78% Top 7.
If look at matches Keith actually bowled in, he averaged around 2.4 top 6 batsmen per match which is similar to Holding and higher than Akram, Waqar etc. For Keith its tail enders (particularly 10 & 11) where he is lacking wickets.

Vaas I think has a higher % of top 6 batsmen, can't be bothered checking.

------------------------------------------

10-15 years ago there was a cricket Info article where they calculated the batting average of the batsmen dismissed. The only Atg fast Bowlers with a better wicket quality than McGrath where Larwood (due to Bradman), Lillee, Lindwall and Miller.

 

[Coronis]

Lets see… for our modern pace bowlers percentage of 1-6

Cummins 60.2%
Rabada 61.2%
Bumrah 56.6%
Anderson 66%

 

[Anil]

Hadlee is my all-time favorite bowler and he and McGrath are 2a and 2b to Marshall at the top.

 

[subshakerz]

Marshall, who pretty much everyone is voting for, is the odd one out in terms of style in this list.

For everyone else, a big proportion of quality comes from being an accurate channel bowler (and were slower, and very good with seam movement).

Or from reverse. Who were quicker, less accurate, and mostly better at bowling conventional swing.

Marshall was the best at cutters.

 

[ankitj]

Marshall - Hadlee - Imran

 

[Smudge]

Marshall - generally regarded as the best, an opinion I'm sold on. Could swing it, had genuine pace and once Lillee taught him how to bowl a leg cutter, he pretty much could do it all.
McGrath - point of difference with his height and bounce. Averaging 21 while playing for most of the 2000s when decks are regarded as being crazy flat gets you a lot of points imo. Batsmen of that era get marked down because it was easy, he should get marked up because it was hard.
Akram - Went for the left arm option here because I'm looking at how they'll operate together rather than necessarily picking the three best individuals, though he would be in the argument in that case anyway. Express pace, conventional and reverse swing, wicked bouncer and yorker. Just shades Paddles.
Of all others, not just those on this list I think Steyn, Lillee, Davo, Ambrose, Imran, Cummins and Garner are all unlucky. Nearly went with one of the latter two as they're arguably the best first change bowlers of all time. Bumrah could end up in the argument too, but he hasn't played enough tests yet. Terrific bowler though.

Like you, I tried to get a little variety, which meant I left out Paddles.

Marshall, Akram and Ambrose for me - all bring something quite different.

 

[subshakerz]

Like you, I tried to get a little variety, which meant I left out Paddles.

Marshall, Akram and Ambrose for me - all bring something quite different.

I think @Burgey gave a good point about McGrath's height, a bit of an edge over Hadlee in that regard.

I think the left arm thing gets overplayed though, especially as already have Sobers as left arm option.