Waqar Younis vs James Anderson

[Johan]

Waqar was a level ahead of Jimmy for most of his career. Longevity doesn't take you a level up.

most of his career??? Waqar peaked for 4 years, 4 years, after that he was just a half decent bowler outperformed by likes Gough and Cairns

 

[BazBall21]

Yeah I prefer Waqar for the heights he reached that Anderson never truly saw but he wasn't great after 1994.

 

[Johan]

Yeah I prefer Waqar for the heights he reached that Anderson never truly saw but he wasn't great after 1994.

this is basically a guy who averages like 52 for 14 years vs a guy who averaged 65 for 4 years, but the reason I go for Anderson besides my personal rating of Sustained Brilliance, is because I think there is an asterisk on Waqar's career of tampering, his record away is very suspect to me.

 

[subshakerz]

most of his career??? Waqar peaked for 4 years, 4 years, after that he was just a half decent bowler outperformed by likes Gough and Cairns

Fair. I just think that he was still sporadically brilliant from 95 to 98 and was ahead of Goughie at that point.

I understand the longevity argument for Anderson but I think Waqar was overall just more lethal and Anderson got more sporting wickets.

 

[kyear2]

As a NZ fan in the early 90s Waqar scared me more than any bowler ever.

This I recall as well.

 

[kyear2]

Was he really? averaging 25+ against Aus and Eng, a home series against a fading Windies where Akram/Bishop/Ambrose all outbowled him too, he was great but he made a lot of his stats on the back of bullying hopeless attacks at home.

Marshall better.

Easily this

 

[kyear2]

I don't personally believe a cricketer list can ever be accurately done because Batsmen vs Bowler comparisions are very, very tricky.

This

 

[kyear2]

Barry Richards over AB De Villiers??? with what Test career.

Was cricket overall

 

[BazBall21]

Yeah big fan of Waqar but I'm taking peak Marshall over peak Waqar.

 

[kyear2]

Personally don't rate merchant anywhere close to Barry or WG. Would rate Hazare ahead of merchant.
WG was twice as dominant as a batsman compared to his contemporaries and was good enough to take 2800+ wickets in FC.
And Barry was rated very highly by the ones he played against.

Including all of cricket WG is in the pantheon with Bradman and Sobers.

Barry was seen as many in his era to be among the very greatest openers ever, some even as the best.

 

[kyear2]

Yeah big fan of Waqar but I'm taking peak Marshall over peak Waqar.

Comfortably.

 

[sayon basak]

Including all of cricket WG is in the pantheon with Bradman and Sobers.

Barry was seen as many in his era to be among the very greatest openers ever, some even as the best.

What are your takes on the likes of Hazare or Merchant?

 

[subshakerz]

Yeah big fan of Waqar but I'm taking peak Marshall over peak Waqar.

Yes. Peak Waqar still gets in the top 5 peaks though I think.

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

this is basically a guy who averages like 52 for 14 years vs a guy who averaged 65 for 4 years, but the reason I go for Anderson besides my personal rating of Sustained Brilliance, is because I think there is an asterisk on Waqar's career of tampering, his record away is very suspect to me.

More like a average of 75-78 at his peak for Waqar. Best bowler ever at his peak imo.