Steyn/Philander vs Donald/Pollock

[Randomfan]

One of these things is bigger than the others.

One of these things just doesn’t belong.

Bigger but not by enough margin to make it a good comparison.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

I always thought Pollock’s speed was in the low 80s even during his peak (like Anderson)

 

[Coronis]

I always thought Pollock’s speed was in the low 80s even during his peak (like Anderson)

iirc he’d regularly bowl over 140 earlier in his career

 

[Bolo.]

I always thought Pollock’s speed was in the low 80s even during his peak (like Anderson)

Na, I remember him bowling an entire over at 144.x in (I think) 1999, and generally looked a bit quicker earlier career. It wasn't memorable for being quick by his standards (I remember him clocked a bit quicker), but cos of how consistent it was. Which means he was bowling within himself.

 

[subshakerz]

Pollock started as an outright fast bowler.

 

[shortpitched713]

People think McGrath was a "medium pacer" too. It nonsense, where people get these perceptions.

 

[Coronis]

People think McGrath was a "medium pacer" too. It nonsense, where people get these perceptions.

Because people have a misconception that faster = better and so if a bowler is not well renowned for their pace its a good way to try and discredit them.

 

[shortpitched713]

Because people have a misconception that faster = better and so if a bowler is not well renowned for their pace its a good way to try and discredit them.

I mean, at the extremes it's kind of true. You can't bowl 110 kph pies as a seamer at Test level and not get **** on.

But the truth is McGrath just objectively wasn't on the slower end of seam bowlers, which is what "medium pace", or even medium-fast would imply. He wasn't "fast", but "fast-medium". He was clocked at over 140. That's pretty typical for a Test class seamer, but nowhere near "medium pace".

 

[subshakerz]

I mean, at the extremes it's kind of true. You can't bowl 110 kph pies as a seamer at Test level and not get **** on.

But the truth is McGrath just objectively wasn't on the slower end of seam bowlers, which is what "medium pace", or even medium-fast would imply. He wasn't "fast", but "fast-medium". He was clocked at over 140. That's pretty typical for a Test class seamer, but nowhere near "medium pace".

His average was low 130s

 

[DrWolverine]

From what I remember

McGrath bowled mostly in 130s

Pollock bowled in 130s but was touching even high 120s times at the end of his career

 

[subshakerz]

From what I remember

McGrath bowled mostly in 130s

Pollock bowled in 130s but was touching even high 120s times at the end of his career

McGrath was high 120s to towards the end.

 

[DrWolverine]

Because people have a misconception that faster = better

When you think of a fast bowler, you tend to think of aggressive and attacking bowlers and not bowlers who bowls less than 80mph.

I accept that as long as you get wickets it should not matter much but pure pace excites majority of fans.

 

[subshakerz]

When you think of a fast bowler, you tend to think of aggressive and attacking bowlers and not bowlers who bowls less than 80mph.

I accept that as long as you get wickets it should not matter much but pure pace excites majority of fans.

Steyn and Wasim at their peaks were mainly mid 80s who could crank it up.

 

[akilana]

Pollock started as an outright fast bowler.

that's not even close to being true.

 

[subshakerz]

that's not even close to being true.

It is. Watch clips of him in 95. He was he genuinely fast and then almost immediately took his pace down for accuracy.

 

[shortpitched713]

McGrath was fast medium, or medium fast at slowest by end of career. About smack dab in the typical middle range of what you'd see for Test class seamers.

He wasn't just some "slow" fox that got everyone out simply by virtue of guile and placement. It was genuinely hard to pick him due to a combination of placement, variation, bounce angle AND pace. Trundler he was not.

 

[shortpitched713]

Pollock had a greater "range" of speeds throughout career, and got rather slow towards the very end of his career. Overall mostly him and McGrath were very similar pace, although I think the little bit of extra height of McGrath helped him out a bit in retaining longevity.

 

[Randomfan]

Many fans may remember the last phase of Pollock and McGrath more than earlier phase. That may color their view a bit when it comes to pace.

 

[Bolo.]

that's not even close to being true.

How quick does a bowler need to be to be classified as fast in your opinion? Nobody is calling him express.

 

[akilana]

How quick does a bowler need to be to be classified as fast in your opinion? Nobody is calling him express.

don't care for the classification. pollock wasn't outright fast bowler.