Sobers slams Australia and Shane Warne Performances

[Richard]

given the % of wickets falling through leg before, bowled, wicketkeeper, i dont see any reason to beleive that.
What did have a huge influence is the 'never seen before' factor. The taste of what was common place in the 70s and 80s.
Some of the bowling done by Lillee-Thommo in 75-76 and the WI four prong were truely frightening. Given that they were operating on more seamer friendly wickets, were more accomplished bowlers and it was the professional era, i would rate the abovementioned performances over 'bodyline' any day of the week.
Sensationalism is commonplace with a 'first time tried and worked spectacularly' scenario.

More seam-friendly wickets?
You could probably compare Adelaide 1932\33 (the only game which really caused problems) with Sabina Park 1998.
Even then the attack was purely Ambrose\Walsh\Bishop who were all nearer the end of their careers than the start - and the game was called-off. Just imagine what Lillee\Thomson in 1975\76 might've been like on that pitch - against batsmen with no protective gear.
As I've mentioned - I've not studied the dismissals in Bodyline extensively, must do so sometime, but I have seen plenty of tailenders being caught in the slips.

 

[Richard]

I see Lillee and Larwood having just about as much in common as Pollock and Hoggard...same type of bowlers but one is a class above.

Not really - I see Larwood and Lillee as being pretty similar.
I see Pollock as being considerably better than Hoggard.

Literature i've read extensively about cricket does paint it to be the 'weekend-club-player-good player-good player' scenario.
Indeed, thats what many literally were - day job holders who played in the weekends/summer time. No different than many club players today.

And if the professionals were better they were picked ahead of them.
But they weren't. Cricket in those days was different, and good amateur players could mix it with the professionals.