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The Fast Bowler's fast Bowlers
- Thread starter SJS
- Start date
Burgey
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Yep, he set David Hookes career back with one in WSC. Set him up with th eslower bouncer, then gave him the quick one - broke his jaw clean.
I think that was in 1977-78, and iirc Hookes didn't play for Australia again until 1982-83.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
I am not going to post the long excerpts from Arlott edited book all together since thats a lot of typing.
The next bowler whose views on his contemporaries i am going to post here is none other than Imran Khan. These are from his autobiography published in 1980 so the bowlers he talks of are mainly those he saw in the 70's.
This is also not a ranking but I have these excerpts from his book and one can see which are the ones he considers the best. Here are the bowlers covered in alphabetical order.
He taught me more about swing bowling than anybody, disclosing little tit-bits to me as he got to know me better during our tours - that was something he refused to discuss with other bowlers.
He has picked up test wickets all over the world despite having to bowl long spell on dead wickets. All believe that he would have broken all test bowling records had he been English. At his peak - 1972-1976 he didn't play all that much for Pakistan because we didn't have many tests during that period. His achievement of taking hundred Northants wickets during 1975 was fantastic, considering that he missed a month through the World Cup and then had to bowl on those flat pitches at Northampton.
Sarfaraz is a bit of a loner and has been at logger head with some of the players in our sides - notably Asif Iqbal - but I always felt he tried his best for the team. I've seen him carry injuries that would have sidelined less determined men, yet people allege that he pulls out of tests because he doesn't fancy bowling on dead surfaces. That's nonsense and those that criticise him don't know the physical strain that a seam bowler is under year in year out.
He has always needed strong handling because Sarfraz is a difficult person to handle. Sarfaraz has a strong sense of self preservation and many of his commercial actions have stemmed from a sense of insecurity. He is not one of the easiest people to understand and get on with, yet some of my most enjoyable moments off the field have been spent with Sarfraz on overseas tours.
He is extremely witty and articulate in Punjabi, a language I had never appreciated until I met him, and he often sees a funny side of things. One of the greatest things I have learned from him is to forget about cricket as soon as the match is over and to unwind completely.
I consider Sarfraz to have one of the best brains of any cricketer I've known.
....
....on that 1976-77 tour I discovered Sarfraz's great cricketing brain. In the first test at Barbados, we had a chance of a substantial lead after reducing them (Windies) to 183 for 5 in reply to our 435. Clive Lloyd was the only recognised batsman left, Sarfaraz was bowling beautifully, swinging the old ball and tying the batsmen down. The new ball was due and Mushtaq wanted to take it, but Sarfraz came upto me and said, "Please tell Mushy notto take the new ball, he doesn;t listen to me" Sarfraz knew that the old ball wouldn't swing in a contrlled fashion when both sides of it were shiny and that it would come onto the bat with ease. I could see his line of reasoning and I passed my views onto the captain.He ignored us, took the new ball and Lloyd tore into us.
Listening to Sarfraz on that tour was the first time I thought that an opening bowler could be captain because he understood things about seam and swing bowling that Mushtaq possibly couldn't comprehend.
The next bowler whose views on his contemporaries i am going to post here is none other than Imran Khan. These are from his autobiography published in 1980 so the bowlers he talks of are mainly those he saw in the 70's.
This is also not a ranking but I have these excerpts from his book and one can see which are the ones he considers the best. Here are the bowlers covered in alphabetical order.
- Botham Ian.
- Hadlee Richard
- Holding Michael
- Kapil Dev
- Lillee Dennis
- Roberts Andy
- Sarfraz Nawaz
SARFRAZ NAWAZ
It was typical of Sarfraz that he would come up with such an inspirational spell when he'd been having a bad run. He hadn't looked at his best in New Zealand and some were saying that he was over the top but they reckoned without his capacity to surprise. He had been such a clever bowler over the years; I don't know of anyone who utilised the conditions so well. He may look ungainly in his run up, but his action is balanced and side on. He changes his action for different deliveries, uses the crease and cuts the ball either way off the pitch. He always seemed to know which ball would swing more than the others and as a result, Sarfraz would always make the choice when the umpires presented a box of new balls to us just before we went out on the field.
He taught me more about swing bowling than anybody, disclosing little tit-bits to me as he got to know me better during our tours - that was something he refused to discuss with other bowlers.
He has picked up test wickets all over the world despite having to bowl long spell on dead wickets. All believe that he would have broken all test bowling records had he been English. At his peak - 1972-1976 he didn't play all that much for Pakistan because we didn't have many tests during that period. His achievement of taking hundred Northants wickets during 1975 was fantastic, considering that he missed a month through the World Cup and then had to bowl on those flat pitches at Northampton.
Sarfaraz is a bit of a loner and has been at logger head with some of the players in our sides - notably Asif Iqbal - but I always felt he tried his best for the team. I've seen him carry injuries that would have sidelined less determined men, yet people allege that he pulls out of tests because he doesn't fancy bowling on dead surfaces. That's nonsense and those that criticise him don't know the physical strain that a seam bowler is under year in year out.
He has always needed strong handling because Sarfraz is a difficult person to handle. Sarfaraz has a strong sense of self preservation and many of his commercial actions have stemmed from a sense of insecurity. He is not one of the easiest people to understand and get on with, yet some of my most enjoyable moments off the field have been spent with Sarfraz on overseas tours.
He is extremely witty and articulate in Punjabi, a language I had never appreciated until I met him, and he often sees a funny side of things. One of the greatest things I have learned from him is to forget about cricket as soon as the match is over and to unwind completely.
I consider Sarfraz to have one of the best brains of any cricketer I've known.
....
....on that 1976-77 tour I discovered Sarfraz's great cricketing brain. In the first test at Barbados, we had a chance of a substantial lead after reducing them (Windies) to 183 for 5 in reply to our 435. Clive Lloyd was the only recognised batsman left, Sarfaraz was bowling beautifully, swinging the old ball and tying the batsmen down. The new ball was due and Mushtaq wanted to take it, but Sarfraz came upto me and said, "Please tell Mushy notto take the new ball, he doesn;t listen to me" Sarfraz knew that the old ball wouldn't swing in a contrlled fashion when both sides of it were shiny and that it would come onto the bat with ease. I could see his line of reasoning and I passed my views onto the captain.He ignored us, took the new ball and Lloyd tore into us.
Listening to Sarfraz on that tour was the first time I thought that an opening bowler could be captain because he understood things about seam and swing bowling that Mushtaq possibly couldn't comprehend.
bagapath
International Captain
since too many guys have endorsed this view we've to respect it. but i've always believed roberts had his built his reputation as a master craftsman by nurturing other quicks in his team and for bowling fast early on. west indies have had superior bowlers compared to him - more pace, more accuaracy, better strike rate and more match winning spells. holding and marshall for sure and ambrose at a slightly lesser pace.
from what i've seen since 1983, malcolm marshall had the nastiest bouncer of all; a skidding missile that would follow the batsman even if he moved to the leg in fear. post 90s, due to new laws, obvious candidates like waqar, shoaib, lee and donald miss out on joining this race.
from written accounts lindwall seems to be a highly feared fast bowler for his accuracy, aggression and raw pace. i wonder how a contest between him and richards would have looked like - something to rival lillee Vs richards which actually was a huge marquee event three decades ago.
I will stick to the following order in my list of fast bowlers.
malcolm marshall
dennis lillee
imran khan
michael holding
allan donald
(i would rank ambrose, akram, hadlee and mcgrath along with these players any day in terms of skills, overall achievement and star quality but they were slightly slower. lee, shoaib and waqar were superb and fast but they are not in the same league as these greats)
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SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Imran on..
* This was written around end of the 1983 world cup (or end of 1983 English season) by which time Hadlee had taken 200 test wickets at 25.8 in 44 Test matches.
RICHARD HADLEE
The outstanding New Zealander was Richard Hadlee....for his excellent intelligent, seam bowling. Hadlee has been one of the best new ball bowlers of my time with a beautiful action giving him a superb outswinger that always troubled right handers. He has carried New Zealand for a long time and I can imagine how even more successful he would have been had he been playing for a more established Test side.
Like Pakistan New Zealand havent played all that many Tests until recently and their players have lacked experience in dealing with pressure situations. It is significant that they have started improving as some of their best players get experience of English county cricket and play more Tests. If Richard Hadlee had been English he would have taken 300 wickets by now*.
The outstanding New Zealander was Richard Hadlee....for his excellent intelligent, seam bowling. Hadlee has been one of the best new ball bowlers of my time with a beautiful action giving him a superb outswinger that always troubled right handers. He has carried New Zealand for a long time and I can imagine how even more successful he would have been had he been playing for a more established Test side.
Like Pakistan New Zealand havent played all that many Tests until recently and their players have lacked experience in dealing with pressure situations. It is significant that they have started improving as some of their best players get experience of English county cricket and play more Tests. If Richard Hadlee had been English he would have taken 300 wickets by now*.
* This was written around end of the 1983 world cup (or end of 1983 English season) by which time Hadlee had taken 200 test wickets at 25.8 in 44 Test matches.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Imran on....
MIKE HOLDING
Although Thomson was electronically quicker on the day, (the 1979 Fastest Bowler Competition), I still don't believe that anybody has been consistently quicker than Michael Holding during my time in the game. He is the only one I have batted against who regularly bowled very fast; he makes the ball bounce from very near the bat, so you don't know whether to duck or just stand there and play it. He has the best run up and action of any fast bowler I have seen, and although he doesn't seem to think all that much about his bowling, I suppose that isn't necessary with such speed.
He lacks Lillee's determination to battle through when the chips are down and the wicket is unhelpful, but nevertheless he has been a classic fast bowler and great to watch.
Although Thomson was electronically quicker on the day, (the 1979 Fastest Bowler Competition), I still don't believe that anybody has been consistently quicker than Michael Holding during my time in the game. He is the only one I have batted against who regularly bowled very fast; he makes the ball bounce from very near the bat, so you don't know whether to duck or just stand there and play it. He has the best run up and action of any fast bowler I have seen, and although he doesn't seem to think all that much about his bowling, I suppose that isn't necessary with such speed.
He lacks Lillee's determination to battle through when the chips are down and the wicket is unhelpful, but nevertheless he has been a classic fast bowler and great to watch.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Imran on ....
KAPIL DEV
India blooded a young man who would eventually become a splendid opponent with both bat and ball. Kapil Dev was just nineteen when he first played against us, but he looked a very fine prospect. In the years to come, the press would make much of our rivalry as all rounders, but I have always felt that we were different kind of cricketers.
With the bat in hand Kapil is a fine wristy player and a clean lovely striker of the ball, who loves to get on with it. He is a more talented batsman than I am, but I think I have become a more responsible player. I can stay at the wicket longer due to the demands of captaincy, while Kapil always seems to play the same adventurous way, hitting the ball very hard indeed.
As bowlers we are again contrasting; he is only really fast-medium, although he is fast by Indian standards. He bowls a very good line and length with a sharp bouncer but he is not a genuinely fast bowler.
I feel that he has been over-bowled by India and is unlikely to get any better, whereas his potential as a batsman is really vast. I admire immensely his attacking attitude, which has attracted many people towards cricket. He has done wonders for Indian cricket in a few years.
India blooded a young man who would eventually become a splendid opponent with both bat and ball. Kapil Dev was just nineteen when he first played against us, but he looked a very fine prospect. In the years to come, the press would make much of our rivalry as all rounders, but I have always felt that we were different kind of cricketers.
With the bat in hand Kapil is a fine wristy player and a clean lovely striker of the ball, who loves to get on with it. He is a more talented batsman than I am, but I think I have become a more responsible player. I can stay at the wicket longer due to the demands of captaincy, while Kapil always seems to play the same adventurous way, hitting the ball very hard indeed.
As bowlers we are again contrasting; he is only really fast-medium, although he is fast by Indian standards. He bowls a very good line and length with a sharp bouncer but he is not a genuinely fast bowler.
I feel that he has been over-bowled by India and is unlikely to get any better, whereas his potential as a batsman is really vast. I admire immensely his attacking attitude, which has attracted many people towards cricket. He has done wonders for Indian cricket in a few years.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Imran on....
COMPARISONS WITH IAN BOTHAM
As far as individual comparisons are concerned I find such comparisons pointless unless both players are in the same team; Hadleee and Sarfraz will always be compared unfavourably with Botham because they bowl on unresponsive wickets and have played less Test cricket. I wonder if Botham would have bowled much if he'd played for the West Indies? Probably not - he'd have been a batsman. It all depends on resources and it's silly to make statistical comparisons.
My bowling stood up well (1982 series); I bowled more overs than anyone else on either side and although some critics reckoned I over bowled myself, they would have seen the times when earlier captains bowled me into the ground. It was difficult for a fast bowler/all-rounder like me to maintain full fitness without sacrificing my batting - fast bowling is a full time thing that has to be worked at, so I had to devote ninety percent of my time to bowling and keeping fit, while just ten percent was left for batting. Something had to suffer. and its certainly easier for an all rounder who bowls medium pace like Botham. Its not often realised how much work goes into bowling consistently fast at the highest level over a period of years.
I admire Ian Botham for getting to the top while still remaining true to his individualistic instincts. I played against him as long ago as 1974 when I was at Oxford and I was impressed even then by his fighting spirit. and aggression. He'll always take the challenge - he's the hardest hitter I have seen and is a vicious destroyer of spin and medium pace. He's probably vulnerable against fast bowling because he takes up the challenge and gives the bowler a chance.
He's a dynamic cricketer; he attacks in his bowling as well, giving the batsman a chance by pitching it up and trying to experiment. I've always thought him a very fine bowler in England, where he swings the ball and hits the seam. Abroad, he looks relatively ineffective and unlikely to go through many good batting sides on easy-paced wickets., because the ball doesn't seam around that much. He has become more open chested in his action in recent years, which hasn't helped his ability to swing the ball late. Although he is supposed to have a bad back, I dont believe his action has deteriorated because of that. His main problem is that he's overweight.
As far as individual comparisons are concerned I find such comparisons pointless unless both players are in the same team; Hadleee and Sarfraz will always be compared unfavourably with Botham because they bowl on unresponsive wickets and have played less Test cricket. I wonder if Botham would have bowled much if he'd played for the West Indies? Probably not - he'd have been a batsman. It all depends on resources and it's silly to make statistical comparisons.
My bowling stood up well (1982 series); I bowled more overs than anyone else on either side and although some critics reckoned I over bowled myself, they would have seen the times when earlier captains bowled me into the ground. It was difficult for a fast bowler/all-rounder like me to maintain full fitness without sacrificing my batting - fast bowling is a full time thing that has to be worked at, so I had to devote ninety percent of my time to bowling and keeping fit, while just ten percent was left for batting. Something had to suffer. and its certainly easier for an all rounder who bowls medium pace like Botham. Its not often realised how much work goes into bowling consistently fast at the highest level over a period of years.
I admire Ian Botham for getting to the top while still remaining true to his individualistic instincts. I played against him as long ago as 1974 when I was at Oxford and I was impressed even then by his fighting spirit. and aggression. He'll always take the challenge - he's the hardest hitter I have seen and is a vicious destroyer of spin and medium pace. He's probably vulnerable against fast bowling because he takes up the challenge and gives the bowler a chance.
He's a dynamic cricketer; he attacks in his bowling as well, giving the batsman a chance by pitching it up and trying to experiment. I've always thought him a very fine bowler in England, where he swings the ball and hits the seam. Abroad, he looks relatively ineffective and unlikely to go through many good batting sides on easy-paced wickets., because the ball doesn't seam around that much. He has become more open chested in his action in recent years, which hasn't helped his ability to swing the ball late. Although he is supposed to have a bad back, I dont believe his action has deteriorated because of that. His main problem is that he's overweight.
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SJS
Hall of Fame Member
For Andy Roberts, there are no descriptive passages but a couple of instances from matches in the 1976-77 tour of West Indies
ANDY ROBERTS
.... we were in a strong position when we started our reply. Just four fast overs from Andy Roberts altered the psychological balance; he was at his quickest and most dangerous. He shook up Majid rather badly and it was a major blow to our confidence for Majid had looked masterful throughout the tour and we had come to rely greatly on him.
Roberts had wrested the initiative away from us in just a few fast deliveries, even though the other bowlers took the bulk of the wickets.
Mushtaq and I received some frightening bouncers. ... When I walked out to bat, I knew I was heading into some rough weather. The crowd hadn't forgotten my bouncers and chanted "blood, blood" as I took guard. I was still fairly confident about my ability to play the hook shot and I fended off the first ball from just in front of my nose. The next ball was the quickest that I have EVER faced - it was a bouncer and I was still halfway through my shot when it whizzed past my left ear and almost cleared the wicket-keeper.
An inch or two the other way and I would have been killed. There was no way, I could have avoided it.
.... we were in a strong position when we started our reply. Just four fast overs from Andy Roberts altered the psychological balance; he was at his quickest and most dangerous. He shook up Majid rather badly and it was a major blow to our confidence for Majid had looked masterful throughout the tour and we had come to rely greatly on him.
Roberts had wrested the initiative away from us in just a few fast deliveries, even though the other bowlers took the bulk of the wickets.
Mushtaq and I received some frightening bouncers. ... When I walked out to bat, I knew I was heading into some rough weather. The crowd hadn't forgotten my bouncers and chanted "blood, blood" as I took guard. I was still fairly confident about my ability to play the hook shot and I fended off the first ball from just in front of my nose. The next ball was the quickest that I have EVER faced - it was a bouncer and I was still halfway through my shot when it whizzed past my left ear and almost cleared the wicket-keeper.
An inch or two the other way and I would have been killed. There was no way, I could have avoided it.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
And finally on the incomparable....
DENNIS LILLEE
The most dynamic cricketer in the World Series games was undoubtedly Dennis Lillee. I thought he was a tremendous bowler and entertainer and I believe he has done more for cricket throughout the world than anyone else in the past decade. He was a trump card for any television boss and the crowds loved him
He once told me he was at his best in the World Series Cricket because he had to bowl at his best, for so long, at so many of the world's great batsmen. From the day I first saw him in 1972, he's been the best bowler of my era. He had so many injury problems. but he's always battled through them. He fights all the time, never shirks responsibility; he came to Pakistan and took just three wickets in three tests, but he bowled his heart out, trying every tactic and keeping up his aggression.
That's the sign of fast bowling greatness - when it's hot, the wicket is slow and your side needs a breakthrough.
Unlike Andy Roberts, John Snow and Michael Holding, great bowlers who sometimes needed to be cajoled, Dennis Lillee never gave up, but made things happen by sheer will power.
With a superb action, he was really quick for a long time and he was great in a crisis when he simply had to get wickets for his side.
The most dynamic cricketer in the World Series games was undoubtedly Dennis Lillee. I thought he was a tremendous bowler and entertainer and I believe he has done more for cricket throughout the world than anyone else in the past decade. He was a trump card for any television boss and the crowds loved him
He once told me he was at his best in the World Series Cricket because he had to bowl at his best, for so long, at so many of the world's great batsmen. From the day I first saw him in 1972, he's been the best bowler of my era. He had so many injury problems. but he's always battled through them. He fights all the time, never shirks responsibility; he came to Pakistan and took just three wickets in three tests, but he bowled his heart out, trying every tactic and keeping up his aggression.
That's the sign of fast bowling greatness - when it's hot, the wicket is slow and your side needs a breakthrough.
Unlike Andy Roberts, John Snow and Michael Holding, great bowlers who sometimes needed to be cajoled, Dennis Lillee never gave up, but made things happen by sheer will power.
With a superb action, he was really quick for a long time and he was great in a crisis when he simply had to get wickets for his side.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
I went through one of Lloyd's books (published 1980) where in the last chapter he puts forth his favourite West Indies side (from those he saw/played against) and a world side. It is very interesting and though he is a batsman rather than a bowler as this thread title suggests, I think it would be interesting to see his sides and particularly his fast bowlers. He also gives his reasons for selecting those he does and for leaving out some.
It is very interesting since Imran's, Lillee's and his books are all published around the same time though Lloyd covers a slightly longer period going back to the sixties.
Here is his West Indies side.
WEST INDIES
I suppose modesty makes him leave himself out otherwise we could put him in Kallicharan's spot.
We will discuss his views on the fast bowlers later.
WORLD XI
Its interesting to see that he rates Ian Chappell higher than his brother Greg as most Australians do. Imran does the same in his book. But thats for another day.
We could safely say that Lloyd's top three bowlers are Lillee, Hall and Roberts with Holding in fourth spot. Lillee has not considered Hall not having seem much of him and leaves himself out. Roberts and Holding are in his top four too as would be himself one presumes.
From Imran's writing, Lillee, Roberts and Holding are very close to the top (if not at the very top) of his short list too.
It is very interesting since Imran's, Lillee's and his books are all published around the same time though Lloyd covers a slightly longer period going back to the sixties.
Here is his West Indies side.
WEST INDIES
- Roy Fredricks
- Conrad Hunte/Gordon Greenidge
- Rohan Kanhai
- Vivian Richards
- Alvin Kallicharan
- Gary Sobers
- Jackie Hendricks
- Andy Roberts
- Wes Hall
- Mike Holding
- Lance Gibbs
I suppose modesty makes him leave himself out otherwise we could put him in Kallicharan's spot.
We will discuss his views on the fast bowlers later.
WORLD XI
- Sunil Gavaskar
- Geoff Boycott
- Rohan Kanhai
- Viv Richards
- Ian Chappell
- Gary Sobers
- Alan Knott
- Andy Roberts
- Wes Hall
- Dennis Lillee
- Lance Gibbs
Its interesting to see that he rates Ian Chappell higher than his brother Greg as most Australians do. Imran does the same in his book. But thats for another day.
We could safely say that Lloyd's top three bowlers are Lillee, Hall and Roberts with Holding in fourth spot. Lillee has not considered Hall not having seem much of him and leaves himself out. Roberts and Holding are in his top four too as would be himself one presumes.
From Imran's writing, Lillee, Roberts and Holding are very close to the top (if not at the very top) of his short list too.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Lloyd's choices : WES HALL
Wes was everyone's idea of a fast bowler- big and strong, with a long run up and an explosive action propelling the ball at more than 90 miles per hour towards the batsman at the opposite end. In addition he was a character, a player adored wherever he went.
I did not see him when he was at his fastest towards the end of the 1950's and the early 1960's but anyone who can crack his own wicket keeper's jaw (This was wally Grout when Wes was playing for Queensland) or can snap a stump in half as he did when he bowled Peter May in a test in Jamaica is not to be fooled with. He bowled a dangerous outswinger, had a heart of gold and the stamina of an Olympic marathon champion
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Lloyd's Choices - MIKE HOLDING
Someone described Holding's approach to the wicket as 'poetry in motion' and there is no better sight in cricket than when he glides in so smoothly off his lengthy approach. He is as quick as anyone I have seen, and his fourteen wickets on a dead Oval pitch against England in 1976 was the feat of a truly great fast bowler.
Unfortunately his career has bee dogged by injury. Unlike Hall and Roberts, he is not strongly built and he needed physical training to build up his legs and his shoulders to meet the rigorous demands placed on fast bowlers. Only recently has he begun to appreciate this and I can only hope that his physical problems are now over because he remains a young man with plenty of cricket still ahead.
Someone described Holding's approach to the wicket as 'poetry in motion' and there is no better sight in cricket than when he glides in so smoothly off his lengthy approach. He is as quick as anyone I have seen, and his fourteen wickets on a dead Oval pitch against England in 1976 was the feat of a truly great fast bowler.
Unfortunately his career has bee dogged by injury. Unlike Hall and Roberts, he is not strongly built and he needed physical training to build up his legs and his shoulders to meet the rigorous demands placed on fast bowlers. Only recently has he begun to appreciate this and I can only hope that his physical problems are now over because he remains a young man with plenty of cricket still ahead.
bagapath
International Captain
i wish these guys had written additional editions of these books at the end of 80's, 90's and now. the player pool would have been crowded with the addition of marshall, hadlee, garner and imran first; then akram, ambrose, donald and mcgrath later. honestly any three of these plus warne as spinner would be good enough to complete the bowling attack of a credible Post WW 2 World XI , with sobers as the fifth bowler. how can anyone decide if lillee, roberts and hadlee would be better than or inferior to marshall, mcgrath and akram? all amazing cricketers actually.
Burgey
Request Your Custom Title Now!
God, that photo of Wes Hall is one of the more intimidating cricket photos I've seen. You can just tell that he's about to really let fly - there's not the self-discipline or sublime economy of movement of a Lillee, Holding or a Hadlee anywhere to be seen. It reminds me of some photos of Thommo and Imran in full cry, just before delivery, where they're just about to uncoil.
Were I batting, I'd be quaking in my boots.
Were I batting, I'd be quaking in my boots.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
I am so glad you think so. That was just the purpose for starting this thread.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Very well said.
When Hall was running in to bowl the first over of the Test match, it sent shivers down your spine. One could understand why the Indian batsmen were scared (or so it was rumoured). It was so intimidating. Even when you see this gentle giant - as he has been so often and so aptly called - stood there smiling so naturally, you were not sure you did not want to run away.
I was almost 17 when I saw him bowl in the nets at Feroze Shah Kotla. He was really imposing. I went up to ask for his autograph and he smiled as he drawled something, I think he asked my name before signing. I recently came across a picture of him smiling and it all came back.
Here it is.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Lloyd's Choices - ANDY ROBERTS
Roberts began as an out-and-out fast bowler, reliant on little else but sheer speed. That was quite enough early on for he was deceptively quick, always hurrying the batsman into his shot. Subsequently he has developed into an all round bowler, still fast but more intent now on control and variation. His stint in county cricket taught him a lot about bowling and about the game in general, and he has developed into a shrewd reader of the game who puts his knowledge into his bowling. His strike rate is one of the highest among all fast bowlers and his value to me is enormous.
Roberts began as an out-and-out fast bowler, reliant on little else but sheer speed. That was quite enough early on for he was deceptively quick, always hurrying the batsman into his shot. Subsequently he has developed into an all round bowler, still fast but more intent now on control and variation. His stint in county cricket taught him a lot about bowling and about the game in general, and he has developed into a shrewd reader of the game who puts his knowledge into his bowling. His strike rate is one of the highest among all fast bowlers and his value to me is enormous.
Also on Roberts :
Deadpan and deadly. Wicket or boundary, not a flicker of emotion would be evident save a gunslinger's narrowing of the eyes. Andy Roberts kept his emotions in check. But under the veneer was an intelligent cricketer with a fertile brain, plotting and planning the downfall of batsmen as if it were a military campaign. The modern West Indian game based on the heavy artillery of fast bowlers, that served so well for a quarter of a century, began with him. Here was a bowler whose pace came from timing, with power from a huge pair of shoulders. His bouncer was regarded as one of the most dangerous. He varied its pace, often setting batsmen up with a slower one and then poleaxing them when they were late on the quickie.
It took Roberts less than two and a half years to reach 100 Test wickets, the quickest at that point, and his best years were unquestionably in the middle 1970s, before the Packer revolution. Later he became jaded, and the edge went from his pace, although his experience and ability to move the ball kept him in Test cricket until 1983-84
- Mike Selvey
.It took Roberts less than two and a half years to reach 100 Test wickets, the quickest at that point, and his best years were unquestionably in the middle 1970s, before the Packer revolution. Later he became jaded, and the edge went from his pace, although his experience and ability to move the ball kept him in Test cricket until 1983-84
- Mike Selvey