Who is the best fast bowler in the world right now - Tests

[Jacknife]

It's so frustrating hearing these English commentators and pundits keep raving about Anderson and Broad as the best "new ball pair" in world cricket. They're both top class but give me Steyn and Philander any day.

Statistically they have been for the past two years, cricinfo did a article about it a couple of moths ago.

Even if you prefer one duo or the other, it's ridiculous to be upset just because some people rate Jimmy & Broad more, if you are getting frustrated I suggest you haven't bee watching them bowl.

 

[social]

Statistically they have been for the past two years, cricinfo did a article about it a couple of moths ago.

It's a bogus argument as Broad was rubbish less than a year ago whilst Philander had yet to make his debut

 

[GIMH]

It's a bogus argument as Broad was rubbish less than a year ago whilst Philander had yet to make his debut

He was out of form but it's not like he'd never performed before then...

 

[Jacknife]

It's a bogus argument as Broad was rubbish less than a year ago whilst Philander had yet to make his debut

Not at all, he struggled to find his form after he got injured in the Ashes then again in the WC which was basically that one series against SL. The previous year he'd been bowling well in the run up to the Ashes, whether you think the argument has changed since Philander has turned up, doesn't take away from my initial point.

 

[Cabinet96]

Broad did a pretty good job in the 2009 Ashes, tour of South Africa and home series against Pakistan, all at the age of just 23 &24.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I can understand why people are raving about Philanderer but he has only played 7 tests. We need to wait another year or so and see if he is this good or just in great form. Remember at one point Jimmy Adams was averaging over 60 as a batsman, as was Trott. We need to wait and see with Vernon me thinks.

 

[Sparkley]

Did someone bring up Anderson in UAE vs Steyn in UAE? Really? The pitches were so different that it's utterly ridiculous to pretend their figures are somehow even comparable. Just have a look at the averages of the batsmen and bowlers in each series respectively and you'll have your answer.

I also don't see how Anderson is somehow the best fast bowler ''on current form''. Even if we were to accept that he is better than Steyn in that aspect (although I, and I suspect a number of others, would disagree) then surely Philander is the best fast bowler in the world. Statements that he has been on the scene for ''5 minutes'' are utter bollocks. He has 51 wickets already, that's not an inadequate sample size. As for the better new ball pair, I'd say the RSA pair are ahead by a fair bit.

 

[social]

Broad was largely crap until he played India last year and finally worked out what those 3 wooden things were at the other end - that's why he averaged about 40!

 

[Cabinet96]

Whether or not 50 wickets is enough, your forgetting that Phillander has had everything in his favour so far. Helpful conditions and at times poor batting.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Conditions are irrelevant when it comes to deciding current best in the world. Philander is currently the best and 50 wickets are enough of a sample size for that. But I think he will still be good on flat tracks because he isn't a big swinger and just does enough.

 

[Cabinet96]

But he'll get no way near as much seam movement on flatter tracks, and how can you say conditions are irrelevant? Phillander has been bowling in countries that traditionally favour fast bowling, playing against sides like New Zealand. Broad, on the other hand, has been dominating batting line ups such as India, and doing well in places such as the UAE.

 

[Sparkley]

Meh, I'd argue that India's batting aside from Rahul Dravid was not just poor but downright dreadful against England. I could also argue that a few batsmen were not fully fit, rushed in to play, etc, but that doesn't really hold water. Poor batting is generally a direct consequence of good bowling, the two are not unrelated. It's a sticky wicket to tread on, I'll stick to the numbers, thanks.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Thankfully we won't have long to find out as SA will be getting beaten in England soon.

 

[Sparkley]

I can understand why people are raving about Philanderer but he has only played 7 tests. We need to wait another year or so and see if he is this good or just in great form. Remember at one point Jimmy Adams was averaging over 60 as a batsman, as was Trott. We need to wait and see with Vernon me thinks.

The thread is about the best fast bowler in the world right now, though. It isn't about whether or not Philander will end up an atg bowler.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The thread is about the best fast bowler in the world right now, though. It isn't about whether or not Philander will end up an atg bowler.

Well Steyn deserves credit for doing it for longer than the 5 minutes Philander has been on the scene. I'd take Steyn over Anderson and Anderson over Philander at present. That may change though if Philander proves to be the real deal over a longer period.

 

[Sparkley]

Well Steyn deserves credit for doing it for longer than the 5 minutes Philander has been on the scene. I'd take Steyn over Anderson and Anderson over Philander at present. That may change though if Philander proves to be the real deal over a longer period.

That's a fair assessment, even if I disagree.

 

[GIMH]

Broad was largely crap until he played India last year and finally worked out what those 3 wooden things were at the other end - that's why he averaged about 40!

He bowled quite poorly throughout 2008, pretty much.

Then in 2009, he was absolutely gun away to the Windies, a performance that doesn't get as much love as it should. He also gunned it at home to them, and was then dross for the first few innings of the Ashes. He turned it round when Strauss let him just bowl with the game gone at Egdbaston, and took a 6fer and 5fer in the next two Aussie innings (admittedly the 6fer did include a couple of declaration wickets).

From there he never really looked back, put in the performances away to Saffa, home to Pakistan and looked in good nick in The Ashes before getting injured.

It looked like it was going to be a long road back when he was bowling against SL and then he was absolute dynamite V India.

So no, he wasn't crap until he played India, but he did put in a world-class all-round series.

 

[social]

He bowled quite poorly throughout 2008, pretty much.

Then in 2009, he was absolutely gun away to the Windies, a performance that doesn't get as much love as it should. He also gunned it at home to them, and was then dross for the first few innings of the Ashes. He turned it round when Strauss let him just bowl with the game gone at Egdbaston, and took a 6fer and 5fer in the next two Aussie innings (admittedly the 6fer did include a couple of declaration wickets).

From there he never really looked back, put in the performances away to Saffa, home to Pakistan and looked in good nick in The Ashes before getting injured.

It looked like it was going to be a long road back when he was bowling against SL and then he was absolute dynamite V India.

So no, he wasn't crap until he played India, but he did put in a world-class all-round series.

WTF?

That is such a generous assessment of a guy that was clueless for the better part of his career until playing India last summer

Here is the realistic view

Whole-hearted against a very poor WI team on dead tracks in 2009

Rubbish in the Ashes (including Headingley where basically he won the lottery by being the last man standing to take 6 wickets) before bowling brilliantly in one innings at the Oval

SA is the best place in the world to bowl seam and he was little more than ok

Pakistan were absolutely garbage and it was early in the English summer to boot

Ashes - ordinary then injured

SL - some of the worst bowling you will ever see and incredibly lucky not to be dropped

Since then, he has been a revelation BUT it's 1 year

 

[GIMH]

Agree to disagree social as we will just go round in circles

But I am right

 

[social]

S'pose the thing that has annoyed me most about Broad is that he has so many fans in the Sky commentary box claiming that he is a "thinking cricketer."

If that was the case then why did it take him so long to realise that he needed to pitch the odd ball up - hence the late 30s average until India

As I said, he has been a revelation since then but, if pushed, I'd take Philander today and also back Pattinson to have a much better career