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

[Pothas]

The Pakistan series was certainly not early summer, not that it matters. Would also dispute that against Sri Lanka he was some of the wors bowling you will see. He was poor no doubt but I was at the Rose Bowl and he ran in hard and was far from awful, certainly not Harmison or Mitch at their worst bad. The truth of his last few years is somewhere between the two arguments you both set out.

I agree with the last statement though. There has been a wish with some to do Philander down but he really has been nothing short of ridiculous so far. Pattinson looked pretty special against India so yeah would back him to be a better bowler, better career maybe not when you consider the batting. Injuries are becoming a real concern with Broad though, is important that he gets through this summer injury free.

 

[Jacknife]

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.

Don't agree in the slightest, you've got to take into consideration who they're playing and where they're playing, just like when Jimmy got a ton of wickets against your lot in England, no one gave him much due for it because of the conditions and who he got them against.

 

[Jacknife]

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

LOL hyperbole much.

 

[hazsa19]

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

I remember an interview with Hussey in which he remarked that Broad had been the most difficult to face in the first two matches.

 

[Spark]

I remember an interview with Hussey in which he remarked that Broad had been the most difficult to face in the first two matches.

IIRC Broad looked good in the one-and-a-half matches he bowled in but he was guilty of bowling a bit short at times (as was his wont at that stage). Discomfiting, but made it hard to get nicks.

Dropped catches didn't help either.

 

[social]

LOL hyperbole much.

Hyperbole none

Averaged 50 with the ball in the tests, didnt take a wicket in the ODIs until the fourth match of the series, fined for spitting the dummy and regarded as extremely fortunate to be preferred to Bresnan for the first test against India

 

[LegendaryProtea]

Be as frustrated as you want but they're right.

OK, we'll see this summer. It will give me great satisfaction to see the likes of Ian Botham forced to admit the South African attack is better. Just under a year ago, they were all criticising Broad for his lengths, saying that there is a risk he will be dropped. Now all of a sudden he and Anderson are the best in the world? Such short memories.

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.

Well, statistics don't always reveal the full story. Look at how Steyn has been bowling recently, absolutely fantastic but just not been getting the luck (dropped catches, tons of plays and misses). If you're so into stats, how do you compete with a bloke averaging 18 in FC cricket and 2nd quickest to 50 wickets in Tests? Granted, it's a short period but if one of the England youngsters achieved that feat then I can't even imagine the hype he'd be getting. "He's the best new ball bowler going around" is the very least English fans would be saying.

I have been watching them bowl, just because I have a different opinion doesn't mean I haven't been watching. Jimmy and Broad (mainly Jimmy) are top quality bowlers, Jimmy has been excellent the last couple of years. It's just that Philander and Steyn are better. I reserve the right to be frustrated that lesser bowlers get praised over our new ball attack. Even if I am a little frustrated now, I know I'll feel much better this summer.

 

[Rasimione]

But the thread says best fastbowler in any conditions. I say Steyn based on stats. Obviously Philander has not played in the Sc. As for broad an Anderson, well they good but surely stats prove that the best is Steyn. If stats say otherwise il apologise. And i believe Steyn an Philander will show the english who is better later this year. Until then the debate will contine going in circles...

 

[Neil Young]

Even if I am a little frustrated now, I know I'll feel much better this summer.

Your confidence is admirable, if a little misplaced in my view.

Will be a cracking test series but I think England (Broad and Anderson) will shade it.

 

[MrPrez]

Well, statistics don't always reveal the full story. Look at how Steyn has been bowling recently, absolutely fantastic but just not been getting the luck (dropped catches, tons of plays and misses). If you're so into stats, how do you compete with a bloke averaging 18 in FC cricket and 2nd quickest to 50 wickets in Tests? Granted, it's a short period but if one of the England youngsters achieved that feat then I can't even imagine the hype he'd be getting. "He's the best new ball bowler going around" is the very least English fans would be saying.

This.

 

[FBU]

Steyn's 5fer count will go down now Philander is stealing all the wickets. Since the two have been playing together

Philander 6 5fers
Steyn 0

 

[Flem274*]

Right now I would take Steyn/Philander, just.

As to who will be remembered as the better pair - I don't know. I think Broad will be remembered as a greater bowler than Anderson in time though. Anderson's first half of his career really hurts his overall record.

 

[MrPrez]

Right now I would take Steyn/Philander, just.

As to who will be remembered as the better pair - I don't know. I think Broad will be remembered as a greater bowler than Anderson in time though. Anderson's first half of his career really hurts his overall record.

And Broad's doesn't?

 

[Cabinet96]

It does, but not to the same extent IMO. Broad was only poor for the first year of his career IMO.

 

[MrPrez]

Didn't he have a 36 average or so before the SL series?

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah, but he averaged 45 before the start of 2009, since then he's averaged 28. Admittedly that was 32 before the 2011 summer, but his start wasn't that bad. Also he'd played a lot less matches when he started performing really well, so you'd expect when his career finishes he'd have a lot lower percentage of matches before he became world class.

 

[MrPrez]

That's the point though - that 32 is more or less Anderson's average for the first half of his career (was around 33-34 right?) So they had pretty similar starts even if Anderson's was longer.

 

[Mike5181]

I actually think Morne Morkel will put out some world class performances over the next few years.

 

[Cabinet96]

That's the point though - that 32 is more or less Anderson's average for the first half of his career (was around 33-34 right?) So they had pretty similar starts even if Anderson's was longer.

Yeah but the fact that it was longer means it's so much harder to improve. I mean if Broad's average was 36 before the SL series then he managed to get it to go down by about 6-8 runs in the India series, I'm assuming his average went up after Sri Lanka came over. I doubt Anderson would be able to improve his average by that much even if he took 20 wickets at 5 against SA.

 

[Cabinet96]

I mean a slightly poor start is quite standard, even Steyn got off to a slow start, but Anderson was shunting it for 4-5 years, and it still took him another couple before he became world class.