Top 10 Fast Bowlers Of All Time

by Stella Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:06 am

Again, in order.

Plenty to choose from in this category and tbh I've gone with what I have seen, on the whole.

Marshall
McGrath
Barnes
Ambrose
Akram
Hadlee
Lillee
Trueman
Holding
Lindwall

by ShankyCricket Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:08 am

Steyn>Lindwall

Similar record but Steyn IMO has bowled to better batsmen and on flat pitches

by Stella Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:12 am

I did think of Steyn but he has a few years left in him yet.

Waqar Younis, Garner, Donald and a few others could have replaced a couple of these I guess.

To many choices.

by ShankyCricket Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:17 am

Stella wrote:I did think of Steyn but he has a few years left in him yet.

Waqar Younis, Garner, Donald and a few others could have replaced a couple of these I guess.

To many choices.

BUT He already has more wickets than Lindwall at a similar average but more fifers.And when you take into consideration the nature of pitches that he has bowled on and the way he has troubled the likes of Tendulkar you surely HAVE TO rate him above Lindwall.If Steyn retired today wouldnt he be rated higher than Lindwall?More wickets at a similar average,on flatter pitches.

by Stella Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:21 am

So Shanks.

What is your ten?

by ShankyCricket Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:17 am

I will tell later mate.

by Hoggy_Bear Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:53 am

Must admit that Steyn is a decent shout.
Only McGrath has a lower average among fast bowlers who've taken 100+ wickets in the period Steyn has been playing, and, among such bowlers, only McGrath, Steyn and Asif average under 25, with the rest averaging 28+.
Steyn also has, by far, the best strike rate.

by Guest Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:01 am

not in any order just numbering them anyway

1)Trueman
2)Dale Steyn
3)Wasim Akram
4)Glenn McGrath
5)Waqar Younis
6)Malcolm Marshall
7)Courtney Walsh
8)Curtly Ambrose
9)Chaminda Vaas
10)Dennis Lillee

by Stella Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:19 am

Hoggy_Bear wrote:Must admit that Steyn is a decent shout.
Only McGrath has a lower average among fast bowlers who've taken 100+ wickets in the period Steyn has been playing, and, among such bowlers, only McGrath, Steyn and Asif average under 25, with the rest averaging 28+.
Steyn also has, by far, the best strike rate.

Yes, Steyn is a good shout and I wouldn't disagree to much with him being in anybody's top 10.

I nearly put waqar in due to his s/rate and his early career where he was awesome.

by Guest Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:20 am

stella what do you think of my list?

by Stella Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:24 am

cricketfan90 wrote:stella what do you think of my list?

Vaas is an odd choice but who am I to criticise.

by Mad for Chelsea Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:29 am

tough one to narrow down to ten, but I'll try anyway

McGrath
Marshall
Holding
Wasim Akram
Garner
Trueman
Barnes
Hadlee
Ambrose
Lindwall

honourable mentions: Donald, Lillee, Spofforth, Waqar Younis, Imran Khan, and too many others to go through here...

Actually Stella, having looked at yuor list it's the same with Lillee swapped out for Garner....

by Mad for Chelsea Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:30 am

cricketfan90 wrote:not in any order just numbering them anyway

1)Trueman
2)Dale Steyn
3)Wasim Akram
4)Glenn McGrath
5)Waqar Younis
6)Malcolm Marshall
7)Courtney Walsh
8)Curtly Ambrose
9)Chaminda Vaas
10)Dennis Lillee

wouldn't have Vaas in there. Great bowler, but top ten ahead of Lindwall, Holding, Hadlee? Can't see it...

by ShankyCricket Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:36 am

where would Jimmy rank?
in the top 30 maybe?

by Hoggy_Bear Thu Sep 15, 2011 11:21 am

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:where would Jimmy rank?
in the top 30 maybe?

Top 50 maybe.

by **LondonTiger** Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:36 pm

Based purely on the players I saw, decade specific shortlist:

70s
Lillee
Roberts
Holding
Garner
Willis

80s
Marshall
Botham
Van der Bijl
Imran
Hadlee
Kapil Dev

90s
Wasim
Waqar
Donald
Ambrose
Walsh

00s
McGrath
Steyn

And my top 10 in order from best:

Garner
Marshall
Lillee
Holding
Wasim
Hadlee
McGrath
Donald
Willis
Waqar

Note: Pretty sure that once his career is over, Steyn will have made this list.

by Stella Thu Sep 15, 2011 2:17 pm

London
I'm surprised you have Garner top.
Awesome bowler though.

by Liam_Main Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:55 pm

In no particular order

Marshall
McGrath
Steyn
Wasim
Barnes
Holding
Hadlee
Donald
Garner
Trueman

by Guest Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:26 am

im suprised donald is in there mate

by Leff Mon Sep 19, 2011 2:10 pm

I see what's coming up..
top ten spinners, top ten captains, top ten tail-enders, top ten medium-pacers, top ten defense players, top ten 12th men, top ten nightwatchmen...

by Stella Mon Sep 19, 2011 2:11 pm

Leff wrote:I see what's coming up..
top ten spinners, top ten captains, top ten tail-enders, top ten medium-pacers, top ten defense players, top ten 12th men, top ten nightwatchmen...

Great idea, Leff Smile

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 4:59 pm

Leff wrote:I see what's coming up..
top ten spinners, top ten captains, top ten tail-enders, top ten medium-pacers, top ten defense players, top ten 12th men, top ten nightwatchmen...

How could you miss top 10 haircuts! Malinga for no.1

by guildfordbat Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:40 pm

Liam_Main wrote:How could you miss top 10 haircuts! Malinga for no.1

Another contender here would be Australian test cricketer Colin Miller. He was better known for regularly changing the colour of his hair than his bowling. In a test match against the West Indies in 2001, Courtney Walsh had to take time to compose himself and stop laughing when he saw Taylor's dyed blue hair! Very Happy

by GG Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:51 pm

cricketfan90 wrote:not in any order just numbering them anyway

1)Trueman
2)Dale Steyn
3)Wasim Akram
4)Glenn McGrath
5)Waqar Younis
6)Malcolm Marshall
7)Courtney Walsh
8)Curtly Ambrose
9)Chaminda Vaas
10)Dennis Lillee

Haven't really seen footage of many old fast bowlers but my ten in no particular order would be:

Malcolm Marshall
Michael Holding
Joel Garner
Curtly Ambrose
Glenn McGrath
Dennis Lillee
Wasim Akram
Imran Khan
Allan Donald
Fred Trueman

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:56 pm

guildfordbat wrote:
Liam_Main wrote:How could you miss top 10 haircuts! Malinga for no.1

Another contender here would be Australian test cricketer Colin Miller. He was better known for regularly changing the colour of his hair than his bowling. In a test match against the West Indies in 2001, Courtney Walsh had to take time to compose himself and stop laughing when he saw Taylor's dyed blue hair!

Yeah i've seen a video of that! laughing

Certainly would be up there.

by **HumanWindmill** Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:21 pm

You lads and lasses will need to bear with me, I fear, since the extent of my knowledge of cricket is limited to having played quite a bit at school, and that was the best part of forty years ago.

Anyway, as somebody who aspired to be a fast bowler I was always fascinated by the ability of Lillee's partner, Bob Massie, to swing a ball on a humid day.

Not suggesting he's a top ten pick, but an honourable mention, perhaps ?

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:37 pm

Nice to see you posting on here Windy.

Massie only played a few test matches which is a shame because he was a brilliant bowler. Not the ruthlessness and pace of Lilee but his swing and control could put any batsman worrying.

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:38 pm

Certainly could be something like the case of Graeme Pollock.

by **HumanWindmill** Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:40 pm

Thank you, Liam.

I'm afraid that what I know about cricket could be written on the end of a cricket bat handle, so I just wanted to see how you experts rated Massie.

Remember Pollack very well. Bowled off the wrong foot, didn't he ?

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:42 pm

HumanWindmill wrote:Thank you, Liam.

I'm afraid that what I know about cricket could be written on the end of a cricket bat handle, so I just wanted to see how you experts rated Massie.

Remember Pollack very well. Bowled off the wrong foot, didn't he ?

Pollock was a batter mate, your thinking of Mike Procter who bowled off the wrong foot.

by **HumanWindmill** Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:46 pm

That's the one, Liam.

Ah well, this was an interesting thread, but I dare say that before I make myself look an even bigger idiot I'll skulk off back to the boxing board where I actually know what I'm talking about.

Have a good evening, folks.

by **Fists of Fury** Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:46 pm

Jesus, Windy makes his cricketing board debut at the ripe old age of 104. Go easy on him, fellas, he once got WG Grace out LBW.

by **HumanWindmill** Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:50 pm

Not quite, Fists.

The appeal was turned down.

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:51 pm

Easily mixed up Windy. You too mate.

Umpires in them days, hey!

by **Fists of Fury** Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:52 pm

Shame, you could have been someone.

Anyway, my last 2 comments have involved a put down to you, so I'll scuttle off back under my rock now and find something to be constructive about Wink

In all seriousness, it'd be good to see you post here more often if you have even a remote interest in cricket.

by **HumanWindmill** Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:53 pm

Too right, Liam.

Now I really am off. Thanks for going easy on me, lads and lasses. What a nice bunch you are to treat an old halfwit so well.

Have a great evening, one and all.

by **HumanWindmill** Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:54 pm

Fists of Fury wrote:Shame, you could have been someone.

Anyway, my last 2 comments have involved a put down to you, so I'll scuttle off back under my rock now and find something to be constructive about

In all seriousness, it'd be good to see you post here more often if you have even a remote interest in cricket.

Why thank you, Fists.

I owe you two. Watch your back.

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:55 pm

You mean compared to the boxing section Windy? Wink

by Guest Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:05 pm

McGrath surely has to be the best of the lot.

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:06 pm

McGrath or Barnes/Marshall

by Leff Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:51 pm

Marshall
Holding
Ambrose
Roberts
Walsh
Garner
Bishop
Croft
Hall
Gilchrist

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:58 pm

Roy Gilchrist and Colin Croft?

by Guest Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:58 pm

relle leff??

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:59 pm

Roy and Colin were very respectable bowlers but not world class by any means.

by Leff Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:00 pm

Maybe I should have picked Sylvester Clarke instead of Croft so we could have two mean mean fellas (Gilchrist being the other) throwing beamers. laughing

by Leff Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:04 pm

So, I see that my ten had something in common.

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:05 pm

Is that in order btw Jeff?

by Guest Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:08 pm

by Liam_Main Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:08 pm

Shocked?

by Leff Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:14 pm

IMO, among the great WI bowlers of the golden era (76-92), Marshall, Holding and Ambrose were the best, and with different styles. Garner was also quite different in that it was hard to score runs. Roberts bowled lethal bouncers. Bishop was lively too.

OK now, if we also consider the ones outside the Caribbean, this is my top ten:

Marshall
Holding
Ambrose
Lindwall
Lillee
Trueman
Barnes
Akram
Hadlee
Procter/Steyn

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