Cricket

Everyone as in? Those are the top names from 70 onwards, plenty of greats left from previous eras including the likes of Sydney Barnes, who was chosen by Richie Benaud as the greatest bowler of all time.

Those are the players I have actually watched, will leave it to you oldies to add the rest :D

Right about pollock, dunno how I forgot him.
You what?

He was a very good fast bowler, I was tempted to include akhtar as well
 
Pfft! Pfft, I say!

Very good one day bowler. Average test bowler.

Would put both Johnson and Gillespie ahead of him.

But if we are trying to determine the greatest fast bowler of all time we cant just exclude bowlers who excelled more in ODIs than tests though. It should be someone across both formats or one for each. Am not that sure about johnson, he hasnt been really hot for as long as the other guys.
 
Akthar is a fecking chucker. Got not time for him.

For me Wasim, Steyn and Mcgrath are the 3 best I've seen. Ambrose, Walsh, Waqar is the next tier.

Bond could have been in the discussion if not for his injuries.
 
But if we are trying to determine the greatest fast bowler of all time we cant just exclude bowlers who excelled more in ODIs than tests though. It should be someone across both formats or one for each. Am not that sure about johnson, he hasnt been really hot for as long as the other guys.
What about 20/20?

Umar Gul clearly needs to be included in the discussion for the greatest fast bowler of all time.
 
Brett Lee up at Trent Bridge in 2005 bowled one of the fastest spells I've ever seen, not an all-time great though IMO, too many injuries and was never really the main man of the attack. Obviously neither of these are his fault.
 
Pfft! Pfft, I say!

Very good one day bowler. Average test bowler.

Would put both Johnson and Gillespie ahead of him.


Averages 25 and a SR of 45 in tests. Not bad(in fact it's fantastic) considering he played in a batsmen's era. He ought have become a great bowler though. Can't think of another bowler who had his box office pull.

Greatest I've seen is between Marshall, Holding, Imran, Hadlee, Younis, Mcgrath, Ambrose and Akram.
 
Averages 25 and a SR of 45 in tests. Not bad(in fact it's fantastic) considering he played in a batsmen's era. He ought have become a great bowler though. Can't think of another bowler who had his box office pull.

Greatest I've seen is between Marshall, Holding, Imran, Hadlee, Younis, Mcgrath, Ambrose and Akram.
Brett Lee?
 
Shaun Pollock is a bigger miss than Brett Lee, in my opinion.
 
If it includes ODI's then the discussion is basically just McGrath vs Akram. Not so fun.
 
Akhtar. If it weren't for his lifestyle he would've been a great. Lee was a good bowler, nowt more.

http://m.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/42655.html

An average of 25 and SR of 45. That's up there with Marshall, Younis and Steyn.
I was only moaning about Lee.

Yeah, Akhtar was very good when he was fit. I was at a county game where he got four top order wickets in an over. Sadly, he immediately went off injured and didn't play any further part in the match.

Bloody good over though...
 
I was only moaning about Lee.

Yeah, Akhtar was very good when he was fit. I was at a county game where he got four top order wickets in an over. Sadly, he immediately went off injured and didn't play any further part in the match.

Bloody good over though...


Sorry fella. But yeah you're right about Lee though.
 
So, initial work done on bowlers. Considering 20 bowlers. I have gone by top 20 wickets wise with cutoff of 249 (as Holding has 249 wickets). I know likes of Barnes will be missed and this doesn't mean following 20 only are the best 20 but let's say for cutoff of 250 wickets, they are. Removed the likes of Broad, Zaheer, Vaas, Ntini who have 250+ wickets. One reason is, they are not in same category, second, their average etc is not so special which proves first reason. Ntini, well his numbers are better than Anderson, Avg-SR-Econ wise. I am still considering Anderson in top 20 but not Ntini, because no disrespect to Ntini, we know Anderson is more quality.

Following 20 considered:

McGrath
Walsh
Kapil Dev
Hadlee
Pollock
Akram
Anderson
Ambrose
Steyn
Botham
Marshall
Waqar
Imran
Lillee
Donald
Willis
Lee
Truman
Johnson
Holding

Stats of Mcgrath and Walsh show their own peak was not 24-29 :)

Will publish whole list with stats later.
 
The order is hurting my head. Let me arrange it chronologically according to their nations. And probably add a few who I think belong to the 'modern era'.

Australia:
Dennis Lillee
Jeff Thomson
Glen Mcgrath
Brett Lee
Mitchell Johnson

England:
John Snow
Ian Botham
Bob Willis
Darren Gough
Jimmy Anderson

India:
Kapil Dev

New Zealand:
Richard Hadlee

Pakistan:
Imran Khan
Wasim Akram
Waqar Younis

South Africa:
Shaun Pollock
Allan Donald
Dale Steyn

West Indies:
Andy Roberts
Michael Holding
Joel Garner
Malcolm Marshall
Curtly Ambrose
Courtney Walsh

No one makes it from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, sorry. A couple of world class talents like Bond and Bishop miss out due to lack of longevity.

Do what you want now.
 
Last edited:
The order is hurting my head. Let me arrange it chronologically according to their nations. And probably add a few who I think belong to the 'modern era'.

Australia:
Dennis Lillee
Jeff Thomson
Glen Mcgrath
Brett Lee
Mitchell Johnson

England:
John Snow
Ian Botham
Bob Willis
Darren Gough
Jimmy Anderson

India:
Kapil Dev
Zaheer Khan

New Zealand:
Richard Hadlee

Pakistan:
Imran Khan
Wasim Akram
Waqar Younis

South Africa:
Shaun Pollock
Allan Donald
Dale Steyn

West Indies:
Andy Roberts
Michael Holding
Joel Garner
Malcolm Marshall
Curtly Ambrose
Courtney Walsh

No one makes it from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, sorry. A couple of world class talents like Bond and Bishop miss out due to lack of longevity.

Do what you want now.

How can you include zaheer khan and not akhtar, gillespie,vaas?
 
Because Zaheer at his peak was constantly getting the likes of Hayden and Graeme Smith, providing crucial breakthroughs both with the new and the old ball, and was an absolute key figure during the years that led to India reaching number 1.
Khan - 311 wickets at just under 33.
Vaas - 355 wickets at 29.5.
How can you include zaheer khan and not akhtar, gillespie,vaas?
a. See above.
b. Because it is about tests and Zaheer didn't take steroids. :)

I've edited him out. I don't even care about this bullshit exercise, but that list got my OCD. :)
 
Because Zaheer at his peak was constantly getting the likes of Hayden and Graeme Smith, providing crucial breakthroughs both with the new and the old ball, and was an absolute key figure during the years that led to India reaching number 1.
The Indian Mathew Hoggard, from the sounds of it. No bad thing...
 
Kapil Dev?? Zaheer? Christ. I actually think Srinanth is the best Indian seamer of all time. Dev was a good bowler and carried the Indian team for years but he wasn't anything special. His stats back that up as well. Besides he was no more than medium pace.
 
Because Zaheer at his peak was constantly getting the likes of Hayden and Graeme Smith, providing crucial breakthroughs both with the new and the old ball, and was an absolute key figure during the years that led to India reaching number 1.


a. See above.
b. Because it is about tests and Zaheer didn't take steroids. :)

I've edited him out. I don't even care about this bullshit exercise, but that list got my OCD. :)

Vaas took steroids? :O :p
 
I'll do a proper list.

Windies.

MARSHALL!
Holding
Garner
Roberts
Ambrose
Croft
Walsh (longevity...)

England

Larwood
Statham
Snow
Trueman
Willis
Botham
Anderson
(Frank Tyson didn't play enough...)

Australia

Lindwall
Lillee
McGrath
Davidson
Johnson (not sure..)
(no Thomson, he wasn't that great...) surely there are more Aussies. Lee? No chance.

Pakistan

Imran
Akram
Younis
Mahmood
Akhtar
(I'd have Asif in there too...)

Sri Lanka

Vaas


New Zealand

Hadlee

India

Srinath
Kapil

Zimbabwe

Eddo Brandes
 
Last edited:
Kapil Dev?? Zaheer? Christ. I actually think Srinanth is the best Indian seamer of all time. Dev was a good bowler and carried the Indian team for years but he wasn't anything special. His stats back that up as well. Besides he was no more than medium pace.
He wasn't anything special if only bowling is considered. Neither was srinath. Problem with Indian quicks is since 99 percent are a pile of shit the rare decent one starts looking better than he Is. I did put a couple of generous entries like zaheer and gough for the sake of discussion. They won't be starting for the Windies third team.
 
He wasn't anything special if only bowling is considered. Neither was srinath. Problem with Indian quicks is since 99 percent are a pile of shit the rare decent one starts looking better than he Is. I did put a couple of generous entries like zaheer and gough for the sake of discussion. They won't be starting for the Windies third team.


What's it with India and a lack of truly outstanding seam / bowlers? You just want to bat...
 
I'll do a proper list.

Windies.

Holding
Garner
Roberts
Ambrose
Croft
Walsh (longevity...)

England

Larwood
Statham
Snow
Trueman
Willis
Botham
Anderson
(Frank Tyson didn't play enough...)

Australia

Lindwall
Lillee
McGrath
Davidson
Johnson (not sure..)
(no Thomson, he wasn't that great...) surely there are more Aussies. Lee? No chance.

Pakistan

Imran
Akram
Younis
Mahmood
Akhtar
(I'd have Asif in there too...)

Sri Lanka

Vaas


New Zealand

Hadlee

India

Srinath
Kapil

Zimbabwe

Eddo Brandes
Err if you are going as far as larwood then you've missed shit loads of names. And surprised you mention Davidson and not miller? Miller shits on most names there.