Harsh Thakor
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This is my list of 25 greatest pace bowlers in test cricket.ranked in order of merit.Not only statistically rated but on class overall,opposition played against and skill.Not inclusive of ODI cricket or T-20's.
Malcolm Marshall
Sydney Barnes
Dennis Lillee
Richard Hadlee
Wasim Akram
Glen Mcgrath
Imran Khan
Curtly Ambrose
Dale Steyn
Ray Lindwall
Fred Spofforth
Alan Donald
Waqar Younus
Fred Trueman
George Lohmann
Andy Roberts
Michael Holding
Joel Garner
Alan Davidson
Alec Bedser
Harold Larwood
Courtney Walsh
Jeff Thomson
Shaun Pollock
Kapil Dev
Marshall on top combining sheer all-round skill with incredible strike rate and average.Above all stood out amongst the greatest of pacemen.Placed above Lillee because of mastery in sub-continent.No right arm fast bowler posessed more creative genius as Marshall or used the crease better.Disguised the ball swinging in and out more than any right hand bowler and skidded the ball with mastery unequalled.
Sydney Barnes in terms of figures is simply supreme,head and shoulder s above everyone averaging 16.49 and capturing 7 wickets per test.Very complex where to fit him in but he was said to produce unplayable seam movement from outside offstump or outside leg.
Lillee was the ultimate epitome of self-determination and agression.Classically more complete than Marshal,with better stats adding unofficial cricket.Nonone bowled beter against great batting sides like West Indies.Lille outperformed Hadlee on batting tracks like at the Oval in 1981 and Melbourne in 1979-80 as well against great West Indies batting line ups.
Hadlee bore the brunt of one of the weakest attacks,singlehandely and still won important matches and captured 330 wickets in peak era.Stats wise on top if you see 10 and 5 wicket hauls and average in games won.The best paceman on a green top.Placed above Mcgrath because of spearheading such a weak attack and more classical,posseing greater speed and movement.Wasim was better on flat strips but lacked Hadlee's accuracy and control.
Wasim was the ultimate magician of pace bowlers who took bowling wizard to regions unexplored.No paceman was more complete ,swung a cricket ball more or was more versatile.A champion on flat sub-continent tracks.Slightly under performed if you asess his best figures and average .However remember he bowled with Waqar Younus and suffered from diabetes.Very successful against West Indies which is notable.Also took 2 test hat -tricks.In peak era from 1990-89 beter than any pace bowler,including Waqar,Donald and Ambrose.Unfortunately let a lot down by the fielding side.Imran was statistically better but morally not as lethal or penetrative in terms of consistency.
Mcgrath was the most calculating and intelligent pacemen of all with control equal to Hadlee but craftier.Won staggering 84 tests as a pace bowler with a record haul of 563 scalps.More lethal than the fastest of bowlers with his strategy.Rated below Wasim as he had much more support from the fielding and batting side and not as skilled or crafty.
Imran was the pioneer of reverse swing and stats wise in peak arguably the best of all.In terms of speed close to Jeff Thomson and a master in obtaining movement of flat sub-continent pitches.Took 7 or more wickets 5 times and performed better than anyone against the best team of his day,West Indies.What he lacked in pure talent he compensated by sheer hard work.Arguably lost out due to stress fracture for some years. in mid eighties .Ranked belwo Wasim as he became a great fast bowler relatively late from age of 25 and was at his best for a shorter tenure.His bowling shaped more important test wins than Wasim but he had relatively more support.
Ambrose was the most accurate of all pacemen and the greatest ever on bad or broken wickets.None was more lethal in a4th innings chase.No pace bowler arguably bowled more great or match-winning spells.However did not sufficiently prove himself on docile tracks on the sub-continent and not as crafty with the old ball like Wasim or Imran.More explosive or volatile than any one but marginally Hadlee and Mcgrath wee overall more clinical.
Dale Steyn was very similar to Malcolm Marshall and outstanding on flat Indian wickets.A master in moving the ball out and in skidding a ball.Outstanding figures but overall marginally less complete than likes of Wasim Lillee or Marshall .
Lindwall was like a Lillee or Marshall of his day with an even better out swinger,marginally more pace and control and mastery in skidding the ball.For his era his strike rate was outstanding and average of 23.Bowled against some of the strongest batting line ups like England and South Africa or even West Indies.
Fred Spofforth was the first legendary test match bowler who was lethal with his initial tearaway pace trajectory but later developed subtle craft and changes of pace.Posessed 3 kinds of swerve which were lethal.One of the most defining legends of Ashes cricket.Took around 5 wickets per test averaging only 18.41 which was remarkable.I nevers aw him and he played in a totally different era so depended on analysis of cricketing experts for ranking.
Donald had a remarkable strike rate and average with versatility almost in the Wasim Akram class and pace on par with Waqar Younus.
Waqar Younus posessed the best swinging yorker of all and was faster than partner Wasim.Had an incredible strike rate of around 43 but overhsadowed by partner Wasim against the best teams of his day.Statistically at one time the equal of a Lillee.
Trueman had stats at the level of Lillee or Hadlee with great ability to swing the ball out.Rated low because did not prove himself in unhelpful conditions.
George Lohman averaged around 10.7 with the ball capturing 112 scalps in 18 test matches which is simply extarordinary.Bowled at pure medium pace nether fast or slow.Posessed a a big great back from outside offstump,a fast ball from leg and a most lethal straight,good length one.Intelligent similar to Ian Botham.Very complex to rank as he played in acompletely different era but have to respect his phenomenal figures.Since I did not see him relied on ranking analysis of Cristopher Martin Jenkins and John Woodcock who rated him below the greatest pacemen like Lillee,Hadlee or Barnes or even Lindwall.etc.Statistically perhaps amongst the 3-4 best of all.
Andy Roberts was as verstaile as Lillee and a master with the old ball but did not have a yorker.For a great part of his career had a strike rate under 50 and average around 23 .Lillee rated him the most complete paceman of his era as well as Sunil Gavaskar.
Michael Holding posessed more consistent speed through the air than any paceman and the most perfect bowling action of all.Has to his credit the best over ever and best test match bowling spell of all time.Arguably amongst the best 6 pacemen ever with a new ball.
Joel Garner was accuracy personified with the best yorker of all.No paceman was ever as economical and only Ambrose was as relentless.Arguably the best pace bowler in the world from 1980-82.
Alan Davidson average 20.53 which is incredible and statistically better than Marshall,Mcgrath or Hadlee or Wasim.More lethal than any paceman of his time .
Alec Bedser's figures spoke for itself be it average or strike rate and medium pacer was as lethal till Mcgrath arrived.
Harold Larwood took speed in pace bowling to a height never reached,troubling Bradman more than anyone.For his time the equivalent of a THomson or Holding.
Walsh was the ultimate bowling metronome and one of the best ever on flat ,subcontinent tracks.No Carribean paceman equalled his great stamina or longevity as Walsh who had 519 scalps.In certain conditions more lethal than partner Ambrose.
Jeff Thomson was simply the fastest of all who could create a blitzkreig more than anyone ,exploding a ball from a good length.No paceman struck more tremors in the enemy camp.
Shaun Pollock could be harder to face than Donald with his use of the crease and sideways movement..Incredible average of 23.03 considering he took over 400 scalps.
Kapil Dev bowled like a lion on the flat sub-continent pancakes single-handedly bearing the brunt of the Indian bowling attack.Took 7 or more wickets 5 times ,including a 9 and 8 wicket haul in an innings.Hda he been an Englsihman or Australian may have been almost the equal of aHadlee or Mcgrath.
Malcolm Marshall
Sydney Barnes
Dennis Lillee
Richard Hadlee
Wasim Akram
Glen Mcgrath
Imran Khan
Curtly Ambrose
Dale Steyn
Ray Lindwall
Fred Spofforth
Alan Donald
Waqar Younus
Fred Trueman
George Lohmann
Andy Roberts
Michael Holding
Joel Garner
Alan Davidson
Alec Bedser
Harold Larwood
Courtney Walsh
Jeff Thomson
Shaun Pollock
Kapil Dev
Marshall on top combining sheer all-round skill with incredible strike rate and average.Above all stood out amongst the greatest of pacemen.Placed above Lillee because of mastery in sub-continent.No right arm fast bowler posessed more creative genius as Marshall or used the crease better.Disguised the ball swinging in and out more than any right hand bowler and skidded the ball with mastery unequalled.
Sydney Barnes in terms of figures is simply supreme,head and shoulder s above everyone averaging 16.49 and capturing 7 wickets per test.Very complex where to fit him in but he was said to produce unplayable seam movement from outside offstump or outside leg.
Lillee was the ultimate epitome of self-determination and agression.Classically more complete than Marshal,with better stats adding unofficial cricket.Nonone bowled beter against great batting sides like West Indies.Lille outperformed Hadlee on batting tracks like at the Oval in 1981 and Melbourne in 1979-80 as well against great West Indies batting line ups.
Hadlee bore the brunt of one of the weakest attacks,singlehandely and still won important matches and captured 330 wickets in peak era.Stats wise on top if you see 10 and 5 wicket hauls and average in games won.The best paceman on a green top.Placed above Mcgrath because of spearheading such a weak attack and more classical,posseing greater speed and movement.Wasim was better on flat strips but lacked Hadlee's accuracy and control.
Wasim was the ultimate magician of pace bowlers who took bowling wizard to regions unexplored.No paceman was more complete ,swung a cricket ball more or was more versatile.A champion on flat sub-continent tracks.Slightly under performed if you asess his best figures and average .However remember he bowled with Waqar Younus and suffered from diabetes.Very successful against West Indies which is notable.Also took 2 test hat -tricks.In peak era from 1990-89 beter than any pace bowler,including Waqar,Donald and Ambrose.Unfortunately let a lot down by the fielding side.Imran was statistically better but morally not as lethal or penetrative in terms of consistency.
Mcgrath was the most calculating and intelligent pacemen of all with control equal to Hadlee but craftier.Won staggering 84 tests as a pace bowler with a record haul of 563 scalps.More lethal than the fastest of bowlers with his strategy.Rated below Wasim as he had much more support from the fielding and batting side and not as skilled or crafty.
Imran was the pioneer of reverse swing and stats wise in peak arguably the best of all.In terms of speed close to Jeff Thomson and a master in obtaining movement of flat sub-continent pitches.Took 7 or more wickets 5 times and performed better than anyone against the best team of his day,West Indies.What he lacked in pure talent he compensated by sheer hard work.Arguably lost out due to stress fracture for some years. in mid eighties .Ranked belwo Wasim as he became a great fast bowler relatively late from age of 25 and was at his best for a shorter tenure.His bowling shaped more important test wins than Wasim but he had relatively more support.
Ambrose was the most accurate of all pacemen and the greatest ever on bad or broken wickets.None was more lethal in a4th innings chase.No pace bowler arguably bowled more great or match-winning spells.However did not sufficiently prove himself on docile tracks on the sub-continent and not as crafty with the old ball like Wasim or Imran.More explosive or volatile than any one but marginally Hadlee and Mcgrath wee overall more clinical.
Dale Steyn was very similar to Malcolm Marshall and outstanding on flat Indian wickets.A master in moving the ball out and in skidding a ball.Outstanding figures but overall marginally less complete than likes of Wasim Lillee or Marshall .
Lindwall was like a Lillee or Marshall of his day with an even better out swinger,marginally more pace and control and mastery in skidding the ball.For his era his strike rate was outstanding and average of 23.Bowled against some of the strongest batting line ups like England and South Africa or even West Indies.
Fred Spofforth was the first legendary test match bowler who was lethal with his initial tearaway pace trajectory but later developed subtle craft and changes of pace.Posessed 3 kinds of swerve which were lethal.One of the most defining legends of Ashes cricket.Took around 5 wickets per test averaging only 18.41 which was remarkable.I nevers aw him and he played in a totally different era so depended on analysis of cricketing experts for ranking.
Donald had a remarkable strike rate and average with versatility almost in the Wasim Akram class and pace on par with Waqar Younus.
Waqar Younus posessed the best swinging yorker of all and was faster than partner Wasim.Had an incredible strike rate of around 43 but overhsadowed by partner Wasim against the best teams of his day.Statistically at one time the equal of a Lillee.
Trueman had stats at the level of Lillee or Hadlee with great ability to swing the ball out.Rated low because did not prove himself in unhelpful conditions.
George Lohman averaged around 10.7 with the ball capturing 112 scalps in 18 test matches which is simply extarordinary.Bowled at pure medium pace nether fast or slow.Posessed a a big great back from outside offstump,a fast ball from leg and a most lethal straight,good length one.Intelligent similar to Ian Botham.Very complex to rank as he played in acompletely different era but have to respect his phenomenal figures.Since I did not see him relied on ranking analysis of Cristopher Martin Jenkins and John Woodcock who rated him below the greatest pacemen like Lillee,Hadlee or Barnes or even Lindwall.etc.Statistically perhaps amongst the 3-4 best of all.
Andy Roberts was as verstaile as Lillee and a master with the old ball but did not have a yorker.For a great part of his career had a strike rate under 50 and average around 23 .Lillee rated him the most complete paceman of his era as well as Sunil Gavaskar.
Michael Holding posessed more consistent speed through the air than any paceman and the most perfect bowling action of all.Has to his credit the best over ever and best test match bowling spell of all time.Arguably amongst the best 6 pacemen ever with a new ball.
Joel Garner was accuracy personified with the best yorker of all.No paceman was ever as economical and only Ambrose was as relentless.Arguably the best pace bowler in the world from 1980-82.
Alan Davidson average 20.53 which is incredible and statistically better than Marshall,Mcgrath or Hadlee or Wasim.More lethal than any paceman of his time .
Alec Bedser's figures spoke for itself be it average or strike rate and medium pacer was as lethal till Mcgrath arrived.
Harold Larwood took speed in pace bowling to a height never reached,troubling Bradman more than anyone.For his time the equivalent of a THomson or Holding.
Walsh was the ultimate bowling metronome and one of the best ever on flat ,subcontinent tracks.No Carribean paceman equalled his great stamina or longevity as Walsh who had 519 scalps.In certain conditions more lethal than partner Ambrose.
Jeff Thomson was simply the fastest of all who could create a blitzkreig more than anyone ,exploding a ball from a good length.No paceman struck more tremors in the enemy camp.
Shaun Pollock could be harder to face than Donald with his use of the crease and sideways movement..Incredible average of 23.03 considering he took over 400 scalps.
Kapil Dev bowled like a lion on the flat sub-continent pancakes single-handedly bearing the brunt of the Indian bowling attack.Took 7 or more wickets 5 times ,including a 9 and 8 wicket haul in an innings.Hda he been an Englsihman or Australian may have been almost the equal of aHadlee or Mcgrath.
