5 most intelligent fast or fast-medium bowlers of all time?

[Harsh Thakor]

Here I am asessing the most intelligent genuinely fast or fast -medium pace bowlers in order of merit.I am not assessing overall skill ,talent or statistics but just their ability to out think opponents by mastering their weakness and devising strategy accordingly.



1.Ian Botham- In a single over he would bowl five good balls but it was the bad delivery that dismissed a batsman.I can't forget his dismissals of Sunil Gavaskar in 1979 and Viv Richards in 1980 when he was master in changing pace and in deceiving batsmen.


2.Glen Mcgrath-In the manner of a computer he could study the traits of batsmen and a wicket and do just what the doctor ordered.He would blend pace,bounce,movement and length in perfect proportion.


3.Malcolm Marshall-Even his pace was frightening his trump card was his ability to disguise his movement ,pace and bounce.Even on falt pancake he could make a batsman hop.


4.Courtney Walsh-Even though a metronome and not as talented as partner Ambrose was more effective on unhelpful tracks with his mastery in angling deliveries and in changing pace.Exhibited it in India and Pakistan.


5.Kapil Dev-Knew exactly what line and length to bowl to a given batsman in given conditions and how to outmanouver a batsman with late outswing or change in pace.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Please come here @ Junaids [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=139595]Ab Fan[/MENTION] Appreciate contribution [MENTION=65183]freelance_cricketer[/MENTION]

 

[Robert]

Lillee
Hadlee
Marshall
Imran
McGrath

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Lillee
Hadlee
Marshall
Imran
McGrath

Great choices.Appreciate. But no Ian Botham?Remember his scalps in peak era of batsmen like Viv and Gavaskar?What about Walsh or Wasim Akram or Andy Roberts?

 

[finalfantasy7]

Here I am asessing the most intelligent genuinely fast or fast -medium pace bowlers in order of merit.I am not assessing overall skill ,talent or statistics but just their ability to out think opponents by mastering their weakness and devising strategy accordingly.



1.Ian Botham- In a single over he would bowl five good balls but it was the bad delivery that dismissed a batsman.I can't forget his dismissals of Sunil Gavaskar in 1979 and Viv Richards in 1980 when he was master in changing pace and in deceiving batsmen.


2.Glen Mcgrath-In the manner of a computer he could study the traits of batsmen and a wicket and do just what the doctor ordered.He would blend pace,bounce,movement and length in perfect proportion.


3.Malcolm Marshall-Even his pace was frightening his trump card was his ability to disguise his movement ,pace and bounce.Even on falt pancake he could make a batsman hop.


4.Courtney Walsh-Even though a metronome and not as talented as partner Ambrose was more effective on unhelpful tracks with his mastery in angling deliveries and in changing pace.Exhibited it in India and Pakistan.


5.Kapil Dev-Knew exactly what line and length to bowl to a given batsman in given conditions and how to outmanouver a batsman with late outswing or change in pace.

wow botham on number 1, he wont be their on my list along with mr dev.

Mcgrath is no.1 for me and i believe you missed out Wasim Akram, Malcolm Marshall, Dennis lillee Mohammad Asif, Shaun Pollock, Philander, James Anderson

 

[arif_2021]

Mohammad Asif in recent era - he was basically playing with the batsmen

Wasim Akram as well

Pure intelligence is hard to establish vs luck - bowlers often get lucky also.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Don't know what sort of bowlers you're asking about. Like a lot of people will consider Wasim and Marshall as fast bowlers rather than fast medium. Apart from a handful of out and out quickies like Shoaib, Lee, Thompson, Holding etc all can be considered fast medium.

Should include what sort of bowlers we can't count in here. Like if you're asking for bowlers who would bowl in 130s. or high 120s.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Asif
Asif
Asif
Asif
Shami

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Mohammad Asif in recent era - he was basically playing with the batsmen

Wasim Akram as well

Pure intelligence is hard to establish vs luck - bowlers often get lucky also.

Asif, in Tests, yes. LOIs, no.

Asif was only threatening in ODIs during his first spell. He would be canon fodder in the last 15 overs. Earlier in his career 2006-07, Inzi had started to use all his 10 overs in his opening spell cause he would be no threat with the oldish white ball. The only ODI where he did well in the last 20 overs was that CT 09 game against Australia.

 

[arif_2021]

Ok great, thank you for the feedback.

The above list of bowlers are being spoken about in context of tests. Botham, Lillee are not ODI players.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Don't know what sort of bowlers you're asking about. Like a lot of people will consider Wasim and Marshall as fast bowlers rather than fast medium. Apart from a handful of out and out quickies like Shoaib, Lee, Thompson, Holding etc all can be considered fast medium.

Should include what sort of bowlers we can't count in here. Like if you're asking for bowlers who would bowl in 130s. or high 120s.

Fast medium ,fast and express pace bowlers.In later periods Andy Roberts,Imran,Wasim and Marshall bowled fast -medium but were still as or even more potent.In their peak there were almost as quick as anybody.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Mohammad Asif in recent era - he was basically playing with the batsmen

Wasim Akram as well

Pure intelligence is hard to establish vs luck - bowlers often get lucky also.

Great choice.Asif Almost made it.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

wow botham on number 1, he wont be their on my list along with mr dev.

Mcgrath is no.1 for me and i believe you missed out Wasim Akram, Malcolm Marshall, Dennis lillee Mohammad Asif, Shaun Pollock, Philander, James Anderson

I included Marshal.Do check.Mohammad Asif could well be there.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Mohammad Asif in recent era - he was basically playing with the batsmen

Wasim Akram as well

Pure intelligence is hard to establish vs luck - bowlers often get lucky also.

Andy Roberts a contender here?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Ok great, thank you for the feedback.

The above list of bowlers are being spoken about in context of tests. Botham, Lillee are not ODI players.

Any consideration of Walsh here?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Mohammad Asif

 

[finalfantasy7]

I included Marshal.Do check.Mohammad Asif could well be there.

yes u have him - my bad, can i ask you how come no hadlee?

 

[MesonK]

Joel
Mcgrath
Wasim
Asif
Pollock

 

[shamaan]

Asif definitely should be in the top 5

 

[Robert]

Great choices.Appreciate. But no Ian Botham?Remember his scalps in peak era of batsmen like Viv and Gavaskar?What about Walsh or Wasim Akram or Andy Roberts?

I think Botham conned some batters out with his personality. To begin with he had prodigious swing both ways and his bouncer was quicker than it looked. But later on after injuries wore him down he looked innocuous - but still surprised batters with a lifter off a length.

Wasim we know all about. He had all the deliveries but also that whippy action where he ran through his delivery. He would pop out from behind the ump at the last minute and that action meant batters couldn’t get much of a look at the ball.

Roberts was clever in that he had the fast bouncer and then the *really* fast bouncer which hit the batter. But I still think Maco was smarter, setting batters up like a spinner, but at 90 mph

 

[Robert]

Ok great, thank you for the feedback.

The above list of bowlers are being spoken about in context of tests. Botham, Lillee are not ODI players.

Lillee had a fantastic record in the few ODIs he played. But there weren’t many played in his day. He played in three World Cups including one final.

 

[Extra_Cover]

I would have had Asif very high on this list had he played even 50-60 tests but alas here we are. In the recent past era the real wise bowlers were McGrath, Pollock, Vaas and Walsh. The past era was dominated more by talented bowlers rather than smart bowlers. The current era is opposite we now have bowlers with pretty limited skills but super smart in setting up a batsman.

 

[Barragan]

Honorable mention for Nathan Bracken.

Maybe not Test standard, but he was fantastic in ODI's for Aus and was the no. 1 ranked bowler as well with his slower balls and medium pace.

 

[Ab Fan]

Australia - McGrath
South Africa - Pollock
Windies - Marshall
Pakistan - Wasim/Asif
England - Anderson
New Zealand - Hadlee
India - Zaheer Khan

Zaheer was a very smart bowler, at his peak he was brilliant even though he had lost his pace but intelligent.

Anyways, I think no cricketer can become an ATG if he is not intelligent enough to out think opponent bats regardless of the skills and ability. So, the top tier ATGs are most likely be making these lists more often.

 

[JaDed]

Wasim, Mcgrath, Ryan Harris, Zaheer, Vaas (just the ones I watched Live).

 

[Harsh Thakor]

I think Botham conned some batters out with his personality. To begin with he had prodigious swing both ways and his bouncer was quicker than it looked. But later on after injuries wore him down he looked innocuous - but still surprised batters with a lifter off a length.

Wasim we know all about. He had all the deliveries but also that whippy action where he ran through his delivery. He would pop out from behind the ump at the last minute and that action meant batters couldn’t get much of a look at the ball.

Roberts was clever in that he had the fast bouncer and then the *really* fast bouncer which hit the batter. But I still think Maco was smarter, setting batters up like a spinner, but at 90 mph

Very well analysed.What about Walsh or Holding ?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Australia - McGrath
South Africa - Pollock
Windies - Marshall
Pakistan - Wasim/Asif
England - Anderson
New Zealand - Hadlee
India - Zaheer Khan

Zaheer was a very smart bowler, at his peak he was brilliant even though he had lost his pace but intelligent.

Anyways, I think no cricketer can become an ATG if he is not intelligent enough to out think opponent bats regardless of the skills and ability. So, the top tier ATGs are most likely be making these lists more often.

Good selection.Walsh ,Kapil Dev and Botham up there?

 

[sweep_shot]

Wasim Akram
Mohammad Asif
Glenn McGrath
Dale Steyn
Shaun Pollock.