Rank these greatest fast bowlers of 90s in ODI format

[Ab Fan]

The format is ODIs. Rank the following cricketers.

1: Wasim Akram
2: Curtly Ambrose
3: Waqar Younis
4: Allan Donald
5: Glenn McGrath
6: Shaun Pollock

 

[AZulfi]

At their peaks

Waqar Younis. Very destructive. He has 13 x 5w hauls in Odis, the most by any bowler despite playing fewer games than Akram and Murali.
Curtly Ambrose
Wasim Akram
Glenn Mc Garth
Shaun Pollock
Allan Donald

 

[DTrump]

1. Wasim Akram
2. Allan Donald
3. Glenn McGrath
4. Shaun Pollock

5. Waqar Younis (Too expensive)
6. Curtly Ambrose (Opposite end of the spectrum: Miserly but not a wicket taker).

 

[AZulfi]

At their peaks

Waqar Younis. Very destructive. He has 13 x 5w hauls in Odis, the most by any bowler despite playing fewer games than Akram and Murali.
Curtly Ambrose
Wasim Akram
Glenn Mc Garth
Shaun Pollock
Allan Donald

Not to mention at his peak most of his dismissals were either bowled or LBW because of his sheer pace and sharp swinging deliveries.

He was expensive towards the latter part of his career (96 onwards) when he lost pace due to back stress fracture

 

[atreus]

I'll do both formats assuming you don't mind

Tests

Glenn McGrath
Curtly Ambrose
Wasim Akram
Allan Donald
Shaun Pollock
Waqar Younis

The top two were pretty clear, and the order was clear too, McGrath is the perfect version of Ambrose, a version who never faded like Ambrose did. Wasim vs Donald is exceptionally close in redball, Donald did better against top teams but played in some of the friendlist conditions possible, Wasim did better against the BEST team. Pollock was excellent and I think underrated. Waqar was an overrated redball bowler, he destroyed a weak New Zealand missing multiple of their first choice players, and he was destructive against poor batting units but even at his peak he couldn't dominate the great batting units, and after his peak he was a Caddick level bowler.

ODIs

Glenn McGrath
Wasim Akram
Shaun Pollock
Allan Donald
Curtly Ambrose
Waqar Younis

McGrath beats out Akram due to the sensational world cup record, though McGrath and Wasim distance themselves from others here. Pollock and Ambrose beat Donald and Younis because I really value economy in ODI and those two was sensational in that regard.

 

[Ab Fan]

Not to mention at his peak most of his dismissals were either bowled or LBW because of his sheer pace and sharp swinging deliveries.

He was expensive towards the latter part of his career (96 onwards) when he lost pace due to back stress fracture

 

[AZulfi]

And this was when Waqar was way past his peak (2001), relying mainly on swing

7/36 @ Leeds

 

[AZulfi]

Merv Kitchen was one of the worst English umpires.

 

[Ab Fan]

Not to mention at his peak most of his dismissals were either bowled or LBW because of his sheer pace and sharp swinging deliveries.

He was expensive towards the latter part of his career (96 onwards) when he lost pace due to back stress fracture

It is not clear enough to say that Waqar at its peak was better than rest in ODIs. For instance , both Ambrose and Waqar started around same time. Here are their stats till 1994. That’s when both ended their peak phase.


Waqar - 21.5 Avg, Econ 4.35
Ambrose - 21.5 Avg, Econ - 3.5

Wasim during same period - 21.87 avg, 3.8 Econ

McGrath, Donald and Pollock prime years started later.

 

[AZulfi]

It is not clear enough to say that Waqar at its peak was better than rest in ODIs. For instance , both Ambrose and Waqar started around same time. Here are their stats till 1994. That’s when both ended their peak phase.


Waqar - 21.5 Avg, Econ 4.35
Ambrose - 21.5 Avg, Econ - 3.5

Wasim during same period - 21.87 avg, 3.8 Econ

McGrath, Donald and Pollock prime years started later.

View attachment 158016

Not a fan of comparisons.

However, look at Waqar’s SR during his peak years. The lowest among the best, 29.7

 

[CricVet]

Not a fan of comparisons.

However, look at Waqar’s SR during his peak years. The lowest among the best, 29.7

I had the same argument with another poster here. People compare cricketers just to argue. I do understand that there is some distinction - as Marshall can't be compared with Mohammad Samis of this world despite having the same pace at their peak and having almost the same height. But, top bowlers and bats are always battling against different cricketing conditions even during the same game.

 

[Buffet]

The format is ODIs. Rank the following cricketers.

1: Wasim Akram
2: Curtly Ambrose
3: Waqar Younis
4: Allan Donald
5: Glenn McGrath
6: Shaun Pollock

McGrath
Wasim
Pollock
Donald
Ambrose
Waqar

 

[AZulfi]

I had the same argument with another poster here. People compare cricketers just to argue. I do understand that there is some distinction - as Marshall can't be compared with Mohammad Samis of this world despite having the same pace at their peak and having almost the same height. But, top bowlers and bats are always battling against different cricketing conditions even during the same game.

Agreed
Even for great bowlers, among other factors, their bowling performance will also be affected by other members of their own team.

For instance, your bowling partner (fast bowlers hunt in pairs) and whether or not you are part of a strong batting team. A big total on the board, and you suddenly become an even more lethal bowler.

Being part of a weak batting XI and a poor total on the board, there won't be the same amount of pressure on the opposing batsmen (no matter what the conditions) for you to exploit as a bowler most of the time.

 

[CricVet]

Agreed
Even for great bowlers, among other factors, their bowling performance will also be affected by other members of their own team.

For instance, your bowling partner (fast bowlers hunt in pairs) and whether or not you are part of a strong batting team. A big total on the board, and you suddenly become an even more lethal bowler.

Being part of a weak batting XI and a poor total on the board, there won't be the same amount of pressure on the opposing batsmen (no matter what the conditions) for you to exploit as a bowler most of the time.

That is the summary!