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Shaun Pollock vs James Anderson - Who is a better Test bowler?
- Thread starter Majestic
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AamirWarraich
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Pollock
The_Odd_One
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Pollock is an ATG
pakistanigoneaussie
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this is an insult to Pollock
Ab Fan
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Close one. Will go with Pollock.
Ab Fan
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Ab Fan
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Some Stats:-
Pollock has 16 5-fers in 108 tests. 15%
Donald has 20 5-fers in 72 tests. 27%
Anderson has 25 5-fers in 134 tests. 19%
Ntini has 18 5-fers in 101 tests.18%
Pollock was great support bowler to Donald and Ntini later.
Pollock has 16 5-fers in 108 tests. 15%
Donald has 20 5-fers in 72 tests. 27%
Anderson has 25 5-fers in 134 tests. 19%
Ntini has 18 5-fers in 101 tests.18%
Pollock was great support bowler to Donald and Ntini later.
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Bilal7
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Haven't seen much of Pollock so Anderson for me.
Ab Fan
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Pollock was great till 2001 though.
14 5-fers in first 56 tests.
2 5-fers only in next 48 tests though.
Buffet
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Pollock was not a gun test bowler in his second half, but just to put it in perspective,
Career avg: Pollock - 23 , Anderson - 27
their respective Homes avg : Pollock - 21 , Anderson - 24
Away avg : Pollock - 25 , Anderson - 34
If nothing else, bold part should be enough to stop comparing these two bowlers.
Anderson averages 35+ in Aus, SA, NZ and SL.
Pollock doesn't average 35+ in any venue and averages below 30 against everyone except Aus.
If you need more convincing then,
Career avg: Pollock - 23 , Anderson - 27
their respective Homes avg : Pollock - 21 , Anderson - 24
Away avg : Pollock - 25 , Anderson - 34
If nothing else, bold part should be enough to stop comparing these two bowlers.
Anderson averages 35+ in Aus, SA, NZ and SL.
Pollock doesn't average 35+ in any venue and averages below 30 against everyone except Aus.
If you need more convincing then,
Sorry Pollock was a brilliant bowler. Averaged 23 with the ball and 32 with the bat in tests. Had fantastic records in all countries. Only country he averaged over 30 was in Australia:
Averaged 27 in India, 22.5 in Pakistan, 25 in SL, 25 in England and 23 in NZ. No way he is comparable to Anderson.
Anderson on the other hand averages 30+ in 5 of the 8 countries he has played in. Averaged 35+in 4 of them. Please tell me how he is even remotely close to what Pollock did as a bowler? Poor comparison. Pollock was a very good All-rounder and a top class bowler, Anderson is one rung below him in tests. No comparison in ODI's as well as Pollock was legendary in that format as well. Overall Anderson is nowhere close to Pollock in any format.
Averaged 27 in India, 22.5 in Pakistan, 25 in SL, 25 in England and 23 in NZ. No way he is comparable to Anderson.
Anderson on the other hand averages 30+ in 5 of the 8 countries he has played in. Averaged 35+in 4 of them. Please tell me how he is even remotely close to what Pollock did as a bowler? Poor comparison. Pollock was a very good All-rounder and a top class bowler, Anderson is one rung below him in tests. No comparison in ODI's as well as Pollock was legendary in that format as well. Overall Anderson is nowhere close to Pollock in any format.
Joseph Gomes
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Delete this thread. What an insult to the legendary ATG Shaun Pollock. Anderson isn't even worthy of being a waterboy to Pollocl
Ab Fan
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Really? Anderson just took a 5-fer in Adelaide last year only at this age after playing 134 tests. There is nothing insulting in this comparison. He needs to be respected for his longevity.
If Pollock is a 8.5/10 in tests, Anderson is a 8/10 too.
Pollock was a 9/10 in odis too but this is not an ODI thread.
Justcrazy
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On purely bowling basis , I think Anderson has the edge.
Sorry Anderson is nowhere 8 in comparison to Pollock's 8.5. If Pollock is 8.5, Anderson at best is 7. Even Ajith Agarkar has a fifer in Adelaide, Anil Kumble at the age of 35 picked up a fifer in Melbourne, that does not say anything. The point is as good as a bowler Anderson is, he is nowhere close to what Pollock was as a bowler. Shaun has almost flawless bowling record in all countries. Anderson on the other hand only has an average of under 30 in 3 countries (This includes England) and Averages 35+ in 4 countries. How does that make him 8? Yeah he has been brilliant for England especially at home and done better overseas recently but that does not make him equal to Pollock who in spite of having an ordinary last 4-5 years still managed to end up with an amazing record.
The_Odd_One
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I think a lot of people on this forum have either forgotten Pollock of the 90s or never watched him.
Pollock was a better version of McGrath back then.
Pollock was a better version of McGrath back then.
Joseph Gomes
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I will reiterate myself. Anderson is not good enough to be waterboy for Pollock. Pollock was statistically the second best bowler during the 90s in tests, which was arguably the best era for bowling. He has better stats in 90s than the likes of Waqar, Wasim, Mcgrath, Donald and Walsh. Only bowler with better stats than Pollock in 90s was Ambrose.
Now you know why this thread is an insult to Pollock?
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...0;spanval1=span;template=results;type=bowling
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Wow fantastic names in that list. Surprising to see Heath Streak in that list and also surprising how underrated he is overall as a cricketer.
jeeteshssaxena
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Pollock by a country mile.
Spectrum
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Are you kidding me???
You are comparing an Atg bowler with a home track bully who without help of clouds can't buy a single wicket..
Pollock is an atg bowler and allrounder but he is hugely underrated. That's why we are seeing silly threads like this.
Next time someone will comapare Wasim-Imran with Anderson..
You are comparing an Atg bowler with a home track bully who without help of clouds can't buy a single wicket..
Pollock is an atg bowler and allrounder but he is hugely underrated. That's why we are seeing silly threads like this.
Next time someone will comapare Wasim-Imran with Anderson..
Robert
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Pollock because he travelled better.
Helped to have Donald at the other end, mind.
Helped to have Donald at the other end, mind.
Mamoon
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Anderson is a much better bowler than what his stats suggest. He is better than almost every Test bowler of the last 30 years who had a 27-28 average.
However, Pollock is quite underrated on this forum. Overall, purely in terms of bowling, it is too close for me to call.
However, Pollock is quite underrated on this forum. Overall, purely in terms of bowling, it is too close for me to call.
Ab Fan
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Agarkar had a 5-fer at peak of his career which was a fluke one. Anderson has really transformed into a gun bowler in last 5 years. His longevity deserves to be highly respected. As much as 523 wickets with 25 5-fers at an avg of 27 is definitely comparable to Pollock's 420 wickets with only 16 5-fer at an avg of 23.
Yes, Pollock was a gun bowler till 2001 but since then his stats flatter himself.
Between 2002-2007, he took only two 5-fer in next 48 tests. He was a support bowler to Donald and even Ntini in latter part. Lacked the stomach to win the game on his own when mattered.
For someone hailed as ATG in tests, 16 5-fers are way too low over a 108 test career.
Much inferior bowlers have got more 5-fers than him.
Ntini, his own teammate has 18 5-fers in 101 tests.
To those comparing him to McGrath, McGrath has 29 5-fers in his test career.
Donald had 20 5-fers in 72 tests.
Pollock, clearly has his stats flatter himself. Great bowler but not bonafide ATG IMO.
Hasan123
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Pollock easily.
CricCrazyNick
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Polly...
ahmedwaqas92
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Pollock is an ATG, this is a very noob comparison.
WhenSultansBowled
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Shaun Pollock.
But to compare we must consider Anderson's later career.
Jimmy struggled massively in the first half of his career.
But to compare we must consider Anderson's later career.
Jimmy struggled massively in the first half of his career.
Madplayer
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Shaun Pollock declined in the later years but not so much that Anderson would be better than him.
I will take Pollock hands down. Even in ODIs he was better.
I will take Pollock hands down. Even in ODIs he was better.
barah_admi
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Anderson purely as a bowler but Pollock would get into more world elevens for me due to his batting.
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