"Shoaib Akhtar was consistently the fastest bowler I ever faced" : Michael Slater

[hadi123]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Michael Slater "Waqar Younis run-up was just the most incredible fast sprint, Shoaib Akhtar was consistently the fastest bowler I ever faced & I still shiver when I see Wasim Akram these days" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL2018</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/967097939100389378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[Savak]

Yawn, nothing new here. This is universal knowledge

 

[UP]

3 incredible fast bowlers who could rip apart any batting line up at will.

It really saddens me the trundlers we have produced after them.

 

[BreadPakoda]

The Eddie Smith list (not updated for some years though) claims Akhtar bowled the top 6 fastest deliveries in cricket and 8 of the top 10. The other 2 were bowled by Brett Lee.
Lucky to be able to witness his entire career.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Shoaib from 98-04 used to bowl 95 mph spells regularly in test cricket. No one else could manage that.

 

[HuzaifaE]

Shoaib from 98-04 used to bowl 95 mph spells regularly in test cricket. No one else could manage that.

That spell, I think in Karachi, vs NZ was the most outrageous display of fast bowling I've ever seen. Everyone watching knew he was gonna bowl yorkers but the batsmen couldn't do anything to stop him, ran through them, 95+ mph accurate and deviating yorkers on a dead deck.

 

[PakLFC]

He was also the most injury prone player I have ever seen. An incredibly immature and over grown baby during his playing days Shoaib was either caught hitting team mates or involved in some nightclub brawl. Could have been an all time great had he looked after his body and disciplined himself. He was fast for sure when at his best which was very rare indeed.

 

[King-Misbah]

He was also the most injury prone player I have ever seen. An incredibly immature and over grown baby during his playing days Shoaib was either caught hitting team mates or involved in some nightclub brawl. Could have been an all time great had he looked after his body and disciplined himself. He was fast for sure when at his best which was very rare indeed.

Very rare? He averages like 24 in Test and ODI cricket and was a strike bowler. He had some issues but performance was not one.

 

[Rightarmfast]

Shoaib from 98-04 used to bowl 95 mph spells regularly in test cricket. No one else could manage that.

As far as I remember, pre 2000 he was more 94-95. Post 2000-2003ish, he was bowling even above 95mph on a relatively consistent basis.

All these claims of bowlers bowling at 110 mph in the past are **. There never has been anyone faster than Shoaib.. And Lee for that matter.

 

[jnaveen1980]

It is not exactly a breaking news. Even as a fan i can say he along with the BRett Lee were the two that rarely sacrificed their pace for anything. They never compromised on it. Later on MJ did. But even occasionally would bowl slightly slowish balls.

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[Justcrazy]

He was never 100 % fit , if he was he would probably have hit 105 - 108 miles an hour.

 

[Hitman]

The incredible talent was always there. Injuries ruined one part of his career, the rest he self destructed. Hard to have any sympathy after his over all conduct throughout his career.

 

[leatherface58]

Very rare? He averages like 24 in Test and ODI cricket and was a strike bowler. He had some issues but performance was not one.

Indeed. He had severe discipline issues and injury woes but was very good every time he played because he was an intelligent bowler as hard to believe as that may sound.

 

[WengerOut]

My all time favorite bowler. Only bowler I would switch my TV on just to watch him bowl.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

As far as I remember, pre 2000 he was more 94-95. Post 2000-2003ish, he was bowling even above 95mph on a relatively consistent basis.

All these claims of bowlers bowling at 110 mph in the past are **. There never has been anyone faster than Shoaib.. And Lee for that matter.

True. But I think Chief is talking about his spell in South Africa where he took a fifer and his opening spell to Taylor (both in 98 without speedguns) which were extremely rapid. But yes even I remember the first real destructive spell he produced on a flat pitch was in the 2000 Sharjah cup match against SA. Absolutely tore their batting apart in one over.

 

[dhump]

Hardly a news really.

I have never seen someone bowling constantly fast for years like Shoaib and Brett Lee those days seeing 95 mph on the board was quite a norm.

 

[Pakistanian]

He was juicing so much that it ended up ruining his career.

 

[The Viper]

Michael Slater: Former Australia cricketer removed from flight

Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater has apologised after being removed from a flight for "disruptive" behaviour.

Slater said he had been arguing with two friends on Sunday while boarding the Qantas flight from Sydney to Wagga Wagga, a town in New South Wales.

The former cricketer, now a popular commentator, was asked to leave the plane before take-off, Qantas said.

Slater complied with the request, the airline added.

In a statement on Tuesday, Slater said: "I apologise for the inconvenience this caused other passengers on the flight."

Local radio station 2GB reported that he had been arguing with two women before moving to another part of the 74-seat plane.

His management denied a report that Slater had locked himself in a toilet.

Slater is a high-profile commentator for the Seven Network in Australia, after recently crossing over from rival network Nine.

The former batsman was part of the Australian cricket team from 1993 to 2001, and played 74 Tests.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-48346081

 

[topspin]

Michael Slater: Former Australia cricketer removed from flight

Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater has apologised after being removed from a flight for "disruptive" behaviour.

Slater said he had been arguing with two friends on Sunday while boarding the Qantas flight from Sydney to Wagga Wagga, a town in New South Wales.

The former cricketer, now a popular commentator, was asked to leave the plane before take-off, Qantas said.

Slater complied with the request, the airline added.

In a statement on Tuesday, Slater said: "I apologise for the inconvenience this caused other passengers on the flight."

Local radio station 2GB reported that he had been arguing with two women before moving to another part of the 74-seat plane.

His management denied a report that Slater had locked himself in a toilet.

Slater is a high-profile commentator for the Seven Network in Australia, after recently crossing over from rival network Nine.

The former batsman was part of the Australian cricket team from 1993 to 2001, and played 74 Tests.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-48346081

Looks like another who’s Aussie had too much beer on the day. Mind you David Boon set some kind of record with over 100 cans or something, back in the day when he was flying to England from Australia.

 

[wrongun]

Slater has been fairly public in his diagnosis & struggles with bi-polar depression in his retirement.

There have certainly been some incidents with alcohol and him too, perhaps they are linked.

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

Michael Slater speaking on social media today with a particular focus on Pakistan Cricket and his time in Pakistan last month.

"The PSL should be decided by the table topper rather than getting everybody together for the last few games"
"I was wondering if they took the PSL back to Pakistan in its entirety too soon, but it worked"
"I missed the 2019 PSL because I was travelling too much, but commentated in 2018 and 2020."
"I'd have Wahab in my T20 WC squad because of his ability at the death. I'm 50-50 on Mohammad Aamir because you have other pacers coming through"
"Wasim Akram was the best bowler I ever faced"
"Michael Atherton is my favourite commentator to work with outside of Australia. He's intelligent and a great conversationalist."
"I'd be thinking about Haider Ali as a possible T20 World Cup selection" - although he didn't quite remember his name. He referred to him as the young 19 year old when reflecting on players that impressed him in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League season five.
Picks Virat Kohli over Babar, Smith and Root when pushed on just one.
One word for Babar - "Brilliant"
"Pakistanis are beautiful people"
"I had two great tours of Pakistan in 1994 and 1998" - praised the crowds, love of the game and how good the wickets to bat on were

 

[FreePalestine]

The incredible talent was always there. Injuries ruined one part of his career, the rest he self destructed. Hard to have any sympathy after his over all conduct throughout his career.

Tbh, I don’t think he really needs your sympathy. He became the fastest bowler in the history of the game and also maintained ATG averages and strike rates. This was despite being told he would never be able to run when he was a kid and coming from extreme poverty. So his life is not really calling for sympathy, but should probably inspire respect for what he achieved - including speeds no other bowler in history has ever achieved.