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What is the best spell of fast-bowling you have ever witnessed?

QalandarFan

QalandarFan

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In this age flat tracks have become the norm and 300+ in ODI's is considered par. It's an era that has been ruled by the batsman.

Great fast bowling spells these days is rare, but once in a while when we do get a great spell from a fast bowler it certainly feels special.

So I would like to ask you what is the greatest spell of fast bowling you have ever witnessed live?
 
Just a couple that pop up into mind from recent times

Wahab Riaz vs Australia 2015 WC QF
Mohammad Amir vs India Asia Cup
Wahab Riaz vs England Lords Test 2016 - A ferocious spell of reverse swing bowling.
Mitchell Starc 6 Wickets vs New Zealand 2015 WC. - I really got into the match in about the 8th over when Starc picked up back to back wickets.
 
Look at some of the deliveries in this spell love watching Wahab when he is on song!
I wish Wahab could ball like this more often.
 
Asif vs India at Karachi.


Utter humiliation of an over-rated batting lineup. The Indians had no place to hide against a venomous Asif and ruthless Karachi crowd on a day 5 pitch chasing a mountain of runs. I'm on my cell otherwise I would have posted that video just to relive that day. It was a joy watching it live. Especially when Sachin bowed down before Asif after getting clean bowled accepting that he has been truly humbled and acknowledging Asif as a maestro. Legend has it that Laxman, to this day, wakes up screaming at night because of his dismissal.

:salute
 
Just a few more I thought I'd mention, haven't seen these live.

Shane Bond vs Australia 2003 WC
Mitchell Johnson 7/40 vs England Adelaide 2013/14 Ashes This one I did watch live and I have to say it is the best spell of fast bowling I have ever seen live.
James Anderson 7/43 vs New Zealand 2008 Trent Bridge
Wasim Akram's Rampant spell of fast bowling vs England in 1992 3rd Test
Shoaib Akhtar 4/25 vs India 2004 CT
Shoiab Akhtar vs Australia 2002 1st Test a Colombo
 
Syed1 said:
Asif vs India at Karachi.


Utter humiliation of an over-rated batting lineup. The Indians had no place to hide against a venomous Asif and ruthless Karachi crowd on a day 5 pitch chasing a mountain of runs. I'm on my cell otherwise I would have posted that video just to relive that day. It was a joy watching it live. Especially when Sachin bowed down before Asif after getting clean bowled accepting that he has been truly humbled and acknowledging Asif as a maestro. Legend has it that Laxman, to this day, wakes up screaming at night because of his dismissal.

:salute
Click to expand...

Man I wish I had seen that spell live! :(
 
Syed1 said:
Asif vs India at Karachi.


Utter humiliation of an over-rated batting lineup. The Indians had no place to hide against a venomous Asif and ruthless Karachi crowd on a day 5 pitch chasing a mountain of runs. I'm on my cell otherwise I would have posted that video just to relive that day. It was a joy watching it live. Especially when Sachin bowed down before Asif after getting clean bowled accepting that he has been truly humbled and acknowledging Asif as a maestro. Legend has it that Laxman, to this day, wakes up screaming at night because of his dismissal.

:salute
Click to expand...

Not just that Asif gave PTSD to the Indian team and legend also says that there's a book being written on this - "overhyped stories of a fixer", legend also has it that it may sell out faster than Asif did
 
Suprised that Ambroses' spell of 7 for just a run isn't mentioned thus far- arguably one of the all-time great spells of fast bowling.
 
Ellipsism said:
Suprised that Ambroses' spell of 7 for just a run isn't mentioned thus far- arguably one of the all-time great spells of fast bowling.
Click to expand...

True it is a great spell but I wonder how many people have witnessed that spell live.
 
QalandarFan said:
True it is a great spell but I wonder how many people have witnessed that spell live.
Click to expand...
Just read the OP- didn't watch it live and wasn't born until a further five years after that spell.

The fact that you can get a sense of the sheer ferocity of that spell from a five minute clip on YouTube is precisely why that spell was one for the books.
 
Curtly Ambrose v England many years back. It was after tea I think when he had the English hopping around . Took a good many wickets before close then finished them off the next day I believe. Can't remember the year but it was in the Caribbean. Curtly was the coolest player to ever play the game since I have been watching!
 
McGrath in 1st Ashes test in 2005 was quite phenomenal. Shame he didn't play matches afterwards, who knows what the results would have been with McGrath in the team in that sort of form.
 
A bowling spell that will haunt your own team for AGES.

That is, Wahab Riaz's 'spell' against Australia, at the World Cup.

Ruining our bowling since 2015.
 
Hawkeye said:
A bowling spell that will haunt your own team for AGES.

That is, Wahab Riaz's 'spell' against Australia, at the World Cup.

Ruining our bowling since 2015.
Click to expand...

TBF he's a good option to have on the dead surfaces of UAE in Tests where his pace and reverse swing can bring some life to the team. Remember his spell in UAE against England, the match was going nowhere and all of a sudden Wahab sprung to life with a couple of good wickets.

In ODI's he's been terrible, nothing to defend there.
 
Many from last century though.
Since 2000, one each from Flintoff and Simon Jones during 2005 Ashes.

IIRC, Steyn against England during a test couple of years ago.
 
The greatest spell I ever witnessed personally, was at Lord's, 2nd test of the 2009 Ashes. Freddier had already told everyone this would be his final Lord's test match and what a performance he put in. Continously going well over 90mph, swinging it both ways...and did I mention it was FAST. He had crowd in his hands that day too and we were lapping it up. Probably the best cricketing atmosphere I have ever experienced.

In terms of what I've seen on tv, Akhtar v England 05/06. I think it was the first test, England cruising and AKhtar came it but what impressed me most wasnt the speed or swing he got but how clever he was with the slower ball. World class that day.

Btw, both had able support. AKhtar had Kanieria and Flintoff had a very underrated Broad.
 
bleaf27 said:
Not just that Asif gave PTSD to the Indian team and legend also says that there's a book being written on this - "overhyped stories of a fixer", legend also has it that it may sell out faster than Asif did
Click to expand...

wow.. 11 years later it still hurts :))

magic of Asif :asif
 
many

too many to name

one i would like to mention and is more of a battle than a spell is the steyn vs tendulkar. it was special in the sense that it was quality from both sidesand showed class of sachin past his peak


mcgrath
 
probably the most terrifying ones were Shoaib vs Aus, Colombo and Mitch vs Eng 2013
 
Which I have seen :

Abdul Razzaq vs Srilanka in Sharjah 1999 (Coca Cola Cup ODI)... picking up a 5'fer and earning Pakistan a tie in the game in the process. At that time Abdul Razzaq's pace was in excess of 140kph, with reverse swing
 
Umar Gul's demonic pace bowling against England in 3rd,4th ODI's in the Natwest series 2010
 
Slog said:
wow.. 11 years later it still hurts :))

magic of Asif :asif
Click to expand...

Hurts ? I dont think Asif even qualifies in that category that is capable of hurting - that's reserved for Waqar , Wasim , Kumble et al. I am just laughing over the exaggerations of a nobody :jimmy
 
bleaf27 said:
Not just that Asif gave PTSD to the Indian team and legend also says that there's a book being written on this - "overhyped stories of a fixer", legend also has it that it may sell out faster than Asif did
Click to expand...
Interesting post, from a legal standpoint, given that the ICC Tribunal which banned Asif accepted that he was not paid or otherwise rewarded!

My contribution is Curtly Ambrose v Australia at Perth, January 1993.

The Test series was in the balance at 1-1 until his spell of 7 wickets for 1 run.
 
Mitchell Johnson's two series against England and SA is probably the most brutal fast bowling i've ever watched live.
 
Probably ambroses spell against england in 1994 when he knocked them over for 40 odd all out

The atmosphere was electric and ambrose was at his superb best
 
I havnt watched that spell even my dad would have been a kid at dat time but i beleive it has to be sarfaraz nawaz's 1-7 against australia.... dont think there can be any better spell than that one...
Kumble's ten wickets in an innings against pak and yasir shah' s 6fer against england at lords other two for me.
 
The best spell I have ever witnessed on TV - Mitch Johnson against England in 2013/4, and Flintoff during 2005 Ashes

The best spell, that people talk about, and I have only seen on youtube - Ambrose 7/1 against Australia

The best spell against India -
1. Shoaib Akhtar's 2 deliveries to get Dravid and Sachin out on consecutive balls. I understand people might feel he had better spells against Australia in SL, and even Asif's spell against India in Karachi in 06 was special, but for me those 2 deliveries are the best
2. Gillespie vs India in 04 (the year Australia finally won a series in India after 35 years)

The best spell by an Indian -
1. Srinath against SA in Ahmedabad in 96. Defending a very low score, he took about 6 wickets in the final innings.
2. Bhuvi's debut against Pakistan in Bangalore was also really special.
3. Zaks reverse swing to bring India back into the game against England in 2011 WC.
 
Last edited:
Dale Steyn vs India in Nagpur 2010, in a proper flat wicket, one of the best fast bowling spells ever
 
The Fizz single-handedly destroying India two games in a row in his first two matches.
 
Akhtar was a force of nature in Colombo in 2002 vs Australia.

Have a soft spot for his spell vs England in Multan too.

Going back further in time, there was Michael Holding"s spell at Old Trafford in 1976 where Brian Close was battered black and blue.
 
Wasim and Waqar against Australia at Karachi 1994.

I watched most of that match at the stadium.
 
Best vs Magic

I ll pick Magic


Asif vs India (Pak)

Asif vs England (Pak)

Asif vs Srilanka (SL)

Asif vs Kallis (SA)

Asif vs AB (SA)

Asif vs KP (ENG)


All Magical.
 
fav Asif deliveries

Asif vs kp
Asif vs Laxman
Asif vs Clarke
Asif vs Kallis
Asif vs Cook
Asif vs Jaysuria
Asif vs Sehwag
Asif vs samaraweera
Asif vs Cameron White
Asif vs Gibbs
Asif vs AB
 
There were many in watching Steyn regularly but Johnson during THAT peak was ferocious.
 
I would say one from Shoaib Akhter against South Africa in 2001 in an ODI in Sharjah. South Africa were chasing 168 and were 74/1 and cruising. Then came in Akhter and picked 3 in an over and Proteas were eventually all out on 101.
A spell from Hell .
 
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