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Which bowler do/did you enjoy watching bowl the most?

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BunnyRabbit

ODI Debutant
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Mar 27, 2016
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Growing up I loved watching Waqar Younis bowl around late 90s and early 2000s. After that I absolutely enjoyed watching Shoaib Akhtar and Shane Bond bowl.
Asif was beautiful to watch as well, even though he didn't have much pace, his swing and seam movement and his setting up batters was so soothing to see. For spinners, I loved watching Saeed Ajmal bamboozling every batter left right and centre even though it turned out he was chucking.

You people?
 
Waqar Younis of 90s is my all time favorite.And also Aqib Javed.
 
Donald, Ambrose, Warne, Akhtar and Asif spring to mind.
 
The most? I have to say Shane Bond.

I think he was the greatest bowler of the 99/00 generation. I would take a fully fit Bond over Steyn, Anderson, Akhtar, Lee, Johnson and other great pacers of his age group.

One of the biggest tragedies in history of the game.
 
Holding, Thomson, Imran, Lillee, Wasim, Gillespie, Flintoff, Akhtar, Bond come immediately to mind.

For spinners: Warne, Qadir, Kumble, Bishoo. Most leggies.
 
Warne and Akram

Were great to watch, they were truly magnificent at their peaks n did things with the ball that no others could
 
Probably Waqar Younis due to the relentless battering ram pursuit to wicket-taking. That run-up alone was a work of art: riveting athleticism which made you want to get up as soon as his spell was over, and jog off to a park in order to mark out your own run-up and attempt to bowl at the speed of light.

One other admirable thing about Waqar the fast bowler was that I seldom saw him down tools in the face of adversity. If the match was meandering along, you could always count on Waqar to make things happen and shape the narrative by sheer force of will. It needs supreme self-confidence and a certain pig-headedness, to keep persevering when the odds are against you.

The top 5 bowlers that I have enjoyed watching the most are:

1. Waqar
2. Warne
3. Donald
4. Ambrose
5. Anderson
 
Bond.

Akhtar (especially in his wrecking ball kinda mode)

Donald

Sami (the one that sparked for a brief moment)

Kabhi kabhi Brett lee.

Balaji because why not
 
Last Monetarist said:
Probably Waqar Younis due to the relentless battering ram pursuit to wicket-taking. That run-up alone was a work of art: riveting athleticism which made you want to get up as soon as his spell was over, and jog off to a park in order to mark out your own run-up and attempt to bowl at the speed of light.

One other admirable thing about Waqar the fast bowler was that I seldom saw him down tools in the face of adversity. If the match was meandering along, you could always count on Waqar to make things happen and shape the narrative by sheer force of will. It needs supreme self-confidence and a certain pig-headedness, to keep persevering when the odds are against you.

The top 5 bowlers that I have enjoyed watching the most are:

1. Waqar
2. Warne
3. Donald
4. Ambrose
5. Anderson
Click to expand...

Watching Waqar bowl was a sight to behold, but in my opinion Shoaib looked even better while bowling. Long beautiful and fast run up, then consistent 150kph thunderbolts, he would take conditions out of the equation when he was on song. His spells in 2000 against NZ and 2005 against England were the most elating ones I have ever seen.
 
Marshall, Wasim, Glenn McGrath, Donald, Brett Lee the few times he was fit, Warne and Anderson. No one else here like Brett Lee?
 
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Holding
Marshall
Imran
Qadir
Wasim
Waqar
Saqlain
Shoaib
Donald
Shane Warne
Brett Lee
Asif
Steyn
Starc
 
Shoaib Akhtar!

Even though Wasim was a magician with a cricket call, Shoaib and Waqar (2nd in my list) would make me glued to the TV when in full flow. Those unplayble yorkers and bouncers would get the blood rushing.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Watching Waqar bowl was a sight to behold, but in my opinion Shoaib looked even better while bowling. Long beautiful and fast run up, then consistent 150kph thunderbolts, he would take conditions out of the equation when he was on song. His spells in 2000 against NZ and 2005 against England were the most elating ones I have ever seen.
Click to expand...

I think it's an age thing too, I started watching cricket when Waqar Younis was arguably the best bowler in the world circa 92-93. I saw Shoaib as just a very good impressionist.
 
Waqar and Shoaib at their peak. Wasim. Warne.. Donald.
... and Agarkar against Pakistan..
 
Pace:

Glenn McGrath

Spin:

Shane Warne

Both due to their relentless accuracy and “water torture” technique of taking wickets. (Dry up runs and force an error after overs of testing their technique and patience).
 
Shoaib akhtar there was no sight better then him steaming in blowing the batsmen away greatest sight in all of sports shoaib akhtar you legend you will be sorely missed.
 
Last Monetarist said:
I think it's an age thing too, I started watching cricket when Waqar Younis was arguably the best bowler in the world circa 92-93. I saw Shoaib as just a very good impressionist.
Click to expand...

Definitely it is. I loved watching Waqar bowl, but as i grew older, it was Shoaib that made me fall in love with raw pace.
 
PakLFC said:
Marshall, Wasim, Glenn McGrath, Donald, Brett Lee the few times he was fit, Warne and Anderson. No one else here like Brett Lee?
Click to expand...

Lee was actually the fittest of the express pacers of 2000s. He managed 70 odd tests and 200 odd odi's if i am not wrong. He was good to watch bowl till 2007, after that he became a shadow of himself. For some reason, watching him bowl never had my blood pumping.
 
No one broke stumps like Waqar, swing king Wasim, in recent times Asif I really miss watching him.
All time favorites Donald, Macgrath
 
The Rawalpindi Express without a shadow of a doubt. Pace, built, aggression, beautiful run up; he had everything. I have hardly missed a game in Pindi stadium with Shoaib featuring. I miss those roars that used to come and the goosebumps we used to get when he would run into bowl.
 
Shoaib Akhtar from Pakistan.

Kinda have a thing for watching Mitchell Starc bowl, his yorkers are a work of art.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Growing up I loved watching Waqar Younis bowl around late 90s and early 2000s. After that I absolutely enjoyed watching Shoaib Akhtar and Shane Bond bowl.
Asif was beautiful to watch as well, even though he didn't have much pace, his swing and seam movement and his setting up batters was so soothing to see. For spinners, I loved watching Saeed Ajmal bamboozling every batter left right and centre even though it turned out he was chucking.

You people?
Click to expand...

I agree with all of them. I actually enjoyed watching Younis more than Akram. The bounding run up, the speed, the power of the action and the yorkers. He was the stuff of fast bowling dreams.

I also enjoyed Donald in his pomp, Marshall and in more modern times, JImmy, Asif, Amir when on song, Mitchell Johnson on song (the last brutal fast bowler) and Starc in ODIs.
 
Mohammad Asif in the Karachi Test against India. That was a box office match spell!
 
Pacers: Akhtar, Asif, Amir, Bond, Wasim, Hassan Ali, Mcgrath, James Pattinson, Lee, Steyn, Rabada, Donald, Zaheer Khan (Last 3 years of his when he wasnt focusing on generating too much pace), Boult, Vaas, Anderson, Gabriel (Very underrated in current circuit)

Spinners: Saqlain, Warne, Ajmal, Shadab Khan, Swann (very underated conventional off spinner), Daniel Vittori, Herath

I loved to watch these and love watching the current ones mentioned because every ball was/is an event as you are always expecting a wicket is on its way bcz all of these are/were too good in their peak
 
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Waqar Younis in his peak. Long run up like a sprinter and you know the toe crushing in swinging yorkers coming at will. Stumps shattering or lbw usually.

Even better with Wasim at the other end. No bowler has been so exciting to watch than Waqar and then Wasim at there peak.

Shoaib Akhtar probably next most exciting to watch when bowling at best.
 
barah_admi said:
I agree with all of them. I actually enjoyed watching Younis more than Akram. The bounding run up, the speed, the power of the action and the yorkers. He was the stuff of fast bowling dreams.

I also enjoyed Donald in his pomp, Marshall and in more modern times, JImmy, Asif, Amir when on song, Mitchell Johnson on song (the last brutal fast bowler) and Starc in ODIs.
Click to expand...

I always enjoyed watching Waqar more than Wasim for some reason. Wasim was probably too skillful for young kids to understand his magic. Waqar was all brute force. The yorkers, the banana swings, the bouncers, he was like a hitman. Still remember his exploits in the Natwest series 2000 where he got back to back 7 fer and a 6 fer against Eng and Aus.


For some reason, when i was young, i found it hard to enjoy opposition players, so Donald was never my type. Actually i remember every time Klusener either came into bat or ball, I would be real afraid. His yorkers were pretty pinpoint and batting was sheer power.

I agree, Johnson's run of Ashes 2013-14 and SA series was last true great sight of express pace bowling even though it only lasted 8 Tests. He wasn't the same bowler in the Pak series and after Hughes death.

Hopefully Rabada will grow into another great. Milne and Ferguson are two bowlers i enjoy watching bowl just because of their pace.
 
Rana said:
Mohammad Asif in the Karachi Test against India. That was a box office match spell!
Click to expand...

Even though the pitch had flattened out by 4th day, what Asif produced there was pure wizardry. The in hoopers, the out swingers, he was always a pleasure to watch. Possibly the only exciting seamer to watch who didn't have pace.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
I always enjoyed watching Waqar more than Wasim for some reason. Wasim was probably too skillful for young kids to understand his magic. Waqar was all brute force. The yorkers, the banana swings, the bouncers, he was like a hitman. Still remember his exploits in the Natwest series 2000 where he got back to back 7 fer and a 6 fer against Eng and Aus.


For some reason, when i was young, i found it hard to enjoy opposition players, so Donald was never my type. Actually i remember every time Klusener either came into bat or ball, I would be real afraid. His yorkers were pretty pinpoint and batting was sheer power.

I agree, Johnson's run of Ashes 2013-14 and SA series was last true great sight of express pace bowling even though it only lasted 8 Tests. He wasn't the same bowler in the Pak series and after Hughes death.

Hopefully Rabada will grow into another great. Milne and Ferguson are two bowlers i enjoy watching bowl just because of their pace.
Click to expand...

Johnson was amazingly fast before those series too, its just that, with all his pace, he never produced a truly consistent run but yeah, in terms of pure power, the last genuine fast bowler. His breed will forever be missed, because as good as Rabada could be, he will never be a stallion.
 
Glen
Wasim
Ambrose
M Asif
Alan D
Ntini
Abbas

Looking forward to watching in future especially in tests are
Shaeen
Musa. Eagerly awaiting his debut and that really tall bowler from India can’t remember his name 😐 saw these boys in the under 19s World Cup I really liked what i was looking at.
 
Mohammad Asif because he had a brain unlike few and behind every wicket there was a carefully laid, overs long trap which he used to play the batsman like a piano. When he did get the batsmen out he would have a mocking expression of "I told you so". He was such an intelligent bowler that if he was playing by now people would have written thesis/analytical think-pieces about his spells, which is what makes his loss all the more tragic. The greatest tragedy in the history of cricket, atleast for me.
 
Shoaib Akhtar for me. Just watching him bowl with full pace was a sight to behold. Those sharp bouncers, toe crushing yorkers and amazing pace. God I wish he could have lived up to his potential.
 
James Anderson
Wasim Akram
Mohammad Asif
Waqar Younis
Shane Bond
Allan Donald
 
Shoaib Akhtar got me into cricket. Loved watching him as a kid.

Asif was special to watch. Watching him made me learn about the strategy and mind games involved in Test cricket. I became an avid fan of Test cricket because of him.

I watch a lot of old cricket footage on YouTube and Michael Holding is just spectacular to watch.
 
Shoaib Akhtar and it’s not even close. He always bowled a delivery that took the pitch out of the equation, be it Tendulkar’s first ball duck or Fleming’s dismissal in the 99 WC semi final or breaking Ponting’s stumps.
 
shoaib akhtar without a single doubt. Shoaib akhtar was a phenomenon. He was just not a bowler he was everything. Though I love watching wasim and waqar's videos on YouTube.
 
The one and only, the childhood star: Wasim Akram.

Between Waqar and Wasim I always enjoyed watching Wasim more and I am not even left-handed. He had a unique action and style.
 
While Shoaib Akhtar had pace and an aura of destruction to his name. His whole extra long run up and delivery felt like he is putting in extra effort. While Wasim's run up on the other hand was effortless, slightly jogging in as if it's no big deal and then at the last second the magical release. It always felt like poetry in action to me. Effortless and flawless.

No matter how big the stage is, no matter if it's a world cup final Wasim made it all look effortless when in fact he was displaying skills of mastery level.
 
Waqar
Wasim
Shoaib
Thompson
Holding
Marshall
Donald

Sheer box office these chaps. Unbelievable bowlers and very entertaining
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Mohammad Asif because he had a brain unlike few and behind every wicket there was a carefully laid, overs long trap which he used to play the batsman like a piano. When he did get the batsmen out he would have a mocking expression of "I told you so". He was such an intelligent bowler that if he was playing by now people would have written thesis/analytical think-pieces about his spells, which is what makes his loss all the more tragic. The greatest tragedy in the history of cricket, atleast for me.
Click to expand...

Intelligence without skills would not be much tbh, the skills he had were exceptional. He could swing the ball, seam it both ways without a slight change in action and his swing was pretty late and deadly.
It wasn't that he always laid a trap for batters, most of the times he would draw first blood in first 2-3 overs, something our pacers have failed to do so ever since. Amir had a good start, but the one we have right now doesn't strike much up front like Asif used to.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Intelligence without skills would not be much tbh, the skills he had were exceptional. He could swing the ball, seam it both ways without a slight change in action and his swing was pretty late and deadly.
It wasn't that he always laid a trap for batters, most of the times he would draw first blood in first 2-3 overs, something our pacers have failed to do so ever since. Amir had a good start, but the one we have right now doesn't strike much up front like Asif used to.
Click to expand...

Back then striking up front was very common for Pakistani fast-bowlers which is probably nobody appreciated that aspect of bowling that much. Shoaib Akhtar did it so regularly. But I agree on all the things you mentioned. His skill could have paralleled Wasim one day and he was nearing his peak. But personally, his intelligence just elevates his bowling for me because that meant he always had ideas on how to get the batsman out even when things weren't going his way. Very few bowlers are as gifted in the cognitive side and with such a skill-set which makes all this discussion such a shame..
 
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