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Which is the deadliest bowling duo in Test cricket?

Which is the deadliest bowling duo in Test cricket?

  • Total voters
    72
UN talkz

UN talkz

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1. Anderson and Broad - 876 Test wickets

2.Warne and McGrath - 1,271 Test wickets

3.Waqar and Wasim - 787 Test wickets

4.Donald and Pollock - 751 Test wickets

5.Muralitharan and Vaas - 1,155 Test wickets

6.Ambrose and Walsh - 924 Test wickets

7. Other

Views????
 
A spinner and fast bowler is not a pair,those stats might be ecstatic but that is a contrived record

I think that Waqar-Wasim combination was undoubtedly most lethal of all times without biased analysis
 
Protea Fan said:
A spinner and fast bowler is not a pair,those stats might be ecstatic but that is a contrived record

I think that Waqar-Wasim combination was undoubtedly most lethal of all times without biased analysis
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
I am assuming we are looking for period when these pairs bowled together.

Pollock bowled with Donald during 1995-2002. Now Donald was only below McGrath and Ambrose in his performance and Pollock was as good as anyone during that period. They played 47 tests together and in that period both averaged 21-22 per wicket.


Anderson and Broad , Murali & Vaas obviously don't belong in this discussion. 3 out of these 4 were not in that league even for few years in their career. Wasim and Waqar played together for more than a decade, but Waqar was pretty much a good bowler and not a great one after mid 90s when they were still bowling together. Walsh never reached to the level of Pollock of 90s. Warne got spanked enough by good player of spin to not really be more dangerous than fast bowlers pair listed here. Warne is a bit overrated for all the spanking he got in his career.
 
I would rate Wasim and Shoaib back in 1997-1999 as the best bowling duo.

Currently Ashwin & Jaddu has to be up there.
 
Just to back it up with some hard facts and not rely on my memory.

----------

Bowling ranking at end end of 1998

ID Rat. Name Nat. Career Best Rating
1 871 A.A. Donald SA 895 v England, 29/11/1999
2 858 C.E.L. Ambrose WI 912 v England, 29/03/1994
3 855 S.M. Pollock SA 909 v England, 29/11/1999
4 830 M. Muralidaran SL 920 v Bangladesh, 15/07/2007
5 823 G.D. McGrath AUS 914 v England, 27/08/2001
6 784 S.B. Doull NZ 790 v India, 06/01/1999
7 769 A. Kumble IND 859 v Sri Lanka, 30/01/1994
8 753 Waqar Younis PAK 909 v Zimbabwe, 13/12/1993
9 746 C.A. Walsh WI 867 v England, 21/08/2000
10 740 H.H. Streak ZIM 794 v Sri Lanka, 15/09/1996
11 727 Wasim Akram PAK 830 v Australia, 02/10/1994
12 723 S.K. Warne AUS 905 v England, 28/12/1994
13 685 Mushtaq Ahmed PAK 827 v New Zealand, 02/12/1996
14 670 D. Gough ENG 794 v Pakistan, 21/05/2001
15 660 J. Srinath IND 757 v New Zealand, 14/10/1999

--------------

Bowling ranking at end end of 1999

ID Rat. Name Nat. Career Best Rating
1 904 S.M. Pollock SA 909 v England, 29/11/1999
2 875 G.D. McGrath AUS 914 v England, 27/08/2001
3 869 A.A. Donald SA 895 v England, 29/11/1999
4 823 C.E.L. Ambrose WI 912 v England, 29/03/1994
5 769 A. Kumble IND 859 v Sri Lanka, 30/01/1994
6 766 M. Muralidaran SL 920 v Bangladesh, 15/07/2007
7 743 C.A. Walsh WI 867 v England, 21/08/2000
8 739 Wasim Akram PAK 830 v Australia, 02/10/1994
9 736 Saqlain Mushtaq PAK 771 v New Zealand, 12/03/2001
10 734 C.L. Cairns NZ 734 v West Indies, 30/12/1999
11 730 D.J. Nash NZ 730 v West Indies, 30/12/1999
12 727 D.W. Fleming AUS 738 v India, 14/12/1999
13 715 H.H. Streak ZIM 794 v Sri Lanka, 15/09/1996
14 696 J. Srinath IND 757 v New Zealand, 14/10/1999
15 693 S.K. Warne AUS 905 v England, 28/12/1994

------------

Bowling ranking at end end of 2000

ID Rat. Name Nat. Career Best Rating
1 901 S.M. Pollock SA 909 v England, 29/11/1999
2 900 G.D. McGrath AUS 914 v England, 27/08/2001
3 876 M. Muralidaran SL 920 v Bangladesh, 15/07/2007
4 845 A.A. Donald SA 895 v England, 29/11/1999
5 818 C.A. Walsh WI 867 v England, 21/08/2000
6 732 A. Kumble IND 859 v Sri Lanka, 30/01/1994
7 727 D. Gough ENG 794 v Pakistan, 21/05/2001
8 715 Wasim Akram PAK 830 v Australia, 02/10/1994
8 715 Saqlain Mushtaq PAK 771 v New Zealand, 12/03/2001
10 711 J.N. Gillespie AUS 812 v New Zealand, 30/11/2004
11 702 Waqar Younis PAK 909 v Zimbabwe, 13/12/1993
12 700 J. Srinath IND 757 v New Zealand, 14/10/1999
13 689 H.H. Streak ZIM 794 v Sri Lanka, 15/09/1996
14 688 C.L. Cairns NZ 734 v West Indies, 30/12/1999
15 678 C.R. Miller AUS 698 v West Indies, 06/01/2001

-----------------

Bowling ranking at end end of 2001

D Rat. Name Nat. Career Best Rating
1 902 G.D. McGrath AUS 914 v England, 27/08/2001
2 900 S.M. Pollock SA 909 v England, 29/11/1999
3 896 M. Muralidaran SL 920 v Bangladesh, 15/07/2007
4 773 A.A. Donald SA 895 v England, 29/11/1999
5 726 D. Gough ENG 794 v Pakistan, 21/05/2001
6 709 W.P.U.J.C. Vaas SL 800 v India, 06/12/2005
7 708 Saqlain Mushtaq PAK 771 v New Zealand, 12/03/2001
8 702 C.L. Cairns NZ 734 v West Indies, 30/12/1999
8 702 J.N. Gillespie AUS 812 v New Zealand, 30/11/2004
10 696 Waqar Younis PAK 909 v Zimbabwe, 13/12/1993
10 696 A. Kumble IND 859 v Sri Lanka, 30/01/1994
12 686 S.K. Warne AUS 905 v England, 28/12/1994
13 683 J. Srinath IND 757 v New Zealand, 14/10/1999
14 672 H.H. Streak ZIM 794 v Sri Lanka, 15/09/1996
15 666 Harbhajan Singh IND 765 v New Zealand, 16/12/2002



Here you have Pollock and Donald appearing in the top 4 for majority of years they bowled together. For other years, Pollock was as good as anyone in 90s even though he didn't accumulate enough points to climb ranking due to debuting in mid 90s. That's what I call deadly and it can't get more deadly that this as a pair.
 
moghul said:
At one time it was Imran and Qadir.
Click to expand...

It can be only possible if you are only considering home games. Qadir got spanked everywhere outside Pakistan and I think averages near 50 outside of Pakistan.
 
Buffet said:
Just to back it up with some hard facts and not rely on my memory.

----------

Bowling ranking at end end of 1998

ID Rat. Name Nat. Career Best Rating
1 871 A.A. Donald SA 895 v England, 29/11/1999
2 858 C.E.L. Ambrose WI 912 v England, 29/03/1994
3 855 S.M. Pollock SA 909 v England, 29/11/1999
4 830 M. Muralidaran SL 920 v Bangladesh, 15/07/2007
5 823 G.D. McGrath AUS 914 v England, 27/08/2001
6 784 S.B. Doull NZ 790 v India, 06/01/1999
7 769 A. Kumble IND 859 v Sri Lanka, 30/01/1994
8 753 Waqar Younis PAK 909 v Zimbabwe, 13/12/1993
9 746 C.A. Walsh WI 867 v England, 21/08/2000
10 740 H.H. Streak ZIM 794 v Sri Lanka, 15/09/1996
11 727 Wasim Akram PAK 830 v Australia, 02/10/1994
12 723 S.K. Warne AUS 905 v England, 28/12/1994
13 685 Mushtaq Ahmed PAK 827 v New Zealand, 02/12/1996
14 670 D. Gough ENG 794 v Pakistan, 21/05/2001
15 660 J. Srinath IND 757 v New Zealand, 14/10/1999

--------------

Bowling ranking at end end of 1999

ID Rat. Name Nat. Career Best Rating
1 904 S.M. Pollock SA 909 v England, 29/11/1999
2 875 G.D. McGrath AUS 914 v England, 27/08/2001
3 869 A.A. Donald SA 895 v England, 29/11/1999
4 823 C.E.L. Ambrose WI 912 v England, 29/03/1994
5 769 A. Kumble IND 859 v Sri Lanka, 30/01/1994
6 766 M. Muralidaran SL 920 v Bangladesh, 15/07/2007
7 743 C.A. Walsh WI 867 v England, 21/08/2000
8 739 Wasim Akram PAK 830 v Australia, 02/10/1994
9 736 Saqlain Mushtaq PAK 771 v New Zealand, 12/03/2001
10 734 C.L. Cairns NZ 734 v West Indies, 30/12/1999
11 730 D.J. Nash NZ 730 v West Indies, 30/12/1999
12 727 D.W. Fleming AUS 738 v India, 14/12/1999
13 715 H.H. Streak ZIM 794 v Sri Lanka, 15/09/1996
14 696 J. Srinath IND 757 v New Zealand, 14/10/1999
15 693 S.K. Warne AUS 905 v England, 28/12/1994

------------

Bowling ranking at end end of 2000

ID Rat. Name Nat. Career Best Rating
1 901 S.M. Pollock SA 909 v England, 29/11/1999
2 900 G.D. McGrath AUS 914 v England, 27/08/2001
3 876 M. Muralidaran SL 920 v Bangladesh, 15/07/2007
4 845 A.A. Donald SA 895 v England, 29/11/1999
5 818 C.A. Walsh WI 867 v England, 21/08/2000
6 732 A. Kumble IND 859 v Sri Lanka, 30/01/1994
7 727 D. Gough ENG 794 v Pakistan, 21/05/2001
8 715 Wasim Akram PAK 830 v Australia, 02/10/1994
8 715 Saqlain Mushtaq PAK 771 v New Zealand, 12/03/2001
10 711 J.N. Gillespie AUS 812 v New Zealand, 30/11/2004
11 702 Waqar Younis PAK 909 v Zimbabwe, 13/12/1993
12 700 J. Srinath IND 757 v New Zealand, 14/10/1999
13 689 H.H. Streak ZIM 794 v Sri Lanka, 15/09/1996
14 688 C.L. Cairns NZ 734 v West Indies, 30/12/1999
15 678 C.R. Miller AUS 698 v West Indies, 06/01/2001

-----------------

Bowling ranking at end end of 2001

D Rat. Name Nat. Career Best Rating
1 902 G.D. McGrath AUS 914 v England, 27/08/2001
2 900 S.M. Pollock SA 909 v England, 29/11/1999
3 896 M. Muralidaran SL 920 v Bangladesh, 15/07/2007
4 773 A.A. Donald SA 895 v England, 29/11/1999
5 726 D. Gough ENG 794 v Pakistan, 21/05/2001
6 709 W.P.U.J.C. Vaas SL 800 v India, 06/12/2005
7 708 Saqlain Mushtaq PAK 771 v New Zealand, 12/03/2001
8 702 C.L. Cairns NZ 734 v West Indies, 30/12/1999
8 702 J.N. Gillespie AUS 812 v New Zealand, 30/11/2004
10 696 Waqar Younis PAK 909 v Zimbabwe, 13/12/1993
10 696 A. Kumble IND 859 v Sri Lanka, 30/01/1994
12 686 S.K. Warne AUS 905 v England, 28/12/1994
13 683 J. Srinath IND 757 v New Zealand, 14/10/1999
14 672 H.H. Streak ZIM 794 v Sri Lanka, 15/09/1996
15 666 Harbhajan Singh IND 765 v New Zealand, 16/12/2002



Here you have Pollock and Donald appearing in the top 4 for majority of years they bowled together. For other years, Pollock was as good as anyone in 90s even though he didn't accumulate enough points to climb ranking due to debuting in mid 90s. That's what I call deadly and it can't get more deadly that this as a pair.
Click to expand...

pollock and donald are extremely underrated on pp and waqar is extremely overrated

both were better than him
 
Leo23 said:
pollock and donald are extremely underrated on pp and waqar is extremely overrated

both were better than him
Click to expand...

Nah, I will take Waqar over Pollock in the test and other way in the ODI format because Pollock declined as well in his second half in the test format. Donald comfortably had a better career than Waqar.
 
Warne and McGrath easily for me. McGrath was Genius bowler with probably lowest skills of all bowlers here but still Managed to dominate great batsman compared to others. Warne on other end is the greatest leg spinner ever.
 
Numbers don't matter it simply Wasim and Waqar, people who have seen them undoubtedly select this pair.
 
Wasim/Waqar v Ambrose/Walsh v Broad/Anderson...which was the best duo?

Poll add please.

All three accomplished, deadly opening combinations. But which of the 3 was honestly the best? I cannot think of a good Australian opening combo simply because Lee and Gillespie didn't match the caliber of McGrath, even though they provided an amazing partner to him for many matches.

My personal vote would go to Broad and Anderson. Seen them throughout my life and I have no doubt that they were phenomenal for England
 
Rana said:
Poll add please.

All three accomplished, deadly opening combinations. But which of the 3 was honestly the best? I cannot think of a good Australian opening combo simply because Lee and Gillespie didn't match the caliber of McGrath, even though they provided an amazing partner to him for many matches.

My personal vote would go to Broad and Anderson. Seen them throughout my life and I have no doubt that they were phenomenal for England
Click to expand...

Broad and Anderson are what you call green track bullies! No better sight than Wasim and Waqar and no duo looked more terrifying and threatening like Ambrose and Walsh. Btw, you have missed a lot of other good pairs like Donald and Pollock, maybe Lillee and Thomson, the WI quartet etc etc etc... The list is long.
 
At their peak together, W&W. England would be 200-1 then 250 all out.
 
Rightarmfast said:
Broad and Anderson are what you call green track bullies! No better sight than Wasim and Waqar and no duo looked more terrifying and threatening like Ambrose and Walsh. Btw, you have missed a lot of other good pairs like Donald and Pollock, maybe Lillee and Thomson, the WI quartet etc etc etc... The list is long.
Click to expand...

Yeah you are right, I thought I would keep it limited to cricket from what I have seen closely and what makes it to the top of the list in terms of Leading wicket takers...

Walsh: 519
Ambrose: 405

Wasim:414
Waqar:373

Anderson:499
Broad: 386

The only other combo that I think in terms of wickets and longevity of playing alongside each other are Pollock/Ntini

So mods are requested to add this combo to the poll
 
There are some pairs that have been deadly but for short stints.

Amir/Asif
McGrath/Lee
McGrath/Gillespie

Its really hard to put them into the same catagory as the ones mentioned above
 
Wasim and Waqar were undoubtedly the best. No other pair rescued their team out of the jaws of defeat as frequently and unlike some of these pairs, they were equally legendary in tests and ODIs.

troodon said:
I would rate Wasim and Shoaib back in 1997-1999 as the best bowling duo.

Currently Ashwin & Jaddu has to be up there.
Click to expand...

:)))

Thanks for the laughs! They're not even one of the top-two spin-bowling pairs from India. Kumble and Bhajjan have that record and after them any two of India's spin-quartet. Forget about competing with some of these other awesome combinations.
 
Wasim akram and shoaib akhter...for me the two best n deadliest bowlers of pak talent wise
 
Waqar and Wasim were probably the deadliest in terms of strike rate and at their peak the more dangerous duo the world had ever seen

In terms of consistentcy over a career id say pollock and donald They were equally good at home or away year after year
 
Ambrose and Walsh as they aged better.

Some will say 2 Ws because of how they bowled at their peak (and this is a Pakistani forum) but when you compare bowlers you must assess them over the fullness of their careers and not allow nostalgia to cloud your memory.

Whereas Walsh maintained consistent performances well into his late 30s, Waqar wasn't the same bowler after 1994 and his stress fractures. His pace was reduced and had to reinvent himself as a conventional swing bowler. Wasim also suffered from injuries and the onset of diabetes which curtailed his effectiveness. Anyway, I'd rate Wasim a better ODI bowler.

After the conclusion of the 1996 World Cup to the end of their career, the bowling averages for Wasim and Waqar read 26.04 and 26.97, whilst Ambrose and Walsh maintained averages of 20.45 and 23.64. That's without a single Test against Bangladesh.

During that time, the 2 Ws picked up 8 five-fers in a combined total of 86 Tests, whereas Ambrose and Walsh claimed 20 five-fers from 91 Tests ! Remember this was a time when a rapidly declining West Indies only had one world class batsman in Brian Lara, they didn't have the runs to play with that McGrath and Warne or even Donald and Pollock had.
 
Ambrose/Walsh or Donald/pollock. The poll results are understandable though because this is a Pakistani forum and Warne is overrated because of wicket tally
 
Markhor said:
Ambrose and Walsh as they aged better.

Some will say 2 Ws because of how they bowled at their peak (and this is a Pakistani forum) but when you compare bowlers you must assess them over the fullness of their careers and not allow nostalgia to cloud your memory.

Whereas Walsh maintained consistent performances well into his late 30s, Waqar wasn't the same bowler after 1994 and his stress fractures. His pace was reduced and had to reinvent himself as a conventional swing bowler. Wasim also suffered from injuries and the onset of diabetes which curtailed his effectiveness. Anyway, I'd rate Wasim a better ODI bowler.

After the conclusion of the 1996 World Cup to the end of their career, the bowling averages for Wasim and Waqar read 26.04 and 26.97, whilst Ambrose and Walsh maintained averages of 20.45 and 23.64. That's without a single Test against Bangladesh.

During that time, the 2 Ws picked up 8 five-fers in a combined total of 86 Tests, whereas Ambrose and Walsh claimed 20 five-fers from 91 Tests ! Remember this was a time when a rapidly declining West Indies only had one world class batsman in Brian Lara, they didn't have the runs to play with that McGrath and Warne or even Donald and Pollock had.
Click to expand...

Nailed it. I will take Ambrose and Walsh over The two Ws. May be only until 1994 were Wasim and Waqar were the most deadly bowling duo but Walsh was like a wine who got better and better with time. Overall, it has to be Ambrose and Walsh due to their longevity. Pollock and Donald are second. If you exclude Australia, Donald averaged in 20.xx and Pollock in 21.xx. They demolished almost all teams together. Still remember how Saeed Anwar was their bunny.
 
Markhor said:
Ambrose and Walsh as they aged better.

Some will say 2 Ws because of how they bowled at their peak (and this is a Pakistani forum) but when you compare bowlers you must assess them over the fullness of their careers and not allow nostalgia to cloud your memory.

Whereas Walsh maintained consistent performances well into his late 30s, Waqar wasn't the same bowler after 1994 and his stress fractures. His pace was reduced and had to reinvent himself as a conventional swing bowler. Wasim also suffered from injuries and the onset of diabetes which curtailed his effectiveness. Anyway, I'd rate Wasim a better ODI bowler.

After the conclusion of the 1996 World Cup to the end of their career, the bowling averages for Wasim and Waqar read 26.04 and 26.97, whilst Ambrose and Walsh maintained averages of 20.45 and 23.64. That's without a single Test against Bangladesh.

During that time, the 2 Ws picked up 8 five-fers in a combined total of 86 Tests, whereas Ambrose and Walsh claimed 20 five-fers from 91 Tests ! Remember this was a time when a rapidly declining West Indies only had one world class batsman in Brian Lara, they didn't have the runs to play with that McGrath and Warne or even Donald and Pollock had.
Click to expand...

I pick players based on their primes. Keeping that in mind, no other pair was as deadly as Wasim and Waqar. They had everything from a right-left angle to express pace, yorkers and reverse-swing.

Ambrose and Walsh had the better careers, no doubt but in terms of peak performances, they don't match up well against the Ws.
 
As a fast bowling unit nobody comes close to walsh and ambrose.

I don't think of any series waqar and wasim won in aus, sa. They may be good in odis but in tests they are no way near ambrose and walsh
 
Markhor said:
After the conclusion of the 1996 World Cup to the end of their career, the bowling averages for Wasim and Waqar read 26.04 and 26.97, whilst Ambrose and Walsh maintained averages of 20.45 and 23.64. That's without a single Test against Bangladesh.

During that time, the 2 Ws picked up 8 five-fers in a combined total of 86 Tests, whereas Ambrose and Walsh claimed 20 five-fers from 91 Tests ! Remember this was a time when a rapidly declining West Indies only had one world class batsman in Brian Lara, they didn't have the runs to play with that McGrath and Warne or even Donald and Pollock had.
Click to expand...

What is Donald and Pollock's performance in the same period?
 
The Warne/Mcgrath option is unnecessary.

It's simply picking two good bowlers and putting them together. In general, they didn't bowl as a pair until Mcgrath's 2nd or 3rd spell.

Sometimes, even that didn't happen as Mcgrath would replace Warne at one end!
 
Ambrose & Bishop

Ambrose's defining new-ball partnership was with Walsh, but the Ambrose-Ian Bishop pairing was arguably even more terrifying in the brief period when Bishop was fully fit and at his fastest.
As a pair with new ball there performance -23 matches 196 wickets ,average 18.96
 
Last edited:
DRN1t3DU8AAsP76.jpg
 
anoop said:
Ambrose & Bishop

Ambrose's defining new-ball partnership was with Walsh, but the Ambrose-Ian Bishop pairing was arguably even more terrifying in the brief period when Bishop was fully fit and at his fastest.
As a pair with new ball there performance -23 matches 196 wickets ,average 18.96
Click to expand...

No doubt about that,Bishop was as talented as Ambrose
 
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