Which two fast-bowlers fused together would make the best pacer of all time?

[Harsh Thakor]

In this list I am ranking in order of merit the list of the best pair of pace bowlers who would make the greatest when rolled into one.I have made separate list from pairs belonging to the same era and pairs belonging to same and different eras both.Basically blended versatility and craft with accuracy and sustained pace.

In same era


1.Wasim Akram-Glen Mcgrath


2.Malcolm Marshall-Richard Hadlee


3.Wasim Akram-Curtly Ambrose


4.Malcolm Marshall-Joel Garner.


5.Dennis Lillee-Joel Garner


6.Alan Donald-Curtly Ambrose


7.Andy Roberts-Michael Holding


8.Dennis Lillee-Jeff Thomson


9.Courtney Walsh-Curtly Ambrose


10.Alan Donald-Shaun Pollock






Ranking including pairs from different eras


1.Wasim Akram-Glen Mcgrath


2.Glen Mcgrath- Malcolm Marshall


3.Wasim Akram-Richard Hadlee


4.Malcolm Marshall-Richard Hadlee


5.Wasim Akram-Curtly Ambrose


6.Dennis Lillee-Glen Mcgrath


7.Dale Steyn-Glen Mcgrath


8.Dennis Lillee -Curtly Ambrose


9.Andy Roberts-Alan Donald


10.Ray Lindwall-Glen Mcgrath





I just cannot foresee better blending than that of Wasim and Mcgrath-A perfect fusion of the artistry or magical creativity of Wasim with the control,accuracy and intelligence of Mcgrath.The combination of a magician or poet with a technician or architect .Pace,bounce ,movement in perfect proportion combined with control ,accuracy and hostility.



No paceman was more accurate than Curtly Ambrose with Garner is only challenger in this respect or arguably more hostile.Thus his skill beautifully blended with Wasim's wizardry.



No right arm paceman was as creative and unpredicatable as Marshall who disguised swing and skidded a ball more than any right armer.Thus Hadlee or Mcgrath's control was a perfect foil for Marshal's ingenuity.



Dennis Lille was more complete than nay right arm fast bowler as well as aggressive and would superbly blend with the accuracy and control of a Garner,Mcgrath,Hadlee or Ambrose.



Alan Donald's pace and guile would blend superbly wit Ambrose's phenomenal accuracy.



Joel Garner took bowling accuracy to heights unsurpassed amongst genuine quickies and was the best ever exponent of the yorker.



Courtney Walsh's stamina and craft would also blend deeply with Ambrose's relentlessness.



Shaun Pollock could be daunting with his sideways movement at fast-medium pace.



Dale Steyn was perfection personified posessing every quality of a great pacemen.




Ray Lindwall was the equivalent of a Lillee,Marshall or Wasim in his day while Jeff Thomson was arguably faster than any bowler ever at his peak.

 

[azimiqbal]

This is easy for me

Sohaib Akhter and mohammed Asif

 

[Hawkeye]

Has to be Wasim and McGrath.

Wasim, goat ODI bowler.

McGrath, the best when it comes to control in Tests.

Charismatic Magician plus robotic accuracy - best combination.

 

[MMHS]

OP missed Lillee - Roberts pair for 1970s.

In different era, though they had overlapping career, I would have gone for Wasim-Marshall. Non overlapping career - Wasim - Lillee.

 

[Kashmirilion]

This is easy for me

Sohaib Akhter and mohammed Asif

I swear i was going to suggest this too. Not to be judged by off field antics or fixing but pure bowling

 

[Sam99]

Marshall - McGrath.

 

[Saurav]

Wasim-McGrath

 

[Robert]

Marshall and Garner. Rocket speed, lavish movement both ways, a fantastic bowling brain, with 6'8" and extreme accuracy.

 

[Adil.farooqui]

Marshall-Akhtar

 

[Rana]

Shoaib Akhtar and Glen McGrath

Imagine McGrath bowling at 95mph

 

[silentkiller187]

Dale Steyn - Glenn Mcgrath

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Please come here [MENTION=139595]Ab Fan[/MENTION]

 

[Harsh Thakor]

What is your view? [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]

 

[Danyaalr01]

Waqar Younis + McGrath

 

[Mamoon]

Among the active bowlers, I would pick Starc and Boult. Together they make the perfect left arm fast bowler.,

 

[hur rizvi]

Has to be Marshall and Wasim

 

[Down2Earth]

Wasim Akram and Shoaib akhtar would make an awesome hybrid.

But if I was really to choose then akhtar and Shane warne

 

[gazza619]

i think the mature Wasim Akram of 1998-99 and the semi mature Waqar Younus of 1993-94 would have been the deadliest combo in human history. These two would have bowled teams out with an orange never mind a cricket ball.

 

[Justcrazy]

MaGrath and Shoaib

Speed with accuracy deadly combo

 

[tyron_woodley]

dale steyn and Alan donald.

 

[neonoir]

Marshall - Mcgrath

 

[Majid Khan]

Okay I’ve got a hybrid beast that will blow away all your pairings —

Andy Roberts and Waqar Younis

Batsmen wouldn’t have anywhere to hide with this lethal combo, imagine having the fearsome presence and aggression of Andy Roberts and add the lethal reverse swinging Yorker to the repertoire — that would be some destructive force as a fast bowler , batsmen would be ducking and diving everywhere with bouncers aimed for rib cage and head followed by lightening Yorkers uprooting middle stump.

PS - would love to see Hafeez face this pace bowler for a few overs to test his batting technique

 

[FastBowlingAllrounder]

Steyn & Brett Lee would be pretty interesting. The raw pace of Lee with the tricks and aggression of Steyn. Wild-eyed Chainsaw celebrations for days.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Marshall and Garner. Rocket speed, lavish movement both ways, a fantastic bowling brain, with 6'8" and extreme accuracy.

Great selection with a perfect concoction of speed and versatility with pin point accuracy.Why not Mcgrath,Hadlee or Ambrose in place of Garner with their added spice ,skill or variety?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

OP missed Lillee - Roberts pair for 1970s.

In different era, though they had overlapping career, I would have gone for Wasim-Marshall. Non overlapping career - Wasim - Lillee.

The point is there is no use merging 2 similar bowlers who are both complete like the two you have chosen..I would rather blend swing ,pace or versatility with intelligence,control and accuracy.Thus more apt to blend a Mcgrath,Hadlee or even Ambrose with a Wasim or Marshall.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Okay I’ve got a hybrid beast that will blow away all your pairings —

Andy Roberts and Waqar Younis

Batsmen wouldn’t have anywhere to hide with this lethal combo, imagine having the fearsome presence and aggression of Andy Roberts and add the lethal reverse swinging Yorker to the repertoire — that would be some destructive force as a fast bowler , batsmen would be ducking and diving everywhere with bouncers aimed for rib cage and head followed by lightening Yorkers uprooting middle stump.

PS - would love to see Hafeez face this pace bowler for a few overs to test his batting technique

Very intelligent choice but would you not prefer Lillee in place of Andy or Donald in place of Waqar.Well done again.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Marshall - McGrath.

Almost perfect choice-right up there .Like my selection order?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Marshall - Mcgrath

Almost perfect.Why Marshall instead of Wasim?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Shoaib Akhtar and Glen McGrath

Imagine McGrath bowling at 95mph

Great combination

 

[Junaids]

Musa Khan plus Naseem Shah.

Add them together and they would be almost as tall as Kyle Jamieson.

 

[Robert]

Great selection with a perfect concoction of speed and versatility with pin point accuracy.Why not Mcgrath,Hadlee or Ambrose in place of Garner with their added spice ,skill or variety?

Well, Hadlee was basically a less good Marshall. That was proven when the opened the bowling together for MCC in the Bicentenary match. And Garner has a better average than all those guys. And I already have the fastest in Marshall so I don’t need Ambrose’s pace.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Well, Hadlee was basically a less good Marshall. That was proven when the opened the bowling together for MCC in the Bicentenary match. And Garner has a better average than all those guys. And I already have the fastest in Marshall so I don’t need Ambrose’s pace.

Why not then Mcgrath ?With his great intelligence and control?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Musa Khan plus Naseem Shah.

Add them together and they would be almost as tall as Kyle Jamieson.

Serious?What is you ideal combination into one?

 

[Robert]

Mark Ealham and Alan Mullaly. No wonder England were so good at winning tests in the nineties! Fuse the latter’s left-arm inability to swing the ball in, with the former’s 60 mph trundling ability to get whacked on the up for six.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Be serious .I had liked your analysis previously on combining pacemen .

 

[Mueez]

Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wasim Akram.

I feel that would cause a lot of trouble for the batsmen.

 

[Junaids]

Serious?What is you ideal combination into one?

I’ve already seen him.

Ian Bishop from 1989-91 combined the outswing of Marshall with the height of Ambrose and the pace of Roberts.

I have never ever seen a better bowler.

 

[Hawkeye]

Musa Khan plus Naseem Shah.

Add them together and they would be almost as tall as Kyle Jamieson.

) )

 

[Danyaalr01]

Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wasim Akram.

I feel that would cause a lot of trouble for the batsmen.

They are already the same type of bowler.

 

[Robert]

Be serious .I had liked your analysis previously on combining pacemen .

Ok, in that case I combine Devon Malcolm’s scattergun inaccuracy with Chris Lewis’s ability to get sunstroke. The batsman will quail when Malwis fires it miles over his head for six byes then throws up and has to be stretchered off.

 

[Ab Fan]

Please come here [MENTION=139595]Ab Fan[/MENTION]

Its gotta be fusion of the most skillful bowler ever and the most robotic bowler with enormous control and accuracy.

Wasim Akram- Glenn McGrath.

Btw, how about Shoaib Akhtar's pace combined with Vernon Philander's ability to move the bowl both ways? That also looks quite interesting to me.

 

[Bewal Express]

Allan Donald's pace and aggression with Malcolm Marshalls brain.

 

[tyron_woodley]

of the current lot? cummins and bumrah. or rabada and bumrah.

 

[Danyaalr01]

of the current lot? cummins and bumrah. or rabada and bumrah.

What about Boult and Cummins? Big swinger of the ball combined with tall, quick, nippy, accurate bowler.

 

[ManFan]

Marshall and Akram.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Has to be Akhtar and Akram? Imagine Wasim Akram doing what he does at 160kph