What's new

Who in your opinion are the top five fast-bowlers?

D

Dulex9

Tape Ball Regular
Joined
May 29, 2016
Runs
457
What are your top 5 fast bowlers?

1) Lillie
2) Marshall
3) Wasim Akram
4) Glenn McGrath
5) Allan Donald
 
1) Marshall
2) Lillee
3) Glenn Mcgrath
4) Hadlee
5) Steyn
 
1. Malcolm Marshall 95/100

2. Fred Trueman 90/100

3. Dennis Lillee 85/100

4. Mike Procter 83/100

5. Wasim Akram 80/100
 
Trueman, Lillee, Marshall, Ambrose, McGrath.

But I could just as easily have said Lindwall, Hadlee, Imran, Garner and Donald.
 
Robert said:
Trueman, Lillee, Marshall, Ambrose, McGrath.

But I could just as easily have said Lindwall, Hadlee, Imran, Garner and Donald.
Click to expand...

It's funny how the younger people on the forum don't seem to be aware of who Fred Trueman was.

The best description I have heard was by Geoff Boycott last summer. (Remember, Trueman and Boycott had a typical Yorkshire feud for years, so this is no cheerleader speaking).

"Fred had the late swing of Jimmy Anderson, but he got the ball through at the same pace as Jofra Archer. The only other two bowlers I have seen bowl away swing at that pace were Malcolm Marshall and Dale Steyn, who were a similar height, but Fred got more bounce, which meant that he could bowl a fuller length than they could. Even in the nets he was a nightmare to face, it was like he dangled the ball on a string in front of you, then swung it away at 95 miles an hour".
 
For anyone who is excited by Naseem Shah - and I am - half the excitement is that he has many of the attributes that Fred Trueman had.

He's a little bit shorter, but he has that beautiful side-on action which creates the possibility of both generating away swing but also bringing the ball back into the right-hander. And he is a similar pace to Trueman too.
 
1. Dennis Lillee
2. Malcolm Marshall
3. Dale Steyn
4. Glenn McGrath
5. Curtley Ambrose
 
Junaids said:
It's funny how the younger people on the forum don't seem to be aware of who Fred Trueman was.

The best description I have heard was by Geoff Boycott last summer. (Remember, Trueman and Boycott had a typical Yorkshire feud for years, so this is no cheerleader speaking).

"Fred had the late swing of Jimmy Anderson, but he got the ball through at the same pace as Jofra Archer. The only other two bowlers I have seen bowl away swing at that pace were Malcolm Marshall and Dale Steyn, who were a similar height, but Fred got more bounce, which meant that he could bowl a fuller length than they could. Even in the nets he was a nightmare to face, it was like he dangled the ball on a string in front of you, then swung it away at 95 miles an hour".
Click to expand...

My one criticism of Trueman is that he didn’t travel that well. Averaged about 30 away. For that reason I am inclined to think if Lindwall as a touch better. But Trueman was the most potent bowler in history on his own decks.
 
<B>Top 10 in no particular order:-</B>

Marshall, Ambrose

McGrath, Lillee

Imran, Wasim

Steyn, Donald

Hadlee

Barnes


<B>Next 10 again in no particular order:-</B>

WI- Garner, Holding, Roberts, Walsh

Pak- Waqar Younis

SA- Shaun Pollock

Eng- Fred Trueman, Bob Willis

Aus- Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall

So, that's top 20 IMO. Not sure if I miss anyone.
 
Last edited:
Ab Fan said:
<B>Top 10 in no particular order:-</B>

Marshall, Ambrose

McGrath, Lillee

Imran, Wasim

Steyn, Donald

Hadlee

Barnes


<B>Next 10 again in no particular order:-</B>

WI- Garner, Holding, Roberts, Walsh

Pak- Waqar Younis

SA- Shaun Pollock

Eng- Fred Trueman, Bob Willis

Aus- Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall

So, that's top 20 IMO. Not sure if I miss anyone.
Click to expand...
Adcock.

Procter.

Davidson

Early Bishop.

Van Der Bijl.
 
lol at Truman being as fast as joffra haha. sure he can bowl that fast.

anyway the list;

1) steyn (toughest era to bowl with rule restrictions etc)
2) mcgrath
3) donald
4) mcgrath
5) ambrose

No pre 90 Great should be even compared to post 2000 greats. Different rules that favour bowlers make them look better than they actually are.

No bouncer rule, ** no padding, favourable pitches, biased umpires, no drs system etc. No advanced technology to figure out patterns using predictive analysis etc.
 
tyron_woodley said:
lol at Truman being as fast as joffra haha. sure he can bowl that fast.

anyway the list;

1) steyn (toughest era to bowl with rule restrictions etc)
2) mcgrath
3) donald
4) mcgrath
5) ambrose

No pre 90 Great should be even compared to post 2000 greats. Different rules that favour bowlers make them look better than they actually are.

No bouncer rule, ** no padding, favourable pitches, biased umpires, no drs system etc. No advanced technology to figure out patterns using predictive analysis etc.
Click to expand...

McGrath so good he makes the list twice.
 
From those who I've watched play...

McGrath
Steyn
Johnson
Anderson
Cummins
 
Its interesting that people are putting Wasim as a top 5 bowler, he wasnt. He had the talent to be but he underachieved relative to his talent.
 
Robert said:
In my view, Sir Geoffrey is an authority on the subject of batting and I am inclined to believe him. This is why we have expert commentary.
Click to expand...

expert commentators are only experts at being biased. i would take it with a grain of salt. Again they only go by who they played against
 
1) Mcgrath
2) Marshall
3) Ambrose
4) Imran Khan
5) Dale Steyn
 
Marshall

Daylight

In any order after

Lillee
Mcgrath
Amby
Steyn
Hadlee
Imran
Donald


Donald is very underated He avges late teens \early 20s against all teams bar australia A true great
 
Zaz said:
Marshall

Daylight

In any order after

Lillee
Mcgrath
Amby
Steyn
Hadlee
Imran
Donald


Donald is very underated He avges late teens \early 20s against all teams bar australia A true great
Click to expand...

Why no Wasim akram?Not up there with Marshall or Lillee?
 
Dulex9 said:
What are your top 5 fast bowlers?

1) Lillie
2) Marshall
3) Wasim Akram
4) Glenn McGrath
5) Allan Donald
Click to expand...

Agree with top 3.Good choice.Prefer Hadlee to Donald .Why not Hadlee or Imran?Like choice of Wasim.
 
1. Allan Donald, greatest pure fast bowler ever.

2. Dennis Lillee, in a world where there is no Allan Donald, he is the greatest pure fast bowler ever.

3. Wasim Akram, in a world where people are not spoilt by the sheer joy of watching someone like Alland Donald or Dennis Lillee, he would be considered the greatest fast bowker ever

These 3 are in a different league. I cannot care to seggregate the rest..
 
Last edited:
hitthestump said:
I know you're joking but this group in their primes could closely match any other list of 5 fast bowlers named here.
Click to expand...

No I never joke about Pakistani fast bowler and certainly never joke about my community and two of them are from my community.I consider them the best.All are match winners.To me Wasim is the GOAT.Then Shoaib who might be the greatest talent of all time.Waqar had the most menacing peak ever.Asif is just poetry to watch all the best batsmen rate him the best they ever faced.
 
Many people have Dale Steyn in their list. I too am his fan but, he averaged 30 in Srl after 6 matches, 31 in Eng after 5 matches, almost 33 in UAE after 4 matches and 28 odd in Aus after 7 matches. I loved watching him ball but averaging 30+ in 3 countries set him back to an extent in my book.

Considering a balanced consistency in quite a few different conditions my list would be:

Glenn Mcgrath
Allan Donald
Ambrose
Malcom Marshall
Wasim
 
Last edited:
Invincible Gujjar said:
No I never joke about Pakistani fast bowler and certainly never joke about my community and two of them are from my community.I consider them the best.All are match winners.To me Wasim is the GOAT.Then Shoaib who might be the greatest talent of all time.Waqar had the most menacing peak ever.Asif is just poetry to watch all the best batsmen rate him the best they ever faced.
Click to expand...

If you only rate players from your community / country then your opinion im afraid is flawed
 
Dennis Lillee
Sidney Barnes
Malcolm Marshall
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath
Richard Hadlee
Alan Donald
Curty Ambrose
Mike Procter
Imran Khan
Davidson

Top 11 of all time
 
Invincible Gujjar said:
No I never joke about Pakistani fast bowler and certainly never joke about my community and two of them are from my community.I consider them the best.All are match winners.To me Wasim is the GOAT.Then Shoaib who might be the greatest talent of all time.Waqar had the most menacing peak ever.Asif is just poetry to watch all the best batsmen rate him the best they ever faced.
Click to expand...

waqar - rofl no. There are 4 already better than him in asia alone. You are a Pakistani. You won't admit it.

shoaib bhai - No again. Better than waqar but there are 3 better than him from Asia alone.

wasim makes it to top 10. Just.

asif is overrated and a fraud. Trundler at that too.
 
Dulex9 said:
Dennis Lillee
Sidney Barnes
Malcolm Marshall
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath
Richard Hadlee
Alan Donald
Curty Ambrose
Mike Procter
Imran Khan
Davidson

Top 11 of all time
Click to expand...

Atruly great list.Appreciate respect for Lillee unlike most here.
 
Dulex9 said:
Dennis Lillee
Sidney Barnes
Malcolm Marshall
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath
Richard Hadlee
Alan Donald
Curty Ambrose
Mike Procter
Imran Khan
Davidson

Top 11 of all time
Click to expand...

Why Lillee above Marshall?Like your ranking of Wasim above Mcgrath and Ambrose.Very much agree .
 
For me,

1. Glenn McGrath
2. James Anderson
3. Dale Steyn
4. Wasim Akram
5. Shaun Pollock
 
Titan24 said:
Many people have Dale Steyn in their list. I too am his fan but, he averaged 30 in Srl after 6 matches, 31 in Eng after 5 matches, almost 33 in UAE after 4 matches and 28 odd in Aus after 7 matches. I loved watching him ball but averaging 30+ in 3 countries set him back to an extent in my book.

Considering a balanced consistency in quite a few different conditions my list would be:

Glenn Mcgrath
Allan Donald
Ambrose
Malcom Marshall
Wasim
Click to expand...

Ranked in order of merit?
 
tyron_woodley said:
waqar - rofl no. There are 4 already better than him in asia alone. You are a Pakistani. You won't admit it.

shoaib bhai - No again. Better than waqar but there are 3 better than him from Asia alone.

wasim makes it to top 10. Just.

asif is overrated and a fraud. Trundler at that too.
Click to expand...

I will say once again "what do Indians know about fast bowling" India has never produced a fast bowler and they will never produce that's a fact. I was never from India to begin with. I m from Jammu and I m not from India. I will never be an Indian.
 
Invincible Gujjar said:
I will say once again "what do Indians know about fast bowling" India has never produced a fast bowler and they will never produce that's a fact. I was never from India to begin with. I m from Jammu and I m not from India. I will never be an Indian.
Click to expand...

Jammu bhai. I respect Jammu people. I never said you are indian. I said you are a Pakistani.

I respect your opinion. Have a good day sir.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ab Fan
Rank these greatest fast bowlers of 90s in ODI format
Replies
13
Views
310
CricVet
C
A
Curtly Ambrose vs Glenn McGrath
Replies
59
Views
1K
TheSultan
T
Unbiased-Fan
The five greatest Test fast bowlers of the 21st Century
Replies
12
Views
2K
sweep_shot
sweep_shot
Ball Blazer
[EXCLUSIVE] “Spin-friendly pitches will harm Pakistan’s fast bowlers": Mohammad Abbas
Replies
10
Views
1K
BouncerGuy
BouncerGuy
A
Are fast bowlers useless in ODI cricket?
Replies
24
Views
493
pratiktc
P
Back
Top