Who was the best overseas performer amongst pace bowlers in the sub-continent?

[Harsh Thakor]

To me the most outstanding Overseas or non-Asian pace bowlers to perform in the Asian sub-continent ,particularly India and Pakistan were Glen Mcgrath,Courtney Walsh,Malcolm Marshall,Dale Steyn and Andy Roberts.Amazing that statistically Courtney Walsh overshadowed any Calypso paceman in the sub-continent with great figures in India and Pakistan.Still I think that Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall were more lethal or effective .Richard Hadlee did very well in India but not in Pakistan.Mcgrath was outstanding in India but no so in Pakistan.Andy Roberts's 32 wickets in 1974-75 in India and Malcolm Marshall's 33 wicket haul in 1983-84 in India are to me the best.

Statistically Courtney Walsh was the best amongst non-Asian paceman to bowl in the sub-continent.


My tentative ranking

1Courtney Walsh
2.Malcolm Marshall
3Andy Roberts
4.Glen Mcgrath
5.Dale Steyn
6.Richard Hadlee
7.Alan Donald


Marshall was more lethal but Walsh carried a greater workload.Walsh was outstanding in 2 series in India while Marshall was brilliant in only one series of the 2 he played in.Walsh has a considerably better haul in India.Still Marshall at his best in 183-84 was better than Walsh ever or in Pakistan in 1986.Walsh is also better than Mcgrath in India and Pakistan.Arguably Courtney could be rated the best Overseas paceman on the Asian sub-continent.This fact must lift his esteem in eyes of public judges who inspite of his staggering haul of wickets do not rate him wit the best.I think Walsh has to admired for the prodigious bounce accompanied by deceptive movement he extracted on flat pancakes .To me he was more lethal than even Curtly Ambrose on sub-continent tracks.For sheer craft Marshal and Roberts had no equal while for intelligence Mcgrath was simply supreme as a paceman.Significant 3 West Indians at the top of the tree who all displayed mastery with the old ball.



Courtney Walsh record

in India 1987-1994 7 13 278.0 55 798 43 6/79 9/94 18.55 2.87 38.7 3 0

in Pakistan 1986-1997 9 16 272.4 51 723 33 5/78 7/77 21.90 2.65 49.5 2 0


Malcolm Marshall record

in India 1978-1983 9 15 299.0 70 886 36 6/37 9/102 24.61 2.96 49.8 2 0

in Pakistan 1980-1990 10 19 277.5 53 751 35 5/33 6/47 21.45 2.70 47.6 1 0


Glen Mcgrath record

in India 1996-2004 8 16 313.2 123 703 33 4/18 7/121 21.30 2.24 56.9 0 0

in Pakistan 1994-1998 5 9 201.0 49 589 19 5/66 5/106 31.00 2.93 63.4 1 0

in Sri Lanka 1999-2002 4 7 108.1 34 292 10 3/38 4/78 29.20 2.69 64.9 0 0


Andy Roberts record

in India 1974-1983 7 13 1585 733 37 7/64 12/121 19.81 2.77 42.8 3 1

in Pakistan 1975-1975 2 4 720 322 12 5/66 9/187 26.83 2.68 60.0 1 0


Dale Steyn record

in India 2008-2015 6 9 160.5 22 556 26 7/51 10/108 21.38 3.45 37.1 2 1

in Pakistan 2007-2007 2 4 55.3 10 222 9 5/56 7/106 24.66 4.00 37.0 1 0

in Sri Lanka 2006-2014 4 7 136.5 22 519 21 5/54 9/99 24.71 3.79 39.0 2 0

 

[HuzaifaE]

Steyn is the best I've seen.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Where would you rank Courtney Walsh on the sub-continent?In Mcgrath or Marshall class ?Pakpassion viewers please respond.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Marshall was hands down the best fast bowler I ever saw.

I remember Pakistani top order batsmen completely terrified of him.

His opening spells, as far as I recall, involved a healthy mix of away swingers, balls jumping off awkward lengths and outright nasty bouncers - an absolute tornado. And I am not exaggerating.

Miandad and middle order would then get the score to some sort of respectable position - once the shine was off.

Statistically, Steyn, Walsh can match or beat Marshal - but that is like saying statistically Batman vs Superman - Dawn of Justice is a better movie than the Godfather because more people saw it!

Sometimes I just outdo myself

 

[jeetu]

Marshall easily. He had a aura about him. Saw it in 83-84 Indian tour. Only Vengsarkar and Gavaskar managed to handle him in patches during that tour.

 

[hk031992]

Marshall followed by Steyn.

Steyn i rank ahead of McGrath because of his ability to pick up 5 wicket hauls in the sub continent.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Marshall was hands down the best fast bowler I ever saw.

I remember Pakistani top order batsmen completely terrified of him.

His opening spells, as far as I recall, involved a healthy mix of away swingers, balls jumping off awkward lengths and outright nasty bouncers - an absolute tornado. And I am not exaggerating.

Miandad and middle order would then get the score to some sort of respectable position - once the shine was off.

Statistically, Steyn, Walsh can match or beat Marshal - but that is like saying statistically Batman vs Superman - Dawn of Justice is a better movie than the Godfather because more people saw it!

Sometimes I just outdo myself

Any view on Courtney Walsh?Was not his record simply outstanding on the falt subcontinent pancakes?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Marshall easily. He had a aura about him. Saw it in 83-84 Indian tour. Only Vengsarkar and Gavaskar managed to handle him in patches during that tour.

What about Walsh who had a staggering haul of wickets on both tours?Mcgrath also right up there?

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Any view on Courtney Walsh?Was not his record simply outstanding on the falt subcontinent pancakes?

He was excellent.

Just not Marshall scary!

 

[jeetu]

What about Walsh who had a staggering haul of wickets on both tours?Mcgrath also right up there?

True on getting bucket load of wickets. Still Walsh didn't scar Indian team on both tours as both series were drawn.
Marshall on the other hand started panic in Indian camp by his pace. He started that by knocking the bat out of Gavaskar's hand. In second test even on a flat pitch Indian batting lineup was filled with Allrounders. Kirmani was no.11 batsman.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Malcolm Marshall, who else?

As Wasim Akram once said, he'd trade his career with Malcolm's in a heartbeat

 

[gani999]

Not just in the subcontinent but everywhere else too, Marshall was the most frightening bowler that ever lived. He was the stuff of nightmares for everyone who played him.

Even Wasim and Waqar in their prime did not inspire as much fear as Marshall did.

The man was unplayable.