bass guitar in fellow West Indian star Richie Richardson's band. Although he didn't have an overwhelmingly illustrious career, his most successful year came in 1998. The master of line and length, Glenn McGrath, also makes this list. However, Garner's statistics are so good that it would be criminal to leave him out of the list. We will also look at their performances overseas just how we would go with a batsman to judge whether their charms worked overseas as well or not. The best swing, seam and pace bowlers of all-time have exceptional records and achievements. Feel free to let me know who you would have in your list of top 5 Test fast bowlers of all time. Best known for his probing line outside off stump, McGrath was a once in a lifetime quick and is still one of the most-loved players to ever grace the game, even if most England fans remember him with dread. When the PBA ranked its greatest bowlers of all time in 2009, Davis came in at No. However, what goes against Garner is that he only played 58 Test matches compared to Marshall's 81. The other good teams during this period were Australia and England, both of whom boasted two of the best winning percentage in Tests during the 1970s. But even in his last year, Ambrose averaged under 18, which is remarkable. Akram's average improved to 24 in Tests played in Australia. He strolled out to the crease and batted one-handed to allow his teammate Larry Gomes to bring up a ton. With the ball, he was unplayable from 1980 to 1988, picking up 236 wickets in Tests at a stunning average of 17.77, the best average of all bowlers, beating the likes of Richard Hadlee, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, and Michael Holding, among others. Let's use the process of elimination based on the metrics seen so far. In an era where a plethora of world-class batsman emerged in Test Cricket, McGrath averaged nearly 20 during 2000-2009, which demonstrated his class. 20. Based on his stats alone, Imran Khan has a good chance of becoming the second Pakistani in this list. the best strike rate of any bowler with over 200 Test wickets. A third West Indian bowler rounds up our top 3. The deadliest feature of his bowling was his late inswing, coupled with an amazing speed. Of course, he did play in era where bowlers had it all, but he is undoubtedly one of the finest, if not the finest cricketers New Zealand has ever produced. If Shaun Pollock didn't become a cricketer, the theory of DNA might have been disproved. There is no better sight in world cricket than a big burly fast bowler steaming in and delivering a peach at 140 km per hour. Malcolm Marshall (WIN) - Marshall's Test bowling average of 20.94 is the best of any bowler to have taken more then 200 wickets. He also had a good hand in batting and was a good all-rounder during his time. While Ambrose didn't do as well against Pakistan, averaging about 28, he was superb against South Africa. A man who had his action debated more than any other player,  Muttiah Muralitharan finished a 133-match career with exactly 800 wickets. These Test bowlers statistically were ahead of even their famous peers. PBA Tour titles: 18. Duke's career PBA Tour earnings eclipsed $3 million in the 2011-12 season, making him just the third PBA bowler at the time to surpass the $3 million mark in career prize money. He only ever played against South Africa and Australia and claimed 189 wickets at an average of 16.43 in 27 Tests. This is the best second-innings bowling performance ever. Shaun Pollock is a right arm medium fast bowler who played for South Africa from 1995 to 2008. He died tragically young, at the age of 41 from cancer. But these three players displayed incredible longevity and fitness in Test matches over a considerable period. The lack of cricket right now has hit all cricket lovers very hard but while we wait for cricket to restart, why not have a look at the five best fast bowlers of all time in Test cricket? Let's look at Ambrose first: he took over 400 Test wickets at an average of under 21, while bowling at an average of under 22 against Australia. Another 18-time tour champion, Billy Hardwick won PBA Player of the Year honors in 1963, when he captured four tournaments, and in 1969, when he claimed a career-high six titles. Ambrose took over the West Indian bowling attack from the famed quartet of Marshall, Garner, Colin Craft and Sir Andy Roberts. Could one of them possibly have a chance here? In our opinion, McGrath was the all-time best fast bowler in terms of "using the no Ball". We start with Imran Khan. Apart from having a very impressive average, Donald's strike rate was 47, which is again phenomenal. His bowling was fierce and could swing the ball both ways. Not only is Younis the third highest ODI wicket-taker of all time, but he is also the fastest bowler to reach 300, 350 and 400 career wickets. A super all-rounder who inspired a generation of quicks. Now we have just one spot left. Add to this the 273 wickets and 11,000-plus runs in ODI cricket, and we have a true all-time great. We do hope you enjoy the video footage of the above, even if you are Australian. Both his father and his uncle were fine cricketers and Pollock followed in their footsteps by being a sort of hybrid of the two. After cricket, Khan went into Pakistan politics, and is still an influential public figure. But what about his partner in crime? Swing, yorkers and all the rest, Khan was the poster-boy for bowling with sex appeal. He once took six for 24 as England were bundled out for 46 and a rather impressive seven for one against Australia. Malcolm Marshall, Mr. Twinkle Toes, was one of the finest fast bowlers to ever live. But he was not as good away from home, averaging nearly 26 against the second-best Test side in that era, Australia. In a formidable Windies team, Marshall was a proven match-winner, averaging under 17 in games that the West Indies won. The left-armer's strike rate was significantly lower than that of Waqar Younis', but with more wickets, better overseas average and better performances against bigger teams, Wasim Akram will make this list in place of Younis. Australia v South Africa - Third Test: Day 2. He is the fast bowler with the most scalps - 563 in 124 Tests. He holds the honour of being the fastest to the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets. In other Asian nations and the West Indies, Younis was very proficient. The best of them all has to be Sidney Barnes, who was England’s fast bowler from 1904 to 1914. Let's start with our first metric, the fundamental metric that will not be as impactful as other metrics. 10. His best figures during an innings are 7/27 against the West Indies in 1999 and he is one of only five New Zealand bowlers to take more than 200 wickets at international Test match level. Donald's most noteworthy performances came against Asian teams like India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. 86 Tests, 431 wickets, best bowling 9/52, average 22.29, economy rate 2.63, strike rate 50.8. Garner's records across the board were equally phenomenal, and the only thing that goes against him is probably his longevity or rather the lack of it. His average was 22.29 and his economy rate 2.63. There are dozens of factors and criteria that can be used to determine a player’s quality, such as career earnings, annual earnings, tournaments won, tournaments placed, career average, tournaments cashed relative to tournaments bowled, and on, and on… Jimmy Anderson has the most wickets of any bowler on this list, but he averages nearly 34 overseas which automatically puts him out of contention. Was Akram really that good? Dennis Lillee was the best bowler and wicket-taker of his time. Finally, a modern-day great in the form of Dale Steyn makes this list as well. But a few men did this more often than others. Top 10 Greatest English Bowlers of All Time In the recently concluded Test Series against New Zealand, James Anderson became the 4th English Bowler to take 300 Test Wickets and most recently he became leading Wicket-Taker for England in ODI’s. It's the most in Test cricket ever and it's unlikely that anyone will ever catch up to the man who so divides opinion in cricket. Out of the current pool, Jimmy Anderson has the highest Test wickets (584) over 151 Test matches, which is an indicator of incredible longevity. It is clear throughout this analysis that for many Australia have proven to be very challenging, which is all the more reason for a bowler to be placed higher when he has done well against Australia. Sir Ian 'Beefy' Botham was one of the best all-rounders of all time. The Best Swing Bowlers In Cricket History. ICC Best-Ever Test Championship Rating. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Kumar Sangakarra were in their prime during this period. George Lohmann played for England in the 1800s. Oh, he also was an accomplished fielder, taking 200 catches in his career. He managed to play for over a decade, though, and all the lovers of fast bowling will always list Waqar as one of their favourites. Hadlee, on the other hand, averaged 22.03 against the West Indies, had a superior strike rate compared to Khan and also averaged better overseas. While being one of the best all-rounders in the world, Afridi deserves his place among the Top 10 Best Spin Bowlers of All Time. If you want to find out more about how it is calculated, the ICC's rankings website has a FAQ page. Only one left-armer makes our list in the form of Wasim Akram. Keeping that in mind, Dale Steyn has a fabulous average of 21.38 in India. The best executor of the yorker ever to have lived and the man made reverse swing as popular as it is today. In third place is Courtney Walsh with 519 Test tickets. Much like we have done with ranking the Top 10 Batsmen, we've now gone and done the same with the bowlers. Shaun pollock is considered one of the best ever bowlers playing for South Africa. Waqar Younis has the best strike rate for a fast bowler after Steyn (qualification: minimum 50 Test matches). There is no better sight in world cricket than a big burly fast bowler steaming in and delivering a peach at 140 km per hour. That said, there are still a few notable omissions, not least the man in the picture above, Shane Warne, whose 905-point peak only ranks him 16th. It is always great fun to watch the fast bowler at his best especially in a Test match as he does not have a limited quota of overs as compared to the limited overs cricket. Apart from taking 563 Test wickets, which is a phenomenal achievement, McGrath averaged only 21.64 during his 14-year long career. There have been thousands of outstanding players in the history of the game. He took 112 wickets in 18 Tests. He averaged at 16.79 in Test wins, which meant a robust Allan Donald performance near guaranteed a South African Test win. Statistically, South Africa and Australia were the best Test teams of the 1990s, and Waqar Younis' averages were very low against both teams. When it comes to stats only, he's quite possibly the greatest ever. However, it is important to note while statistics do uncover more than they reveal, they are not everything when it comes to judging a player. Hadlee was a great all-rounder and was chosen by Wisden (a cricket almanac) as the second greatest test bowler of all time. The top 25 Test bowling performances of all time. If not for his record against the Australians, Pollock would have been a definite inclusion. Now, what about the three South Africans - Allan Donald, Dale Steyn and Shaun Pollock? In this piece, I take a look at a list of the top five greatest bowlers of all time in Test cricket based on various stats. His 38th title on February 15, 2015 put him in the only owning third-place on the PBA's all-time titles list. South Africa and Pakistan were the two other big Test teams in the '90s. His incredible statistics put him in contention for a top 5 spot. He managed over 40 wickets in a calendar year a further five times after that. Now that we have the basic stats to look at, we can begin narrowing down our top 5. Over 2m tall and the silent type, who rarely gave interviews, Ambrose stumbled his way to 405 Test scalps at an average of 20.99. Younis' average rose at home when he played the somewhat less successful teams, which is why I cannot include him in this list. However, when it came to Australia, he struggled with an average of close to 37 in 13 Tests. He wasn't completely useless with the bat either. The ratings shown are the highest points totals these players have attained and no player is allowed to appear on the list more than once. So the last spot would be taken up by either Joel Garner or Curtly Ambrose. Against the famed Windies of the '70s and '80s, Khan averaged 21.18 which is impressive. His best bowling averages were: 19 in South Africa, 23 in New Zealand, 23 in the UAE and 24 in England. One of the best bowlers in cricketing history is the Pakistani fast bowler, Waqar Younis, who was reputed as a fearful attacking bowler in the nineties. In the 1972 Ashes series, he took 31 wickets while he demolished the West Indies team in 1981 when he claimed seven wickets in one inning. Unfortunately, as with many bowlers, his career was hampered by back injuries. This list is, arguably, a better reflection of the top ten compared to the batsmen. The current coach of the Pakistan cricket team, Younis is considered to be one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. Between 1982 and 1985, both Khan and Hadlee put up stunning numbers which makes for a tough call to choose one among the duo. So do the best spinners. His test bowling average is 35.60 with an economy rate of 3.21. The big West Indian quickie had an incredible average of 20.94 over 81 matches. This alone puts him in a class of his own. Strike rate is significant as fast bowlers bowl short spells in Test Cricket. Dale Stay epitomises fast bowling, and his stats speak for himself. Lastly, we have Dale Steyn. Again, you can debate the limitations of the system, or whether some leading lights of the Test cricket have been unfairly left out. Yes, we know, wickets were very different back then, but those stats remain outstanding. These stats put Anderson a world away from most bowlers on this list, many of whom performed equally well overseas. The sheer number of wickets, added with his nagging consistency, makes McGrath a strong contender for the top 5. In all forms of cricket, wicket-taking ability is crucial. Many will say Glenn McGrath is finest bowler to ever live and many will agree. For this spot, there is a battle between three West Indian greats- Courtney Walsh, Joel Garner and Curtly Ambrose. While Walsh has the most Test wickets out of the trio, his average is not close to either of the other two. A strike rate of 42.3 over 93 Test matches is quite praise-worthy. His away average totalled 23, and he also performed very well against the third-best side of that generation, Pakistan. An overall average of 33 against the Aussies and an underwhelming average of 40.50 while playing in Australia does not look good in what is otherwise a brilliant resume. Firstly, as mentioned earlier, Waqar Younis has the second-best strike rate, which puts him in contention. Wasim Akram performed much better against Australia, averaging 25.76 in 13 Tests he played against the Aussies. vernon Philander is number four on our list of ” Top 5 best South African bowlers in test … Records includes the following current or recent matches: Australia v India at Sydney, ICC … He was another West Indian pacer, who like Garner, averaged better overseas than at home. Therefore, both Ambrose and Garner make my final list, and the plethora of talent takes my list from five to six bowlers. Fittingly, the list has three West Indians in Garner, Marshall and Ambrose. Malcolm Marshall and Allan Donald round up the other fast bowlers with the best strike rates after Steyn and Younis, respectively striking at 46.7 and 47.0. And given how some of the greatest modern bowlers have been unable to match him, he may stay top of this list for a long time yet. However, Glenn McGrath's outstanding overall record makes him a shoo-in for the top 5. Curtley Ambrose retired and went to play bass guitar in fellow West Indian star Richie Richardson's band—and why not? Younis took a wicket every 43.4 deliveries during an 87-game Test career. The bowlers we would look for here are Sir Richard Hadlee, Dennis Lillee and Imran Khan. Lock took 174 wickets at an average of 25.58. It is almost frightening to think what Dale Steyn could have achieved had injuries not derailed him. While Joel Garner has better averages and strike rates, he only played 58 Test matches. Apart from the trio above, a fourth special mention deserves to go to Glenn McGrath. But what about the famous duo of Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram of Pakistan. One of the tallest bowlers of all time, McGrath was the hunter of "biggest fishes" like Bian Lara and Atherton. His aggressive … Players make the all-time list by sustaining excellent form over a prolonged period. An excellent strike rate paired with an impressive average of 22 makes him Steyn a strong contender for the Top 5. ICC Cricket ranking of teams, batsmen, bowler and all - rounder.Get latest ICC cricket ranking of ODI, Test matches, T20 and ICC rankings of batsmen, bowler and all-rounder. He not only has the best strike rate among the trio, but also has an average below 23 and an overall average of 27.47 against the Aussies while playing against them. Allan Donald did not fare as badly against the mighty Aussies, averaging a little over 30 against them. Sir Richard Hadlee took 431 wickets in 86 Tests. Many know him to be one of the best all-rounders in Test cricket, but he was also an outstanding bowler as well. That system judges players by their all-time peak score—the highest ranking achieved at the height of their best form. Bowlers win you test matches because you need to take 20 wickets. He … South Africa were probably the second-best Test team during this period. He was just a medium pacer, but managed to swing it both ways and had pinpoint accuracy. In 70 Tests he claimed 355 wickets. That, once again, is third on the all-time list. Ambrose had a remarkable average of 20.99 over 98 Test matches while taking over 400 wickets. He will forever be entrenched in cricket folklore for the time he broke his thumb while fielding. He is the fast bowler with the most scalps - 563 in 124 Tests. Shaun Pollock, one of the top 10 greatest bowlers of all time. We've discussed Marshall already and standing at number 3 in the strike rate category as well only affirms his case as a sure shot in our top 5. Pollock took 69 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 20.44. Following him closely is the big Aussie Glenn McGrath with 563 Test wickets over 124 games. Sydney Barnes is regarded by many as the best ever and the ICC all-time rankings agree. All these factors make Dale Steyn a modern-day great and our third inclusion in this top 5. What is most impressive about Ambrose is that usually, pacers show a decline in statistics towards the end of their careers. The lack of cricket right now has hit all cricket lovers very hard but while we wait for cricket to restart, why not have a look at the five best fast bowlers of all time in Test cricket?. But what it does do is give us a top 10 free from bias or favour, decided by a complex algorithm in the ICC headquarters in Dubai. Shaun Pollock was a bowler who had a decent average against every team. He only retired from cricket at the age of 39 - a remarkable achievement for any cricketer, nevermind a bowler. Against Australia, the best team of the era, Steyn struck at an impressive average of 46.2. Although his performances against Pakistan and South Africa were excellent, he will have to be out of contention. Without a doubt, Richard Hadlee is one of the greatest Test bowlers of all time and merits the #5 spot on our list of the greatest bowlers of all time. We start with Imran Khan. This makes the stats of fast bowlers during this period look even better. Like all great bowlers, McGrath did better overseas than at home. Imran Khan is one of Pakistan's finest ever players. Hadlee's superior performances overseas sees him edge out Imran Khan for a Top 5 spot. A good strike rate is an indicator of a bowler taking wickets at regular intervals. But who makes the best five among this fierce and fast group? With spot-on line and length, McGrath took 563 test wickets in 124 matches. He managed to play for over a decade, though, and all the lovers of fast bowling will always list Waqar as one of their favourites. Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath, Allan Donald, Sir Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, Dale Steyn, Shaun Pollock, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Dennis Lillee, Courtney Walsh, Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson are all legends in Test cricket. Some say he is the greatest to ever spin a ball, while his action, the result of a birth defect, drew huge scrutiny, particularly in Australia. Were the West Indian quartet really that lethal? Many will say Glenn McGrath is finest bowler to ever live and many will agree. He carried the England team for many years and his self-confidence ensured that even when his career plunged into controversy, as it did on many an occasion, he would always somehow find his way back. India are considered the second-best test team during Dale Steyn's era, especially at home. Like all great bowlers, McGrath did better overseas than at home. Younis had the the best strike rate of any bowler with over 200 Test wickets. In the six Tests that he played in Asia, Ambrose averaged 22.50. His average against England was superb, but his stats do not match up with either Khan or Hadlee. While these rankings aren’t ever easy, rarely accurate, and always subjective, they remain fun. The lowest average and a solid strike rate across 81 Test matches makes it reasonably easy to decide our first name on this list. The strike rate of a bowler is the number of balls bowled before taking a wicket. We compiled the list from the "career best rating", as determined by the ICC's ranking system. Like Younis, though, his average and strike rate fell against the Aussies. Laker achieved this in the mid-'50s, Kumble just before the dawn of the new millennium. He played in what is generally regarded as one of the greatest Test teams of all time. Read on to find out. His bowling was cleared by the ICC, and his records are set to stand the test of time. Garner was phenomenal in England and New Zealand. For those who are unfamiliar with these two terms, a bowler's average is the number of runs he concedes before taking a wicket. From here on, though, it gets slightly tougher as we narrow down who makes our last three spots. 1 / 5 NEXT Published 19 Nov 2018, 15:15 IST We're going back now, right back to the earliest days of Test cricket. With his arm in plaster, he went on to bowl, taking seven for 53. Dale Steyn (born on June 27, 1983)) is the best quick bowler in modern day cricket. Yet, he's here for his bowling. But, for the sake of this article, we are going to give it a go. He played in what is generally regarded as one of the greatest Test teams of all … Anderson's long-time bowling partner, Stuart Broad, averages 28.50 in Test matches, which also puts him out of contention for the Top 5. However, what negatively impacts Waqar Younis is that against Australia, the best team during his time, Younis struggled massively. Unfortunately, as with many bowlers, his career was hampered by back injuries. Billy Hardwick. However, taking a deeper glance at the numbers shows that against the best team of his generation, his numbers dipped. Creating a ‘Best Bowlers of All Time’ list isn’t easy. He was the 1st fast bowler to play 100 test matches. Now, we can get into the more exciting stuff and probably one of the most important metrics- the average. He is Sir Curtly Ambrose. Furthermore, against Australia, the best team of his time, Walsh averaged close to 28. Some would say Ambrose even exceeded the quartet. The lowest Test average for a fast bowler who played a minimum 50 Tests, belongs to Malcolm Marshall. But Kallis being Kallis, it all flies under the radar. Now we can move on to the strike rate, which is another crucial metric to determine who belongs in the top 5. Barnes is credited as one of the first bowlers who managed to take the bounce of the new ball and combine it with swing. With such spikes in form, it's perhaps no surprise that the ranking system has put him on the list. 27. Allan Donald, also known as White Lighting, was the South African spearhead of the '90s, making the Proteas a formidable Test team after the apartheid era. 1) Pete Weber: 37 career titles, 10 major championships, 6 PBA 50 titles. He dispelled the myth that bowling fast on dusty tracks in the blazing heat was possible and lucrative. As a fast bowler, he took 405 Test … For the said analysis, we would primarily look at two critical metrics for a bowler, the average and the strike rate. The one genuine all-time great player in New Zealand's cricket history, Sir Richard Hadlee almost single-handedly dragged his nation from easybeat status to competitiveness on the global stage. Taking 300 or more wickets across a playing career is considered a significant achievement in Test cricket. Playing for New Zealand in 215 ODI matches Cairns took 201 wickets with one five-wicket haul with best … But surprisingly, his strike rate isn't as good as Lillee's or Hadlee's. Not far behind Marshall is his former teammate, Joel Garner, who had an average of 20.97. When looking into more detail and the fine print, Marshall's statistics look even better. While he was a superior bowler at home, his strike rate was still an incredible 43.8 away from home. The bowlers who bowled in the 2000s played against a batsman of the highest calibre. The first spinner to enter the fray, Tony Lock has the record for most runs scored in first-class cricket without a century. He played as Australia’ opening bowler for longer than a decade and Australia’ match-winner of the time. Trent Boult became just the third bowler to reach 250 test cricket wickets for New Zealand in Sri Lanka on Friday. 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' Botham was one of the game almost frightening to think what Dale.! The ball both ways only 21.64 during his time, Younis struggled massively many bowlers, his is. The more exciting stuff and probably one of the game he strolled out to the Batsmen a! From most bowlers on this list is, somehow and someway, I have managed to take bounce... Incredible average of 20.44 incredible statistics put him on the PBA ranked greatest... Just a medium pacer, but his stats speak for himself as ’. The sake of this article, we 've now gone and done the same with top! Sir Andy Roberts have managed to make a list of 6 out of contention is impressive... Of 3.21 averaging a little over 30 best test bowlers of all time them 's go a little back time... The double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets Akram of Pakistan 's finest ever players third-best of... Imran Khan has a good all-rounder during his 14-year long career bat either many as the –!