Best since Botham?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Ex players are queueing up to describe Jimmy Anderson as the best England pace bowler since Ian Botham. I'm sure ITB would point to all the tons he scored too... In an effort to test that theory, pick your dream four man pace bowling attack for England since Botham retired from Tests in 1992. These are the top 15 wicket takers since then, listed in order of average, with wickets and average in brackets.

[Gingerfinch]

I've gone

Fraser
Gough
Caddick
Anderson

Filntoff, Hoggard, Harmy, and Broad could have all got in tbh. Not much between them.

Gough and Caddick were an excellent pairing, who, especially caddick could destroy batting line-ups. Fraser got in through his nagging accuracy.

Like I said, the four below are just as good.

Broad
Hoggard
Flintoff
Harmisson

[Arthur Crabtree]

Tremlett just misses out by not having enough wickets to qualify, though it might have been sensible to have included him ahead of Devon.

[hopeforthebest]

I've gone

Fraser
Gough
Caddick
Anderson

Filntoff, Hoggard, Harmy, and Broad could have all got in tbh. Not much between them.

Gough and Caddick were an excellent pairing, who, especially caddick could destroy batting line-ups. Fraser got in through his nagging accuracy.

Like I said, the four below are just as good.

Broad
Hoggard
Flintoff
Harmisson

The 2005 ashes quartet will do for me : Jones in place of Broad.

[Aidan11]

Harmison, Hoggard, Flintoff & Anderson for me.

[Gingerfinch]

Nobody really stands out from the rest. I suspect most would have Jimmy, but if you look at other teams from the same period, one or two would be chosen by 99% of the voters.

Windies - Ambrose & Walsh
Pakistan - Waqar & Akram
India - Srinath & Zaheer
S Africa - Donald, Steyn, and Pollock
Sri-Lanka - Vaas
Australia - McGrath

Looking at our bowlers, we've had just as many 'good' bowlers than any other side, without having a great. Not saying Vaas, Zaheer, or Srinath are greats of course.

[DiligentDefence]

As a quartet I've gone for Anderson, Flintoff, Fraser and Gough.

[Arthur Crabtree]

[
The 2005 ashes quartet will do for me : Jones in place of Broad.

I was thinking that way. At least I picked Jones and Freddie. I'd love to have Harmi, but it's true, excellent though he was, he took most wickets against WI&NZ. Having picked these two, who shone briefly but brightly, I carried on in that spirit with Dean Headley. And completed the attack with the incredibly underrated Angus Fraser. I think they all complement each other.

[Arthur Crabtree]

As a quartet I've gone for Anderson, Flintoff, Fraser and Gough.

Pretty good looking attack.

[hopeforthebest]

[
The 2005 ashes quartet will do for me : Jones in place of Broad.

I was thinking that way. At least I picked Jones and Freddie. I'd love to have Harmi, but it's true, excellent though he was, he took most wickets against WI&NZ. Having picked these two, who shone briefly but brightly, I carried on in that spirit with Dean Headley. And completed the attack with the incredibly underrated Angus Fraser. I think they all complement each other.

I don't remember any pace attack that has gelled in the same way as those four did in 2005, that for me is the clincher. Others maybe better bowlers but a balanced attack is a rare thing.

[Gingerfinch]

[
The 2005 ashes quartet will do for me : Jones in place of Broad.

I was thinking that way. At least I picked Jones and Freddie. I'd love to have Harmi, but it's true, excellent though he was, he took most wickets against WI&NZ. Having picked these two, who shone briefly but brightly, I carried on in that spirit with Dean Headley. And completed the attack with the incredibly underrated Angus Fraser. I think they all complement each other.

I don't remember any pace attack that has gelled in the same way as those four did in 2005, that for me is the clincher. Others maybe better bowlers but a balanced attack is a rare thing.

Swann or Giles as the spinner?

[Making_Splinters]

Players like Fraser would need to be hidden in the field these days.

Just picking the four best bowlers, ignoring batting and fielding.

Gough
Fraser
Headley
Anderson

[Alviro Patterson]

Gough, Sidebottom, Hoggard, Bresnan

[Arthur Crabtree]

Gough, Sidebottom, Hoggard, Bresnan

Craig White a bit unlucky there.

[SaintPowelly]

Dominic Cork.