Best Pace Bowlers.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Eighteen fast bowlers have taken 200 Test wickets at an average under 25. I've listed the best fifteen by average, in order of strike rate.

These are the three who average under 25 and miss out.
Courtney Walsh
Brian Statham
Alec Bedser.

Willis and Andy Roberts are just over 25.

Please vote for your top four as a potential attack (irrespective of batting). Or vote for the ones you like present, and post below any which aren't offered as an option.

Here are some stats.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=bowling

[Gingerfinch]

I went for:

Marshall
Akram
Ambrose
McGrath

Hadlee, and Waqar were close.

Steyn should be rightly up there, but I don't think we've seen the best of him over here, which is why he's not in my four.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Not much overlap. Gone for Steyn (only the Pakistan bowlers will have been as successful all over the globe). We're talking Tests by the way. Plus Lillee, Marshall and Garner. Bit of a shame I couldn't get Hadlee and Waqar in there.

[Gingerfinch]

Never saw Lillee. Botham calls him the greatest, but all the best ever players are from his era

[Arthur Crabtree]

I missed Lillee's wild years, but he was superb as a fast medium bowler. I've seen a lot of footage of his fast days. Big negative is that he didn't play much in Asia.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Everyone so far has picked MM. I wonder if there's a wider consensus that he's the number one pace bowler.

[DiligentDefence]

Marshall, Hadlee, Ambrose and Akram for me. Difficult to comment on Trueman as I never saw him play but he has to come into consideration. Marshall would certainly be my number 1 with Hadlee at 2. Those two took no thought whatsoever.

[Aidan11]

Everyone so far has picked MM.

No, not that MM.


Marshall is in my Top 4 too. Along with McGrath, Curtley & Whispering Death.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Arf!

[SaintPowelly]

Steyn
Bond
Tremlett
McGrath

[Arthur Crabtree]

Pleased to see Steyn get a vote other than my own. His stats stand alongside the crazy records of Victorian bowlers. This on twenty first century pitches that people often say are batter friendly.

Votes for Chris Tremlett and Shane Bond noted.

[Aidan11]

Mention in dispatches should also go to Andy Roberts.


Fearsome bowler. In a domestic one day game a young Somerset debutant came out to the wicket and attempted to hook the WI's quickie. That resulted in the instant rearrangement of the batsman's front teeth.

Credit to the batsman though. He spat them out and got on with it. He was tough was Ian Botham.

[shankycricket]

Marshall
Hadlee
McGrath
Akram.

Steyn would've been next.

[Arthur Crabtree]

There are some great bowlers with no votes.

[The Waugh Twins]

Ha....................I saw Marshal and didn't even bother to look at the rest and surprisingly I was astounded to see my peers agree.