Random Cricket Thread (International Cricket)

[KipperJohn]

Seems to be a popular figure around the game in Australia, where he was a commentator, as well as the venue for his greatest exploits, in the 1954-5 Ashes. A career average of 18.6 is pretty extraordinary, and he is significant among the players of the 1950s, an era when English cricketers seemed to take up a prominent place in the public consciousness. He his hardly ever spoken of by his contemporaries without that ruefulness, that shared, knowing wince that accompanies the recollection of the truly rapid bowlers and becomes a part of their legend: Spofforth, Larwood, Tyson, Thomson, Holding, Akhtar. All the better if you acquire a racy, respectful nickname. RIP Typhoon Tyson.

Good write up Arthur as usual. A lot of prominent England players around that time - Hutton, Bedser, Cowdrey, Trueman, Laker, Lock to name but a few. I was very young but he was certainly a bit of an English sporting hero - even when the media was largely confined to the papers, radio and cinema. RIP to another 'legend' of that time.

[westoelad]

Typhoon Tyson has died, aged 87, in a Gold Coast hospital.


Richie Benaud called him the fastest bowler he had ever seen. No mean accolade.


Vale.

85 year old-he was straight out of Uni. in the 1954-55 series where he explded on the scene. Saw him play in an exhibition game when he was at Durham University. Can't say I saw him bowl 'cos I never saw the ball once it left his hand.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Some chat going around about who was the fastest. Ignoring the speed gun, which doesn't seem that reliable, and just going on your own eyes, of the bowlers in your era, who would you say? I suppose lots of factors go into what makes the bowler appear fast, many of these being outside of the control of the bowler, particularly the pitch. But we get to see them operate on a range of pitches in time.

People who have been seen as REALLY FAST AND NASTY WITHIN THE GAME (sorry) haven't always been the real legends. Two bowlers who are talked of repeatedly with a degree of awe for their pace (in my time, 1976 forwards), aren't seen as great bowlers (suggesting pace alone has limited value), Devon Malcolm and Sylvester Clarke. I think Gooch thought Patrick Patterson particularly fast.

Sometimes the pitch will look dead, and then a bowler will come on and appear particularly devastating, and it is those spells that impress. Shaoib Akhtar comes to mind, but often he would get reverse swing with the older ball, and that would give the impression of extra speed, because suddenly the stumps are flying. Holding's game at the Oval has acquired legendary status for pace, taking the pitch out of the equation, but not because he alone was getting sideways movement. You have to be impressed with the great West Indian quicks; everyone prepared featherbeds for them and they still looked as scary as hell.

Anyway, my impression is that Shoaib was the quickest, with that flexible elbow providing his own little extra percent.

How about each team?

West Indies- Holding.
England- I presume Malcolm, but Goughie could be very fast.
Australia- I only saw Thommo post injury,so Lee.
India- ?
NZ- Bond.
SL- ?
South Africa- Donald, though they had a few quick men who didn't stick, like Schultz, and Hayward.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Meandering post. Have just woken up.

[Gingerfinch]

Tait of Australia was very very quick.

[Arthur Crabtree]

And Cummins has that heat, out of current bowlers.

The bowling that most reminded me of the hostility of the West Indies fast bowlers, in more recent times, was Mitch Johnson in the last whitewash. The speedgun would tell you he was merely very quick. But observationally, he looked unplayable. Maybe that was his action making it hard for the batter to pick the ball up and implement their triggers? Certainly the pitches were quick, but only Mitch looked frightening

[Gingerfinch]

The view from behind the keeper always made the bowler look quicker. We don't get that option any more.

[sussexpob]

Richie Benaud called him the fastest bowler he had ever seen. No mean accolade.

Benaud picking a man that destroyed the team he captained, not a surprise. Mike Selvey wrote today Holding being the quickest he seen, he also played his only test series against him. No doubt most people pick a person from their generation. Pretty sure Ive heard Botham say Roberts was the quickest bowler, but he did knock out his teeth. The only notable exception is Bradman, who says Tyson too..... but he was hardly going to say Larwood, not after Bodyline and bad blood after that series.

I have read today that Tyson was tested in a lab, and 89 mph was his quickest..... if true, then he wouldnt even be in the top 100 quickest bowlers.

[sussexpob]

Personally, I dont think anyone has come close to S.Ahktar. He was rapid, really really rapid. When in full flow, he looked visibly quicker than most. Another two that seemed to be quicker were Lee, Donald and Bond....

All three had natural full lengths, and all three had energetic run ups of flaying limbs, so I am not sure if this helps with the illusion. Someone like Courtney Walsh or Ambrose, who were tall and rhythmical, looked quicker but probably were.

[sussexpob]

Nantie Hayward was quick to, but his pace is probably forgotten when emerging alongside Lee and Ahktar. In fact I am pretty sure that Steve Waugh once said the Aussies celebrated when they seen he wasnt picked against them, as no one wanted to go out to bad against his pace, so he must have been rapid.

Shaun Tait to the naked eye never looked that quick to me.

[Arthur Crabtree]

The view from behind the keeper always made the bowler look quicker. We don't get that option any more.

Never noticed that. I suppose you don't get to see the ball so much.

[Arthur Crabtree]

A subject that on the BBC boards, would eventually result in them being closed down, the fastest India bowler. Srnath, who bowled with one of those heavy balls. And a long time ago, in a universe far, far away, Ishant was quick. I imagine quite a few speedsters were fast tracked over the years without making the grade tough.

[The Waugh Twins]

Wow Frank Tyson.

RIP.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Aged 91, you've seen a few come and go, Waughtwins.

[alfie]

Richie Benaud called him the fastest bowler he had ever seen. No mean accolade.

Benaud picking a man that destroyed the team he captained, not a surprise. Mike Selvey wrote today Holding being the quickest he seen, he also played his only test series against him. No doubt most people pick a person from their generation. Pretty sure Ive heard Botham say Roberts was the quickest bowler, but he did knock out his teeth. The only notable exception is Bradman, who says Tyson too..... but he was hardly going to say Larwood, not after Bodyline and bad blood after that series.

I have read today that Tyson was tested in a lab, and 89 mph was his quickest..... if true, then he wouldnt even be in the top 100 quickest bowlers.

I'd take the lab test with a pinch of salt. Too many good judges saw him as super quick for him to be less than in the top few - though that electric pace probably only lasted for a short time , around 1954/55.

I only saw him bowl a few years later , when he was quick , but not remarkably so. I was in Australia for the 1974/5 series ; and Thommo then was the quickest I have seen , before or since.