Did bowling decline in 1960s?

[Trichromatic]

What happened in 1960s?

 

1930s was decent time for bowlers. 3 with 100+ wickets and sub-25 avg

 

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5	10
CV Grimmett (AUS)	1930-1936	28	51	10708	3711	169	7/40	14/199	21.95	2.07	63.3	16	6
WJ O'Reilly (AUS)	1932-1938	26	46	9910	3221	136	7/54	11/129	23.68	1.95	72.8	10	3
H Verity (ENG)	1931-1939	40	73	11173	3510	144	8/43	15/104	24.37	1.88	77.5	5	2
W Voce (ENG)	1930-1937	24	46	5852	2526	97	7/70	11/149	26.04	2.58	60.3	3	2
GOB Allen (ENG)	1930-1937	22	40	4116	2174	76	7/80	10/78	28.60	3.16	54.1	5	1

 

1940s was tough time anyway due to war and no one picked 100+ wickets

 

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5	10
WA Johnston (AUS)	1947-1950	11	22	3113	1000	54	6/44	9/183	18.51	1.92	57.6	2	0
RR Lindwall (AUS)	1946-1950	17	32	3688	1342	70	7/38	9/70	19.17	2.18	52.6	5	0
AV Bedser (ENG)	1946-1949	23	41	7548	2959	89	7/49	11/93	33.24	2.35	84.8	2	2
DVP Wright (ENG)	1946-1949	17	31	4445	2238	58	7/105	10/175	38.58	3.02	76.6	4	1

 

1950s was much better year with good bowlers all aroud

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5	10
JC Laker (ENG)	1950-1959	38	72	9783	2992	162	10/53	19/90	18.46	1.83	60.3	8	3
AV Bedser (ENG)	1950-1955	28	51	8370	2917	147	7/44	14/99	19.84	2.09	56.9	13	3
JH Wardle (ENG)	1950-1957	27	51	6579	2071	102	7/36	12/89	20.30	1.88	64.5	5	1
GAR Lock (ENG)	1952-1959	31	59	8117	2554	123	7/35	11/48	20.76	1.88	65.9	8	3
FS Trueman (ENG)	1952-1959	31	60	6200	2685	128	8/31	9/40	20.97	2.59	48.4	5	0
Fazal Mahmood (PAK)	1952-1959	26	43	7815	2765	125	7/42	13/114	22.12	2.12	62.5	12	4
JB Statham (ENG)	1951-1959	47	87	9995	3737	159	7/39	9/88	23.50	2.24	62.8	5	0
KR Miller (AUS)	1950-1956	37	64	7609	2878	122	6/107	10/152	23.59	2.26	62.3	5	1
R Benaud (AUS)	1952-1959	42	74	11201	3952	165	7/72	11/105	23.95	2.11	67.8	11	1
HJ Tayfield (SA)	1950-1958	30	52	11875	3686	153	9/113	13/165	24.09	1.86	77.6	14	2
RR Lindwall (AUS)	1950-1959	42	77	9470	3687	152	7/43	8/112	24.25	2.33	62.3	7	0
WA Johnston (AUS)	1950-1955	29	53	7935	2826	106	6/62	8/114	26.66	2.13	74.8	5	0
TE Bailey (ENG)	1950-1959	57	88	8764	3257	116	7/34	11/98	28.07	2.22	75.5	3	1
S Ramadhin (WI)	1950-1959	37	65	12152	3950	138	7/49	11/152	28.62	1.95	88.0	10	1
AL Valentine (WI)	1950-1958	29	50	11157	3568	123	8/104	11/204	29.00	1.91	90.7	8	2
SP Gupte (INDIA)	1951-1959	31	52	9822	3903	134	9/102	10/223	29.12	2.38	73.2	11	1
MH Mankad (INDIA)	1951-1959	31	52	10820	3570	122	8/52	13/131	29.26	1.97	88.6	7	2

 

 

Then was there a decline in 1960s. Only Trueman managed to average below 25.

 

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5	10
FS Trueman (ENG)	1960-1965	36	67	8978	3940	179	7/44	12/119	22.01	2.63	50.1	12	3
PM Pollock (SA)	1961-1967	24	44	5832	2548	101	6/38	10/87	25.22	2.62	57.7	8	1
EAS Prasanna (INDIA)	1962-1969	22	40	7556	3057	113	6/74	10/174	27.05	2.42	66.8	8	1
LR Gibbs (WI)	1961-1969	42	77	15483	5124	184	8/38	11/157	27.84	1.98	84.1	12	2
GD McKenzie (AUS)	1961-1969	54	102	16132	6644	238	8/71	10/91	27.91	2.47	67.7	16	3
WW Hall (WI)	1960-1969	40	76	8486	4249	146	7/69	9/105	29.10	3.00	58.1	6	0
FJ Titmus (ENG)	1962-1968	47	81	13941	4470	145	7/79	9/162	30.82	1.92	96.1	7	0
DA Allen (ENG)	1960-1966	39	65	11297	3779	122	5/30	9/162	30.97	2.00	92.5	4	0
RC Motz (NZ)	1961-1969	32	55	7034	3148	100	6/63	8/113	31.48	2.68	70.3	5	0
GS Sobers (WI)	1960-1969	49	89	13399	5232	162	6/73	8/80	32.29	2.34	82.7	6	0

 

1970s was again a better year for bowlers

 

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5	10
IT Botham (ENG)	1977-1979	22	40	5381	2274	118	8/34	11/140	19.27	2.53	45.6	12	2
DK Lillee (AUS)	1971-1980	35	68	9510	4376	184	6/26	11/123	23.78	2.76	51.6	12	4
RGD Willis (ENG)	1971-1979	51	95	9916	4511	182	7/78	9/118	24.78	2.72	54.4	11	0
AME Roberts (WI)	1974-1980	29	57	7339	3521	140	7/54	12/121	25.15	2.87	52.4	9	2
JR Thomson (AUS)	1972-1979	34	61	7512	3892	152	6/46	9/105	25.60	3.10	49.4	6	0
JA Snow (ENG)	1970-1976	24	46	6044	2663	103	7/40	8/63	25.85	2.64	58.6	4	0
MHN Walker (AUS)	1972-1977	34	63	10094	3792	138	8/143	8/143	27.47	2.25	73.1	6	0
DL Underwood (ENG)	1970-1979	59	106	15380	5587	202	8/51	13/71	27.65	2.17	76.1	10	4
CM Old (ENG)	1972-1978	41	73	7755	3594	129	7/50	9/88	27.86	2.78	60.1	4	0
GG Arnold (ENG)	1972-1975	31	55	7134	3077	107	6/45	9/91	28.75	2.58	66.6	5	0
BS Chandrasekhar (INDIA)	1971-1979	42	70	11212	5257	180	8/79	12/104	29.20	2.81	62.2	14	1
BS Bedi (INDIA)	1971-1979	48	84	15824	5839	196	6/71	10/194	29.79	2.21	80.7	10	1
Sarfraz Nawaz (PAK)	1972-1979	33	59	8582	3591	120	9/86	11/125	29.92	2.51	71.5	4	1
Sir RJ Hadlee (NZ)	1973-1979	26	47	6376	3225	107	7/23	11/58	30.14	3.03	59.5	6	2
AW Greig (ENG)	1972-1977	58	93	9802	4541	141	8/86	13/156	32.20	2.77	69.5	6	2
LR Gibbs (WI)	1971-1976	29	56	9886	3232	100	7/98	9/143	32.32	1.96	98.8	5	0
VA Holder (WI)	1971-1979	37	66	8202	3292	100	6/28	8/223	32.92	2.40	82.0	3	0

[sandeep]

covered vs uncovered pitches.  

[MechEng]

I'd say that overall standard of batting improved with time, during pre WW2 era only Bradman, Trumper, Hutton and Hobbs would be considered Test quality from today's perspective, remaining batsmen played cricket for time pass. This is why you see higher bowling averages in 60's compared to pre WW2 era.

 

And the interesting thing about sudden improvement in bowling averages in the 70's is due to changes in bowling style where short pitched bowling became more popular to counter improvement in batting standards.

Edited November 10, 2017 by MechEng

[MCcricket]

Yes ,covered n uncovered pitches was a big factor, m told from guys who played then, wkt could be a mine field, also on the flip side, with better facilities n drainage, more wkts now are becoming ultra dry n a lottery, have seen the upgraded drainage system changing the nature of good wkts to poor.

[Vijy]

On 11/10/2017 at 6:45 PM, MechEng said:

I'd say that overall standard of batting improved with time, during pre WW2 era only Bradman, Trumper, Hutton and Hobbs would be considered Test quality from today's perspective, remaining batsmen played cricket for time pass. This is why you see higher bowling averages in 60's compared to pre WW2 era.

 

And the interesting thing about sudden improvement in bowling averages in the 70's is due to changes in bowling style where short pitched bowling became more popular to counter improvement in batting standards.

that's way too harsh. Sutcliffe, Hammond, Hutton and Compton (both made FC debut before WW 2) should be there from England. Ponsford and Morris arguably from Oz. And definitely George Headley, who was the best batsman barring Bradman in this era would be there too.

 

Returning to the original thread, yes I believe there was a gap of sorts between the 50s and 70s.