From the vault : South African Magazine on Indian fast bowlers bowling speed -2003

[Rightarmfast]

South Africans have always regarded Indian fast bowlers highly. Here is another honest article from them which was published in 2003. Read Siddhu's honest observation, a debate we were having some in one of the threads between an English and Kira

 

https://www.republikein.com.na/main/print_post/after-decades-indias-quicks-cross-the-speed-barrier/

[Rightarmfast]

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/cricket/indias-quicks-cross-the-speed-barrier-524198

[Rightarmfast]

Some very interesting conversation from a similar group as ours. These conversations are from 1995, just when Srinath was gaining pace. And if you read all the posts, you will come across the speeds mentioned for sharjah match. You can see that the speeds of Waqar and Srinath are matching. Kapil is at 108kph, which was true. The last match I saw Kapil bowl in which they displayed speeds, he was bowling at around 105 k's, ( I remember distinctly ).

 

As you can see, one of the posters says that Srinath is increasing pace and will gain more pace now.

 

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/rec.sport.cricket/kKArgyq9Y-4/s1wNaZ6tqe8J

[Rightarmfast]

@express bowling! You didnt even check the articles?

[express bowling]

54 minutes ago, Rightarmfast said:

@express bowling! You didnt even check the articles?

Effect of IPL, bro.  :  )

 

I did not read the main forum carefully in the last 3 days and completely missed your thread   : )

 

That 1995 discussion was gold and a great find   

 

It also proves our point that Srinath and Waqar were similar in terms of pace and Akram was slower. It also brings out the fact that even Pakistanis thought that Akram often bowled at reduced pace and increased it on occasions.

 

I found it really sad that Srinath, bowling 140 k to 145 k  in the last year of his career was being compared to Zak and Nehra, who were in their prime, in terms of speed. It shows how unscientific the cricketing fraternity is....they do not analyze logically. 

 

 

[Rightarmfast]

Yes absolutely, the discussion was pretty useful. Also, these were Pakistani posters talking about the speeds.So even as early as 91, Srinath and Waqar were of the same speed. 

 

 

[Rightarmfast]

13 minutes ago, MultiB48 said:

srinath didnt play many tests till 96 ,so he never got that reputation but his odis stats are excellent till 96

 

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5
Wasim Akram (PAK)	1991-1995	89	89	801.2	55	3006	139	5/15	21.62	3.75	34.5	7	3
J Srinath (INDIA)	1991-1995	83	81	698.0	55	2977	118	5/24	25.22	4.26	35.4	1	2
Waqar Younis (PAK)	1991-1995	76	76	651.0	45	2980	115	6/30	25.91	4.57	33.9	5	2
M Prabhakar (INDIA)	1991-1995	77	75	642.3	36	2826	102	5/33	27.70	4.39	37.7	3	2
Aaqib Javed (PAK)	1991-1995	81	81	683.3	57	2739	93	7/37	29.45	4.00	44.0	1	2
CJ McDermott (AUS)	1991-1995	59	59	539.5	59	1960	87	4/42	22.52	3.63	37.2	1	0
AC Cummins (WI)	1991-1995	62	60	517.5	23	2206	78	5/31	28.28	4.26	39.8	2	1
CEL Ambrose (WI)	1991-1995	67	66	587.0	79	2019	73	5/32	27.65	3.43	48.2	0	2
AA Donald (SA)	1991-1995	52	51	461.2	42	1821	69	5/29	26.39	3.94	40.1	1	1
C Pringle (NZ)	1992-1995	43	43	364.5	23	1669	68	5/45	24.54	4.57	32.1	1	1
PR Reiffel (AUS)	1992-1995	48	48	430.1	51	1561	64	4/13	24.39	3.62	40.3	3	0
CR Matthews (SA)	1991-1995	39	38	355.5	46	1400	62	4/10	22.58	3.93	34.4	3	0
SR Waugh (AUS)	1991-1995	74	66	512.5	21	2223	62	3/16	35.85	4.33	49.6	0	0
PS de Villiers (SA)	1992-1995	59	58	527.0	67	1841	60	4/27	30.68	3.49	52.7	1	0
N Kapil Dev (INDIA)	1991-1994	62	60	496.1	64	1795	56	4/54	32.05	3.61	53.1	1	0
GP Wickramasinghe (SL)	1992-1995	68	67	488.2	33	2124	52	3/28	40.84	4.34	56.3	0	0
WJ Cronje (SA)	1992-1995	70	61	397.3	17	1651	50	5/32	33.02	4.15	47.7	1	1
CA Walsh (WI)	1991-1995	46	46	393.3	52	1458	50	4/16	29.16	3.70	47.2	1	0
GD McGrath (AUS)	1993-1995	36	36	327.1	40	1221	49	5/52	24.91	3.73	40.0	3	1
DK Morrison (NZ)	1992-1995	40	40	313.5	27	1288	48	3/20	26.83	4.10	39.2	0	0
WKM Benjamin (WI)	1991-1995	37	37	316.1	26	1278	47	5/22	27.19	4.04	40.3	0	1
PV Simmons (WI)	1991-1995	70	52	352.4	26	1449	46	4/3	31.50	4.10	46.0	2	0
GR Larsen (NZ)	1992-1995	57	57	504.5	48	1894	45	4/24	42.08	3.75	67.3	1	0
IR Bishop (WI)	1991-1995	30	30	275.3	18	1215	43	5/25	28.25	4.41	38.4	2	1
CC Lewis (ENG)	1992-1994	34	31	271.4	17	1183	42	4/30	28.16	4.35	38.8	2	0

 

 

 

Absolutely top class records! He was always one of the best in ODI's

[MechEng]

On 09/04/2017 at 5:16 PM, Rightarmfast said:

Some very interesting conversation from a similar group as ours. These conversations are from 1995, just when Srinath was gaining pace. And if you read all the posts, you will come across the speeds mentioned for sharjah match. You can see that the speeds of Waqar and Srinath are matching. Kapil is at 108kph, which was true. The last match I saw Kapil bowl in which they displayed speeds, he was bowling at around 105 k's, ( I remember distinctly ).

 

As you can see, one of the posters says that Srinath is increasing pace and will gain more pace now.

 

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/rec.sport.cricket/kKArgyq9Y-4/s1wNaZ6tqe8J

Where did you get this from? Gold conversation 22 years ago!

[MechEng]

Waqar Younis        128 kmph
Javagal Srinath 126 kmph
Aaqib Javed        123 kmph
Manoj Prabhakar 114 kmph
Wasim Akram        114 kmph
Imran Khan        110 kmph
Kapil Dev        108 kmph

 

 

Are these average speeds? Sharjah heat was so punishing that Waqar would bowl at Bhuvi speeds.

Edited April 11, 2017 by MechEng

[kira]

57 minutes ago, MechEng said:

Waqar Younis        128 kmph
Javagal Srinath 126 kmph
Aaqib Javed        123 kmph
Manoj Prabhakar 114 kmph
Wasim Akram        114 kmph
Imran Khan        110 kmph
Kapil Dev        108 kmph

 

 

Are these average speeds? Sharjah heat was so punishing that Waqar would bowl at Bhuvi speeds.

Add +20 kph to each of those speed and it would make more sense

[Muloghonto]

8 hours ago, express bowling said:

Effect of IPL, bro.  :  )

 

I did not read the main forum carefully in the last 3 days and completely missed your thread   : )

 

That 1995 discussion was gold and a great find   

 

It also proves our point that Srinath and Waqar were similar in terms of pace and Akram was slower. It also brings out the fact that even Pakistanis thought that Akram often bowled at reduced pace and increased it on occasions.

 

I found it really sad that Srinath, bowling 140 k to 145 k  in the last year of his career was being compared to Zak and Nehra, who were in their prime, in terms of speed. It shows how unscientific the cricketing fraternity is....they do not analyze logically. 

 

 

Waqar lost a lot of pace after 94 and his stress fracture injuries. Before that, Waqar was much quicker and most likely quicker than Srinath on stock ball basis.

Akram was capable of bowling pretty fast but his control at the higher end of the pace spectrum, was way better than Srinath. 
Akram was more interested in bowling at 135-140kph range with his effort ball being 145kph+ range. He's on record saying that the ball doesnt seam as much at 140+kph zone as in the 130-140kph zone. 

[Rightarmfast]

14 hours ago, kira said:

Add +20 kph to each of those speed and it would make more sense

@express bowling - Could it be that the ball was measured from the release to pitch to bat or something to that effect? @rkt.india ?

 

yes, adding 20+ makes sense.

[Rightarmfast]

15 hours ago, MechEng said:

Where did you get this from? Gold conversation 22 years ago!

Was going through my mailbox which I was using around 1998-1999 ( When I was still around 17-18 :P ) and stumbled upon the 'bowling speed' folder. Although I searched later and found it on google search too!

[Rightarmfast]

8 hours ago, Muloghonto said:

Waqar lost a lot of pace after 94 and his stress fracture injuries. Before that, Waqar was much quicker and most likely quicker than Srinath on stock ball basis.

Akram was capable of bowling pretty fast but his control at the higher end of the pace spectrum, was way better than Srinath. 
Akram was more interested in bowling at 135-140kph range with his effort ball being 145kph+ range. He's on record saying that the ball doesnt seam as much at 140+kph zone as in the 130-140kph zone. 

I apologize, but can you show me the link where he says he doesnt get enough swing at 140+? Because I have heard him say that you need to bowl at your quickest to get the reverse swing. Btw, your assumption that Akram was more effective than Srinath at higher pace is wrong. The fact is, Akram was clearly a better bowler than Srinath, talent wise, bowling at medium pace or at fast medium. Srinath was always effective and more destructive than Wasim bowling at his fastest ( e.g - His 6 wicket haul against SA, his spells in South Africa, in Asia cup and Pak Ind tests of 98-99 etc, he was always getting more wickets than Akram ) And in all these matches, he was bowling quick.

[express bowling]

1 minute ago, Rightarmfast said:

@express bowling - Could it be that the ball was measured from the release to pitch to bat or something to that effect? @rkt.india ?

 

yes, adding 20+ makes sense.

 

If the speeds were measured at the time of pitching then it would have been lower than the speeds mentioned.  It would have been even lower when the batsman plays.

 

These speeds look more like the average of release speeds and  speeds when the batsmen were playing.

[Rightarmfast]

fair enough!

[Muloghonto]

1 minute ago, Rightarmfast said:

I apologize, but can you show me the link where he says he doesnt get enough swing at 140+? Because I have heard him say that you need to bowl at your quickest to get the reverse swing. Btw, your assumption that Akram was more effective than Srinath at higher pace is wrong. The fact is, Akram was clearly a better bowler than Srinath, talent wise, bowling at medium pace or at fast medium. Srinath was always effective and more destructive than Wasim bowling at his fastest ( e.g - His 6 wicket haul against SA, his spells in South Africa, in Asia cup and Pak Ind tests of 98-99 etc, he was always getting more wickets than Akram ) And in all these matches, he was bowling quick.

He meant conventional swing. 
And yes, Akram was way more effective at the higher pace range than Srinath. This is reflected by the fact that Akram was consistently one of the most miserly fast bowlers going around. We think McGrath was miserly and he was (only Ambrose was more miserly IMO) but Akram was very very close to McGrath in economy.

Srinath, from what i'd seen in the 96-2001 period, couldn't really bowl fast and full well, he'd drift on to the pads way too often.

 

[Rightarmfast]

3 minutes ago, Muloghonto said:

He meant conventional swing. 
And yes, Akram was way more effective at the higher pace range than Srinath. This is reflected by the fact that Akram was consistently one of the most miserly fast bowlers going around. We think McGrath was miserly and he was (only Ambrose was more miserly IMO) but Akram was very very close to McGrath in economy.

Srinath, from what i'd seen in the 96-2001 period, couldn't really bowl fast and full well, he'd drift on to the pads way too often.

 

How many times could you gauge the speeds at which he was bowling? Wasim was never express. He was always 137-138 and thereabouts. Mcgrath is way ahead when it comes to being effective. Mcgrath used to take wickets of the frontline batsmen, Wasim was pretty poor in that. He thrived on tailenders. A fact that records dont show!

[express bowling]

2 minutes ago, Muloghonto said:

He meant conventional swing. 
And yes, Akram was way more effective at the higher pace range than Srinath. This is reflected by the fact that Akram was consistently one of the most miserly fast bowlers going around. We think McGrath was miserly and he was (only Ambrose was more miserly IMO) but Akram was very very close to McGrath in economy.

Srinath, from what i'd seen in the 96-2001 period, couldn't really bowl fast and full well, he'd drift on to the pads way too often.

 

 

Srinath was only marginally more expensive than Akram in test matches, in which format  Srinath bowled really quick.

 

That would have been at par if Srinath had a pace partner who also applied pressure on the batters.

 

Akram started to bowl a lot of no balls when he tried to bowl flat out.

[Rightarmfast]

Srinath always had a problem with his length, which he corrected by the fag end of his career. But when he did, he was way more effective than Wasim and was almost head to head with Mcgrath.