Fast Bowlers of 70's-80's: FACT or FICTION

[rkt.india]

Yea I thought Bishop was really express when he came on the scene but a back injury cut his pace down to "just" fast. the way I have categorized them as fast and express is based on some amount of sustenance, say at least 3 seasons, at a certain level of pace. Srinath bowled over 150 in the 96-97 tour to SA. I think he bowled the fastest ball in that series too at 156, Kluesener bowled 154 which was hit by Robin Singh for a six. But Srinath apart from a period of 8-12 months did not sustain his pace above 150. However he continued to hit 144 even in the 2003 world cup...I just saw the highlights of the India-Eng game the other night. Zak bowled over 140 regularly. Bond is also Srinath's case...he hit 150+ for a brief period of just a few months before one more injury cut him short but settled to 140+. Same case with Edwards and Harmisson. They bowled a few deliveries and the odd series above 150 but usually in the high 140s. As for, Hogg, I've read many times that he was seriously fast and Gavva himself said it. I'd like to believe larwood was express...well it is got more to do with the fact that he could cut Bradman down to half. If you look at the videos from the site that BB brought our attention to, Bradman seems to be the only batsman of that era who probably had a good back foot technique plus his technique resembles the post 60s fellows. I know I know I know that Jardine spotted a "fault" in his backfoot technique which inspired his leg theory but in the context of the time Bradman was super. Maybe Larwood bowled express only in that series so ya he can be downgraded to "fast". Also, could it be that you are subconsciously considering high 140s as fast? I ask this because I am looking at anything over 140 as fast so a bowler like Broad who doesn't really go over 147 but definitely bowls a lot between 140-145, I am considering him as fast. Anyway, a review of the real express fellows then would be - Frank Tyson, Roy Gilchrist, Jeff Thomson, Imran Khan, Malcolm Marshall, Patrick Patterson, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akthar, Brett Lee, Tatu tuta tate.

But Imran Khan was not 150K express bowler, more of 140-145K. You forgot Shaun Tait and your assessment about Shane Bond is not right too. Even in his last test series against Pakistan, Bond hit 150+ KPH. Malcolm too does not look like 150K bowler, more of 140-145K and Michael Holding looked to have touched 150K according to videos. And what about Alan Donald and Dale Steyn in express list.

[Vijay.Sharma]

But Imran Khan was not 150K express bowler' date=' more of 140-145K. You forgot Shaun Tait and your assessment about Shane Bond is not right too. Even in his last test series against Pakistan, Bond hit 150+ KPH. Malcolm too does not look like 150K bowler, more of 140-145K and Michael Holding looked to have touched 150K according to videos. And what about Alan Donald and Dale Steyn in express list.[/quote']Imran is a borderline case but he was express in the early 80s....again corroborated by Gavva. I am not sure Holding was express...let's agree to disagree. I think Croft was the fastest in the quartet. They all bowled 90, not 95. Marshall was super fast but cut down to fast after 85-86. In the 1984 series versus England and the series against India in 83 he was bloody fast. I missed Allan Donald...I thought I had him covered. Steyn dunn bowl over 150...just an occasional ball here and there in a Test or ODI or IPL but I haven't seen him bowl over 150 regularly. He is more like Mitchell Johnson when it comes to pace...he will bowl 150 in almost every game but you wont see him sustain it like say Shoaib, Lee, or Tait do. Tait is there...mentioned as "tatu tuta tate". That's how Ravi Shastri described him after the Perth Test and Shastri on commentary said something like "...all this taa tuu too taa about Tait turned out to be just hype in the air..." But you gotta feel for the guy, every time he plays against us he ends up retiring from that form of the game.