Joel Garner-the most accurate pace bowler of them all ?

[Harsh Thakor]

There could have been bowlers who were faster,had more variations ,posessed a better bowling action,swung or cut the ball more and were more lethal but for sheer accuracy to me none was the equal of the legendary Joel Garner,known as 'Big Bird'.He reminded me of an arrowman hitting his target successfully every time.When getting wickets he reminded you of a shooter hitting the bulls eye. To the best batsmen often it was the most daunting task to stand up to Joel Garner.His ball rose up viciously from a good length to reach neck high.Garner also possesed a devastating yorker that would crash the stumps.If he wished as Imran Khan stated "He could be as quick as anyone."Memories of his spell of 5-38 in the 1979 world cup final against England are etched in the minds of cricket fans for ever where Garner tore the the English batting like ripping flesh from a body.England may have sailed home to the target of 286,before Garner's crushing spell.In 1980 in England he overshadowed Andy Roberts,Michael Holding and Colin Croft capturing 26 wickets and the man of the series award.I can't forget how he time and again ripped through the English batting combining his disconcerting bounce with toe-crushing yorkers.In 1981-82 at Adelaide in the 3rd and final test he bowled a truly heroic spell on the morning of the last day to enable West Indies to retain the Frank Worrel trophy. Australia were 341-4,190 runs ahead on the last day with the game looked heading for a draw .Being 1-0 ahead in the series Australia looked destined towards winning the series and regaining the Frank Worrel trophy.However Garner burst on the scene like a meteor arriving and cut through the Australian middle order like cake being sliced into many parts. To me from 1982-84 Joel Garner was the best pace bowler in the world.In the mid 1980's he was at his best against Australia in 1984 and in England later the same year.He performed a major role in West Indies becoming arguably the greatest power in the history of cricket.West Indies ascendancy in the one -day game had more to do with Garner than any other pace bowler. Sadly Garner hardly opened the attack and performed the role of a stock bowler.He also never bowled on the sub-continent.Neverthless some batsman found Garner as awkward to face as anyone.Greg Chappell was greatly troubled by Garner's steep bounce.Even Geoff Boycott found Garner often ,menacing.In my view 'Big Bird' as he was affectionately known was the 2nd best One day International bowler of all time and better than any Carribean great pace bowler in the shorter version of the game.For sheer accuracy Garner's main rivals were Curtly Ambrose and Glen Mcgrath.Curtly and Glen had more variations but for pure accuracy were a shade below Joel Garner.Ambrose was faster . Could Garner make an all-time xi or ever made it to the world xi?To me in the early 1980' s or late 1970's Garner would Join Lillee and Imran in the world xi.His accuracy would be the perfect foil for the pace and all-round skill of Lillee and Imran .Garner could well make a 3rd all-time world xi but may still not make the all-time West Indian xi.He is a certainty in the alltime one day world xi.To me Garner and Wasim Akram or Garner and Malcolm Marshall rolled into one would make the ultimate pace bowler.Overall amongst Calypso quickies I still place 'Big Bird' below Marshall,Ambrose,Roberts and Holding in test cricket. My most accurate fast bowlers in order of merit. 1.Joel Garner 2.Curtly Ambrose 3.Glen Mcgrath 4.Richard Hadlee 5.Ray Lindwall 6.Dennis Lillee 7.Andy Roberts 8.Malcolm Marshall 9.Fred Trueman 10.Michael Holding 11.Wasim Akram 12.Imran Khan

[kosingh]

13. Varun Aaron

[Austin 3:!6]

14. Ishant Sharma

[tweaker]

15 Umesh Yadav

[Vijy]

16 Mohd Shami

[rkt.india]

Garner had a very bad bowling action.

[CG]

Walsh was pretty accurate too.I reckon ambrose ,mcgrath of what i have seen.

[Gollum]

Harsh what about Pollock? And what about Kapil? BTW I haven't seen most of these guys in action but I did have the privilege of watching the great Wasim Akram many a times. I don't think he was that accurate. He bowled many loose deliveries as far as I can remember. He was very successful in spite of that because he was a genius :haha:. I am pretty certain Pollock should at least be above him in your list. Or do you have a minimum speed criteria while making your list because these 2 weren't express fast.

[gazza]

If your making a world XI Joel garner is a very serious contender for 3rd seamer.

[HippoSucks]

A few other contenders for this list are Pollock, Fazal Mahmood and Kapil Dev.

[thongale]

Vaas, Adam Dale, Gavin Larsen, McGrath, Craig Matthews, Fanie De Villiers and Shaun Pollock were special with the accuracy.

[thongale]

And Aaqib Javed as well.

[Vijy]

Vaas' date=' Adam Dale, Gavin Larsen, McGrath, Craig Matthews, Fanie De Villiers and Shaun Pollock were special with the accuracy.[/quote'] Yes, all of these guys (sans Vaas who has a higher ER) were pretty accurate. Cronje was another super-accurate bowler, almost a batting allrounder.

[Texan]

17 RP Singh

[Sooda]

Brian Statham

[thongale]

Yes' date=' all of these guys (sans Vaas who has a higher ER) were pretty accurate. Cronje was another super-accurate bowler, almost a batting allrounder.[/quote']Vaas has one of the best ERs in ODI game, almost on par with Kapil Dev when adjusted for the era they have played.

[hhhhdmt]

Garner was brilliant, very underrated, every bit as good as Mcgrath IMO.

[thongale]

Player / ER / global ER / ratio Vaas / 4.18 / 4.66 / 0.897 Larsen / 3.76 / 4.43 / 0.848 Dev / 3.71 / 4.14 / 0.903 DeVilliers, Matthews, Pollock and McGrath I don't want to do the math. Vaas has a better ER adjusted to the era than Kapil Dev. Haters can suck it, but Vaas was one of the most accurate bowlers in the last 40 years.

[Gollum]

Vaas indeed does warrant a mention. Blinding omissions are Kapil and Pollock.

[Vijy]

Vaas has one of the best ERs in ODI game' date=' almost on par with Kapil Dev when adjusted for the era they have played.[/quote'] I am not hating on Vaas - just pointed out that the other names listed had even lower ERs, who were his contemporaries. This does not make him a poorer bowler or anything - he was SL's single pace spearhead.