12 best fast-medium bowlers of all time

[Harsh Thakor]

In this list I am rating in order of merit the best fast--medium bowlers of all time.None of them were express or tearaway but at their best could be the equal of a Wasim akram,Andy Roberts or Dennis Lillee.Maybe at their fastest they could reach top pace but basically they were a shade below genuine pace be it the tearaway or express speed of Jeff Thomson Shoaib Akhtar and Holding or the genuine fast speed of Imran,Lillee and Marshall .The speed of fast medium was around 130-138 k.p.h.or from 80-89 m.p.h.Fascinatingly at times even Wasim Akram,Malcolm Marshall,Andy Roberts or Dennis Lillee came down to fast-medium.However basically they were bolwing at 140+ k.p.h. 1.Sydney Barnes Figures speak for itself but he would have been daunting in nay era Imagine capturing 7 wickets per test.Equivalent of a Bradman to bowling.Maybe had helpful tracks but still was a magician . Quoting Wisden "Most cricketers and students of the game belonging to the period in which S.F. Barnes played were agreed that he was the bowler of the century. Australians as well as English voted him unanimously the greatest. Clem Hill, the famous Australian left-handed batsman, who in successive Test innings scored 99, 98, 97, v. A.C. MacLaren's England team of 1901-02, told me that on a perfect wicket Barnes could swing the new ball in and out "very late", could spin from the ground, pitch on the leg stump and miss the off. " 2.Glen Mcgrath The most complete fast -medium pace bowler of all.He posessed all the essential components in almost perfect proportion be it pace ,bounce,control or movement.Above all he assesed a batsman's weaknesses like a computer.He posessed the consistency of a machine.There were more versatile bowlers,faster bowlers,bowlers who moved the ball more but none who could produce the perfect ball to capture an opponent's wicket.The batsman were perplexed whether to play back or forward.Richard Hadlee had equally good control but not as effective bounce or as subtle variations.Capturing 563 wickets at 21.63 arguably make him the finest of all pace bowlers . 3.Richard Hadlee On a green top the best of all pace bowlers.He could swing a ball more than Mcgrath but on a flat track could become defensive.Rated inches below Mcgrath as he did not prove himself on the sub-continent,as many variations or posessed equal agression.On statistics only 2nd to Sydney Barnes with his 36, 5- wicket hauls and 9 ,10 -wicket hauls.Carried the brunt of weak attack better than any bowler ever. 4.Alec Bedser A master could play tricks with the ball like a magician.Caused problem sto bradman more than any bowler.Captuted 236 wickets in just 51 tests. Quoting Wisden "A powerfully-built, naggingly accurate, medium-fast bowler, with a classical action off a short run, Bedser's stock ball was the inswinger, his most dangerous the legcutter which fizzed off the pitch like a fast legbreak." 5.Shaun Pollock Statistics speak for itself averaging 21 odd runs per wicker after taking 300 wickets.Sometimes more difficult to face than Alan Donald with his awkward angles.On flat tracks could come up with tricks like at Adelaide in 1997-98 taking 7 wickets in an innings. 6.Ian Botham The most intelligent bowler of his time who like Hadlee was like a computer in reading a batsmen's weaknesses.His inswinger and outswinger were both effective and he also posessed an effective bouncer .Brilliant in England and Australia at his peak like in 1979-80.Statistically the best fast bowler in the world at his peak from 1977-82 capturing more than 5 wickets per test and capturing more 5 wicket hauls than any other bowler. 7.Kapil Dev A master who was effective on the placid pancakes of the sub-continent.Had an outswinger as good as that of Dennis Lillee .At his best against Pakistan in 1979-80 taking 32 wickets at 17.88 and against England ,West Indies and Pakistan from 1982-84 ,taking 29 wickets in the home series against West Indies including 9-83 at Ahmedabad.Also took 8-85 at Lahore and a match haul of 8-168 at Lords ..Caused trouble to batsmen like Zaheer Abbas and Viv Richards getting the ball to kick with his awkward length .Often trapped Viv Richards and later made Alan Border his bunny.Phenomenal stamina considering he hardy got any support.At his best as effective as the likes of Hadlee. 8.Fazal Mahamood Did not see him but read about how effective he was and the extent of skill he posessed .A match-winner above all. 9.James Anderson One of the most intelligent bowlers of recent times who could master different types of conditions.Also could accurately ***** an opponents weaknesses.Plyaed a major role in some of England's recent triumphs. 10.Sarafraz Nawaz The pioneer of swing bowling in Pakistan Very similar to Richard Hadlee.In Melbourne in 1978-79 bowled one of test cricket's greatest spells taking 7-1.He had superb control on or outside the offstump which he displayed in the 1975 world cup match at Edgbaston against West Indise in 1975.He would move the ball late and could be deceptive.On a green top in England almost unplayable at times like in 1974 at Leeds.Would trouble the likes of Geoff Boycott ,Greg Chappell or David Gower.Imran learnt swing bowling from Sarafraz. 11.Terry Alderman In 1981 and 1989 in England bowled better than any Australian paceman.Mastered and obtained seam movement both ways .He often perplexed the English batsmen who could not cope with his late movement.Took 41 wickets in 1989 Ashes and took 42 in 1981 Ashes.Unlike 1981,in 1989 his haul enabled Australia to regain the Ashes. 12.Jaggaval Srinath At his best could be unplayable like at Ahmedabad v.South Africa in 1996 and against Pakistan at Kolkata in 1999.His 8-86 at Kolkata v Pakistan was one of test cricket's most memorable spells.He could consistently cut and swing the ball both ways,create awkward bounce and posessed subtle variations of his own.

[sensible-indian]

Dudeeeeeeeeee No one cares. Atleast today. Why you writing these long articles?

[Gollum]

Not today man. Aren't you affected at all by what happened today and what the future holds out for our test team? And I also notice that you open these threads and then disappear.

[kosingh]

Jaggaval Srinath!

[Harsh Thakor]

Not today man. Aren't you affected at all by what happened today and what the future holds out for our test team? And I also notice that you open these threads and then disappear.

To me it is game above everything.Sorry India lost but we saw one of test cricket's amazing turnarounds.They prove the greatness of test cricket .Only in this form of the game can one have as amazing turnarounds.

[sensible-indian]

Amazing attitude then. Very few can be so passionate about the game so much and not let results affect them.

[thongale]

LMAO. Javagal Srinath was an out and out fast bowler and in mid 1990s he was terrifyingly express. Pollock, in his younger days was damn quick too. Barnes was a leg spinner. McGrath certainly hit 140 during his peak. Hadlee started as an express bowler before slowing down, but even at 39 years of age he could bowl that express delivery. Anderson is 83-88mph bowler, bit slippery for fast medium. Kapil Dev and Ian Botham at his prime were bit quicker than fast medium. OK if you want true medium pacers who did well, here are they. 1. George Lohmann 2. Ernie Toshack 3. Alec Bedser 4. Alan Davidson 5. Fazal Mahmood 6. Chaminda Vaas 7. Safraz Nawaz 8. Mohammed Asif 9. Vernon Philander 10. Heath Streak

[Marut]

LMAO. Javagal Srinath was an out and out fast bowler and in mid 1990s he was terrifyingly express. Pollock, in his younger days was damn quick too. Barnes was a leg spinner. McGrath certainly hit 140 during his peak. Hadlee started as an express bowler before slowing down, but even at 39 years of age he could bowl that express delivery. Anderson is 83-88mph bowler, bit slippery for fast medium. Kapil Dev and Ian Botham at his prime were bit quicker than fast medium. OK if you want true medium pacers who did well, here are they. 1. George Lohmann 2. Ernie Toshack 3. Alec Bedser 4. Alan Davidson 5. Fazal Mahmood 6. Chaminda Vaas 7. Safraz Nawaz 8. Mohammed Asif 9. Vernon Philander 10. Heath Streak

Kapil was fast medium for most of his career. Kapil's median was less than 135kph (usual speed was between 130-135) and he touched 140 occasionally and 145 on rare occasions. Medium-Fast bowlers tend to be in the 120-130 kph range (these are the trundlers at the international level). Fast Medium bowlers are in the 130-140 kph range, and Kapil fitted the bill perfectly.

[gaurav92]

Javagal Srinath was fast..... Chaminda Vaas was another fast medium bowler who was effective

[Harsh Thakor]

LMAO. Javagal Srinath was an out and out fast bowler and in mid 1990s he was terrifyingly express. Pollock, in his younger days was damn quick too. Barnes was a leg spinner. McGrath certainly hit 140 during his peak. Hadlee started as an express bowler before slowing down, but even at 39 years of age he could bowl that express delivery. Anderson is 83-88mph bowler, bit slippery for fast medium. Kapil Dev and Ian Botham at his prime were bit quicker than fast medium. OK if you want true medium pacers who did well, here are they. 1. George Lohmann 2. Ernie Toshack 3. Alec Bedser 4. Alan Davidson 5. Fazal Mahmood 6. Chaminda Vaas 7. Safraz Nawaz 8. Mohammed Asif 9. Vernon Philander 10. Heath Streak

Remember I am discussing fast-medium and not just medium pace.Consistently Srinath and Pollock or Barnes were not 140+ k.p.h or 89+ m.p.h.Often Imran,Marshall,Akram and Lillee came down to fast-medium which was around 138k.p.h.Glen Mcgrath was mainly fast-medium as well as Hadlee who became fast-medium from 1980.

[hhhhdmt]

Aaqib Javed may not be top 10 but probably deserves an Honorable mention. I mostly agree with your list. Mcgrath, Hadlee and Pollock are the best i have seen.

[gazza]

Vincent van der bijl, didn't play tests but for sure one of the best fast medium bowlers never to do so.

[keith]

Er how did Hadlee not prove himself in the subcontinent? He averaged 21.58 over there!

[Harsh Thakor]

Er how did Hadlee not prove himself in the subcontinent? He averaged 21.58 over there!

However Mcgrath got many more wickets on the sub-continent.

[maniac]

Lot of people think Walsh was express but not,he was fast medium with a nagging line and length. Ambrose too was fast medium at best but his bounce was out of the world. Both the 2 cs were never express

[MechEng]

I don't understand why high bowling speed is associated with great bowling. Just because Wasim and Marshall were great bowlers, it doesn't make them 140+. After watching Aaron and Yadav bowling 148 km/hr off stump half volleys, down the leg side or wide outside the off stump, bowling speed has stopped getting me excited. Instead now I like watching a fast bowler who sets up a batsman for 5-6 overs and gets his wicket in the next over by subtly varying his length and speed. That is Gold class test bowling to me.

[MechEng]

To me it is game above everything.Sorry India lost but we saw one of test cricket's amazing turnarounds.They prove the greatness of test cricket .Only in this form of the game can one have as amazing turnarounds.

:nice:

[maniac]

I don't understand why high bowling speed is associated with great bowling. Just because Wasim and Marshall were great bowlers, it doesn't make them 140+. After watching Aaron and Yadav bowling 148 km/hr off stump half volleys, down the leg side or wide outside the off stump, bowling speed has stopped getting me excited. Instead now I like watching a fast bowler who sets up a batsman for 5-6 overs and gets his wicket in the next over by subtly varying his length and speed. That is Gold class test bowling to me.

That is a fair point to a certain extent....Infact Tino Best is the most consistently fastest bowler in the world...touches 150 more often than M.J,Morkel etc but he is terrible and erratic...that is definitely an argument and on the other hand there is Anderson who is not express and no matter how much flak he gets here for being dependant on the weather,he is a joy to watch in swinging conditons..the way he was setting up our batsman and even the Aussies was amazing to watch. but is it too much to ask a genuine quick to pick up some skills along the way while not compromising on pace? because swing and seam can be taught in a coaching camp but having the ability to bowl 150 is not a gift everyone has.

[swatpulla]

Remember I am discussing fast-medium and not just medium pace.Consistently Srinath and Pollock or Barnes were not 140+ k.p.h or 89+ m.p.h.Often Imran' date='Marshall,Akram and Lillee came down to fast-medium which was around 138k.p.h.Glen Mcgrath was mainly fast-medium as well as Hadlee who became fast-medium from 1980.[/quote'] Have you really followed Wasim's/Srinath's career or are your facts based on what you hear from commentators? From 1999-2004, the period I remember watching them live, they were bowling the same pace. Before 1999, from articles I read, many rated Sri Nath among the fastest in the world, and speed guns agreed. Again I fail to see how Wasim was any quicker all that while. So how is Wasim rated as fast and Sri Nath as fast-medium? Are you judging bowlers by the speeds or the terror they created? Another bowler, Courtney Walsh was never as quick as Sri Nath, yet he doesn't make your fast-medium list.

[thongale]

Lot of people think Walsh was express but not,he was fast medium with a nagging line and length. Ambrose too was fast medium at best but his bounce was out of the world. Both the 2 cs were never express

Walsh was genuinely quick when he first started. Infact he did the "dirty work" for his more illustrous collegues. There were matches, Walsh's role was to dig it in, get it up batsman's throat and unsettle them, while other bowlers worked on the softned batsmen.