• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Who is the best pace bowler of all time?

The Sean

Cricketer Of The Year
I've gone back and forth many times with regards to this question myself. But I've come to the conclusion that match-in, match-out, under all conditions and against all opposition, I think Malcolm Marshall was the greatest of all fast bowlers.

Barnes, Hadlee, McGrath and Lillee would round out my top 5 - with a dozen or more all-time greats right behind them.
 

Fiery

Banned
Hadlee (rehashed)

* A natural, born to play cricket. Comes from great cricketing pedigree.
* Throughout his career responded to dramatic situations to win historic games and series for NZ on his own, e.g India '76, England '78, Australia '85/86 to name just a few.
* He could bowl off-cutters, leg-cutters, in-swingers, out-swingers, yorkers and a viscious short ball as quick as anyone.
* His captains would throw him the ball and he would simply get wickets...he got wickets at the start of the innings, got vital breakthroughs and cleaned up the tail.
* Was solely responsible for NZ going from strugglers to world-beaters.
* He played the least number of tests of all the guys who have taken over 400 test wickets.
* He timed the shortening of his run to perfection to maximise his effectiveness and career length despite opposition.
* Has the most 10 wicket bags and most 5 wicket bags in history for anyone with a ligitimate bowling action.
* Has the 5th best ever ODI economy rate.
* Underrated by overseas people because he comes from an unfashionable cricketing nation
* Has big feet :naughty:
 

Days of Grace

International Captain
Hadlee (rehashed)

* Underrated by overseas people because he comes from an unfashionable cricketing nation
:
Hit the nail on the head right there. There would be Hadlee shrines in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne if he happened to hail from Australia.
 

JBMAC

State Captain
Hadlee (rehashed)

* A natural, born to play cricket. Comes from great cricketing pedigree.
* Throughout his career responded to dramatic situations to win historic games and series for NZ on his own, e.g India '76, England '78, Australia '85/86 to name just a few.
* He could bowl off-cutters, leg-cutters, in-swingers, out-swingers, yorkers and a viscious short ball as quick as anyone.
* His captains would throw him the ball and he would simply get wickets...he got wickets at the start of the innings, got vital breakthroughs and cleaned up the tail.
* Was solely responsible for NZ going from strugglers to world-beaters.
* He played the least number of tests of all the guys who have taken over 400 test wickets.
* He timed the shortening of his run to perfection to maximise his effectiveness and career length despite opposition.
* Has the most 10 wicket bags and most 5 wicket bags in history for anyone with a ligitimate bowling action.
* Has the 5th best ever ODI economy rate.
* Underrated by overseas people because he comes from an unfashionable cricketing nation
* Has big feet :naughty:

I gather from this post Fiery that you are a fan of Hadlees:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 

JBMAC

State Captain
I would suggest you appreciate how many times Hadlee made you Aussies look like fools :laugh: :laugh::laugh: ;)
I forget off the top of my head Fiery....Just How Many Test Matches has NZ won against the Aussies since D.W.Gregory first took an Aussie side to NZ in 1877??8-) 8-)
 

Fiery

Banned
I forget off the top of my head Fiery....Just How Many Test Matches has NZ won against the Aussies since D.W.Gregory first took an Aussie side to NZ in 1877??8-) 8-)
Well, you arrogant ****'s refused to play us most of the time :dry:
 

JBMAC

State Captain
Well, you arrogant ****'s refused to play us most of the time :dry:
That's because NZ most of the time were considered a "Minnow" and so easily beatable. When the averages were getting down, some bright spark would say "Let's tour New Zealand and get them(averages) back up" or " Let's invite New Zealand to tour here then our averages will go sky high":laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 

The Sean

Cricketer Of The Year
I would suggest you appreciate how many times Hadlee made you Aussies look like fools :laugh: :laugh::laugh: ;)
Indeed, much like Beefy - when he played Australia his performances raised from already brilliant to nearly God-like. His 15-for against us at the Gabba in 85/86 is still as good a bowling performance as I've ever seen.

One of the top 5 - possibly top 3 - pacemen of all time for mine.
 

Fiery

Banned
That's because NZ most of the time were considered a "Minnow" and so easily beatable. When the averages were getting down, some bright spark would say "Let's tour New Zealand and get them(averages) back up" or " Let's invite New Zealand to tour here then our averages will go sky high":laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Backfired on you a few times though didn't it?
"These guys aren't good enough for us.... but we'll play them anyway" (finally...after 40 years...you pig-headed ****heads!)
*ahem*

Or even got so **** scared of us you did this

:p


Ooooh, and then what happened? ...

:-O

;)
 
Last edited:

Top