The Next Pace Race

[Manee]

Am I obsessed with fast bowling or what?

Anywhoo, the question I pose before you is who will the next pace race be contested with; will there be another pace race? In 2001-2003 it was between Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee, with Akhtar coming victorious as the first bowler to bowl 100mph - but not before each bowler continually outdoing each other in the 95+mph top speed.

Amongst the candidates are:

Shaun Tait: Having bowled one delivery at 160kph (99.4mph), he has the top speed amongst any young fast bowler.

Dale Steyn: After work at Essex, has been timed at 156kph (97mph) but has not reached near those heights in the recent months.

Stuart Meaker: An unknown at Surrey having bowled at '96mph' (154kph) according to Spin Magazine.

Morne Morkel: A bowler who displayed the rare ability to bowl consistently at 150kph (93.5mph) in the hot Indian sun on two dosile pitches (and an absolute minefield).

Ishant Sharma: Not known for express pace, but having timed 150kph in Australia at just 19 years of age.

Andrew Flintoff: A bowler consistently capable of bowling at 145kph (90mph) who Justin Langer recently remarked as bowling quicker than ever before.

Any others...?

 

[_Ed_]

There are a couple in NZ but they look like they may never be injury-free long enough to make a major impression unfortunately.

Typical for NZ bowlers of course.

 

[bond21]

Mitch Johnson.

 

[Matt79]

Rather pyrrhic victory by Shoaib over Lee I'd have suggested.

 

[bond21]

wasnt shoaib juicing or something?

if so hes got about as much credibility as Barry Bonds...

 

[Isura]

Malinga hovered around 150k in Australia.

 

[Manee]

Mitch Johnson.

Mitch's pace seems to have dropped since his introduction to international cricket. He seems very much quick medium, with a tendancy to bowl quick spells, more than anything else these days.

 

[Lambu]

yes...great thread this Manee!! I too share a passion for raw pace.Hope we get plenty of 90+mph bowlers in the coming years..I agree with your list except may be it should contain Mitch Johnson as well, it isn't that long ago that he bowled 150+ kph(CB series)

A question here...what kind of speeds qualify as "express"??

 

[Manee]

yes...great thread this Manee!! I too share a passion for raw pace.Hope we get plenty of 90+mph bowlers in the coming years..I agree with your list except may be it should contain Mitch Johnson as well, it isn't that long ago that he bowled 150+ kph(CB series)

A question here...what kind of speeds qualify as "express"??

No question of what is express, here, I am just wondering who will contest the next pace race.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Shaun Tait is presently playing?

 

[Athlai]

Shaun Tait is presently playing?

Believe he feels good about his game again and is willing to play from what I've read.

 

[Lambu]

No question of what is express, here, I am just wondering who will contest the next pace race.

So what are the qualifications for a bowler to contest in this?Ability to hit 150 kph?

 

[Manee]

Potential to hit 160kph I guess.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Believe he feels good about his game again and is willing to play from what I've read.

So did Trescothick at one point.

 

[Manee]

Shaun Tait is presently playing?

When did I say he was?

 

[The Masterplan]

Potential to hit 160kph I guess.

If your saying that.. then Andrew Flintoff will never win the 'Pace Race'.. he may bowl the odd delivery in the low 90's but he'll never get near those speeds again with all his injury issues etc.

The others.. Tait, Steyn etc. are all going to get quicker I would think ?!

 

[Nate]

Lee and Steyn have "dropped" their pace a bit in the last year. And look where it's got them. Hope Sharma and friends notice this sooner rather than later.

 

[Lambu]

Lee and Steyn have "dropped" their pace a bit in the last year. And look where it's got them. Hope Sharma and friends notice this sooner rather than later.

Its not like Sharma is tearing his hair out trying bowl beyond what his body can take..infact none have done that so far except Shoaib and Jeff Thompson in the entire cricket history (atleast from 70's)

 

[steds]

Morne Mørkel: A bowler who displayed the rare ability to bowl consistently at 150kph (93.5mph) in the hot Indian sun on two dosile pitches (and an absolute minefield).

Not sure what the pitches have to do with it. Pretty sure they clock the speed out of the hand.

 

[Manee]

Lee and Steyn have "dropped" their pace a bit in the last year. And look where it's got them. Hope Sharma and friends notice this sooner rather than later.

That is not exactly true. Steyn is fractionally quicker than when he came on to the scene and his massive drop in pace in the IPL came with a poor performance.