Best Bowling Attack - Tests

[Migara]

Rana isn't close to the test side and Afridi has quit test cricket. If Afridi was playing Pakistan would be good contenders with a fifth option.

Well looking at Rana's aggressive intent and ability to swing it, I don't consider him to be dross.

 

[Zinzan]

Only voted two because SA & Aust are both well ahead of the field for mine

 

[subshakerz]

Asif better than all of them of course but Johnson/Siddle better than Gul/Aamer IMO. Dont rate either Kaneria/hauritz as test quality spinners. If i could chose AUS would be playing 4-seamers all the time.

Johnson and Siddle are better than Gul but we'll have to wait to see about Aamer. He looks like a special talent for his age.

A bit harsh on Kaneria, around 2004/5 he looked set to be the next big leggie. Given his recent performances against NZ and the fact that he may not have to do as much stock bowling as before I rate him as a decent wicket taking option.

 

[Migara]

That's a pretty rancid attack. Prasad no accuracy and is hardly express, Kula can't get a wicket outside Sri Lanka, Mathews isn't an international bowler, Herath is a hack and Fernando has been around years and done nothing of great note.

If you consider 90mph not to be quick then there's no point in discussing. Malinga easily over 90mph when fully fit, Prasad clocked 93mph, and bowls over 85mph consistently, and Thushara is also around 88-90mph. These are improving bowlers with very short careers. Kulasekara will be good on seaming conditions, and even hardcore SL supporters don't rate him on flat tracks. Herath is definitely better than Harris, Monty, Patel, Hauritz or perhaps Swann. We would see how wall he goes after Murali's retirement. I agree Fernando has been a waste, but recently has done very well. He may be turning te corner. Mathews will not run through a side for you (but he actually did that to India in one ODIs). He'll be the stop gap seamer. No one expects him to take five fors, but he'll be that useful change bowler. Mendis, well, I have stated that he's going to be found out during his debut. But still useful though.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Can't really say. None of the teams has an attack to cover all bases, and that's a stumbling block to rating them imo. India needs Ishant to come good for their attack to be complete, SA and Aus can't seem to field a decent spinner, Swann is iffy, SL bowling which seemed the most varied has come apart at the seams over the last series, NZ can't keep its players from retiring, and I've seen enough of WI cricket over the past decade to take their attack with a fistful of salt. SA could make the leap if Imran Tahir turns out to be the real deal, and Pakistan has the makings of an excellent attack atm. But then, they've recalled Sami, so what do we make of that?

 

[Zinzan]

Johnson and Siddle are better than Gul but we'll have to wait to see about Aamer. He looks like a special talent for his age.

A bit harsh on Kaneria, around 2004/5 he looked set to be the next big leggie. Given his recent performances against NZ and the fact that he may not have to do as much stock bowling as before I rate him as a decent wicket taking option.

Honestly, after watching this series in NZ, I don't actually think Pakistan's bowlers are anything to write home about at the moment & don't reckon they were much better than NZ's attack based on that series (their batting may have been). Whilst Asif is clearly a fantastic bowler and Karneria a goodish legspinner, Aamer's still pretty raw, despite his obvious talent & Gul is no better than ordinary at test level.

 

[marc71178]

Still Ajmal and Kaneria will walk in to any non-subcontinental side.

I wouldn't be so sure about that to be honest.

 

[Shri]

Pakistan imo.

Amir
Asif
Gul

Kaneria
Ajmal

 

[Howsie]

Pakistan imo.

Amir
Asif
Gul

Kaneria
Ajmal

One very good test bowler, a good leggie (on his day) and two bowlers that average in the 30's. Hmmmmmmm

 

[Shri]

One very good test bowler, a good leggie (on his day) and two bowlers that average in the 30's. Hmmmmmmm

Look threatening when they are bowling though, the fast bowlers in particular. The spinners are meh-ish. Maybe the stats will sort itself out with time. And it was just my personal opinion. Doesn't mean they are the word of god.

 

[subshakerz]

One very good test bowler, a good leggie (on his day) and two bowlers that average in the 30's. Hmmmmmmm

Aamer has just started, give the kid a break. Gul is pretty decent for a third seamer.

 

[Xuhaib]

Aamer has just started, give the kid a break. Gul is pretty decent for a third seamer.

I still believe in Gul he had a bad year, in 2006 and 07 he looked really awesome that was the time when Waqar was the bowling coach with Waqar back again I expect him to pick up.

 

[Howsie]

Look threatening when they are bowling though, the fast bowlers in particular. The spinners are meh-ish. Maybe the stats will sort itself out with time. And it was just my personal opinion. Doesn't mean they are the word of god.

No doubt Aamer's bowling stats will improve over time, he's a 17 year old playing test cricket afterall.

 

[Xuhaib]

No doubt Aamer's bowling stats will improve over time, he's a 17 year old playing test cricket afterall.

Hassan Raza played test cricket at 14, more the age thingy its apparent he is quite a decent talent unless he does a Sami he should end up pretty handy.

 

[Migara]

One very good test bowler, a good leggie (on his day) and two bowlers that average in the 30's. Hmmmmmmm

Now who are the spinners better than Ajmal and Kaneria?

Harbhajan for sure, Amit Mishra may be. Rangana Herath, most probably not. Vettori? May be, but averages 35+ against proper teams. Swann, Harris, Benn, Panesa, Rashid, Tahir, Hauritz, Krezja, North - no way

The truth is almost all young spinners who are playing today have averages around 30. (Murali excluded because he's going to retire soon). Only Vettori and Harbhajan has a say over Kaneria and Ajmal. Menis is down the drain.

Will they walk in to any side? Perhaps not India, SL may be. Other teams, hands down.

 

[Howsie]

Now who are the spinners better than Ajmal and Kaneria?

Harbhajan for sure, Amit Mishra may be. Rangana Herath, most probably not. Vettori? May be, but averages 35+ against proper teams. Swann, Harris, Benn, Panesa, Rashid, Tahir, Hauritz, Krezja, North - no way

The truth is almost all young spinners who are playing today have averages around 30. (Murali excluded because he's going to retire soon). Only Vettori and Harbhajan has a say over Kaneria and Ajmal. Menis is down the drain.

Will they walk in to any side? Perhaps not India, SL may be. Other teams, hands down.

Just because the quality of spinners around the world is low doesn't make Kaneria a better bowler then he is. He's been inconsistant pretty much his whole career.

 

[Migara]

Just because the quality of spinners around the world is low doesn't make Kaneria a better bowler then he is. He's been inconsistant pretty much his whole career.

The thread talks about current best test attack. So it carries current best. If the current standards are low that is a different problem. Out of the available spinners Kaneria is one of the best. Whether he's an all time great or not is out of the scope of the thread.

 

[Uppercut]

Probably Pakistan, actually. Aamer, Gul, Asif and Kaneria doesn't really have a weak link.

South Africa are pretty good too, but after Steyn and Kallis I'm not sure what to make of any of their bowlers. They were seriously outbowled in the last series they played too, incidentally.

 

[SJS]

The Pakistani attack is the only atack in world cricket today that really excites me. I would watch a Test match just to see this team of Aamer, Asif, Gul, Ajmal and Kaneria bowl.

 

[Zinzan]

Probably Pakistan, actually. Aamer, Gul, Asif and Kaneria doesn't really have a weak link.

You''re kidding aren't you? Gul's nothing more than ordinary at test level