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Malcolm Marshall vs Glen McGrath

You prefer


  • Total voters
    102

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
I dont like Marshall as much as everyone else does. I'd prefer McGrath.
 

Coronis

Cricketer Of The Year
For me, its Marshall, McGrath, Ambrose. All great bowlers and not much between them. Top 3 ATG pacers for me.
 

Ilovecric

U19 Cricketer
I think Marshall is CW's favorite pacer
Can you make the case why he's better than Mcgrath ? Or are his special skills pointless because Mcgrath picked up wickets on flat pitches ?

Can people who voted for Mcgrath make the argument why he's better ? Or is this just personal feelings?
 

Satyanash89

Banned
Can you make the case why he's better than Mcgrath ? Or are his special skills pointless because Mcgrath picked up wickets on flat pitches ?
Statistically, better average (lowest average for anyone with over 300 wickets I think), much better strike rate. Also, Marshall ripped apart India numerous times on extremely flat pitches in a way most other fast bowlers can only dream of. Don't get me wrong, McGrath bowled superbly in India as well, but never tore through our lineup (superb stats but no five-fors) and rip us a new one like Marshall did several times.
There's not much to separate them, to be honest but most people do consider Marshall superior... and the majority of CW considers him to be the best quick bowler ever.
 

Ilovecric

U19 Cricketer
Marshall is dead so McGrath is probably better
Longevity lol...

CW members sometimes love to ignore that they are statistically better players than their favorite players.

And that stats cannot show the viciousness of Marshall ... It doesn't show the swing. .
Spiteful bowler he was. .. hero bowling with a broken arm. . These things just put him in another class.
 

akilana

International 12th Man
Stats will more likely reflect their effectiveness. That's what most people are interested in.
 

Coronis

Cricketer Of The Year
Statistically, better average (lowest average for anyone with over 300 wickets I think), much better strike rate. Also, Marshall ripped apart India numerous times on extremely flat pitches in a way most other fast bowlers can only dream of. Don't get me wrong, McGrath bowled superbly in India as well, but never tore through our lineup (superb stats but no five-fors) and rip us a new one like Marshall did several times.
There's not much to separate them, to be honest but most people do consider Marshall superior... and the majority of CW considers him to be the best quick bowler ever.
In fact, he has the lowest average for any bowler with over 200 wickets. There are only 2 bowlers who have 150+ wickets and a lower average. Sydney Barnes (189 wickets @ 16.43) and Alan Davidson (186 wickets @ 20.53). Davidson has to be the most underrated fast bowler ever..
 

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
In fact, he has the lowest average for any bowler with over 200 wickets. There are only 2 bowlers who have 150+ wickets and a lower average. Sydney Barnes (189 wickets @ 16.43) and Alan Davidson (186 wickets @ 20.53). Davidson has to be the most underrated fast bowler ever..
Davo was great, but the general criticism of him is his SR of 62. Contrast that to say, Dale Steyn, who strikes at 42, and it's quite a difference. Means Davo has to bowl an extra 3 and a bit overs per wicket.

That said, I think Davo bowled in an era of obdurate, low risk batsmen, which might explain it in part.

Davo was a legend. I met him once and he was the nicest bloke. Would happily talk cricket with anyone for hours. Real gentleman.
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
Marshall was faster.

And although that sounds simplistic - it was used as the reason why people voted him above Hadlee in the Hadlee vs Marshall thread. People just said he could do everything Hadlee could do but 3 yards quicker.

Marshall could swing it both ways at high pace.
 
Statistically, better average (lowest average for anyone with over 300 wickets I think), much better strike rate. Also, Marshall ripped apart India numerous times on extremely flat pitches in a way most other fast bowlers can only dream of. Don't get me wrong, McGrath bowled superbly in India as well, but never tore through our lineup (superb stats but no five-fors) and rip us a new one like Marshall did several times.
There's not much to separate them, to be honest but most people do consider Marshall superior... and the majority of CW considers him to be the best quick bowler ever.
McGrath has about 200 wickets more though doesn't he? Surely the average differential becomes insignificant when you factor that in. In fact, statistically that'd probably lean towards McGrath a little more. McGrath also bowled in a more batting friendly era. The modern day batsmen are constantly denigrated for using wider bats and having to play with shorter boundaries and what not, but somehow that never seems to come up when discussing bowlers of the past (I'm talking in general terms btw, not a reference to you per se). Interesting. I've seen both and I'd have to give it to McGrath. Only a bee's dick in it though.
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
Bit of a mismatch here.

The bigger question is whether the absence of the second "n" in Glenn causes Prince the same amount of angst as the non-capitalisation of the "G".
 

Prot

Cricket Spectator
This
Marshall could swing it both ways at high pace.
+ He had a great bouncer.

Even when you look at the numbers

Marshall - 22 five wkt hauls and 4 ten wkt hauls in 81 Tests
McGrath - 29 five wkt and 3 ten wkt in 124 Tests

It's fair to say he had more impact. His SR was exceptional too. Probably the 3rd behind Steyn and Waqar in the all-time SR list.
 

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