Ambrose or Mcgrath?

[ankitj]

I'm a good example I guess in that I think Ambrose was the better of the two but wouldn't have either of them in genuine contention for my ATWXI.

That describes me too.

 

[Prince EWS]

Isn't that because of your all rounder fetish?

Nah not really; I don't think either of them are amongst the best four bowlers of all time.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

It seems a harsh call at first to say they're not amongst top 4. I don't think they're far behind. who's your top 4?

 

[OverratedSanity]

It seems a harsh call at first to say they're not amongst top 4. I don't think they're far behind. who's your top 4?

Frankly just like the batsmen, there's virtually nothing to choose between any of the 15 greatest fast bowlers... Wouldn't be harsh to leave anyone out if the top 4, because an equally good bowler is taking his place

 

[ankitj]

It seems a harsh call at first to say they're not amongst top 4. I don't think they're far behind. who's your top 4?

Speaking for myself, it will be Murali, Marshall, Barnes and Hadlee

 

[Prince EWS]

Speaking for myself, it will be Murali, Marshall, Barnes and Hadlee

Yeah they'd be more four too, not necessarily in that order. I'd always pick Imran as one of my bowlers in my ATWXI due to the aforementioned "allrounder fetish" but those four are IMO the best four Test bowlers of all time, with O'Reilly probably fifth. Ambrose is probably next up.

 

[Flem274*]

imo McGrath is the best specialist bowler of all time but he doesn't make my all time eleven.

if you think pews has an allrounder fetish then im the guy with the hushed up addiction

 

[GuyFromLancs]

McGrath - but by a margin so small it can only be displayed using complex algebra

 

[watson]

Yeah they'd be more four too, not necessarily in that order. I'd always pick Imran as one of my bowlers in my ATWXI due to the aforementioned "allrounder fetish" but those four are IMO the best four Test bowlers of all time, with O'Reilly probably fifth. Ambrose is probably next up.

That really doesn't make too much sense as Hadlee-Marshall-Barnes-Murali is obviously plenty strong enough as far as batting is concerned. Not only does the team bat down to 9 (Marshall was perfectly competent with the bat) but it also has the 4 best/strongest bowlers in history - which is a desirable priority.

 

[Flem274*]

They're not the four best bowlers by much if at all though, and some other **** might pick a team who can bat to 11.

Imran
Hadlee
Marshall
Warne

Is my 8-11, but I'm not sold the above are the four best bowlers in history. Bats deep though.

 

[watson]

They're not the four best bowlers by much if at all though, and some other **** might pick a team who can bat to 11.

Imran
Hadlee
Marshall
Warne

Is my 8-11, but I'm not sold the above are the four best bowlers in history. Bats deep though.

So batting skill aside Flem - what 4 bowlers do you think would form the best/strongest attack of all time if those mentioned above don't?

 

[Flem274*]

You mean excluding the above four?

That's a really hard one because there's a big list. Stream of consciousness I would pick..

McGrath
Steyn
Ambrose
Murali

Steyn the most debateable. Holding, Davidson, Garner, Trueman, Wasim and Lindwall also crossed my mind but I went with my man crush.

 

[watson]

You mean excluding the above four?

That's a really hard one because there's a big list. Stream of consciousness I would pick..

McGrath
Steyn
Ambrose
Murali

Steyn the most debateable. Holding, Davidson, Garner, Trueman, Wasim and Lindwall also crossed my mind but I went with my man crush.

No, including absolutely everybody.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

You mean excluding the above four?

That's a really hard one because there's a big list. Stream of consciousness I would pick..

McGrath
Steyn
Ambrose
Murali

Steyn the most debateable. Holding, Davidson, Garner, Trueman, Wasim and Lindwall also crossed my mind but I went with my man crush.

No, including absolutely everybody.

What? Cricket exised before 1988?

 

[hendrix]

on flat wickets, maybe some humidity:

Imran
Akram
Marshall
Murali

neither Imran nor Akram are in the top 5 bowlers of all time but they make this team for composition reasons.

On grassy wickets:

Hadlee
Marshall
Murali
Ambrose

Ambrose and Hadlee have a shot at making my top 5, but this is a horse-for-courses selection. I really don't think you're giving up much between most of the bowlers in the top ten, and it's better to shuffle them depending on conditions.

 

[GIMH]

Anthony McGrath>>>Tim Ambrose

 

[The Battlers Prince]

If you have a hard and fast bowler than I'd take McGrath. I'd only take Ambrose of these two if I needed an intimidator.

 

[harsh.ag]

on flat wickets, maybe some humidity:

Imran
Akram
Marshall
Murali

neither Imran nor Akram are in the top 5 bowlers of all time but they make this team for composition reasons.

I would take this attack and just replace Imran with McGrath. Overall, gives better variety and depth, I think. Plus, his record in India is good. Imran is of course, as good a selection.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

I would take this attack and just replace Imran with McGrath. Overall, gives better variety and depth, I think. Plus, his record in India is good. Imran is of course, as good a selection.

Yeah, I don't think yo can have Akram and Imran in an ATG side

 

[hendrix]

Yeah, I don't think yo can have Akram and Imran in an ATG side

on flat wickets it makes sense to me. It's not that McGrath, Ambrose, Hadlee etc weren't also very good in the subcontinent - they were fantastic - but in those particular conditions where movement in the air rather than off the pitch is the premium, it's those bowlers I'd want there.