Pace in the past

[silentstriker]

Tyson has been measured at 142KPH, wearing 3 sweaters, with metal plates attached to the ball.

Given that mid 140s was the standard pace of Akhtar and Tait and they only occasionally, on very fast wickets cranked it up to 160, I really don't see why we shouldn't believe the likes of Benaud. I also think that Thompson probably ramped it up to this speed on occasion as well.

Maybe he did, but I'd like to know how that test was done and what the margin of error was on it. I'm skeptical.

 

[fredfertang]

Maybe he did, but I'd like to know how that test was done and what the margin of error was on it. I'm skeptical.

They tested Brian Statham at the same time - I'll see if I can dig out the details of how they did it

 

[silentstriker]

As far as I remember, it was on an airport runway or something, using the equipment they use to measure planes....which makes it highly suspect. Because if that's true, than it would lead you to the conclusion that people were really fast at one point, and then in what many people would consider the golden age of fast bowling (Holding, Khan, Lillee, Thompson, etc) everyone slowed down, and now they're back up again. That'd be kind of weird, no?

 

[hendrix]

No, I would suspect that the testing would be very, very accurate.
Physics is not something like Biology where the knowledge and techniques explode every 5 years.
Remember, these guys were engineering planes. They were accurate. Not long afterwards people flew spacecrafts to the moon.

Actually, given that they attached metal plates to the ball, I would guess that their testing was probably more accurate than the average odometer today.

 

[hendrix]

As far as I remember, it was on an airport runway or something, using the equipment they use to measure planes....which makes it highly suspect. Because if that's true, than it would lead you to the conclusion that people were really fast at one point, and then in what many people would consider the golden age of fast bowling (Holding, Khan, Lillee, Thompson, etc) everyone slowed down, and now they're back up again. That'd be kind of weird, no?

Not sure why it would lead you to this conclusion. Holding and Thompson were probably 150kph on their day, Khan and Lillee were probably 140-145kph. That's what all the testing seems to suggest anyway.

 

[silentstriker]

No, I would suspect that the testing would be very, very accurate.
Physics is not something like Biology where the knowledge and techniques explode every 5 years.
Remember, these guys were engineering planes. They were accurate. Not long afterwards people flew spacecrafts to the moon.

Actually, given that they attached metal plates to the ball, I would guess that their testing was probably more accurate than the average odometer today.

It depends on the instruments used and what they were designed for and their margin of error for something like a ball compared to something like an airplane.

 

[fredfertang]

They set up an experiment which involved painting a metal coating on the ball. The Kiwi boffins then asked us to bowl this ball into a sonic beam projected by a dish the length of a cricket pitch. As the ball passed through the beam it gave off a high-pitched whistle. The duration of this sound was recorded, measured and translated into mph by a complex equation. The half dozen balls which I delivered were calculated as travelling at 89 mph. George's speed was reckoned to be 87 mph. There were just a couple of matters which complicated and cast suspicion on the experiment. It was a damp cold day both of us bowled in a couple of thick sweaters! We did not even bother to change into our whites. We just slipped on our cricket boots and, without a warm-up, bowled considerably less than full pace – on to a pitch which had been saturated by overnight rain – which had made the run-ups very greasy! Still – anything for the sake of science!

Tyson writing in 2004

 

[wellAlbidarned]

If there's one thing for sure about fast bowlers, it's to never trust anything they say about themselves.

 

[fredfertang]

If there's one thing for sure about fast bowlers, it's to never trust anything they say about themselves.

Nor lawyers, not sure about scientists though

 

[steds]

You can trust them, but it's not worth listening to them because it's all bollocks.

 

[Hurricane]

Height =/= pace. Height is going to get you more bounce (which is just as good as pace) but pace is generated by your strength (not just muscles but the gymnastish strength of your body) and your bowling action.

Neil Wagner and Mitch M both look about 5'11 when they stand next to Taylor, KW and McCullum (6'0, 5'8, 5'7 respectively) and they're both noticeably quicker than Kyle Mills and in the same range or a bit sharper than the very tall Tim Southee. Milne isn't tall tall either and looking overseas, Waqar and Marshall weren't giants.

On another note, I wouldn't be surprised to see some big disparities in perception v reality if we were able to put past bowlers under the gun. When radars came in and were halfway accurate weren't people amazed at McGrath's lack of pace? And almost every test you see a ball and the commentator goes "woah that was quick!" and then the gun reads 135kph.

Maybe good bowling just looks and feels faster?

Anyway this thread is just made for Thierry Henry. Can't believe he hasn't found it yet.

Ceterus Perebus the taller you are the faster you are - because your arms are longer and you get more velocity due to centrifugal force.