Who is more destructive when in top form? Steyn or Johnson?

[hendrix]

Would you really call any of Johnson's wickets in this series unplayable deliveries? I realise that it's a culmination of pace and hostility and working a batsman over, but he doesn't actually bowl that many deliveries that we'd call unplayable in isolation.

I suppose that's the importance of bowling aggressive spells.

 

[Bahnz]

The ball he bowled to get rid of Cook on Friday evening was a nightmare ball. Shaped in a touch and then nipped away at 150 kmh to clean up off.

 

[benchmark00]

Watch Mitchell Johnson bowling at the WACA last Ashes series that was held in Australia.

 

[benchmark00]

The ball he bowled to get rid of Cook on Friday evening was a nightmare ball. Shaped in a touch and then nipped away at 150 kmh to clean up off.

Yeah, no one in the world would have hit that at that stage in their innings. Cook did so well to adjust to the movement in, then it inexplicably left him at the last second.

 

[hendrix]

Ah ok, I didn't watch it that closely.

Funnily enough, the Darren Sammy ball to get McCullum last week was also a cracker when you take a closer look. It looks like it just bowled him through the gate, but it actually swung away late which drew his bat out and then seamed back in to take the top of off.

Yeah I remember watching some of Johnson's spells where he was getting weird movement in the air that was unpredictable. Some pretty good balls there.

 

[Carn_the_pies]

Most destructive at their best?

Mitch Johnson without doubt..ask Kallis Or Smith about him.

Who would you take as your first pick?

Steyn every day of the week.

 

[Camel 56]

I can't have Johnson. If you stuck a police uniform on him he'd be a dead ringer for one of the village people and that alone is enough for him to lose out in the contest IMO.

 

[Ausage]

I can't have Johnson. If you stuck a police uniform on him he'd be a dead ringer for one of the village people and that alone is enough for him to lose out in the contest IMO.

And thus, a great career was born.

 

[benchmark00]

Where's Pinkline Jones when you need him

 

[Daemon]

Fun thread.

Sreesanth or Morkel?

 

[SeamUp]

Not even close on who the best bowler is. Steyn hands down. Repetitive action and his adaptability make him king.

But no doubt Mitch puts fear into batsman when on song. Twice did for Smith's finger and got Kallis on the chin once.

Trying to remember Steyn putting a batsman in hospital and Craig Cumming keeps coming to mind. Probably one of the worst hits of the modern era. Any others that had to go to hospital whether it be finger or cheek bone due to Steyn ?

Ntini used to scon a few. Remember him putting Langer all dazed in his 100th test.

Morkel fractured Ross Taylor's arm recently too.

But there is something about tear-away left-arm quicks that can put fear into the batsman. MoJo is almost Brett Schultz like. Two of the scariest when on song where as a batsman you start worrying about your well-being instead of your wicket.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Easy. Steyn.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Steyn wins it but Mitch has been amazing this last fortnight. Another bowler who is great when he gets on a roll is Broad though he does it at a slower pace. The amount of times he has had a magic spell from nowhere and turned a game on its head is impressive.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Akhtar to Gary Kirstin was nasty.

 

[subshakerz]

Yes, no doubt Steyn is a better. But more destructive in top form in Johnson. He is a sheer wrecking ball. And he has done it against decent batting lineups as well. Please forget his 8/61 against South Africa, or the spell below. When he is in a mood, he is likely to run straight through a side and crush their motivation.

mitchell johnson bowling great spell injures batsmen as well as great start! - YouTube

 

[GuyFromLancs]

The question isn't "who's the better player". It's "who's the most destructive when in top form". Therefore Johnson's unpredictability and inconsistency is kind of irrelavent to the issue.

It is relevant. Because consistency isn't just an issue innings-to-innings, but also delivery-to-delivery.

Even in-form, Mitch can follow a 94mph throat-buster with a trickle down legside.

 

[Spark]

Mitch at top form is alarmingly good at setting batsmen up tbf. Gets them doing exactly what he wants them to do, then bowls them the guaranteed wicket-taking ball.

 

[popepouri]

It depends on the definition of destruction.

If it is pure wicket taking ability then Steyn hands down. His ability to set up a batsman, swing the ball a lot and crank it up when needed makes him the most complete bowler today.

If it's the ability to scare batsman, hurt them with extreme pace then obviously Johnson.

Both can run through a lineup easily when on song. They just do it in different ways.

The **** took 6 for 8 earlier this year ffs. .

He took those wickets at sub 135kph too. Destructive? Not?

 

[Valer]

I think it depends on where the match is in the series / how deep the reserves are.

Early on in the series the physical damage (and to a lesser extent fear) Johnson causes is far more important than the wickets he takes.

Injuring a top batsman is probably worth 20+ runs/test over the series for most teams and 45 or so runs in the second dig. Bowlers can be worth even more.

If you ignore injuries / its only 1 test probably steyn or even philander on a helpful pitch.

 

[Camel 56]

It is relevant. Because consistency isn't just an issue innings-to-innings, but also delivery-to-delivery.

Even in-form, Mitch can follow a 94mph throat-buster with a trickle down legside.

I don't believe this for a second. As much as I can't stand the tattooed grub, I'm 100% sure that Johnson is hygienic enough to wait until he gets to the dressing room to do that kind of thing.