Who is the best bowler ever to average over 30 in Test cricket?

[grecian]

I loved Qadir at the time, and TBH the fact he did get umpires assistance, probably makes up a little for the fact that he played in the worse time for spinners ever. That time after uncovered, but before umpires started given LBWs for pretending to play a shot. Hence why Kumble has more. He probably would have had even more nowadays with DRS meaning the umpires give even more, and the way he bowled was pretty conducive for that.

Yet watching Abdul on youtube and I'm really surprised at his lack of accuracy, one feels his high average was because he was fairly easy to take apart at times.

 

[smash84]

I agree with you regarding his lbws. However being easy to take apart he wasn't as accurate as a top class spinner should be.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Kumble got more lbws because he was just that kind of bowler. Lbws were his bread and butter becausehhe relied on inconsistent bounce and straight bowling to get wickets. He hardly spun the ball for it to be missing the stumps.

 

[watson]

I loved Qadir at the time, and TBH the fact he did get umpires assistance, probably makes up a little for the fact that he played in the worse time for spinners ever. That time after uncovered, but before umpires started given LBWs for pretending to play a shot. Hence why Kumble has more. He probably would have had even more nowadays with DRS meaning the umpires give even more, and the way he bowled was pretty conducive for that.

Yet watching Abdul on youtube and I'm really surprised at his lack of accuracy, one feels his high average was because he was fairly easy to take apart at times.

Economy Rate
Abdul Qadir = 2.71
Anil Kumble = 2.70
Shane Warne = 2.65

Qadir's relative ER implies that he was accurate enough to me.

 

[Dan]

Team of >30 averagers who actually did bowl regularly:

1. Vinoo Mankad (9)
2. Frank Woolley (8)
3. Garfield Sobers (7)
4. Jacques Kallis (6)
5. Steve Waugh * (10)
6. Andrew Flintoff (3)
7. Daniel Vettori (5)
8. Jack Gregory (1)
9. Stuart Broad (2)
10. Pure Keeper +
11. Erapali Prasana (4)

 

[OverratedSanity]

Why is Sobers getting votes over some of the others? Also a tragic lack of mention of Srinath in the thread so far. Very solid and underappreciated bowler.

 

[harsh.ag]

I think another Indian by the name of Amar Singh deserves a bangin' mention.

 

[NUFAN]

Percentage of LBW decisions for leggies...

Kumble 25%
Qadir 22%
Warne 20%
MacGill 16%

Did Kumble have even more 'sympathetic' umpires that Qadir and Warne slightly less so. Or is it just that Magilla turned it too far to get as many LB's as the others.

It is definitely due to Kumble's line, lack of turn and his actual game plan of trying to get LBWs, bowled or bat pad catches as his main mode of dismissals.

I'm finding it hard to pick, this Darren Sami chap looks interesting though.

 

[GIMH]

Spinners at an advantage here given they tend to average higher

But it's Freddie so bite me

 

[Furball]

Can only assume you think Jimmeh will end with his average < 30.

 

[stumpski]

Why is Sobers getting votes over some of the others?

What a strange question. Perhaps on the grounds of versatility? Pretty useful cricketer, all things considered. And it's hardly as if he's the runaway poll leader.

 

[GIMH]

Can only assume you think Jimmeh will end with his average < 30.

Well that and the fact that Freddie is better

 

[viriya]

What a strange question. Perhaps on the grounds of versatility? Pretty useful cricketer, all things considered. And it's hardly as if he's the runaway poll leader.

He may have been versatile but he doesn't deserve to be considered the best bowler in that list. Just too much hype for a bowler who took 2 wkts/match at almost 100 balls a wicket and no 10 wicket hauls..

 

[grecian]

Economy Rate
Abdul Qadir = 2.71
Anil Kumble = 2.70
Shane Warne = 2.65

Qadir's relative ER implies that he was accurate enough to me.

I think you have to take into account the run-rates of the time to the ones of latter-generations. I mean Emburey went at 2.20, Underwood at 2-10, Edmonds 2.13. Just some random Englishman, but Iqbal Qasim was half-a-run cheaper too.

People used to hit a few boundaries and then much happier to milk the singles back then.

He was mesmerising to watch and will always be a legend, and someone that helped keep spin ***y during a pretty turgid time for it. Yet waching back, I just wonder how good an actual bowler he was.

 

[fredfertang]

He was mesmerising to watch and will always be a legend, and someone that helped keep spin ***y during a pretty turgid time for it. Yet waching back, I just wonder how good an actual bowler he was.

An excellent point - always wanted to see Qadir succeed, even if it meant a few dodgy decisions had to go against England - was the first leggie I'd seen since Intikhab and Mushtaq, who were ok, but not in the same league

 

[adub]

But the whole 'too many loose balls' thing about Qadir is probably an artifact of seeing Warne (and Kumble) come since him. They're different bowlers. Warne was a freak with his control, but he never really had a wrong 'un (or half the other new balls he used to con batsmen into believing were in his armoury each summer), and Kumble as noted above wasn't a big turner. I'd pair Qadir much more with MacGill in that they were looking to turn it square and sneak a wrong 'un in pretty regularly. Now I can appreciate Kumble's ability, but I'd rather watch a session of Qadir or MacGill despite (or because of) all the half trakers that would go to the fence. Just love a good leggy who is going for broke and is prepared to pay for his wickets. It just makes for the best cricket.

 

[zaremba]

Mushy!

 

[smash84]

Qadir was pretty decent on his day. As someone pointed out that in his day he didn't get too many lbws in hus favor being a spinner. He was an excellent bowler of the flipper and the googly. By his own admission he had to sometimes tell the umpire that the flipper was coming up and to judge accordingly

 

[Jono]

I am sure at some point in his career McGrath averaged over 30, so I'm going to go with him.

 

[Furball]

Qadir was pretty decent on his day. As someone pointed out that in his day he didn't get too many lbws in hus favor being a spinner. He was an excellent bowler of the flipper and the googly. By his own admission he had to sometimes tell the umpire that the flipper was coming up and to judge accordingly

That's not what was pointed out.