Progression of the 'best fast bowler' title post war

[trundler]

50-70s was guesswork based on limited knowledge. Others can improve on it and make a more thorough list.

 

[Himannv]

Surprised that Wasim did not end up in that list somewhere. There was never a year where he ended up being the best bowler?

 

[Starfighter]

Wasim was never rated as the #1 bowler at any point in ICC rankings

Peaked at 830 '92 FTR, lower than anyone on that list that I've put up.

 

[Engle]

Holding's missing too, though he was whispered about in deathly tones

 

[Starfighter]

Holding did reach no. 1 briefly in 1982 and peaked at 860, but with Lillee around and then Imran cleaning up (peaking at 922 (!) in '83) I don't think he had the chance for an extended spell there. Just remember that list is simply who happened to be ranked highest on the 31st of December of that particular year. The rankings are volatile as all hell (Lawson was briefly No. 1 in early 1984 for example) but they are a decent guide to a quite subjective topic.

 

[trundler]

Plus, the list is supposed to be who was the best in an 'era' following the previous best. Holding reached #1 but the late 70s belonged to Lillee and in the 80s he kept getting injured and rarely had a full series. That's when Hadlee, and Marhall were ruling the world too.

 

[AndrewB]

The top 3 fast bowlers by average rating in each year are:

1946: Bill Voce 588 (Gubby Allen, Jack Cowie)
1947: Jack Cowie 549 (Alec Bedser, Ernie Toshack)
1948: Ray Lindwall 702 (Alec Bedser, Jack Cowie)
1949: Ray Lindwall 829 (Bill Johnston, Alec Bedser)
1950: Ray Lindwall 844 (Bill Johnston, Keith Miller)
1951: Bill Johnston 875 (Ray Lindwall, Alec Bedser)
1952: Bill Johnston 899 (Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller)
1953: Alec Bedser 877 (Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller)
1954: Ray Lindwall 885 (Alec Bedser, Keith Miller)
1955: Ray Lindwall 827 (Keith Miller, Brian Statham)
1956: Ray Lindwall 798 (Frank Tyson, Brian Statham)
1957: Fazal Mahmood 829 (Ray Lindwall, Neil Adcock)
1958: Fazal Mahmood 796 (Neil Adcock, Ray Lindwall)
1959: Fazal Mahmood 859 (Alan Davidson, Neil Adcock)
1960: Alan Davidson 884 (Fazal Mahmood, Neil Adcock)
1961: Alan Davidson 897 (Fazal Mahmood, Neil Adcock)
1962: Alan Davidson 898 (Wes Hall, Fred Trueman)
1963: Fred Trueman 859 (Wes Hall, Brian Statham)
1964: Fred Trueman 833 (Wes Hall, Peter Pollock)
1965: Wes Hall 812 (Graham McKenzie, Peter Pollock)
1966: Peter Pollock 828 (Neil Hawke, Wes Hall)
1967: Graham McKenzie 785 (Peter Pollock, Trevor Goddard)
1968: Peter Pollock 793 (Trevor Goddard, Graham McKenzie)
1969: Peter Pollock 791 (Graham McKenzie, Trevor Goddard)
1970: Peter Pollock 753 (Alan Connolly, John Snow)
1971: John Snow 777 (Gary Sobers, Bruce Taylor)
1972: John Snow 778 (Bruce Taylor, Gary Sobers)
1973: John Snow 723 (Dennis Lillee, Gary Sobers)
1974: Max Walker 705 (Geoff Arnold, Richard Collinge)
1975: Dennis Lillee 781 (Max Walker, Tony Greig)
1976: Dennis Lillee 848 (Andy Roberts, Jeff Thomson)
1977: Dennis Lillee 857 (Andy Roberts, Jeff Thomson)
1978: Bob WIllis 776 (Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson)
1979: Ian Botham 857 (Bob Willis, Rodney Hogg)
1980: Ian Botham 901 (Kapil Dev, Joel Garner)
1981: Joel Garner 856 (Colin Croft, Ian Botham)
1982: Michael Holding 857 (Imran Khan, Joel Garner)
1983: Imran Khan 912 (Richard Hadlee, Michael Holding)
1984: Richard Hadlee 881 (Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner)
1985; Richard Hadlee 883 (Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding)
1986: Richard Hadlee 904 (Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner)
1987: Richard Hadlee 902 (Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan)
1988: Richard Hadlee 890 (Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan)
1989: Richard Hadlee 896 (Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan)
1990: Malcolm Marshall 869 (Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram)
1991: Curtly Ambrose 822 (Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis)
1992: Curtly Ambrose 860 (Waqar Younis, Craig McDermott)
1993: Curtly Ambrose/Waqar Younis 895 (Ian Bishop)
1994: Curtly Ambrose 898 (Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram)
1995: Curtly Ambrose 868 (Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram)
1996: Curtly Ambrose 864 (Wasim Akram, Allan Donald)
1997: Glenn McGrath 864 (Curtly Ambrose, Allan Donald)
1998: Allan Donald 876 (Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath)
1999: Allan Donald 884 (Shaun Pollock, Glenn McGrath)
2000: Shaun Pollock 904 (Glenn McGrath, Allan Donald)
2001: Glenn McGrath 906 (Shaun Pollock, Allan Donald)
2002: Glenn McGrath 902 (Shaun Pollock, Waqar Younis)
2003: Shaun Pollock 867 (Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie)
2004: Shaun Pollock 850 (Shoaib Akhtar, Glenn McGrath)
2005: Glenn McGrath 882 (Shaun Pollock, Shoaib Akhtar)
2006: Glenn McGrath 823 (Makhaya Ntini, Andrew Flintoff)
2007: Makhaya Ntini 846 (Stuart Clark, Shaun Pollock)
2008: Dale Steyn 860 (Stuart Clark, Brett Lee)
2009: Dale Steyn 842 (Mitchell Johnson, Makhaya Ntini)
2010: Dale Steyn 873 (Mitchell Johnson, Zaheer Khan)
2011: Dale Steyn 899 (James Anderson, Morne Morkel)
2012: Dale Steyn 887 (James Anderson, Vernon Philander)
2013: Dale Steyn 902 (Vernon Philander, Peter Siddle)
2014: Dale Steyn 902 (Ryan Harris, Vernon Philander)
2015: Dale Steyn 901 (James Anderson, Trent Boult)
2016: Dale Steyn/Stuart Broad 852 (James Anderson)
2017: James Anderson 824 (Josh Hazlewood, Kagiso Rabada)

 

[Starfighter]

Trevor Goddard ranking very high there. Also makes Lillee seem less dominant (I consider that a good thing).

 

[trundler]

Marshall only clearly ahead in one year, huh. That's a little surprising.

 

[mr_mister]

going by podium finishes Peter Pollock was the greatest pace bowler of the 1960s

 

[smash84]

The top 3 fast bowlers by average rating in each year are:

1946: Bill Voce 588 (Gubby Allen, Jack Cowie)
1947: Jack Cowie 549 (Alec Bedser, Ernie Toshack)
1948: Ray Lindwall 702 (Alec Bedser, Jack Cowie)
1949: Ray Lindwall 829 (Bill Johnston, Alec Bedser)
1950: Ray Lindwall 844 (Bill Johnston, Keith Miller)
1951: Bill Johnston 875 (Ray Lindwall, Alec Bedser)
1952: Bill Johnston 899 (Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller)
1953: Alec Bedser 877 (Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller)
1954: Ray Lindwall 885 (Alec Bedser, Keith Miller)
1955: Ray Lindwall 827 (Keith Miller, Brian Statham)
1956: Ray Lindwall 798 (Frank Tyson, Brian Statham)
1957: Fazal Mahmood 829 (Ray Lindwall, Neil Adcock)
1958: Fazal Mahmood 796 (Neil Adcock, Ray Lindwall)
1959: Fazal Mahmood 859 (Alan Davidson, Neil Adcock)
1960: Alan Davidson 884 (Fazal Mahmood, Neil Adcock)
1961: Alan Davidson 897 (Fazal Mahmood, Neil Adcock)
1962: Alan Davidson 898 (Wes Hall, Fred Trueman)
1963: Fred Trueman 859 (Wes Hall, Brian Statham)
1964: Fred Trueman 833 (Wes Hall, Peter Pollock)
1965: Wes Hall 812 (Graham McKenzie, Peter Pollock)
1966: Peter Pollock 828 (Neil Hawke, Wes Hall)
1967: Graham McKenzie 785 (Peter Pollock, Trevor Goddard)
1968: Peter Pollock 793 (Trevor Goddard, Graham McKenzie)
1969: Peter Pollock 791 (Graham McKenzie, Trevor Goddard)
1970: Peter Pollock 753 (Alan Connolly, John Snow)
1971: John Snow 777 (Gary Sobers, Bruce Taylor)
1972: John Snow 778 (Bruce Taylor, Gary Sobers)
1973: John Snow 723 (Dennis Lillee, Gary Sobers)
1974: Max Walker 705 (Geoff Arnold, Richard Collinge)
1975: Dennis Lillee 781 (Max Walker, Tony Greig)
1976: Dennis Lillee 848 (Andy Roberts, Jeff Thomson)
1977: Dennis Lillee 857 (Andy Roberts, Jeff Thomson)
1978: Bob WIllis 776 (Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson)
1979: Ian Botham 857 (Bob Willis, Rodney Hogg)
1980: Ian Botham 901 (Kapil Dev, Joel Garner)
1981: Joel Garner 856 (Colin Croft, Ian Botham)
1982: Michael Holding 857 (Imran Khan, Joel Garner)
1983: Imran Khan 912 (Richard Hadlee, Michael Holding)
1984: Richard Hadlee 881 (Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner)
1985; Richard Hadlee 883 (Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding)
1986: Richard Hadlee 904 (Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner)
1987: Richard Hadlee 902 (Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan)
1988: Richard Hadlee 890 (Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan)
1989: Richard Hadlee 896 (Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan)
1990: Malcolm Marshall 869 (Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram)
1991: Curtly Ambrose 822 (Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis)
1992: Curtly Ambrose 860 (Waqar Younis, Craig McDermott)
1993: Curtly Ambrose/Waqar Younis 895 (Ian Bishop)
1994: Curtly Ambrose 898 (Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram)
1995: Curtly Ambrose 868 (Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram)
1996: Curtly Ambrose 864 (Wasim Akram, Allan Donald)
1997: Glenn McGrath 864 (Curtly Ambrose, Allan Donald)
1998: Allan Donald 876 (Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath)
1999: Allan Donald 884 (Shaun Pollock, Glenn McGrath)
2000: Shaun Pollock 904 (Glenn McGrath, Allan Donald)
2001: Glenn McGrath 906 (Shaun Pollock, Allan Donald)
2002: Glenn McGrath 902 (Shaun Pollock, Waqar Younis)
2003: Shaun Pollock 867 (Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie)
2004: Shaun Pollock 850 (Shoaib Akhtar, Glenn McGrath)
2005: Glenn McGrath 882 (Shaun Pollock, Shoaib Akhtar)
2006: Glenn McGrath 823 (Makhaya Ntini, Andrew Flintoff)
2007: Makhaya Ntini 846 (Stuart Clark, Shaun Pollock)
2008: Dale Steyn 860 (Stuart Clark, Brett Lee)
2009: Dale Steyn 842 (Mitchell Johnson, Makhaya Ntini)
2010: Dale Steyn 873 (Mitchell Johnson, Zaheer Khan)
2011: Dale Steyn 899 (James Anderson, Morne Morkel)
2012: Dale Steyn 887 (James Anderson, Vernon Philander)
2013: Dale Steyn 902 (Vernon Philander, Peter Siddle)
2014: Dale Steyn 902 (Ryan Harris, Vernon Philander)
2015: Dale Steyn 901 (James Anderson, Trent Boult)
2016: Dale Steyn/Stuart Broad 852 (James Anderson)
2017: James Anderson 824 (Josh Hazlewood, Kagiso Rabada)

Check 2008-2016, Steyn tops every single year. That's almost a decade of the being number 1 in the world

 

[ankitj]

No one has bettered Steyn's streak of topping the charts for 9 straight years.

 

[Daemon]

Proper thread this. Just hearing all these great names gives goosebumps.

The finger spinner equivalent on the other hand makes you picture ugly unfit dudes. Feel like throwing (pun intended) up a bit to see names like harbhajan and ajmal right up there in the wickets tally.

 

[trundler]

No one has bettered Steyn's streak of topping the charts for 9 straight years.

Steyn is among the very best. I think he's in the top handful to have ever played. This is the most batting-friendly era and yet Steyn is a terror everywhere. Nostalgia aside, there is no reason why Steyn isn't right up there. Once he retires, people will recognise how awesome he was.

We haven't seen many great quicks besides Steyn and to a much lesser extent Anderson in the post McGrath era. I wonder why.

 

[trundler]

Does Marshall's surprising ranking have anything to do with competition for wickets in his own team? I assume wickets per match would be an important factor in these rankings.

 

[trundler]

Proper thread this. Just hearing all these great names gives goosebumps.

The finger spinner equivalent on the other hand makes you picture ugly unfit dudes. Feel like throwing (pun intended) up a bit to see names like harbhajan and ajmal right up there in the wickets tally.

Well I'd like to see Laker bowl. Not sure how successful he would be today though. I suppose Murali is technically not a finger spinner.

 

[Daemon]

Well I'd like to see Laker bowl. Not sure how successful he would be today though. I suppose Murali is technically not a finger spinner.

Yeah I think Laker was excellent. His partner Lock was quite fond of chucking though.

 

[trundler]

He should have been very glad that he was white.

Anyway, that opens up a very interesting discussion. How good would traditional fingerspinners like Laker and Gibbs be today?

 

[Burgey]

I thought Toshack was a spinner?

 

[Red]

I thought Toshack was a spinner?

I did too. Must have bowled medium cutter sort of things as best I can gather. Cricinfo lists him as left arm medium.