Ranking the candidates for best fast/pace bowler ever: The Rankings thread

[Borges]

Sure the examples are debatable but what do you think of the basic premise?

In general, I think that the premise has some validity, and several grey areas.
What happens if a category B bowler is confronted by category B batsmen? By category A batsmen?

However, I abhor the idea of putting specific players into specific pigeon holes. The range of players would form a continuum which spans such rigid categories.
For instance, how do we say whether someone is a true ATVG or a mere ATG? Should he be #8 or #4 in a ranking of all quick bowlers over the years?

 

[Bolo]

The results of this pole are really good. I'm sure everyone is looking at a couple of (different) bowlers and cursing the rest of CW, but on the whole it looks great.

 

[trundler]

I'm expecting Ambrose, Hadlee, McGrath, Marshall.

 

[harsh.ag]

Am expecting Steyn ahead of Ambrose in the top 4

 

[OverratedSanity]

harsh you n00b

 

[harsh.ag]

Jeez you ****s ranked Steyn 5th! You really do need me to vote in these things in the future.

 

[Borges]

The number of votes one has should be related to the number of posts one has made in this Forum.

873 posts, 1 vote; 2432 posts, 3 votes; 37463 posts, 38 votes and so on.

 

[a massive zebra]

The number of votes one has should be related to the number of posts one has made in this Forum.

873 posts, 1 vote; 2432 posts, 3 votes; 37463 posts, 38 votes and so on.

No. Just because some of us have lives, it doesn't necessarily mean we are less knowledgeable about cricket.

 

[Starfighter]

Also some of us aren't interested in participating in 50,000,000 draft threads so have lower post counts as a result.

 

[trundler]

Eh, sounds like you just need to step it up.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Better than Steyn, Philander, Rabada, and Morkel?

Probably

 

[stephen]

Truly great players (ATVGs) are those like Bradman who always perform at an exalted level; the rest are just ordinary ATGs.

It is debatable if Warne falls into the category of 'guys who can summon their best in adverse circumstances'.
His bowling became worse than normal if the batsmen didn't allow him to get on top early in his spell. (India, West Indies with Lara.)

ATG = All Time Great
ATVG = All Time Very Good

I coined the term ATVG to describe players like Anderson who are not the dominant forces/ truly elite like Steyn but had exceptional careers one way or another.
For example Harris is an ATVG. Too short of a career to be ATG but still exceptional. Johnson is an ATVG as well. He was as good as anyone on his day but his career was not enough to define him as an ATG.

 

[Borges]

Players who are very good all the time (ATVGs) are the truly great players.

Johnson, for instance, is not an ATVG (not very good all the time); he can be called an STVG (sometimes very good),
or perhaps a GOMP (great occasionally, mostly pedestrian).

 

[Starfighter]

Players who are very good all the time (ATVGs) are the truly great players.

Johnson, for instance, is not an ATVG (not very good all the time); he can be called an STVG (sometimes very good),
or perhaps a GOMP (great occasionally, mostly pedestrian).

Nope.

 

[trundler]

If anyone's ever wanted to know what trying too hard looks like..

 

[OverratedSanity]

GOMP is an excellent addition to the cricket vocabulary imo.

 

[Burgey]

A gimp like you would appreciate it

 

[mr_mister]

4th. Richard Hadlee (459 points)

Top 5 finishes: 15
Bottom 5 finishes: 0
Highest finish: 2nd (8 times)
Lowest finish: 17th (1 time)


Hadlee featured as runner up on lists a crazy 8 times. He also missed out on 3rd spot by a solitary spot. Unlucky.

I would say other than Bradman, Hadlee is the clearest cut best player for his country ever. The gap between him and Crowe is definitely more than Murali and Sanga, and probably a smidge more than Andy Flower and Heath Streak as well as Shakib and Tamim. Anyway on to his bowling.

Hadlee was the first bowler to hit 400 wickets and yet another world record test wicket holder for a brief time. He carried New Zealand's attack for years and was a huge match winner for them in the 80s, often being the only thing standing in the way of a massive defeat.He had a terrific average of 20 against nearest neighbours Australia and 22 and the champion side of his era, the West Indies.

Hadlee's test best of 9/52 are the best figures of anyone on this list and the best ever for a paceman post 1900(Lohmann faring slightly better in 1896).

 

[ankitj]

Man, I was expecting Hadlee to be ranked #2. Tad disappointed.

 

[Slifer]

4th. Richard Hadlee (459 points)

Top 5 finishes: 15
Bottom 5 finishes: 0
Highest finish: 2nd (8 times)
Lowest finish: 17th (1 time)


Hadlee featured as runner up on lists a crazy 8 times. He also missed out on 3rd spot by a solitary spot. Unlucky.

I would say other than Bradman, Hadlee is the clearest cut best player for his country ever. The gap between him and Crowe is definitely more than Murali and Sanga, and probably a smidge more than Andy Flower and Heath Streak as well as Shakib and Tamim. Anyway on to his bowling.

Hadlee was the first bowler to hit 400 wickets and yet another world record test wicket holder for a brief time. He carried New Zealand's attack for years and was a huge match winner for them in the 80s, often being the only thing standing in the way of a massive defeat.He had a terrific average of 20 against nearest neighbours Australia and 22 and the champion side of his era, the West Indies.

Hadlee's test best of 9/52 are the best figures of anyone on this list and the best ever for a paceman post 1900(Lohmann faring slightly better in 1896).

Sobers is clearly the best west Indian cricketer.