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Speed Guns

Kirkut

International Regular
Wasn't that during Taylor's 290? I recall Starc bowling some SERIOUS heat during that. Was an absolute road but it really made a great 30 minute passage of play with two set batsman (Taylor and Williamson, and later after Kane got out McCullum) vs a new ball and a Starc that was on absolute fire.

I'm pretty sure Taylor got dropped during it.
Never got the opportunity to watch Starc at his quickest but Johnson in 2013 and 2014 was the closest thing to Akhtar, arguably looked more frightening than Donald as well.
 

Xuhaib

International Coach
I wonder how closely PED's and steriod are monitored in cricket or atleast during that time period .Shoaib and Lee were making their mark in the same era when Barry Bonds and company were getting crazy numbers with steriods help I would not be surprised if some cricketers were using some enhancements aswell.
 

Migara

International Coach
Never got the opportunity to watch Starc at his quickest but Johnson in 2013 and 2014 was the closest thing to Akhtar, arguably looked more frightening than Donald as well.
Shoaib was no where as frightening as West Indies bowlers. He was quicker than all of them. But he was more of a bowler who pitched it up and threatened pads and stumps. Malinga at hsi pomp was as quick as Starc and bit quicker than Johnson, but once again he was a pitch up bowler. The most frigtening bowler i seen in 90s was Brett Schultz. In 2000s it was Steven Harmison. In 2010s it was Morne Morkel. All were yard slower than Lee or Akthar. But much notorious to handle.
 

TheJediBrah

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I wonder how closely PED's and steriod are monitored in cricket or atleast during that time period .Shoaib and Lee were making their mark in the same era when Barry Bonds and company were getting crazy numbers with steriods help I would not be surprised if some cricketers were using some enhancements aswell.
heh I could see Shoaib on something but one look at Brett Lee should tell you he was never on steroids

would really help fast bowling anyway the leaner you are the better
 

Binkley

U19 Captain
I do remember in the early days of speed guns there was a huge discrepancy between speeds taken in Australia and in New Zealand when the same players were bowling. Australian guns were consistently reading about 10-15 km higher. I think it was Ian Smith on comms who said Australian speed guns were designed to read speed from the hand, while New Zealand reporting was based on average speed across 22 yards. I am not sure which of those approaches has become the default.

Edit: I got some of the details wrong, but there is a bit of coverage here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/mi...nology-questioned/VTMG4UKB62IEJ6YJPBCN4DRXBI/
 
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social

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When it comes to steroid abuse, eyebrows are generally raised when there’s a massive increase in performance from a mature athlete e.g. Flo Jo

Guys like Lee were really quick as juniors and were always going to be extremely rapid if they stayed fit

In cricket, the biggest outlier is Ryan Harris & I have never heard a thing about him regarding steroids
 

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I do remember in the early days of speed guns there was a huge discrepancy between speeds taken in Australia and in New Zealand when the same players were bowling. Australian guns were consistently reading about 10-15 km higher. I think it was Ian Smith on comms who said Australian speed guns were designed to read speed from the hand, while New Zealand reporting was based on average speed across 22 yards. I am not sure which of those approaches has become the default.

Edit: I got some of the details wrong, but there is a bit of coverage here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/mi...nology-questioned/VTMG4UKB62IEJ6YJPBCN4DRXBI/
I remember reading it was because they were measuring from some way down the pitch in NZ, compared to the standard of at or near release. I don't think it would be that easy to produce an average.

Jofra Archer thinks speedguns in NZ still read low lol.
 

Tom Flint

International Regular
heh I could see Shoaib on something but one look at Brett Lee should tell you he was never on steroids

would really help fast bowling anyway the leaner you are the better
Not all peds make you gain muscle though do they? I don't actually know
 

Apex Predator

State Vice-Captain
I remember reading it was because they were measuring from some way down the pitch in NZ, compared to the standard of at or near release. I don't think it would be that easy to produce an average.

Jofra Archer thinks speedguns in NZ still read low lol.
Archer loses pace at test level. Even when he toured India didn't bowl in excess of 90mph most of the time. I think Wood was rapid throughout.
In T20s it is easier to go flat out. Archer like Haris Rauf is more of a T20 express pacer.
Wood Nortje can sustain express for a while at test level. Closest to Akhtar, Lee. Even though Lee dropped pace like Archer as well in Test cricket sometimes.
 

Pup Clarke

Cricketer Of The Year
Archer has bowled spells where he is consistently over 150ks, but this is quite sporadic. See Lords 2019. Properly rapid and reminiscent of Lee/Akthar in pace and hostility

I'd say right now, Nortje is the most consistently quick bowler in terms of average speed
 

Migara

International Coach
heh I could see Shoaib on something but one look at Brett Lee should tell you he was never on steroids

would really help fast bowling anyway the leaner you are the better
Shoaib was proper 95+ even in his debut. And he was not the only one to be of that pace bracket from Pakistan. Mohammed Zahid and later Mohammed Sami were as quick as Akthar. Moahmmed Akram was not far behind. He split the thigh pad of Chandika Hathurusinghe in the 95-96 tour. All of them were very lean, and were frighteningly quick too.
 

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