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Richard Hadlee vs Curtly Ambrose

Who was the greater bowler?

  • Richard Hadlee

    Votes: 45 67.2%
  • Curtly Ambrose

    Votes: 22 32.8%

  • Total voters
    67

DrWolverine

International Captain
Hadlee had ATG series in NewZealand, Australia, England, India and SriLanka.

He played just one series in WestIndies and had a decent outing there - 15 wkts in 4 Tests.

It is fair to say he was more proven than Ambrose in more conditions and doing it with very little support makes him greater in my opinion.
 

Johan

Hall of Fame Member
Sri Lanka was a new team and naturally pretty weak against fast bowling.

The real difference maker here is the durability and Hadlee's final India series.
 

subshakerz

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Hadlee was a much more skilled bowler than Ambrose in terms of tools and nous.

As destructive in his day.

More accomplished across conditions.

Can match Ambrose's ATG record in Australia.

More of a consistent wickettaker throughout his career.

Hadlee is clearly a better bowler.
 

Sliferxxxx

State Vice-Captain
Hadlee was a much more skilled bowler than Ambrose in terms of tools and nous.

As destructive in his day.

More accomplished across conditions.

Can match Ambrose's ATG record in Australia.

More of a consistent wickettaker throughout his career.

Hadlee is clearly a better bowler.
Two different levels brother. Though Hadlee yes is greater overall as a bowler.
 

Sliferxxxx

State Vice-Captain
Nah. Hadlees might be a bit better actually.
How:

Taylor, Slater Waugh brothers, Boon. That's who Ambrose faced in 1995. Thats just one sample and he generally faced nothing weaker. Hadlee faced good lineups in the 70s but he was younger and didn't do that well. Most of his fame was made in the 80s vs attacks you yourself have called middling.
 

shortpitched713

Cricketer Of The Year
I've switched up on this.

Ambrose is more "quality", in the sense that if you had an attack of 4 Ambroses they would be able to force a minimal total against any batsmen out of sheer frustration (not to mention fear) of nothing to hit and finding themselves skittled out for little.

But for an actual more realistic situation where you need a man to lead your attack and carry the load himself Hadlee was legendary. His stamina was incredible, and for that impact match after match (and being able to maintain incisiveness for a longer portion of his career) I'd have to give it to Hadlee.
 

subshakerz

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Ambrose is more "quality", in the sense that if you had an attack of 4 Ambroses they would be able to force a minimal total against any batsmen out of sheer frustration (not to mention fear) of nothing to hit and finding themselves skittled out for little.
4 Hadlees will bowl them out quicker and for less.
 

subshakerz

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
How:

Taylor, Slater Waugh brothers, Boon. That's who Ambrose faced in 1995. Thats just one sample and he generally faced nothing weaker. Hadlee faced good lineups in the 70s but he was younger and didn't do that well. Most of his fame was made in the 80s vs attacks you yourself have called middling.
I am talking in Australia.

Hadlee had a poor early career series, a great one in early 80s against a good Aus lineups, probably the greatest series ever in mid 80s and another great series in late 80s against a reasonably good lineup.
 

shortpitched713

Cricketer Of The Year
4 Hadlees will bowl them out quicker and for less.
Do you know how averages work? A while back you were trying to contest the tautology that rate of runs allowed and strike rate combine to create average.

Now you're telling me that a bowling attack composed of lower average bowlers will allow more runs than the attack composed of the higher average players. Like, bruh.
 

Swamp Witch Hattie

U19 12th Man
4 Hadlees bowling together is not the same as 4 x 1 Hadlee bowling with Chatfield, etc. Each cloned Hadlee would have a smaller workload than the flogged-to-death singleton Hadlee and so each cloned Hadlee would probably have a better average and SR than the singleton Hadlee. Each cloned Ambrose would also get a boost but not as much as the cloned Hadlee because the singleton Ambrose was not thrashed as badly as the singleton Hadlee.

The 4 Ambroses would do better though if the 4 Hadlees were Richard, Dayle, Barry and Walter!
 

subshakerz

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Quicker probably but how less? Ambrose averages less than Hadlee. And even when Ambrose wasn't as penetrative, he was always hard to score against.
Sure if we assume 4 Ambrose's then yeah it would be a cheaper score.

But keep in mind in reality bats used to play out Ambrose often to attack the other end.
 

Johan

Hall of Fame Member
in Australia I'd give Ambrose the edge, Ambrose in England but Hadlee has the work in Asia and is clearly much more proven in Australia/England than Ambrose is in Asia.
 

subshakerz

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
in Australia I'd give Ambrose the edge, Ambrose in England but Hadlee has the work in Asia and is clearly much more proven in Australia/England than Ambrose is in Asia.
It's very close in Aus. Hadlee has arguably the greatest series ever there, a better average and SR. I think I prefer him.

Ambrose also was somewhat weaker at home than Hadlee.

But overall Hadlee was simply a more penetrative bowler and for much longer in his career.
 

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