Choose one : Donald, Steyn & Holding vs O'Reilly, Murali & Warne

[DrWolverine]

Test cricket & bowling
They are the only ones who could bowl in team

 

[subshakerz]

Pacers easily.

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Respect to the 3 great spinners but even using the "worst " of the 3 pacers (Holding), there isn't a wicket where the spinners would be effective that he wouldn't do the same. Plus the intimidation factor I'll lean towards the pacemen.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Respect to the 3 great spinners but even using the "worst " of the 3 pacers (Holding), there isn't a wicket where the spinners would be effective that he wouldn't do the same. Plus the intimidation factor I'll lean towards the pacemen.

That's just not true IMHO, like at all.

 

[Sliferxxxx]

That's just not true IMHO, like at all.

Ok well then give me examples....

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Test cricket & bowling
They are the only ones who could bowl in team

Pace attack then

 

[reyrey]

Spinners.

If the pacers can't bowl a team out quickly then they are screwed. Spinners can go all day, so they might not bowl a team out as quickly, but they'll get there eventually and fairly cheaply.

 

[ataraxia]

Spinners.

If the pacers can't bowl a team out quickly then they are screwed. Spinners can go all day, so they might not bowl a team out as quickly, but they'll get there eventually and fairly cheaply.

Yeah pacers are going to be bowling far too much and if one gets injured (or bowls trash) they're irredeemably screwed.

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Yeah but the pacers are much more likely to bowl a team out cheaply. Look at most if not all recent low scores, most succumbed due to pace. Look at WI 27, India 46 at home, SL 42 in RSA, India 36 in Aus, etc all were due to pace.

 

[reyrey]

Yeah but the pacers are much more likely to bowl a team out cheaply. Look at most if not all recent low scores, most succumbed due to pace. Look at WI 27, India 46 at home, SL 42 in RSA, India 36 in Aus, etc all were due to pace.

This isn't the norm though. These are exceptions

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Spinners.

If the pacers can't bowl a team out quickly then they are screwed. Spinners can go all day, so they might not bowl a team out as quickly, but they'll get there eventually and fairly cheaply.

This makes no sense. If the spinners can't dismiss the batsmen cheaply, time won't make a difference. And then there's the intimidation factor. If I can't get you out with pace then I'll just go around the wicket...

 

[Sliferxxxx]

This isn't the norm though. These are exceptions

Exceptions but those tiny scores were exclusively pace influenced. I can't think of any batting lineup in history (especially recent) that would completely neutralize a pace attack given neutral conditions but good luck to those spinners trying to get through a typical Indian or Australian lineup on anything outside a rank turner.

Hence why India typically used one spinner away with success and employed a different strategy at home (3 spinners). Spinners are too condition dependent (outside of a few). The ones listed above admittedly, aren't as condition dependent though.

 

[reyrey]

This makes no sense. If the spinners can't dismiss the batsmen cheaply, time won't make a difference. And then there's the intimidation factor. If I can't get you out with pace then I'll just go around the wicket...

Clearly you haven't heard of something called dot balls.

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Clearly you haven't heard of something called dot balls.

Lot of good dot balls are gonna do in tests. Give it a day or two and those dot balls could turn into 500+ runs for the opposition. Same thing can happen too with pacers yes. But pacers tend to have lower strike rates and averages for a reason. They generally go for less runs while taking wickets faster and across more conditions.

 

[reyrey]

Exceptions but those tiny scores were exclusively pace influenced. I can't think of any batting lineup in history (especially recent) that would completely neutralize a pace attack given neutral conditions but good luck to those spinners trying to get through a typical Indian or Australian lineup on anything outside a rank turner.

Hence why India typically used one spinner away with success and employed a different strategy at home (3 spinners). Spinners are too condition dependent (outside of a few). The ones listed above admittedly, aren't as condition dependent though.

The ATG West Indies sides had 4 great pacers and even they were regularly neutralised (drawn tests)

Malcolm Marshall generally bowled with other elite placers. He played in 81 Tests and won only 43.

Now imagine they had only 3 pacers and no part time bowling support.

 

[reyrey]

But pacers tend to have lower strike rates and averages for a reason. They generally go for less runs while taking wickets faster and across more conditions.

You should really look at the economy and strike rates of the pacers vs the 3 spinners in this thread and then consider what happens to the pacers when they don't get much rest between spells

 

[DrWolverine]

The ATG West Indies sides had 4 great pacers and even they were regularly neutralised (drawn tests)

Malcolm Marshall generally bowled with other elite placers. He played in 81 Tests and won only 43.

Times were different back then.

Draws were way more common.

 

[kyear2]

Times were different back then.

Draws were way more common.

And there were many factors, a big one that's never referenced was horrible drainage after rain. Especially in the Caribbean and more specially places like Bourda.

 

[honestbharani]

I think 3 spinners can be overkill sometimes even on the most helpful tracks simply because they can bowl so much longer spells. While 3 fast bowlers is basically something you need on 75% of the pitches.

That said, on sheer quality, the spinners win here.

 

[subshakerz]

Spinners.

If the pacers can't bowl a team out quickly then they are screwed. Spinners can go all day, so they might not bowl a team out as quickly, but they'll get there eventually and fairly cheaply.

The pacers are going to overwhelming bowl out teams more quickly compared to situations when the spinners go all day, which itself means the spinners arent that penetrative.