When the whole World is blind I'm not surprised by your assessment.
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fastest bowler ever?
- Thread starter Francis
- Start date
Migara
Cricketer Of The Year
Victor Ian
International Coach
It may be that the 70's tests were understated in their speeds. One of them is on youtube (search for the fastest bowler or something like that). The method they used was to calculate the speed of the ball against a backboard with lines to use for distance. I got the impression that was the average speed from release to end of measurement. That would mean release speeds were greater than the average which is what they obtained. Though I can't remember if that was for only a small length from release or up to the stumps. However, if bowlers were bowling full tosses to keep the speed up it might have been the whole wicket.
Victor Ian
International Coach
Nup. It just measured the release part. Here is the vid.
World's Fastest Bowler Competition 1979 World Series Cricket (Full Show)
They should really do this each year somewhere.
World's Fastest Bowler Competition 1979 World Series Cricket (Full Show)
They should really do this each year somewhere.
I brought up the original point that it is surprising that the top speed that bowlers bowl at hasn't really increased since the days of the likes of Frank Tyson, and given the improvements in other sports, that is surprising.
And I stand by that point. Obviously, there's no hard evidence as speed guns, however reliable or unrelible they may be, were not used then.
Statements from the likes of Richie Benaud is the best we have and you can take it or leave as you see fit.
What I would say is undeniable is that since speed guns have been regularly used, top speeds are not increasing.
And I stand by that point. Obviously, there's no hard evidence as speed guns, however reliable or unrelible they may be, were not used then.
Statements from the likes of Richie Benaud is the best we have and you can take it or leave as you see fit.
What I would say is undeniable is that since speed guns have been regularly used, top speeds are not increasing.
Again, why is this a surprise? The human body is explicitly not designed to bowl fast and to continually expect an increase is strange considering that fast bowlers do end up breaking down because of the stress involved.
Well it surprised me.
The human body isn't designed to play golf, hit tennis balls, pole vault and a whole host of other sports but there's been significant improvement events in all those sports but fast bowling speeds have remained largely static.
Migara
Cricketer Of The Year
It is not surprising as anecdotes grossly over estimate pace via poetic splendour, but not facts.
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
You are being your typical intellectually fraudulent self here, quite deliberately missing the point that cricket has not shown an increase in top end bowling speeds over the 25-odd years of speed gun measurements, in which time other sports have measurably improved.
They haven't improved since the measurements made at Perth in 1975 either.
Victor Ian
International Coach
Golf and tennis have improved with equipment. Possibly fitness to go longer, but not hit harder or such. There is only so fast you can swing your arm and that is probably not much advanced with muscles. Have baseball pitchers increased speed?
TheJediBrah
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It's because men aren't men anymore. Too much soy in everything consumed increasing the population's estrogen levels.
Golf is very much about the equipment but golfers today also spend alot more time in the gym than players did even 20 years ago nevermind further back than that.
I'm sure bowlers today spend more time in the gym than their counterparts of yesteryear.
No idea about baseball but I agree that there seems to be a limit to how fast you could bowl and that bowlers like Frank Tyson reached that limit a long time ago.
the big bambino
International Captain
It's not surprising because the aim of cricket isn't actually "bowl faster". It is an incidental aspect of the game though still important. Bowlers want to take wickets. The improvement in cricket is usually skilled based. Like the development of defences or back foot play in batting. Or the development of the wrong 'un, carrom ball, swing, seam and reverse swing in bowling. The improvement in fielding also directly assists the taking of wickets and that improves because of that very good reason to do so.
All of these things assist a bowler in being successful and having a career. Just being able to bowl fast may not. Could even curtail a career by increasing risk of injury. A point alluded to by people above when saying bowling fast increases that risk. Increasing speed is a more important consequence when you are in a format where it is beneficial and can be achieved without unduly risking the bowler's long term health. Such as T20 which gives a player with a physical pre condition like Mills the opportunity of a career. Or someone who lacks stamina like Tait.
Not totally convinced the idea that hitting the gym or better access to fitness increases speed either. Otherwise who wouldn't do it? Could improve the stamina to maintain your speed though thereby increasing average speeds ... Also we used to accept anecdotal experiences of former players without controversy. Speed guns are measurable but not infallible and don't actually invalidate former player's experiences. Often they validate it.
All of these things assist a bowler in being successful and having a career. Just being able to bowl fast may not. Could even curtail a career by increasing risk of injury. A point alluded to by people above when saying bowling fast increases that risk. Increasing speed is a more important consequence when you are in a format where it is beneficial and can be achieved without unduly risking the bowler's long term health. Such as T20 which gives a player with a physical pre condition like Mills the opportunity of a career. Or someone who lacks stamina like Tait.
Not totally convinced the idea that hitting the gym or better access to fitness increases speed either. Otherwise who wouldn't do it? Could improve the stamina to maintain your speed though thereby increasing average speeds ... Also we used to accept anecdotal experiences of former players without controversy. Speed guns are measurable but not infallible and don't actually invalidate former player's experiences. Often they validate it.
Daemon
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It 100% does, but there’s probably diminishing returns.
Fast bowlers in the gym don’t do the traditional Stoinis routine but there’s tons of other stuff they work on.
I mean advances in fitness and training matter, but like bambino said there's both probably a hard limit to how fast a human body can bowl a ball (without breaking the laws) and that it's not as important to improve as other bowling/cricketing skills. So to be this surprised about it is strange, because I'd have thought the possible reasons weren't that difficult to understand.
Daemon
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this is such a TJB thing to say, had to check to make sure it wasn’t himI learn from the best.
TheJediBrah
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This is all great but doesn't really address why bowlers aren't bowling faster now
"There are other factors that makes bowlers better" isn't a reason why increased speed wouldn't be chased
I guess I could buy the "why bowl fast when you could get injured" line of reasoning but I can't see why that would apply to everyone. Surely you'd have a few wild cards just trying to bowl fast and pushing the envelope