Harold Larwood vs Kapil Dev

[Coronis]

I think its fair and advisable to rest your fast bowlers. That would have been a grinding tour. England lost Staples before a game and he was meant to bowl the dry overs. Couldn't have been fun playing timeless tests then fronting up for state games.

I'm not a great fan of comparing one bowler to another, though I did here with Donald just to make a point. It's a pity so few tests were played historically but at least the few matches they played were generally played between the era's top teams.

I also hate that the touring teams play basically 0 first class matches now… yet another reason why test series are often home blowouts nowadays.

 

[shortpitched713]

I don't know enough about pre war fast bowlers to give a real fair shake, imo. Don't know if it's even comparable to the skillset of Dev...

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

Should be a much bigger gap. Larwood was an ATG bowler while Kapil was an ATG allrounder.

Agreed.Way ahead of his time. Watching footage of Larwood makes it pretty clear about him being as fast as any quick bar Thommo after nearly 45 years later.Not to mention about sustaining the speed which was probably Larwood’s biggest strength.

I actually believe in English team beating Australia in Bodyline Series without Bodyline at all, unless Bradman would have made 1000 runs in the series.

 

[the big bambino]

I also hate that the touring teams play basically 0 first class matches now… yet another reason why test series are often home blowouts nowadays.

I think it was easier to win away back then for that reason.