Ranking the candidates for best fast bowler ever - ~20 contenders

[mr_mister]

Yea that's fair. Sometimes a bowler is just limited in terms of their skillset, and even if they bowl really really well they're not going to end up with an average below 30 in some conditions. I think you still give them credit for doing a good job relative to what they bring to the table.

Anderson is very very good. He isn't elite. Gillespie wasn't elite either. I can't think of any time or set of circumstances where Gillespie could or did rip apart a side on his own - Anderson does it on a regular basis in England.

7/37 in the '97 ashes as a wee pup. Never forget

 

[cnerd123]

Yea I figured he must have had 1 or 2 good spells in his career and some smartass would reply to me quoting them


Point stands tho. Anderson comfortably a level above Gillespie.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yea I figured he must have had 1 or 2 good spells in his career and some smartass would reply to me quoting them


Point stands tho. Anderson comfortably a level above Gillespie.

yeah, no though. Gillespie simply better. Anderson has longevity and not getting injured though so if that's very heavily weighted in your calculations then fair enough

 

[Bolo]

Kids 50 years from now wondering why a bowler faking an injury to avoid a road is called "Philandering", will be surprised to find out that it was actually named after a player from the 2010s

Is he faking injuries, or is he just a fat **** who has never had to bowl a full quota of overs at home as a result of ridiculously favourable conditions?

 

[Starfighter]

Anderson comfortably a level above Gillespie.

No.

Or to put it more fully, at least show some evidence to prove this.

 

[TheJediBrah]

No.

Or to put it more fully, at least show some evidence to prove this.

or details, pls

 

[Dendarii]

Will be interesting to see how Philander is regarded in 10+ years time. Away average of 27, yet only took 76 wickets in 26 tests @ 2.9 Wpm. Adelaide 2012 might be forgotten by then.

Seemed to be a bit more fortunate than Anderson in many ways.

Both fine bowlers.

One difference between the two is that Philander doesn't get spoken up as much as Anderson. That's partly because South African players seem not to get quite as much hype as those from other teams, but also because he's spent his career bowling alongside two bowlers in Steyn and Rabada who are even better than him (and perhaps because he hasn't played as much as Anderson). So his name doesn't get bandied about ATG discussions and we don't have all these debates as to just where he should be ranked.

 

[Starfighter]

That's partly because South African players seem not to get quite as much hype as those from other teams,

Which I'm guessing has something to do with the chasm of time that seems to be between each of SA's test series.

 

[Slifer]

I'm with the group who think that Anderson was NOT comfortably in Gillespie. Imo Gillespie suffers reputation wise from playing in the shadows of several atg in his own team. Anderson is the leader of the pack, had some admittedly good performances AT HOME and thus is rated higher.

I'd be interested to see where people on here really rate Anderson.

He's not in the MM, McGrath, Amby league
Not the Garner, Holding, Waqar , lindwall league
Not the Walsh, Pollock, Roberts league
I'd put him in the league below the above. With the likes of : Statham, Gillespie, Fazal, etc

 

[smash84]

I'm with the group who think that Anderson was NOT comfortably in Gillespie. Imo Gillespie suffers reputation wise from playing in the shadows of several atg in his own team. Anderson is the leader of the pack, had some admittedly good performances AT HOME and thus is rated higher.

I'd be interested to see where people on here really rate Anderson.

He's not in the MM, McGrath, Amby league
Not the Garner, Holding, Waqar , lindwall league
Not the Walsh, Pollock, Roberts league
I'd put him in the league below the above. With the likes of : Statham, Gillespie, Fazal, etc

Fazal and Statham are better than Gillespie probably. Fazal gets under rated a lot but the guy was one of the greatest match winners ever to play for minnows (which pakistan were back then).

 

[Slifer]

Fair enough about Fazal. I must admit I don't know as much about him as others

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Some of Gillespie's finest work came before he even made his international debut, he was absolutely immense in South Australia's 1995-96 Sheffield Shield victory. Took 46 wickets at a shade under 22, despite playing over half of his games on Adelaide Oval featherbeds. Arguably the golden era for the strength of Shield cricket, sadly South Australia hasn't won since

 

[trundler]

Fazal hits the mark on everything, just didn't play enough. Not too far behind Bedser, well clear of Jimmy and Philander. Guy had multiple series deciding performances stacked in a short career.

 

[trundler]

I'm with the group who think that Anderson was NOT comfortably in Gillespie. Imo Gillespie suffers reputation wise from playing in the shadows of several atg in his own team. Anderson is the leader of the pack, had some admittedly good performances AT HOME and thus is rated higher.

I'd be interested to see where people on here really rate Anderson.

He's not in the MM, McGrath, Amby league
Not the Garner, Holding, Waqar , lindwall league
Not the Walsh, Pollock, Roberts league
I'd put him in the league below the above. With the likes of : Statham, Gillespie, Fazal, etc

Yeah, not even Adders would argue he's a great bowler. Just very good. I'll rate him high in the second tier though.

 

[Slifer]

Yeah, not even Adders would argue he's a great bowler. Just very good. I'll rate him high in the second tier though.

With the likes of Holding, Garner, Lindwall and co??

 

[trundler]

With the likes of Holding, Garner, Lindwall and co??

**** no.

Below ATG.

 

[vcs]

I'd say he's in Walsh's league. Pollock and Roberts a touch above.

 

[Slifer]

I'd say he's in Walsh's league. Pollock and Roberts a touch above.

He's below Walsh.

 

[trundler]

Roberts a couple levels above. Pollock and Walsh just above.

 

[harsh.ag]

Walsh towers above Jimmeh, with all due respect to the Earl of swing