Top 10 pacers
1. Malcolm Marshall - Most complete skill set and record in the history of the game. He succeeded in all conditions and versus all opponents. Most adaptable of the ATG quicks, he was express and could be your enforcer, slow in marginally down and swing it both directions, or slow it right down and bowl cutters. Most important player on one of the two greatest teams of all time with a stellar peer rating.
2. Glenn McGrath - He adapted from the 90's to the flat pitch era with no drop off. Arguably the most accurate bowler in the history of the game and no one did more with less. Pin point accuracy, subtle seam movement and disconcerting bounce was all he needed. He, like Marshall had a penchant for removing top order batsmen and also was the key to arguably the greatest team of all time. One of the only two bowlers in contention for me for the GOAT debate.
3. Richards Hadlee - He was New Zealand during the 80's. No AT fast bowler carried a heavier bowling work load and he did it admirably. While not express, especially during his prime, he was the ultimate swing bowler and undoubtedly New Zealand's greatest ever cricketer.
4. Dale Steyn - He never stopped attacking, he was always going for the outside edge, and his stellar s/r is testament to that. He was immense at home and in India, the toughest of challenges, and was the greatest of his era, also being the catalyst of one of the best teams of all time.
5. Shane Warne - Does anyone have a better peer rating, the list of batsmen who call him the greatest is as distinguished as anyone's. Yes McGrath often started it, but Warne was the ultimate closer and match winner. What sets him apart from other AT spinners was that he didn't have the most ideal conditions at home and still dominated.
6. Curtly Ambrose - The exact polar opposite of Steyn, if he decided you weren't going to score, he was unhittable. In his earlier days he was also among the most destructive bowlers of all time, especially dominant vs Australia, the best batting lineup and team of his era. Prior to his surgery, he was the best bowler in the world and the est of that era.
7. Muralitharan - The one unbreakable record, like Hadlee he was SL and bore the lion share of the bowling load. He was a Colossus at home and quite a few other places as well, notably England.
8. Imran Khan - The greatest home peak ever and great performances in most countries. He pioneered reverse swing and mentored another top 15 performer as well. Injuries denied him wickets during his peak, but he came back as good as ever with possibly his best overseas series post initial retirement.
9. Dennis Lillee- The Godfather of modern fast bowling, he reignited the force that was Australian cricket. When he retired he was arguably the GOAT with an unmatched peer rating during the 70's. Like many here he had to reinvent himself after a severe injury and that he did, reaching previously unreached heights and dominating both tests and WSC.
For 10th, all of Donald, Holding, O'Reilly, Trueman and Wasim, possibly even Lindwall are equally worthy and I'll plead the 5th on this one.
