Test Fast Bowlers With Long Run-Ups

[Lillian Thomson]

Massie wasn’t fit for Old Trafford in 1972. Certainly an attack of Lillee/Massie/McKenzie would have been handy in the conditions that prevailed in that match. Australia batted like drains so it might not have changed the result.

 

[thierry henry]

Very random example I just stumbled across - but at about 2:18 in this video Stu Roberts (who played all of 2 ODIs for NZ) appears to have a run-up of between 25 and 30 paces, which is as long as I've ever seen if we're talking number of strides. The marathon approach culminates in a rather unathletic "leap" at the end and probably pretty modest pace.

 

[Line and Length]

Re the McKenzie non-selection issues. I believe he was regarded as being not fit/well enough for the 1972 Ashes tour of England. However, he was fit and ready to resume his Test career against Pakistan later that year. Lillee and Massie had certainly proved themselves in the '72 Ashes series but the support pace bowlers (Colley and later Watson) hardly inspired confidence. Although McKenzie was ready for Pakistan, Walker and Thomson made their debuts - the former successfully, the latter not so.
It was suggested (in the WA media) that an all WA attack of Lillee, McKenzie and Massie wouldn't go down well in the East with one scribe even going as far to suggest that Richie Benaud (who held the Australian Test wicket record at the time with 248) didn't want McKenzie (who had 246 wickets) playing.
An interesting aspect of McKenzie's career was that he was dropped after a 10 wicket match haul against India in '67/'68. It was reported that this was due to lack of public interest in a one-sided series.

 

[social]

Wes Hall played a season in Sydney and had to shorten his run up on at least one ground

 

[social]

Colley was an excellent cricketer but injured his back which forced him to cut his pace back

His test debut in '72 was hardly controversial at the time

 

[the big bambino]

Just getting back to him, and even though it's length is ott, I'm quite liking Price's run up and action.

 

[Bolo.]

Bumrah for me for shortest run up at pace

I think Marchant De Lange is a bit shorter, and he was quicker.