Glenn McGrath: Best Pace Bowler of All-Time

thirty7

I'm watching the Aussies take on the Windies at the 'Gabba at the moment and Pidge is putting on a fine exhibition of pace bowling. Devon Smith and Ramnaresh Sarwan were obliterating Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken at one end but at the other McGrath kept bowling his line and length right on the spot every time. Windies were in complete control when McGrath draws Sarwan forward with an edge to Gilchrist. There are not many pace bowlers who whilst the other end is being carted for runs, can maintain their cool and keep bowling a spot-on line, let alone get a wicket.

Therefore, without any hesistation i call Pidge the great pace bowler of all-time. Would you agree and if not, who do you suggest?

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Tyler Durden

You and your fierce patriotism. It has to be admired!!

I always think it's pretty futile trying to make out who's best in terms of ever, since in Cricket so much has changed over the years making conditions very different from generation to generation.

I'd say Warne and McGrath are still the world's two best current bowlers, but in terms of all time, you could throw in with those two Hadlee, Wasim, Ambrose, Marshall, Imran, Lillee and Trueman and you'd be arguing all day over who was the best.

Suffice to say, with the right conditions and the right opposition any of them could have been the best ever on any given day.

DMW

I don't know much about cricket, but I happened to be in the UK during the ashes, so I will say someone English (or Welsh) is the best pace bowler.

Toss

I love you.

Pidge for PM.

thirty7

As Mark Nicholas was just saying on the telecast, the game has changed immensely since the past in terms of batsman protection. Back then, helmets weren't as secure and in some cases non-existent. So i think that in days gone by, fast bowlers got more wickets with intimadatory bowling then say consistently bowling a line and length. That's why i admire Pidge so much. He's not express pace by any means but he consistently puts the bowl in the right spot, draws the batter forward and continues to create chances even if the batting team are dominating the rest of the attack.

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K Jay

I get your point about intimadatory bowling in the past but I dont think the great pakistani fasts used it all that much. Wasim, Imran and Younis I think have/had the same qualities as McGrath in that they were consistant line and length merchants even if the pakistanis in general bowl fuller deliveries. Whilst McGrath is special I think any bowler is reliant on having other bowlers in the team with different complementary styles to bring out their best, hence why Lee, McGrath and Warne have been such a force inthe last decade.

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thirty7

On the topic of the Pakistani's you've mentioned. Along with a great line, they had the incredible ability to make a bowl swing in ways it should not be possible (Wasim in particular). So they would definitely be in contention if an award for Best Pace Bowler was ever oficially made. Another contender who was actually at the 'Gabba today is Courtney Walsh, from a powerhouse team of quicks that the Windies once had, to be the leading wicket taker at such a good average is a remarkable achievement.

I wish my sex life was like ECW, first you get a One Night Stand followed by 2 months of nostalgic orgasms and then 6 months of constant sucking.

Toss

Warne killed it this morning.

Tyler Durden

Excellent counter KJ. None of those I mentioned bowled a lot of bouncers. Ambrose is the only exception there but he was still successful after the amount of bouncers were lessened. Trueman and Marshall were pacy but skiddy bowlers, sure they could bowl in an intimidatory manner, but are you telling us Eric that McGrath never does bowl like that. Hadlee, Wasim, Imran none of those guys were intimidatory bowlers either.

Courtney Walsh is a good call as well, I only left him off since I'd put Ambrose (his partner) in already who I believed was the ever so marginally better bowler.

thirty7

True 'Dog. I agreed with K Jay on the Pakistani guys. Although i disagree in the fact that McGrath does not bowl with intimidatory tactics. He may have a word with the batter more often than not, but i've never seen him attack a batter with bouncers the way someone like Brett Lee does.

I wish my sex life was like ECW, first you get a One Night Stand followed by 2 months of nostalgic orgasms and then 6 months of constant sucking.