Current Fast Bowlers: Are They the Fastest Ever?

[sloandog]

Pakistan debuts the 18 year old Mohammad Hasnain, who clocked up to 148 vs Australia this week. Fastest bowler in the PSL ahead of Wahab Riaz and Irfan.

And went at 10 rpo.
Mohammed Amir appears to be a spent force, what a shame. Never really has been the bowler he once was since his return.

[Kriterion_BD]

Pakistan debuts the 18 year old Mohammad Hasnain, who clocked up to 148 vs Australia this week. Fastest bowler in the PSL ahead of Wahab Riaz and Irfan.

And went at 10 rpo.
Mohammed Amir appears to be a spent force, what a shame. Never really has been the bowler he once was since his return.

Amir had one good series in 2010. Thats it. Otherwise he's no different than a Wahab Riaz.

[Kriterion_BD]

[
The one thing I hate about this generation of fast bowlers is that there is no Shoaib, Lee (at career peak) or Tait (at career peak) who can consistently hit 155+ kph. Shoaib was so exciting to watch, consistently hitting 155+.

I think its a myth that anyone, even Shoaib and Lee, were "consistently" bowling 155. If we define "consistently" as a couple times a year, then yes. But these guys made headlines when they bowled at 160 which isn't a big deal if you are bowling 155 all the time.

Shoaib and Lee were faster than everyone else because they are the only ones who hit 160 (later on Tait and Starc have joined that club). Secondly, whereas other genuine fast bowlers may average close to 140 for a spell, Shoaib/Lee averaged considerably higher perhaps around 142-143.

Here is Shoaib in his prime vs India in the 2004 Champions Trophy: he was *only* bowling around 88 mph during this clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEAlsxTk66w

[jaybro]

Lee & Aktar were consistently quicker than anyone in this era

[Kriterion_BD]

Probably, but they weren't bowling no 155 consistently, however that is defined. I doubt they were even bowling 150 consistently. First half of their careers weren't even played in front of speed guns.

In LOIs, guys like Ferguson are probably just as quick as Shoaib/Lee.

[Detective RDS]

Here is Shoaib in his prime vs India in the 2004 Champions Trophy: he was *only* bowling around 88 mph during this clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEAlsxTk66w

Probably, but they weren't bowling no 155 consistently, however that is defined. I doubt they were even bowling 150 consistently. First half of their careers weren't even played in front of speed guns.

In LOIs, guys like Ferguson are probably just as quick as Shoaib/Lee.

He is not. I don't think Ferguson has hit 160 kph. Starc instead of Ferguson would have been interesting. Shoaib, Lee and Tait are way faster than Ferguson and definitely he is not as quick as them in LOIs or any format.

As of Jan 2019, apart from Starc, the other current generation bowlers don't even make the top 10 fastest bowlers list as per fastest delivery bowled by them (https://sporteology.net/top-10-fastest- ... of_cricket)

Lee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szGxjQKP2VQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CogTfZEnnmQ&t=27s

Shoaib in his actual prime, during 2001-2003:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2afdaqRvMvQ&t=189s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVtOrZ-KdKE&t=14s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peATnR7woqM

Tait the wild thing was also faster than any of the current generation bowler:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRQ-S4LFGzg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxKE9c_u3DY

[Kriterion_BD]

Here is Shoaib in his prime vs India in the 2004 Champions Trophy: he was *only* bowling around 88 mph during this clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEAlsxTk66w

Probably, but they weren't bowling no 155 consistently, however that is defined. I doubt they were even bowling 150 consistently. First half of their careers weren't even played in front of speed guns.

In LOIs, guys like Ferguson are probably just as quick as Shoaib/Lee.

He is not. I don't think Ferguson has hit 160 kph. Starc instead of Ferguson would have been interesting. Shoaib, Lee and Tait are way faster than Ferguson and definitely he is not as quick as them in LOIs or any format.

As of Jan 2019, apart from Starc, the other current generation bowlers don't even make the top 10 fastest bowlers list as per fastest delivery bowled by them (https://sporteology.net/top-10-fastest- ... of_cricket)

Lee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szGxjQKP2VQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CogTfZEnnmQ&t=27s

Shoaib in his actual prime, during 2001-2003:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2afdaqRvMvQ&t=189s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVtOrZ-KdKE&t=14s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peATnR7woqM

Tait the wild thing was also faster than any of the current generation bowler:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRQ-S4LFGzg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxKE9c_u3DY

I'm not denying they weren't the fastest guys the game has seen. I'm just not buying that they bowedl 155 every game or every other game. Thats just not humanly possible. They bowled 160 as their fasted balls in their careers, that means their usual pace was around the 145-150 mark. Not 155. Thats ridiculous.

Who's the fastest bowler in the game now? Lets say its Ferguson. He's bowls around the 145 mark consistently but can crank it up towards 155. In other words he's only about 5 clicks slower than Shoaib/Lee.

[ZIMDOGGY]

Funny how people see things differently.

II was just thinking how fast bowlers of today have slowed down!

Firstly, the express dudes generally become t20 specialists, like that black dude in England, Mills is it? he can breach 150 frequently but has never even tried to become a test player.

Secondly, i get the feeling that preservation is a big thing of todays quicks. Alot of the guys who can push 150+, seem to be aiming for that 145 sweetspot to not break they back.

Cummins can bowl 155, but how often do you see him even hitting 145? the stock balls of these guys are late 130s.

The fast generation was just after the turn of the centure. Akhtar/Lee/Tait/Bond were all clocking over or close to 160, Edwards and a few others were 150 and then there was a whole range of guys trying their best to get over 145.Even our own Blignaut and Gus Mackay.

[grant]

Even our own Blignaut and Gus Mackay.

[sloandog]

Bligz bowled a 94mph thunderbolt at Flintoff in an ODI at Durham, in 2003. It came up on the scoreboard.
Flintoff took him to town like, but still, that actually looked sharp from the side...god I miss seeing that Zim side