Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

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breeno

breeno

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Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

I was talking to a few people and because there are so many, no one can really agree on who is in the top 5, I was leaning towards:

1. D.Steyn
2. I.Sharma
3. S.Clark
4. Khan
5. M.Johnson:confused:

It's really hard to say as I don't know many from SL and some other countries, opinions?
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

Not in any order:

1. Flintoff
2. Steyn
3. I Sharma
4. Z Khan
5. M Johnson

It's very hard to choose to be honest. New Zealand, Bangladesh and West Indies don't really have any of note. Pakistan and Sri Lanka don't really play enough tests or at least they're not at the moment.

Asif (if not pending trials for various drug offences) would be up there, as would Malinga (if not injured). Lee is a proven performer and Clark is very steady. J Anderson can be a world beater but tend to only do it 1 innings in 10, Harmison should be up there but his mental frailties are plain for all to see.

Morkel has promise but needs more time and Ntini is coming off a slight dip in form.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

Yea In case you didn't notice I didn't put any England bowlers in as I didn't want to comment on a team that I had not seen play recently, I thought of Flintoff but didn't know how he was going form wise.

And you bring up some good points MC about West Indies, NZ, Bangladesh not having any of note.

Also on Morkel, your right, he needs a lot more time and experience against the better test nations and I believe in a few years he will be up there.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

I rate Flintoff highly but he's a pretty unlucky bowler plus you never know if he's carrying an injury.

Thinking of NZ then you could put Martin and O'Brien into the mix but the former is in poor form and the latter needs more time at international level and in a range of environments.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

O'Brien just took 6/74 MC:p

But I don't rate either of them, not very dangerous at all and they don't bowl with any venom, you know how with some bowlers when they come on you could just sense a wicket? None of the New Zealand bowlers have that trait.

The West Indies openers would be in the mix, but probably not the top 5.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

West Indies, hmm, maybe because of pace but little else. They are very inconsistent, I mean check out their averages, something like 39, 40 and 45 and I bet they've all played at least 20 tests.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

Very true, If they could manage to get some consistency going they would be very good, they clock nice speeds.

Watch out for Peter Siddle in a few years, pretty lively pace and fairly consistent.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

He's only young, one thing that worries me is even though he bowls regularly around 145km/h, and finds nice lengths, he doesn't really show much venom.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

at the moment, i am suprised you guys don't rate Johnson higher

my list

1. Dale Steyn
2. Mitchell Johnson
3. Brett Lee
4. Inshant Sharma
5. Makhaya Ntini
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

breeno;296629 said:
I wouldn't have Brett Lee in the top 5.
Click to expand...


Why not? he's been consistent, had a good year performed well last test definitely should be on the list instead of Khan
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

Khan has had a much better year than Lee in my opinion, Lee is my favourite bowler ever, he's bowling well this innings in this test, but he doesn't have the venom he used to.

He hasn't been taking the wickets he should and his last really good tour was close to a year ago.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

breeno;296660 said:
Khan has had a much better year than Lee in my opinion, Lee is my favourite bowler ever, he's bowling well this innings in this test, but he doesn't have the venom he used to.

He hasn't been taking the wickets he should and his last really good tour was close to a year ago.
Click to expand...

Yeah I did notice his speed dropped off a bit, barley seen him go over 145 against NZ
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

Eternal Grin;296663 said:
Yeah I did notice his speed dropped off a bit, barley seen him go over 145 against NZ
Click to expand...

Yeah his speed has dropped off at least 5 km/h, he bowled fast in his first spell in his latest innings, but the innings before he hardly touched 140km/h.

He could afford to bowl that pace if he was swinging it like last summer, but no movement in the air or off the seam has seen him drop in standard a lot.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

Mine would be at the moment

1) Zaheer Khan
2) Flintoff (specially todays spell at yuvraj)
3) Steyn
4) Sharma
5) Ntini (due to the aus test)
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

Might be harsh but I reckon that Lee is past it. ONly 12 months ago he was up there as the number 1 paceman, now struggles to get it up over 145. That is how he got his wickets, with the pace. hardly moves it.

Steyn, Khan, Sharma, Johnson, Flintoff

I would nearly throw in Kallis in the bracket. He consistantly bowls 140 and has been very solid with the ball this test. Troubling all the batsman. Maybe he is jsut having a good series but he has taken well over 200 wickets these days.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

Id have Ntini up there before Kallis, although Kallis is looking like he's the only one that can swing it in the SAf. team apart from Steyn. I liked the way Lee bowled today, but its a one in every 3 match thing with him lately, I agree, he may be past it.

Siddle isn't up to test standard.
 
Re: Top 5 test pace bowlers at the moment?

To move off topic for a post and talk about Lee.

It seems that age (and possibly previous injuries) is catching up with him, hence the reduction in top speed (and being able to sustain it for any length of time). As others have said pace is his main weapon; without it he is nothing more than a decent bowler.

You'd have thought that he'd be working on moving the ball both in the air and off the seam as this would be really effective at his current pace and more than likely prolong his career a good few years. The difference between Lee and the true great fast men is that the greats adapted their bowling as they got older, Lee hasn't done that for me at the moment.
 
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