Greatest World Test Cricket XI (1978 to 2020)

[Sniffer]

Spinner next...

World XI so far....

1. M. Hayden
2. G. Smith
3. V. Richards
4. B. Lara
5. S.Tendulkar
6. J. Kallis
7. A. Gilchrist
8. S. Warne

Fast Bowlers next....

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Glenn McGrath
Curtly Ambrose
Wasim Akram
Dale Steyn
Allan Donald

 

[Sniffer]

Malcolm Marshall
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath
Joel Garner
Allan Donald

 

[Tony Towner]

Marshall
Holding
McGrath
Ambrose
Hadlee

 

[darlowolf64]

Marshall
Holding
Garner
Akram
McGrath

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Marshall
Garner
McGrath
Akram
Waqar

 

[slink]

McGrath
Ambrose
Steyn
Waqar
Donald

 

[Nando]

McGrath

Steyn

Anderson

Pollock

Broad

 

[Trips]

McGrath
Anderson
Steyn
Donald
Broad

 

[Johnny75]

McGrath
Ambrose
Akram
Steyn
Younis

If I could play a second spinner I'd have Murali after McGrath.

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Holding
Garner
Anderson
McGrath
Ambrose

 

[Tony Towner]

I don't like to criticise other peoples picks...BUT if you are old enough to have seen Malcolm Marshall in his prime and you don't have him in your top 5 then I lose all hope for you.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Afraid not, I've got their series over here in 1991 and nothing else.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Marshall still looks like he has a good chance here. We shall see.

 

[Doctor Doog]

Marshall
Garner
McGrath
Holding
Wasim Akram

 

[Deleted Cyber]

McGrath
Marshall
Anderson
Akram
Ambrose

I could have picked twenty. No imran No Broad, Willis, Garner, Walsh,Roberts Waqar Younis, the riwalpindi express, Slinga Malinga, endless list of quality quicks.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I don't like to criticise other peoples picks...BUT if you are old enough to have seen Malcolm Marshall in his prime and you don't have him in your top 5 then I lose all hope for you.

Is correct. Incredible bowler.

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

I don't like to criticise other peoples picks...BUT if you are old enough to have seen Malcolm Marshall in his prime and you don't have him in your top 5 then I lose all hope for you.

I used to work in an animal shelter. Black dogs were the most difficult to adopt out, especially if there were several in one cage together. Having different coloured dogs together was fine, but a cage full of dogs all the same colour (especially black but this is not a race analogy) made it easy for potential adopters to dismiss them all - each dog was just like all the other dogs.

I am old enough to have seen many brilliant WI quickies including Holding and Garner (and Andy Roberts) who rose to prominence when Lillee and Thomson were also at their prime. But by the time MM was at his peak it seemed as though all the best fast bowlers were in the same team. Four WI quickies, and it didn't really matter which one was bowling. So in my memory they started to blur into each other.

That's how I can pick Holding and Garner who were more distinctive (and from my teenage years), and also remember Ambrose from when WI were no longer quite as fearsome. In between they were all the same.

 

[Tony Towner]

I think I get what you are saying. I also think your analogy is unfortunate

 

[Sniffer]

Fast Bowler Results...

G McGrath 45
M Marshall 29
W Akram 17
J Garner 17
C Ambrose 16
M Holding 15
D Steyn 14
J Anderson 13
A Donald 5
W Younis 4
S Pollock 2
S Broad 2
R Hadlee 1