The Channel Nine commentators have described the Australian bowling line-up as the best in the world. Even the great Glenn McGrath has stated he has never seen a group of bowlers bowl with such unity.
Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle are blazing with confidence and their ability to apply the choke with relentless discipline bowling makes them more daunting than their next opponents in Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.
There is no doubt the Australian pace attack are higher in the pecking order. One simple reason is because there line and length are more probing than their South African counterparts.
Against a young Indian batting brigade that were playing in South Africa for the first time, the South African bowlers only managed to make dents in the Indian line-up with the strategy of reverse swing.
In the first match at the Wanderers, on a seaming deck, the South African bowlers bowled way too short and simply didn’t make the batsmen play enough.
On the first day of a Test, the Indian batsmen had managed to leave 50 percent of the balls. In the Ashes so far, the most the England batsmen have managed to leave was 22 percent in Perth.
Philander versus Siddle
Philander is South Africa’s most probing bowler and he is best compared to Siddle. While Philander can destroy a batting line-up in a handful of overs, most of his wickets have come with a new ball or if the pitch has had plenty to offer.
Siddle on the other hand is more of complete bowler. While he can take wickets with the new cherry, it is the Victorian’s ability to take wickets with a ball that is over 30 overs’ old that makes his a greater threat.
Siddle is also a good 5 -10 km/hr quicker than Philander, and with a lovely high arm action can induce more bounce of a pitch.
The fact that Philander is slightly slower and less effective with the old ball means he presents more opportunities for batsmen to score off him once the shine is gone.
Steyn versus Harris
No doubt Harris and Steyn are the best fast bowlers going around.
As good as Steyn is, he can slightly limited with the new ball. With his beautiful wrist position for an outswinger, Steyn barely bowls an inswinger at right-handed batsmen.
The Indian batsmen worked that out quickly. It was amazing to see the Indian batsmen leaving balls pitching on nearly off stump, knowing that Steyn’s natural swing will leave them.
Harris, on the other hand, has the ability to bowl the inswinger to the right handers and to take the ball away from the left handers more proficiently than Steyn.
And of his 87 Test wickets, 59 (nearly 70 percent) are top six batsmen.
With the Indian batsmen able to leave Steyn because of the natural swing he tried too often for the magic outswinger (pitching on leg and hitting off), in the process dishing out too many freebies on leg stump.
Steyn does hold the aces on Harris when it comes to reverse swing.
If pitches in South Africa are abrasive then Steyn’s ability to move the ball through the air at higher pace makes him formidable.
Steyn has the ability to bowl a magic ball, but in the process he can also dish up scoring opportunities.
Harris’ ability to bowl the fuller nagging length make him lethal. But with pitches unlikely to on the drier side, Harris could well be ahead in this battle.
Johnson versus Morkel
Both bowlers have the ability to bowl with hostility and create disconcerting bounce for the batsmen – Morkel with his height and Johnson with his pace.
Johnson, with his low arm action, is difficult to pick up, and therefore a lot difficult to duck underneath. Morkel’s natural length is short so it becomes easier for batsmen to negotiate his short balls.
Morkel is at his best when he bowls a length that ensures the ball hits the top of off stump, but unfortunately for South Africa he simply doesn’t do it often enough.
Some India’s first-timers in South Africa were able to leave him with ease.
While Morkel’s figures might look pretty, Johnson’s angle from around the wicket and his ability to make the batsmen play more frequently keeps the batsmen guessing more than Morkel.
Finally, Johnson has the ability to bowl the yorker – a ball Morkel has struggled to develop. The different angle Johnson creates also ensures Australia has nice variety to their attack.
South Africa don’t have a spinner to compete with Lyon, and with Kallis retiring they don’t have an answer to Watson.
As a group, Australian bowlers have more variety. They are more probing and with Craig McDermott on board bowl a length that will trouble the batsmen more than the South Africans.
On top of that they are more disciplined, and with a fine captain can execute either an attacking or defensive game plan more effectively than their South African counterparts.
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Guest
Well whos batting line up is pathetic now, only De Villers to carry you... Alma hasnt made a good score niether has Smythe
Francois
Guest
Lyon? I think Lyon is extremely overrated as a spinner. Yes he played well against England, but omg did those English bat pathetically or not, throwing away their wickets on balls that didnt need to be played. Not saying SA spinners are as good, in fact SA spinners are terrible, but the English REALLY made Lyon look alot better than he is. Look at Lyon's test record before the ashes? English made him look like a star. We will see how he goes against a better batting lineup.
Harsh
Guest
I agree with the first comment. Some times when Channel 9 commentators speak on live tv I'm Quite sure they don't realise they are on national tv. That was not a comparison. It just simply said No matter what the facts are Australian bowlers Are the best in the world. Is there any point In presenting facts or any arguments to a bunch Of ppl with such childish thoughts?
Siddharth Sriram
Guest
I think it will be a closely fought series.... *** Australia have greater bowling depth n reserves ....but it will be harder for them to knock over SA batsmen.....who on current form r WAY better batsmen than the Englishmen. *** South Africa could struggle with their spinner n the 4th seaming option *** It will be interesting to c the discipline of the Aussie batsman....India in the recent test series ACTUALLY batted brilliantly...the likes of Pujara, Kohli, Rahane left probing deliveries UNBELIEVABLY well.... Aussie batsman in the recent SA series have struggled against the moving ball...have been dismissed very cheaply....However the likes of Warner , Watson, Clarke have the ability to score quickly even against the likes of Steyn ...who is one of the top 10 pacers to have played the game.. *** Harris with the new will be the key for Aussies...coz he can seam the ball both ways at a good pace...has a g8 record of knocking over top order batsman....and Jhonson ....with short fast bursts can pick up 2 or more crucial wickets at different stages of the match ...I doubt Siddle will be too effective against the disciplined SA batsman.... *** From the Aussie batting point of view David Warner could make a HUGE impact if he gets quick 70+ scores a few times in the series... *** Kallis will be greatly missed with the bat n the ball... SA's balance will be weaker without him. *** Faf n AB r SA's key batsmen... *** It will be interesting to c the pitches on offer....in the India test series ....the pitches were more or less VERY flat....I think SA will be better served with greener tracks..... *** Steyn ...by far the best test bowler for quite a while...was guilty of bowling a tad wide in the 1st test against India but came back ...unbelievably well on a flat pitch in Durban....he says he is a big fan of video analysis ...will be interesting to c his tactics against all the Aussie batsmen.... Which ever side wins ; I only hope that the intensity n the quality of cricket is high .....as it promises to be.... P.S - The article 'Australia v South Africa: the battle of the bowling attacks' by Gavjoshi m afraid is a blunder...
Khanya
Guest
The Aussies forget that this is the same bowling attack which demolished them on their home soil TWICE!! One series success doesnt make you great, the sotuh african bowling attack has proved themselves all over the world.. and dont forget as recently as 2012 anderson, Broad an co. were given the same accolades of 'best attack' after just 1 series victory in India The world rankings reflect consistent performance, and respect should be given where it is due. Rubbish article lacking objectivity...
Mandla
Guest
Dont forget the same attack bowl astralia for less than 50 runs ,with ponting and hassey on the team
JGK
Roar Guru
Warner will be given the job to attack Steyn I reckon.
AZ_RBB
Guest
South Africa did recently concede 421 against an Indian batting lineup which despite its many talent, had very little experience outside of the subcontinent. They kept the Indians to fairly modest totals over the rest of the series, but at times were at risk of India getting a large total. There is little doubting that SA do have the best bowling attack in the world and one that can bowl effectively over long periods of time. But aside from Bailey (who should be replaced with Hughes imo), the current crop of batsmen are more than capable. Nothing against this article pitting the bowlers against each other. But I think some of the Batsmen v Bowler battles will be great. Steyn v Warner should see some sparks fly and not just on willow and leather. Johnson v Amla will be a wonderful contrast of styles and personalities. *fingers crossed* for a classic like the last SA tour.
Ah, I have to strongly disagree with you Sandy. The Supersport commentators are very complimentary either way.
JB
Guest
Australia have bowled well to a batting line up that has been disgraceful. There is no doubt our boys have improved, but to call our bowling attack the best in the world is arrogant, the saffers have done everything right to earn that mantle. Great test for our boys though, looking forward to it we'll need our batsmen to improve immensely to be any shot
DanUK
Guest
Australia will definitely be the most challenging competition for SA in a long time, but I think the writer could be a little more objective in his research. Most of the Ashes tests were on helpful wickets whereas the last test SA played in Durban was on a batting friendly test, more suited to the Indian team that SA. Johnson and co bowled very well, but England also played very ordinary strokes and bowled bad lengths and lines throughout the series. I expect Australia to follow the same approach if trying to go hard at SA in both batting and bowling, which will be a good test for both teams rankings. Thank goodness there are three tests
brian
Guest
The last time they played south Africa and india they did concede 400 so until they play someone other than england we don't know. Australia had a great series, 1 series which was preceded by two shockers. Hardly world beaters after one series.
Johnno
Guest
BB some useful stats, bring this series on.
Lets look at some recent results from SA and OZ. Prior to the home Ashes series Australia has only won one test in 2013, they ended with 6 wins by year end, their away record in recent times have been abysmal. Compared to SA who has won 7 out of nine tests in 2013, they have a stellar away record for some time now. Four of the seven wins were by an innings, plus one by 10 wickets. They have bowled teams out for, 99, 156, 169, 49, 121, 45, and have only once failed to take 20 wickets in 2013.
JGK
Roar Guru
I reckon Johnson matches up to Smith pretty well.
JGK
Roar Guru
The Aust attack just held England to 6 scores of under 200 in 5 Tests and didn't concede 400 in any of the last 10 Tests. Sounds like it's producing time after time to me.
brian
Guest
What nonsense. The sa attack has produced when required time after time and Australia has not. See last test played between sides in Perth. It may change but the great respond when down, Steyn did so again in Durban against India. Johnson has a history of wilting and Harris of getting injured. The poms did not bat for long enough to test fitness but we'll see how harris body holds up after an opponent makes 500
Vikramsinh
Guest
Is he (watson) holding one great back? give some one a chance at no.3. (you got to try too win)
Luke Smyke
Roar Pro
It may have been a rather controversially subjective article but i concur, without Kallis the fact that our 3 big boys have Lyon and Watson to complement them, the Aussie attack is slightly stronger.
Sandy
Guest
Wait until you hear the Supersport commentators drivel then.