The essence of cricket is a contest between bat and ball, and to that end the real battle is between the bowler and the batsman.
While it has been said that cricket is a batsman’s game, it cannot be played without the bowlers hurling them down from the other end. And while we all love to watch the guile of the wily spinner rolling the arm over, nothing beats the thunderbolts being launched from 22 yards away.
The history of cricket has seen many bowlers feared for their intimidating nature and sheer pace, most notably the West Indian line-up of the 1980s, and through the ages names like Harold Larwood, Frank Tyson and Wasim Akram have all made their place in the game as merchants of speed.
Australia has a rich history of pace bowling stocks due to our hard, dry pitches. They’ve sent shivers up the spines of batsmen the world over. While a definitive list would not be possible here, this is a short summary of those who have etched their name in cricket history.
Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson (PA Images via Getty Images)
One notable name missing from this list is Glenn McGrath. While no-one can deny his status as one of the world’s great bowlers, with 563 Test wickets to his name, I don’t rate him as feared for sheer pace as I do the others on this list.
Fred Spofforth only played 18 Test matches for Australia, taking 94 wickets. Known as the ‘demon bowler’, Spofforth was our finest pace bowler of the 19th century. An ICC hall of famer, he took a Test match hat-trick in 1879. A fearsome swing bowler, he had a statue of himself unveiled at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2008.
Dennis Lillee held the world record most test match wickets for many years and was our highest wicket-taking pace bowler until overtaken by Glenn McGrath. Lillee played in an era of unbuttoned shirts and long hair, which made the sight of him from the other end of the pitch all the more intimidating. Bowling in tandem with Jeff Thomson, they were the most feared duo in world cricket. Rated by many as the finest fast bowler of all time, Lillee formed a successful partnership with wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, and the phrase, “Bowled Lille, caught Marsh” became a commentary staple.
Jeff Thomson has the reputation as Australia’s fastest and most feared bowler. Thommo could bowl at 150 kilometres and hour with his sand show crusher, the nemesis of batsmen the world over. His slinging action gave him the necessary whip to generate the pace off our hard, dry pitches he found difficult to replicate in England. A surprise call-up to the 1985 Ashes squad was his international swan song.
Brett Lee is said to have taken the mantle off Thomson as our fastest ever bowler. Lee had a smooth approach to the pitch that belied the pace generated from his slender frame. In a Test career that netted 310 Test wickets, he found great success in the T20 game, most notably with the Sydney Sixers. He’s also the only player on this list to star in a major Indian movie, UNindian.
The much-maligned Mitchell Johnson found his greatest success and fearsome nature in Australia against England. A crowd favourite, he perhaps didn’t have the temperament to be as feared as he could have been, but nonetheless his 313 Test wickets are nothing to sneeze at. One of our all-time leading wicket-takers, Mitchell Johnson retired from the game with much venom still left in the tank.
Ray Lindwall was another of the open shirt brigade but from another time, when the pictures will still in black and white. A 61-Test veteran with 228 Test wickets to his name, Lindwall was one of the first selected in the Australian team from the mid-1940s to the 1960s. A talented all-round sportsman, the Sydney-born Lindwall was also a rugby league star with the St George Dragons sides of the 1940s, when he appeared in two grand finals.
Luke
Guest
This article is full of mistakes. ‘Sand show crusher’ ‘Thompson could reach speeds up to 150 kilometres and hour’ I thought he was bowling at 160 and it’s kilometers ‘per’ hour Lille should be Lillee
Seymorebutts
Guest
When the WSC players came back Michael Holding was dropped to make way for Clarke...so gives you an idea of how good he was. But he got suspended after he threw a brick into the crowd after they had been pelting him with fruit in the outfield in a test against India so Holding got his spot back!! He only ever played one more test for the Windies so he went on the rebel tour of South Africa and and after the tour stayed in the country to play cricket . He took 58 wickets at 12.72 which is still a record to this day and was voted cricketer of the year twice. Viv Richards said he was the only guy he didnt feel comfortable against and David Gower claimed Clark was the fastest guy he ever faced. South African policemen brought their speed guns to a game and allegedly clocked Clark at 101 mph.. which was faster than Jeff Thompson, who had been clocked at 99mph. https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/dec/07/guardianobituaries
Seymorebutts
Guest
I just looked Brett Shultz up after reading your comment and the great Allan Donald ,his teamate, rated him as one of the scariest fast bowlers he had played with or against because ''Shultz hated batsmen''...so good call ;-)
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I recall watching Holding bowl with the howling wind at his back on ABC for Tasmania in a Shield game on a blustery Hobart afternoon. Greg Chappell faced the worst of it, helmetless, and only he seemed able to play shots he meant. Everybody else was just poking late at balls that either got them out or didn’t. Chappell was rushed and deeply uncomfortable but survived. Ferocious. I suspect something to do with he and his brother sledging Holding as a youngster combined with conditions that enabled. I also played cricket Saturday morning with a kid who’s brother opened the batting for Manly. His parents took a few of us to Manly Oval to watch them play Bankstown against Thommo and Pascoe. Ian Howell got a ton that seemed to be all nicks over slips but probably wasn’t. My very old recollection is they made 270/280 at about 6/7 per over. I clearly remember Thommo bowling a bouncer that hit the sightscreen on the full but don’t remember if it was given 6 byes. Unfair for grade batsmen to face that pair together
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Johnson badging Amla was a display of his fearsome demeanour. Craig McDermott had his moments when a young gun and gained respect for his pace from Richards and Richardson. For sheer lack of batsman reaction time, though it had to be Thommo.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
the right choices Lilliee and thompson they used send shivers down the batsmen spines.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Lenny and Merv are a pair whose pace may have been not have matched their aggressive attitude, which was probably lucky for the bats. Not that they weren't uncomfortably quick.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Sly was an establishment player so no WSC for him. He toured oz 1981/82.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Lawson's gutsy tour of Pakistan kickstarted his career.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
I’m pretty sure Sylvester Clarke played in Australia at one stage, possibly during WSC but I have a vague memory of seeing him at the old VFL Park in Melbourne playing in the day/night supertests complete with coloured clothing and shirts with collars so wide you could fly away in a big wind
sheek
Roar Guru
Matty, As a young bloke, I was one of those who gloated at the discomfort of the English batsmen in 1974/75. We were such ignoramuses. No-one but no-one had bowled as fast as Thommo, & this was pre-helmets. There really was the chance of someone dying out on the pitch!
sheek
Roar Guru
Matty, Nor was I fan of Lee. Great ODI bowler, deserves to be in the all-time XI but not so hot at test level. I've long believed one of the key criteria to be considered a great test bowler, especially a paceman, is to have an average below 30. Lee leaked too many runs to be considered a true great.
matth
Roar Guru
Same, I've never seen anything to compare. Johnson was swift but it was the addition of his angle up into the armpit that made him a true menace in 2013/14. Thomson was just too fast for human reactions.
sheek
Roar Guru
Matty, Thanks for that. I'm already a huge fan of Thommo. But I thought if I went on too much about him, my bias would show. People who saw Frank Tyson say he was about the same speed as Thommo, but I've never seen myself anyone bowl as fast as Thommo. The closest would be Shoaib.
matth
Roar Guru
Spofforth was probably not much above medium pace. His 'demon' reputation was more about being 'at' the batsman constantly. Sort of like Warne with that aura and will.
matth
Roar Guru
Mark Nicholas wrote another piece about Thommo on that site just this past week. Also an excellent read. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29100439/mark-nicholas-facing-jeff-thomson-fastest-all
matth
Roar Guru
Ernie Jones is famous for bowling a beamer at WG Grace that went through his beard. "Sorry Doctor, she slipped!"
matth
Roar Guru
A couple of extra points about Thommo, to clock his 160km they measured the speed at the batsman's end (i.e. after it had travelled 20 yards). The more recent 160km measurements were from the when the ball left the bowler's hand. So just let that sink in. Thomson was as quick at the batting end as Lee was just after he let go of the ball. And just as an aside, in that competition, at those speeds Thomson also won most accurate.
matth
Roar Guru
There are some amazing articles on cricinfo from batsmen talking about what it was like to face Thommo at his fastest. It makes for an adrenaline rush even just reading it.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
One thing that really stuck with me an a interview with Thommo was how awed he by Bradman’s reactions and coordination were aged nearly 70 when he faced a few kids of decent pace in a casual setting, still in his suit and with no gloves. Thommo wasn’t given to much praise of batsmen or anyone else, but he was clearly convinced that Bradman must have been otherworldly when he wa young.