View Full Version : Shoab Ahktar 100mph
The Power Guy
30 Apr 2002, 17:52
Yep, he bowled 161 kmhs.
Fair chucking them down he was.
100.4 mph
The interesting thing is there were two speed cameras there but only one was working at the time.
I don't believe Thomo was the quickest even Iron Gloves said when he was clocked it was the fastest spell he ever kept too of Thomo's.
Richmondfan#1
30 Apr 2002, 23:09
Most people in the media are focusing on Lee when Thompson bowled faster than him.
Brett Lee actually bowled a ball at 161.8km's an hour agains't the West Indies 2 years ago. It was shown on 7 news just before. I guess not much notice was taken as it was the last wicket of their innings.:)
Brett Li
1 May 2002, 01:55
"Most people in the media are focusing on Lee when Thompson bowled faster than him."....
Lethal, I don't wish to speak for the whole media, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that Lee is playing Test Cricket and Thomson stopped about 17 years ago...(??!!)
Lee is a way better bowler than Thomson or Aktar.
Case against Thomson
1. Less protective gear therefore intimidation was easier. e.g. Tony Greig's "Sandshoe"
2. some nations alot poorer in quality than they are today.
3. Bit wayward
4. Average circa 29.00
Case against Akhtar:
1. Throws it
2. Can't land it on a parachute.
3. Average 35+
London Dave
1 May 2002, 03:59
Brett, Lee is a way better bowler than Thomson or Ahktar????
Shoaib, yes, is v quick but lasts 5 overs before heading to fine leg to chuck his guts...and but agree with your other points.
Lee, v quick, does a bit with the ball, but aint the world's most economical bowler either.
Talk to me when Lee has 200 test wickets, and not against chumps like bangladesh and zimmers, who i note he is yet to play.
Lee will play a lot poorer opposition than Thomson did.
after 21 tests
B Lee, 84 wkts @ 26.8, sr 46, eco 3.46 v India, NZ, WI and Eng
Thomson, 98 wkts @ 25.5, sr 50, eco 3.05 v Eng, WI and Pak
Wouldnt say Thompson played against weaker opposition!
thommo was the fastest bowler of his day, bloody quick. Lee and ahktar have done nothin yet in comparison, imho.
Bloodstained Angel
1 May 2002, 07:38
I don't know what he clocked on the radar but doesn't Malcolm Marshall enjoy a reputation as the fastest ever ?
cheers
Brett Li
1 May 2002, 08:49
Malcolm Marshall?. Er...not in the top 5, I would have thought.
Lee, Ahktar, Donald, Thomson, Tyson and more quicker. Seemed quicker than he was as he was a "skiddy" bowler. Probably the best bowler I have seen though. Very "clever" bowler, with lots of variation.
TigerTank
1 May 2002, 09:29
In my opinion, Shoaib Akhtar is the most exciting cricketer in the world at the moment.
I think he would be of more value if he worked at getting a bit more consistency, and that probably means trying to bowl regularly at around 140-145 km/h, and limiting the 150+ km/h stuff to once an over at most. Unfortunately, patience is not a Pakistani trait (could be a Muslim thing. On the other hand, Indian Hindus seem to have too much patience to ever make decent fast bowlers - they lack menace).
Akhtar does have other weapons in his armoury besides bowling super-quick, including reverse swing. He could also work on developing a leg cutter like Lillee.
At the moment you'd say Lee is better than Shoaib, but I think Shoaib has more potential to improve, but it is the temperament that must improve first.
Brett Li
1 May 2002, 17:39
"Unfortunately, patience is not a Pakistani trait (could be a Muslim thing. On the other hand, Indian Hindus seem to have too much patience to ever make decent fast bowlers - they lack menace). "
I think you shopuld be a little careful before posting this sort of thing.
Onthe Cricket front, I think Lee has a much better action to work with. Ahktar is all blood and guts but I doubt his action lends itself to a) accuracy or b) longevity.
Lee has a nice balanced action that naturally positions him to move the ball. Right, thats enough coaching talk, what do you guys think?
Originally posted by Brett Li
Malcolm Marshall?. Er...not in the top 5, I would have thought.
Lee, Ahktar, Donald, Thomson, Tyson and more quicker. Seemed quicker than he was as he was a "skiddy" bowler. Probably the best bowler I have seen though. Very "clever" bowler, with lots of variation.
Hungry also.
Wasn't it Malcolm Marshall who once destroyed England in a test with a cast on his arm.
Anyway, considering every delivery loses pace of the pitch, if someone really wanted to break this 'record' wouldn't a full toss be in order.
Originally posted by Player
Hungry also.
Wasn't it Malcolm Marshall who once destroyed England in a test with a cast on his arm.
Anyway, considering every delivery loses pace of the pitch, if someone really wanted to break this 'record' wouldn't a full toss be in order.
Doesn't exactly prove a case for his inclusion in the top.5 fastest guys - does it? Don't think anyone's suggesting he wasn't quick - just not as quick as the other guys.
Other pacemen to consider:- Malcolm, Patterson, Waqir Younis
Brett Li
1 May 2002, 21:59
"...Wasn't it Malcolm Marshall who once destroyed England in a test with a cast on his arm..."
Yes it was Player, in 1988. "Macko" snapped his forearm carrying his Man-of-the Match awards earlier in the series. Many thought he would be out for the rest of the tour but he saw Chris Cowdrey and Derek Pringle having a net, and thought he would turn up in plaster to have a laugh. Cut his pace right down and was bowling the most vicious in-duckers. He caught "fat-Gatt" on his crease leaving a ball dead in front. Mike had a look across his face probably last seen on him when being busted for stealing his classmates packed lunches in the third form. The movement he achieved was like bowling with one of those two-tone "windballs". That all you have to do in wrap a finger and thumb around and let it go. Marshall, I would rate, as the best bowler of his generation..and that is saying something!!!!
Brett Li
1 May 2002, 22:07
"In my opinion, Shoaib Akhtar is the most exciting cricketer in the world at the moment." - TigerTank
Mr. Tanker, how much Cricket do you watch?
clucas91
1 May 2002, 22:27
Shoaib is not the most exciting player in the world. He may bowl fast, but I agree with Brett Li, he cant land the ball on a parachute and his average is too high.
Pakistan just throw him in the team to intimidate the batsman.
He played in the test that Mark Taylor scored his 334* and was slashed all over the park by Tubby. Sure that was 4 years ago, but he has not changed since then.
P.S I have Shoaibs autograph...:D :D
TigerTank
2 May 2002, 09:07
I did not say Shoaib is the best bowler in the world. I said he is the most exciting. When Shoaib bowls, anything can happen.
Certainly Waqar has more talent.
By the way, I don't back away from the fact that a person's philosophy (or religion or nationality) affects how they handle situations and make decisions.
To pretend otherwise is politically correct rubbish.
Brett Li
2 May 2002, 17:58
"By the way, I don't back away from the fact that a person's philosophy (or religion or nationality) affects how they handle situations and make decisions."
Maybe but where are you getting that Muslims are not patient?. Or that Hindus lack menace?. What is your perception of how White Anglo-Saxon Protestant's handle a game of Cricket?.
Tanker, stop letting yourself down by continuing this little tirade.
Originally posted by Player
Anyway, considering every delivery loses pace of the pitch, if someone really wanted to break this 'record' wouldn't a full toss be in order.
That's what i always thought but I found some book written in the 70's (I think it may have been by fred Trueman) & in they give the speeds of certain bowlers & they reckon that some bowlers are quicker off the pitch than they are in the air whilst for others it's the opposite.:confused: I couldn't quite believe it at the time so I'm glad to find someone who shares my viewpoint.
As for the quickest of all time I understand that the timing thing they did in the 70s when Thommo was clocked at 99 was done after his big injury & he reckons (he would wouldn't he?;) ) that he was much quicker before.
Also I know that Holding amongst others was in that timing comp & he was considered one of the quickest bowlers around & Thommo was appreciably quicker than him & all the others in it, in fact I think i read that all bar one of his deliveries were quicker than everyone else's.So if their timing was on the mark then & everyone was bowling at full pelt then it seems as if Thommo would be quicker than everyone else since him.
It's always struck me from what you read that his biggest rival for quickest ever would be Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson who was apparently outrageously quick for a short whil, including an Ashes series in Australia in the 50s when he destroyed the aussies.I read that in one of the first warm up games of that series in front of a huge crowd there was this strange noise straight after he bowled his first ball & the guy relaying the story said he couldn't work out what it was for a moment until he realised it was 30,000(or however many it was) all going 'Fuuuuuuuucccccccccck' at the same time as they'd never seen anyone as fast in their lives.
As for Shaiob he is pretty exciting but the way he bowls doesn't really give him much of a chance to bowl many overs in a day or to have a very long career but good luck to him the coaches have tried to get him to cut his pace & he's told them to get stuffed.The jury must be out on Brett Lee he was awesome before the Ashes, his record was amazing but ever since he's looked pretty ordinary & not as quick as he was either.
For me Lillee is maybe the best fast bowler ever above Marshall & all the others with perhaps the exception of Hadlee.The thing with Hadlee was that when he was young he was a bit of a tearaway fast bowler & had a pretty impressive Test record (something like 200 wickets off 40something Tests) but then he reinvented himself as this fast-medium bowler off a short run & he could take wickets like no other bowler.His record of wickets per test,5 wicket hauls,10 wicket hauls & average over his last 40 Tests or so is unbeleivable, I had the pleasure of watching a lot of him over here in our domestic cricket & I've never seen a smarter bowler in my life or one who could use conditions as well but he wasn't really trying to be a 'fast' bowler.
As for the difference between Pakistani & Indian fast bowlers there must be a reason for Paksitan producing loads & India hardly any, I don't think it's wrong to look at national charcteristics.Maybe it has something to do with a more aggressive attitude from Pakistanis, living in England there is a definite difference in this respect between Pakistani & Indian people.Also I think it is partly a physical thing, you see a lot of big strapping Pakistanis who are ideally suited to being fast bowlers whilst Indian in general are a lot skinnier-you can accuse me of whatever you want here but I don't feel i'm offending anyone just making a valid (in my opinion) observation.The only Indian bowler I can think of who is a big strong lad is Prasad msot of the others look as if they'd be blown over by a strong gust of wind.
TigerTank
3 May 2002, 09:04
Originally posted by Brett Li
[BMaybe but where are you getting that Muslims are not patient?. Or that Hindus lack menace?. What is your perception of how White Anglo-Saxon Protestant's handle a game of Cricket?.
[/B]
Looking for racism where there isn't any, the PC's favourite hobby!
1) The Anglo-Saxon comment is irrelevant because I was comparing philosophies or national characteristics. But then, it's always trendy to suggest someone is racist, isn't it.
According to my theory the English play cricket differently to Australia because their national character is different. Does this statement also mean I should be careful?
The West Indies and India play a totally different style of cricket at least partially because of their different national character. And Pakistan's national character is DEFINED by its being an Islamic Nation - FACT!
2) Islam has a phrase "God's will", which in some cases is used in the sense of "to hell will the consequences". Hinduism is more contemplative than Islam, Buddism more contemplative again.
3) Despite India and Pakistan being from the same part of the world, and sharing much common history (and race):
Pakistan has had a history of very fast, aggressive bowlers - Imran Khan, Safraz Nawaz, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younnis, and now Shoaib.
India has not had one! Even Kapil Dev, was more a crafty medium pacer than an express bowler - a "spinner's" pace bowler, so to speak.
I would love to hear your theory on why this may be, if it's nothing to do with national character.
4) I barrack for Pakistan.
Brett Li
3 May 2002, 17:48
Tiger,
I agree with alot of what you say, but still contend that to say that lack of patience is a muslim trait, could be construed as offensive.
"1. ) The Anglo-Saxon comment is irrelevant because I was comparing philosophies or national characteristics. But then, it's always trendy to suggest someone is racist, isn't it."
- Being PC isn't trendy, but neither is making broad sweeping "character" generalisations on race/religious grounds.
- Why isn't being WASP a philosophy or a national characteristic if you say that being a pakistani muslim is?.
You seem to wish to take the fact that Pakistan have good aggressive bowlers and extrapolate it to a religious issue. This seems a bit strange as I think a number of test nations have produced good quick bowlers, some that don't even have the ""to hell will the consequences" " maxim embedded in their country's main religion.
"3) Despite India and Pakistan being from the same part of the world, and sharing much common history (and race):
Pakistan has had a history of very fast, aggressive bowlers - Imran Khan, Safraz Nawaz, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younnis, and now Shoaib.
India has not had one! Even Kapil Dev, was more a crafty medium pacer than an express bowler - a "spinner's" pace bowler, so to speak. "
I have always heard this leveled at the diet of the countires. A British Muslim told me that the reason is that the Indian, especially southern indian diet, is vegetarian, whereas in the northern sub-continent, it tends towards more meat eating. Perhaps someone can introduce a brain biochemist to untangle this performance, race, diet, philosophy-based argument?.
Tiger, I'm sure you are not a racist. Maybe you reckon what I have said is Bull and I could be being a bit sensitive on this one, but can you at least think what I have said here?.
Brett Li
3 May 2002, 17:56
Just seen the test score. Please ignore my earlier post on the matter of Shoab.
Forget Jeff Thomson, forget Brett Lee, forget Malcolm Marshall, I reckon Shoab Ahktar is the best bowler to walk the planet. He has just destoyed the Kiwi's in Pakistan.
London Dave
4 May 2002, 03:39
and could get on the park for the 2nd dig!!!!!!!!!
clucas91
4 May 2002, 11:51
Originally posted by Brett Li
Just seen the test score. Please ignore my earlier post on the matter of Shoab.
Forget Jeff Thomson, forget Brett Lee, forget Malcolm Marshall, I reckon Shoab Ahktar is the best bowler to walk the planet. He has just destoyed the Kiwi's in Pakistan.
:p :p Humble pie in order?