Best Australian Test Bowling Duos.

[BGman]

Australia has produced some fine Test bowling duos thruout our cricket history. In the 70s our finest was a pairing of West Aussie Dennis Lillee, back from crippling back injury and Jeff Thomson a young tearaway from Sydney with a quirky slingshot action. The duo were to form possibly the most lethal combination in our history for nine explosive years.. with their zenith the total destruction of the '74/75 touring Poms. Between the two they accounted for 58 English scalps, Thommo with 33 of them. He was close to unplayable.. specially on the fast Gabba and WACA decks.. the opening two venues for the series, which the Baggy Greens won comfortably. To their credit a shellshocked England bounced back to win the dead rubber final match of the series.

When the England side arrived for the series.. the headlines read " England arrived in Australia full of hope.. and left routed, battered and bewildered". In an interview before the First Test Thommo said " I enjoy hitting a batsman more than getting him out. I like to see blood on the pitch."

Between 1972- 1983 Lillee and Thommo paired up in 26 Tests for 217 wickets, 5 World Series Cricket Supertests and 31 One-Day Internationals.

 

[BGman]

Debatedly Australia's best all time bowling duo were Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. Odd I hear you say, as one was a quick, the other a slow bowler. But the pair worked brilliantly in tandem all the same, over many years. By the 2001 Ashes, years after a chubby Victorian leggie limped onto the Test scene with the unflattering figures of 0/200+ (stand corrected) and a tall spindly NSW country kid made his debut, the two decimated England on its own soil.. the first time in a century that a bowling pair had taken in excess of 30 wickets in England.

"Warnie was a brilliant bowler," but in the UK, he was something special," says McGrath. While Dizzie Gillespie said Warne and McGrath were "the finest partnership" Australia ever produced. Former England players Alec Stewart, Mike Atherton and Marcus Trescothic also had rich praise for the duo.

The Warne/McGrath partnership produced 104 Tests/1,011 wickets. McGrath’s share was 488 @21.38, while Warne took 513 @24.87.

 

[cricketnut14]

both the above 2 great pairs.

before my time but a combination of miller/lindwall/davidson/johnston/benaud must be up there, as their careers crossed over.

i think it's about players careers aligning as well.
eg. wasim/waqar ambrose/walsh boult/southee anderson/broad etc.

as for best aussie quartet - for me mcgrath/gillespie/lee/warne get it over cummins/hazlewood/starc/lyon.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

All the combinations mentioned so far were terrific. I was lucky enough to see practice sessions at the MCG wth Lillie and Thomson in 74/75 and 75/76. They were both lightening quick, but that was only at the end, in the short session where they put a hanky on the pitch just short of a length and tried to hit it at top speed. Lillie hit it 6/8 and was close most of the time. Thomson's result was 4/8 with steepling bounce, it was a bit like the bounce you get with a tennis ball. He was lethal and it showed in the way batsman reacted to him. I have heard David Lloyd talk about still having nightmares about facing Thomson and waking up in a sweat with his heart pumping.
That series led to the invention of the helmet by Tony Greig. Lillie and Thomson were ably backed up by Max Walker, who although he had a very individual delivery style was a wonderful bowler in his own right. That was highlighted when in the the last Test when Thomson was out injured and Lillie broke down near the start of the game and only bowled a handful of overs. Walker bowled more than 40 eight ball overs and took 8 wickets. Thommo swept all before him until the Alan Turner collision wrecked his shoulder and dropped his speed. The shield game before the collision he'd taken 6/18 and was in top form.
The 75-76 series against the West Indies convinced Clive Lloyd that a group of really fast bowlers was the way to go and was the invention of the 4 pronged West Indies attack that dominated cricket for so long.
I guess another combination not yet mentioned is the O'Rielly and Grimmett one during the 30's.

 

[Broar]

Johnson & Harris!

 

[Pippen94]

Turner & Ferris, Lindwall & Miller

 

[jle101]

Gregory & McDonald could be unplayable on a traditional sticky dog from what I've heard.

 

[BGman]

Lindwall & Miller

One of our greatest.

The two played a significant part in Australia’s post - WW2 success, opening the bowling and collecting 243 wickets together. Only McGrath and Gillespie(270) have formed a more lethal new-ball partnership for Australia.

Lindwall and Miller were markedly different bowlers. Lindwall by all reports was the faster of the two, relying on rapid out swing to trouble the batsmen, while Miller would get the ball to move in, whether through the air or off the pitch.

While Lindwall’s shorter statue and lower action would lead to skidding, angling deliveries, Miller’s six-foot plus frame allowed him to garner sharper bounce off the wicket.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Yes Greigy instigated the cricket helmet concept during that series when he wore an old motor cycle helmet but it was Dennis Amiss who invented the first customised fibre-glass helmet specially designed for cricket in 1977 in World Series Cricket.

Amiss might have designed a helmet more suited to playing cricket, but Greig invented the use of the helmet as protection for a batsman. No one else had used a helmet previously so I will go for Greig as the inventor.

 

[Gough]

Grimmett and Tiger O'Reilly in tandem must have been something to see.

 

[BGman]

Benaud/Davidson.

Speaking of careers aligning. It is almost impossible to name two all-rounders whose careers were more closely tied. These two were born a year apart on the outskirts of suburban Sydney. They made their first-class debuts a year apart, their Test debuts similarly, and then each took four years to realise their full potential.

They played 41 matches together between 1953 and 1963, with Benaud as captain in 26 of them, and from those games recorded very similar statistics. Benaud scored 1211 runs while Davidson scored 1260, Benaud took 169 wickets while Davidson snared 177. Benaud took 42 catches including 14 off the bowling of Davidson, while Davidson claimed 40 including 12 from Benaud’s bowling.

The pair regularly dominated matches as a bowling duo. They shared 17 wickets in one match, 15 wickets in another, 13 and 12 wickets on two other occasions.

 

[PhatBoy]

Can’t really add a lot here but I will say that the quartet of McGrath, Gillespie, Warne and Lee is the best Aussie attack I’ve seen - statistically the current one is up there but there really was no let up in the other one - Lee could be a liability at times but he was just the icing on the cake that they could unleash because the other three didn’t give any breathing room.

at its best the current attack CAN do that but too often more than one of them are a bit off their game.

the best complete attacks I’ve seen are the Aussie one mentioned Above, any combination of Steyn, Rabada, Morkel, Philander, Kallis and whatever token spinner SA picked (obviously that was their area of weakness relative to Australia with Warne).
Pakistan had some good combinations with Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib and


I actually had a lot of time for, as brief as it was, the English group of Anderson, broad, Finn before he forgot how to bowl, and Swann. That was a very well rounded attack when it played together.

Obviously given my leanings I would have been Gaga for the West Indies attacks of yore which sadly I didn’t get to watch - but geez the pace trio of Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop - and right at the start of my cricket following career Patrick Patterson as well - was delicious to watch.

 

[Gethelred]

Can’t really add a lot here but I will say that the quartet of McGrath, Gillespie, Warne and Lee is the best Aussie attack I’ve seen - statistically the current one is up there but there really was no let up in the other one - Lee could be a liability at times but he was just the icing on the cake that they could unleash because the other three didn’t give any breathing room.

at its best the current attack CAN do that but too often more than one of them are a bit off their game.

the best complete attacks I’ve seen are the Aussie one mentioned Above, any combination of Steyn, Rabada, Morkel, Philander, Kallis and whatever token spinner SA picked (obviously that was their area of weakness relative to Australia with Warne).
Pakistan had some good combinations with Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib and


I actually had a lot of time for, as brief as it was, the English group of Anderson, broad, Finn before he forgot how to bowl, and Swann. That was a very well rounded attack when it played together.

Obviously given my leanings I would have been Gaga for the West Indies attacks of yore which sadly I didn’t get to watch - but geez the pace trio of Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop - and right at the start of my cricket following career Patrick Patterson as well - was delicious to watch.

God, it was a bit of luck that England after that single series when Finn, Tremlett and Bresnan all kind of fell away. If they'd all stayed at the level they bowled to in that series, England would've looked very different in Australia since.

Imagine, an England in which Stokes doesn't need to be an all rounder and instead just practices his batting and averages 45+, with a bit of mongrel about him. Follow that with Bairstow and Butler, with Root, Burns and Pope in the upper order, and all of a suddent they're looking a completely different proposition. Bresnan averaged 19.54 with 11 wickets, Tremlett 23.35 with 17, Finn 33.14 with 14.

Then you've got Archer, and the best of Broad or Anderson for the conditions or form.

Something went wrong there. That resembles Nathan Buckley trading out most of a premiership midfield because he didn't get on with most of them.

 

[STFU Donnie]

Amiss might have designed a helmet more suited to playing cricket, but Greig invented the use of the helmet as protection for a batsman. No one else had used a helmet previously so I will go for Greig as the inventor.

That distinction should really go to Mike Brearley, who in the 1977 Ashes wore a reinforced skull cap under his traditional English cap. Not a helmet per se, but still protective headgear.

I'm struggling to find a good picture of Brearley wearing it, but here you can see the temple protecting lobes.



And here's Sunil Gavaskar wearing one. After Brearley, of course.

 

[PhatBoy]

Underrated Australian attacks:

mcdermott, Reid and Hughes

 

[PhatBoy]

Not having a moan but this is the Best Aussie Bowling Duos thread. Shall we have the heading changed to Best Aussie Bowling Attacks or make a separate thread.

Sorry for the derailment. Just hard to put any combination of those three into a definitive duo. Probably McDermott and Reid if anything

 

[jle101]

Don't see why we can't talk about bowlers such as McDermott & Reid in here tbh. They were after all some of the best Aussie quicks from the 80's. Would be a very limited thread otherwise.

Reid vs McDermott vs Alderman vs Lawson is a very interesting debate imo.

 

[PhatBoy]

Don't see why we can't talk about bowlers such as McDermott & Reid in here tbh. They were after all some of the best Aussie quicks from the 80's. Would be a very limited thread otherwise.

Reid vs McDermott vs Alderman vs Lawson is a very interesting debate imo.

Reid was the best bowler of the four IMO but as Billy Birmingham observed, he was held together with sticky tape

 

[jle101]

Reid was the best bowler of the four IMO but as Billy Birmingham observed, he was held together with sticky tape

Indeed. Bit before my time, but just about everyone I've ever spoken to about him rates him as someone who could have been one of the best quickies Australia ever produced if it wasn't for injuries. Bit of a James Pattinson story, perhaps?

I wonder if Reid > McDermott > Alderman > Lawson is a fair assessment?

 

[PhatBoy]

Indeed. Bit before my time, but just about everyone I've ever spoken to about him rates him as someone who could have been one of the best quickies Australia ever produced if it wasn't for injuries. Bit of a James Pattinson story, perhaps?

I wonder if Reid > McDermott > Alderman > Lawson is a fair assessment?

Yeah I’d agree with that though I never watched Lawson. The first two series I have any recollection of - I was 6 at the time of the first one - was the Ashes in 90-91 and India touring here 91-92. I think in both those series Reid had big Boxing Day tests, he took 13 from memory against England and they just couldn’t cope with his angle and the shape he got. Not many bowlers of his height can swing the ball but he did if I recall correctly.

By God he was a horrid batsman

 

[jle101]

Far out, just realized I forgot about big Merv. Gonna update my ranking of 80's Aussie quicks.

Reid > McDermott > Hughes > Alderman > Lawson > Rackemann

Rated Merv above Alderman due to having more consistency, though Alderman at his best when swinging it around corners was probably as good as anyone.

 

[jle101]

Having a strong bowling attack is vital for the cut and thrust of five day cricket. Australia has always been blessed with world class Test bowling attacks. Who do you rate as our best or perhaps not so good, bowling attacks over the past century?

The 1920/21 Ashes at home featured the attack of mostly all rounders in Jack Gregory, Charlie Kelleway, skipper Warwick 'big ship' Armstrong, Jack Ryder and Arthur Mailey. Good choice as they blitzed the Poms in a 5 match clean sweep. Gregory's double some 400 runs and 23 wickets.

I was having a think about this kind of thing a little while ago, noting that during the Australian cricket team's lowest on-field point during the mid-80's, they had a really fine battery of quicks. Even South Africa, in current times, which has fallen behind the 8-ball, still has a world class fast bowling lineup. Made me think that batsmen are possibly the most important facet to a team's lineup. Clearly, you need runs to win the match, but then again you can't win without taking 20 wickets. So I don't really know for sure lol.

Anyway, Jack Gregory was the real deal that's for sure. Australia's greatest all-rounder up until Miller.

 

[jle101]

They say that the greatest of all-rounders would get picked on merit for either discipline alone.

When thinking of Australians, how many genuine all-rounders have we had according to this criterion? My guess would be Noble, Armstrong, Gregory, Miller & Benaud. Could be missing someone important, but it seems we've been missing that piece of the puzzle since the 60's. Even Armstrong & Benaud are a bit iffy tbh.

 

[BGman]

that batsmen are possibly the most important facet to a team's lineup. Clearly, you need runs to win the match, but then again you can't win without taking 20 wickets.

Definitely my view too

They say that the greatest of all-rounders would get picked on merit for either discipline alone.

When thinking of Australians, how many genuine all-rounders have we had according to this criterion? My guess would be Noble, Armstrong, Gregory, Miller & Benaud. Could be missing someone important, but it seems we've been missing that piece of the puzzle since the 60's. Even Armstrong & Benaud are a bit iffy tbh.

I say Noble, Miller and Gregory as genuine only. Perhaps Alan Davidson and Richie.. Reckon in five years time we will add Cam Green to that genuine list as the missing all round link since the 60s.

 

[jle101]

I say Noble, Miller and Gregory as genuine only. Perhaps Alan Davidson and Richie.. Reckon in five years time we will add Cam Green to that genuine list as the missing all round link since the 60s.

Yeah, I thought about Davo for a while but am not convinced he could have cut it as a middle order batsman. Sort of toyed with the idea of Watson too, he stated many times that he would have liked to have played as a specialist bat, but wasn't deemed to be good enough.