Great fast bowling spells

[Gough]

Wahab Riaz at the World Cup. Absolute gave it to Watson, nearly changed the match.

Watched that from pretty much spot on behind the umpire in the Riverbank stand, it was terrifying even from that distance.

 

[Nuggetz]

Never saw the great Windies pace attack of the 80s but from stories I've heard they were quite intimidating. A reference for me is the period where Mitch Johnson went nuts during the ashes over here and then in South Africa. The only time in my 20 odd years of watching cricket where I've seen such hostile bowling for a sustained period of time. Beautifully frightening.

 

[PhatBoy]

Why is every hyperlink taking me to a Doritos page

 

[Broar]

Never saw the great Windies pace attack of the 80s but from stories I've heard they were quite intimidating. A reference for me is the period where Mitch Johnson went nuts during the ashes over here and then in South Africa. The only time in my 20 odd years of watching cricket where I've seen such hostile bowling for a sustained period of time. Beautifully frightening.

I don't think there is anything better to see in world cricket than Mitch Johnson running in at his best. Scary stuff.

 

[Blue Arrow]

Not so much a great wicket taking spell but I can remember watching this live.

 

[Maybe Tomorrow]

Shane Bond announcing himself to the world in his 5th ODI with his first international five-for.

A few iffy shots from the Aussies, but a lot came down to being beaten for pace. The yorker to Gilchrist (third wicket) is just pure sex though.




EDIT: Been mentioned by many on this forum many times over the years but such a shame we didn't get to see so much of him on the international stage. Looking at home bowl, it isn't a particularly strenuous action (at least not in the context of someone bowling 150k's+ where there is always going to be some degree of strain) so it's hard to pinpoint what he could have done differently. It's not like, say, Shaun Tait who you can look at and know straight away he is going to have a rough time with his body. Unfortunately, in the case of Bond, I think it's just some guys are too susceptible to injury. He was every bit as good as Dale Steyn and could have easily sat alongside the likes of great quick bowlers like Marshall, Akram, Ambrose, Lille, Hadlee and co.

It's also a shame for Australian's that his only two tests against us were his very first two and - although I can't specifically remember his bowing from those tests - his performances would indicate a guy who was pretty nervous and overawed (1/135, 1/74 and 1/80). His ODI performances against Australia (44 wkts at 15.8) and India (12 at 16.8) indicate someone that had no problem stepping up against top quality opposition.

Bond was as soft as butter. Missed a test in Sri Lanka once cause it was too hot. Great bowler that never seemed to really want to play.

 

[corbies]

When was the no more than 2 behind square on the legside rule introduced? I though it was in the 30s almost immediately after bodyline but Davidson has 3 behind square for a lot of that.

 

[nobbyiscool]

I couldn't figure out how to embed this video - but if you click on the link, it takes you to a video about Ryan Harris in Cape Town in 2014.

Harris's epic inside tale of 2014 Cape Town decider

Ryan Harris talks us through the gripping third Test between South Africa and Australia when the visitors usurped the world No.1 Test team

www.cricket.com.au

So far as great bowling spells go, this one isn't a series of jaffas hooping both ways - this one is about perseverance, resilience, and just giving your all for your team and your country.


As an aside... when you think about this game - about how the bowlers put in, about what I view as Clarke's best ever innings as South Africa's quicks just kicked his arse - it makes what happened in the same city 4 years later so much more sad. This 2014 match in Cape Town was almost the zenith of that team... but, with the benefit of hindsight, you can see the cracks start to appear in the leadership of the team under Clarke, which is what ultimately led to what would happen 4 years later.

 

[corbies]

I couldn't figure out how to embed this video - but if you click on the link, it takes you to a video about Ryan Harris in Cape Town in 2014.

Harris's epic inside tale of 2014 Cape Town decider

Ryan Harris talks us through the gripping third Test between South Africa and Australia when the visitors usurped the world No.1 Test team

www.cricket.com.au

So far as great bowling spells go, this one isn't a series of jaffas hooping both ways - this one is about perseverance, resilience, and just giving your all for your team and your country.


As an aside... when you think about this game - about how the bowlers put in, about what I view as Clarke's best ever innings as South Africa's quicks just kicked his arse - it makes what happened in the same city 4 years later so much more sad. This 2014 match in Cape Town was almost the zenith of that team... but, with the benefit of hindsight, you can see the cracks start to appear in the leadership of the team under Clarke, which is what ultimately led to what would happen 4 years later.

It's also the series where Warner started getting in his head that South Africa were ball tampering and that Australia needed to to compete. Given that they were done for it just before it and then another 2 times after it they more than likely were too.

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[spenze]

What an interesting field Benaud set for his bowlers. I can only imagine if the bowler asked for some protection, Richie would have handed him a condom packet. Pretty sure there were two leg slips and a leg gully, or two leg gullies and a leg slip, either way, fascinating

 

[spenze]

Haven't been able to get my hands on it but Mitch Johnson bowled a spell against South Africa in the first test in Sth Africa where he tore them apart. He bowled an absolute nasty delivery to Faf and I still remember Holdings call of "that's in the nineties, that is in the high nineties"

 

[worbod]

There is no footage of this on the internet but Wisden 1991 included these photos of Waqar Younis yorking three batsmen while taking 3 wickets in 18 balls for Surrey in 1990.

 

[footyfan1978]

Interesting footage to see all the fielders on leg side behind the stumps which is outlawed a year or so later.

 

[footyfan1978]

What an interesting field Benaud set for his bowlers. I can only imagine if the bowler asked for some protection, Richie would have handed him a condom packet. Pretty sure there were two leg slips and a leg gully, or two leg gullies and a leg slip, either way, fascinating

Not allowed to do that any more. I think they changed the rules on leg side fielders behind stumps a year after this video taken.

 

[sherb]

Ist Test, Australia v Pakistan 78-79 in Melbourne.

Australia 3-305 chasing 382 to win. Border and Hughes had put on a huge partnership and were sailing along.

Australia loses 7-5 to be all out for 310.

Sarfraz takes all 7 wickets for 1 run, taking his figures from 2-85 to 9-86.

 

[footyfan1978]

Ist Test, Australia v Pakistan 78-79 in Melbourne.

Australia 3-305 chasing 382 to win. Border and Hughes had put on a huge partnership and were sailing along.

Australia loses 7-5 to be all out for 310.

Sarfraz takes all 7 wickets for 1 run, taking his figures from 2-85 to 9-86.

Was probably the first test I ever watched on tv. Prior to this I was only watching World Series Cricket on channel 9.
I think this was a March Test and second one of summer at MCG. I have a feeling this was a Test where there might have been a mankad and handling ball decisions as outs ?
I cannot remember if Imran Khan was playing in it, but maybe he was, which was one thing strange about this period as some of players for World Series Cricket still played for their Test side when the WSC season was over on channel nine.

Not sure I would call Sarfraz fast bowling. His was very medium pace at best imo.

 

[sherb]

Was probably the first test I ever watched on tv. Prior to this I was only watching World Series Cricket on channel 9.
I think this was a March Test and second one of summer at MCG. I have a feeling this was a Test where there might have been a mankad and handling ball decisions as outs ?
I cannot remember if Imran Khan was playing in it, but maybe he was, which was one thing strange about this period as some of players for World Series Cricket still played for their Test side when the WSC season was over on channel nine.

Not sure I would call Sarfraz fast bowling. His was very medium pace at best imo.

Australia had already played a full series against England and got walloped (or is that yalloped?).

You are right, this was towards the end of the summer. It was the first of two Tests against Pakistan, the second one (which Australia won) was played in Perth.

It was the Perth test where those incidents occurred. Alan Hurst mankaded the Pakistan #11 (Sikander Bakht). So, in retaliation, when Australia batted Sarfraz appealed for handled the ball against Andrew Hilditch when he picked the ball up to give back to the Pakistan bowler or fieldsman (can't remember which).

The Perth test was Jeff Moss's sole test. He scored 22 & 38 not out to end with a Test average of 60. It was also the last first-class match in Australia to feature 8-ball overs.

Imran did play. And I agree about Sarfraz, he was hardly express, but it was still a remarkable spell of bowling.

 

[ioppolo]

Wahab Riaz at the World Cup. Absolute gave it to Watson, nearly changed the match.

It appears the ICC has had a say since Wednesday

 

[footyfan1978]

Australia had already played a full series against England and got walloped (or is that yalloped?).

You are right, this was towards the end of the summer. It was the first of two Tests against Pakistan, the second one (which Australia won) was played in Perth.

It was the Perth test where those incidents occurred. Alan Hurst mankaded the Pakistan #11 (Sikander Bakht). So, in retaliation, when Australia batted Sarfraz appealed for handled the ball against Andrew Hilditch when he picked the ball up to give back to the Pakistan bowler or fieldsman (can't remember which).

The Perth test was Jeff Moss's sole test. He scored 22 & 38 not out to end with a Test average of 60. It was also the last first-class match in Australia to feature 8-ball overs.

Imran did play. And I agree about Sarfraz, he was hardly express, but it was still a remarkable spell of bowling.

Sounds like I seen the second Test also going by your description which breaks back vague memories of it.
I looked up the scores on cricinfo after my post and this MCG Test was in mid March.
Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas and Asif Iqbal I had already seen that summer in the World Series Cricket playing for the World XI against the WSC Australian side which is what I considered the real Australia side in this time. These two Tests seeing Allan Border and Kim Hughes was my first look at them and my first time watching this other Australian side. The next summer the real Aussie side was back and I think Border, Hughes and Hogg were guys from this side that teamed up with the main Aussies the next season.
I wish there was as many Tests now as there was in 1978/79 summer. Five Supertests on channel 9 and channel 2 must have had the other stuff which this must have been the last two Tests of summer in March so there must have been about 8 Tests that summer in Australia plus 5 Supertests. Amazing!!!

Sarfraz spell you elude to was truly amazing. He was a genuine swing bowler and swung it wildly in that spell I think. Probably reverse swing.... where was the soda bottle cap ?

 

[sherb]

Sounds like I seen the second Test also going by your description which breaks back vague memories of it.
I looked up the scores on cricinfo after my post and this MCG Test was in mid March.
Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas and Asif Iqbal I had already seen that summer in the World Series Cricket playing for the World XI against the WSC Australian side which is what I considered the real Australia side in this time. These two Tests seeing Allan Border and Kim Hughes was my first look at them and my first time watching this other Australian side. The next summer the real Aussie side was back and I think Border, Hughes and Hogg were guys from this side that teamed up with the main Aussies the next season.
I wish there was as many Tests now as there was in 1978/79 summer. Five Supertests on channel 9 and channel 2 must have had the other stuff which this must have been the last two Tests of summer in March so there must have been about 8 Tests that summer in Australia plus 5 Supertests. Amazing!!!

Sarfraz spell you elude to was truly amazing. He was a genuine swing bowler and swung i twildly in that spell I think. Probably reverse swing.... where was the soda bottle cap ?

I was quite familiar with the Pakistan side and players from the 70s, as they had previously toured Australia in 72-73 & 76-77 and had watched both those series on TV.

 

[footyfan1978]

I was quite familiar with the Pakistan side and players from the 70s, as they had previously toured Australia in 72-73 & 76-77 and had watched both those series on TV.

So did channel nine ever have the ACB cricket on their tv station in the mid 70's or was it all on ABC tv ?

 

[sherb]

So did channel nine ever have the ACB cricket on their tv station in the mid 70's or was it all on ABC tv ?

No it was the ABC.

That was one of the driving forces behind WSC, Packer wanted the TV rights, which he duly received.

Having said that, the ABC continued their coverage for a number of years post WSC as well, from memory because they could service regional/rural areas.

And the players were willing to sign up, because they were only paid a pittance prior to WSC and Packer gave them the chance to earn decent money.

 

[footyfan1978]

No it was the ABC.

That was one of the driving forces behind WSC, Packer wanted the TV rights, which he duly received.

Having said that, the ABC continued their coverage for a number of years post WSC as well, from memory because they could service regional/rural areas.

Yeah, I do remember the ABC had cricket on in early 1980's when I would watch the cricket from England. Channel Nine seem to do only the Tests in Australia. Maybe the 1989 Ashes Series in England did it change a bit. Was not until 1990's that we saw any cricket from outside of Australia or England. First series I recall of seeing from West Indies was 1991 tour and then when South Africa came in, that also started to be covered by channel 9.
Things like 1986 Tied Test in India were not shown on tv at all. I think even the 1987 World Cup over there was barely covered on tv. Maybe they showed the final if we were lucky.

 

[The hands of stone]

Was probably the first test I ever watched on tv. Prior to this I was only watching World Series Cricket on channel 9.
I think this was a March Test and second one of summer at MCG. I have a feeling this was a Test where there might have been a mankad and handling ball decisions as outs ?
I cannot remember if Imran Khan was playing in it, but maybe he was, which was one thing strange about this period as some of players for World Series Cricket still played for their Test side when the WSC season was over on channel nine.

Not sure I would call Sarfraz fast bowling. His was very medium pace at best imo.

When told Sarfraz was entered into a fastest bowler in the world comp in the late 70s , an Australian quick suggested they would need to time him with a 'sun dial'

 

[footyfan1978]

When told Sarfraz was entered into a fastest bowler in the world comp in the late 70s , an Australian quick suggested they would need to time him with a 'sun dial'

I don't think he was in it.
Was all the WSC guys plus a non-playing Thommo entered it at the last moment as he was told to by Packer.
I could be wrong but I doubt Sarfraz was part of the WSC summer. He would not have been good enough to get a game.

Edit: Checked youtube and he actually shows up there. Must have had a WSC contract even though do not remember him playing in any WSC games.