Analysis The Ashes 2025/26

[Snuffaluphagus]

The "Very Good" rating of the pitch from the ICC is objectively hilarious (even though I 100% agree). "That was some of the worst batting we've ever seen, you all should be ashamed."

 

[anchor man]

It blows my mind blokes can consistently get bat on 160 deliveries (even if they look uncomfortable). 180 would be unplayable.


140+ is proper fast. If you can do that and land the ball on the pitch you should be playing grade somewhere. Either that or play D grade in some regional town for the LOLs.

Very few have reached 160 in games.May be none that I can Remember.
On reflection ,maybe Shoab did.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Very few have reached 160 in games.May be none that I can Remember.
On reflection ,maybe Shoab did.

Shaun Tait's fastest ball was 161.1 km/h (100.1 mph), bowled against England in 2010 at Lord's Cricket Ground. This is the fastest delivery ever by an Australian and the second-fastest in cricket history.

 

[mattis117]

Drove Perth Brisbane in 2021 and it took us 7 days taking our time a bit. 5 days would be pushing it with a couple of pretty long days.

I have done Perth to Charters Towers (near Townsville) in 4 days. Perth to Eucla day 1, Broken Hill day 2, Charleville Day 3, arrive in Charters Towers day four. Epic solo drive.

 

[freo_leo29]

Very few have reached 160 in games.May be none that I can Remember.
On reflection ,maybe Shoab did.

Binga took a wicket at 160

 

[Kapow!!!]

Very few have reached 160 in games.May be none that I can Remember.
On reflection ,maybe Shoab did.

Starc got to 160.4 against NZ at the WACA 10 years ago.

 

[Joao]

Shoaib, Lee and Tait hit near it fairly often at their peaks. Consistent 150+ guys.

The only ones I've seen.

 

[Lunchtime]

+ Saqlain.

Only problem was both Waqar (especially) and Wasim were past their best.

Would have been amazing to have them all their peaks together. Early Waqar was ridiculous.

One of the best fast bowling duo's of all time - Wasim and Waqar.

Saqlain Mushtaq was a world class off-spinner too. So was leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.

Shoaib....he was just so quick. Genuine pace.

 

[Lunchtime]

Mitchell Starc has taken 412 wickets and only needs three more to become the greatest, left handed quick bowling wicket taker of all time.
Currently Wasim Akram holds the title with 414 wickets.
Starc is looking as good as ever in addition to being fit and resilient so he may be able to push that record out a bit further before the Ashes is over.

Starc will never be as good as Wasim Akram even when he goes past the 414 wicket mark. Starc is good but Wasim was in another league...on another level and by a fair margin too.

 

[Lunchtime]

Akram was certainly a fearsome bowler and a master of reverse swing.

Akram swung the ball both ways....consistently.....new ball or old ball. He was a Freak.

 

[Lunchtime]

Yeah total wickets only tells a bit of the story.

At the cricket last week I had some guys sitting behind me talking about Starc and how he's approaching the number of wickets Dale Steyn took.

That surprised me because in my mind Starc is a great bowler, but Steyn is one of the greatest bowlers I've ever seen period.

Steyn will always be a better bowler than Starc.

 

[Lunchtime]

Most wickets, sure.

Wasim is still the GOAT leftie (that I've seen). WAFG.

Exactly. Starc is good. Wasim was a freak.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Binga took a wicket at 160

I remember Binga knocking the bat out of someone's hands. Ganguly maybe?

 

[Piggy Smalls]

I remember Binga knocking the bat out of someone's hands. Ganguly maybe?

I just googled this and there's no record of it happening. Maybe some sort of Mandela Effect as I'm sure I recall it

 

[Paracleet]

Shoaib Akhtar is the consistently fastest bowler I have seen. He sustained paces over 150 across spells and across years. Didn't move it much though and the batters got a good look at it.
Brett Lee was a better bowler but just couldn't sustain top pace. He was mostly 145ish. Shaun Tait was the scariest. With that slingy action with ball coming from behind him at 150+. If he could have bothered doing that every match (or god forbid get a touch of movement) what a player he'd have been!

 

[Docker82]

Shoaib Akhtar is the consistently fastest bowler I have seen. He sustained paces over 150 across spells and across years. Didn't move it much though and the batters got a good look at it.
Brett Lee was a better bowler but just couldn't sustain top pace. He was mostly 145ish. Shaun Tait was the scariest. With that slingy action with ball coming from behind him at 150+. If he could have bothered doing that every match (or god forbid get a touch of movement) what a player he'd have been!

Shoaib Akhtar was a much better test bowler than Brett Lee IMO. The stats back me up significantly.

Thought Lee was actually a better bowler at the back of his test career bowling 145km/hr.

Think Brett Lee is one of the most overrated test cricketers of the Golden generation. Gets remembered as a legend but was third seamer in that team and was even dropped a couple of times. One of the fastest ever though and that deserves a lot of respect in itself.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Shoaib Akhtar was a much better test bowler than Brett Lee IMO. The stats back me up significantly.

Thought Lee was actually a better bowler at the back of his test career bowling 145km/hr.

Think Brett Lee is one of the most overrated test cricketers of the Golden generation. Gets remembered as a legend but was third seamer in that team and was even dropped a couple of times. One of the fastest ever though and that deserves a lot of respect in itself.

Wow, I thought Brett Lee average would have been closer to 25.



Aktar



Lee

 

[Paracleet]

Shoaib Akhtar was a much better test bowler than Brett Lee IMO. The stats back me up significantly.

Thought Lee was actually a better bowler at the back of his test career bowling 145km/hr.

Think Brett Lee is one of the most overrated test cricketers of the Golden generation. Gets remembered as a legend but was third seamer in that team and was even dropped a couple of times. One of the fastest ever though and that deserves a lot of respect in itself.

Shoaibs record against most of the stronger teams was pretty moderate (60 wickets against Australia and India in 20 tests at 35). He also managed only 45 tests in 10 years+ due to injury and arguing with officialdom.

On his day on a fast track I'd have him over Lee but most of the time in all conditions Lee was a bigger threat. (Admittedly with the advantage of McGrath and Warne ahead of him)

 

[Purpletown]

Shoaib Akhtar was a much better test bowler than Brett Lee IMO. The stats back me up significantly.

Thought Lee was actually a better bowler at the back of his test career bowling 145km/hr.

Think Brett Lee is one of the most overrated test cricketers of the Golden generation. Gets remembered as a legend but was third seamer in that team and was even dropped a couple of times. One of the fastest ever though and that deserves a lot of respect in itself.

I agree Brett Lee is overrated, but still a good cricketer all the same.

He had a tendency to try to bounce batsmen out too often. He was particularly prone to the bouncer against tail enders when a decent ball, pitched up at his speed would actually do the job easily.

He was also a reasonable batsman.

 

[Paracleet]

I agree Brett Lee is overrated, but still a good cricketer all the same.

He had a tendency to try to bounce batsmen out too often. He was particularly prone to the bouncer against tail enders when a decent ball, pitched up at his speed would actually do the job easily.

He was also a reasonable batsman.

That 6 he hit at the Gabba has to be one of the longest ever.

 

[GingerDocker]

I agree Brett Lee is overrated, but still a good cricketer all the same.

He had a tendency to try to bounce batsmen out too often. He was particularly prone to the bouncer against tail enders when a decent ball, pitched up at his speed would actually do the job easily.

He was also a reasonable batsman.

This is one of my biggest grumpy old man gripes I have with modern cricket tactics.

When tail enders start swinging the willow wildly bowlers start bowling short and erratically, which in turn allows those tail enders the opportunity to step away from the stumps and swing lustily, giving them greater opportunity to hit fours and sixes.

It makes no sense. If they are going the slog, top of off stump is one of the harder areas for them to swing from, it's not in the natural wheelhouse of a tailender.

The fact captains and bowlers can't see this is infuriating.

 

[DQ 4EVER]

Yeah total wickets only tells a bit of the story.

At the cricket last week I had some guys sitting behind me talking about Starc and how he's approaching the number of wickets Dale Steyn took.

That surprised me because in my mind Starc is a great bowler, but Steyn is one of the greatest bowlers I've ever seen period.

You saw him period?
Wow!
Commas matter, folks. I probably overdo them

 

[DQ 4EVER]

Shaun Tait's fastest ball was 161.1 km/h (100.1 mph), bowled against England in 2010 at Lord's Cricket Ground. This is the fastest delivery ever by an Australian and the second-fastest in cricket history.

I reckon Thommo would've been the fastest ever.
They probably didn't have the technology to time him properly, back in the day.

 

[Quay Club]

I reckon Thommo would've been the fastest ever.
They probably didn't have the technology to time him properly, back in the day.

Thomson was clocked at 160.6 kmh against the Windies in Perth in 1975 which was the fastest ever recorded at the time.

Rod Marsh reckons he could get up to 170kmh during games.

Super fast and dangerous because of his slinging action.

 

[greatgatsby]

Thomson was clocked at 160.6 kmh against the Windies in Perth in 1975 which was the fastest ever recorded at the time.

Rod Marsh reckons he could get up to 170kmh during games.

Super fast and dangerous because of his slinging action.

Saw that Test as a young fella. Picture four of the fastest (and best) bowlers of all time on the world's fastest pitch. The match was such a high standard, the Aussies didn't play badly but were blown away by Roberts and Holding (and Roy Fredericks).

Roberts is sometimes forgotten in the West Indies legend because he and Clive Lloyd were the older players in an otherwise young team (I think Viv and Holding were playing their second Test match). But the senior Aussies all thought Andy Roberts was the most brutal bowler (speed and control) they ever faced.