Ten fastest deliveries in cricket history, Shoaib Akhtar, Shaun Tait, Brett Lee, Jeff Thomson
TWO of the fastest bowlers in recorded history face-off this Friday when the one-day international series between Australia and South Africa begins in Perth.
Mitchell Johnson and Dale Steyn have both unleashed deliveries in the top ten fastest ever recorded — an admittedly inexact science given the lack of uniformity and responsibility around speed gun technology in cricket.
So, where do they rate on the all-time express list? Check out below.
Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan — 161.3km/h
The game: vs. England, 2003 (Newlands)
The bowler: Queries over the legitimacy of his action and commitment to training could not detract from his raw, terrifying pace. Jeff Thomson saw a lot of himself in Shoaib: “I think there are similarities between me and Shoaib in terms of attitude. What he loves to do is to bowl fast like me. I never bothered about inswingers, outswingers, yorkers. I think the people also enjoy watching express fast deliveries.”
The quote: “It doesn’t matter to me whether somebody recognises the speed gun or not. For me, it’s satisfying that I have bowled the fastest-ever delivery.”
Shaun Tait, Australia — 161.1km/h
The game: vs. England, 2010 (Lord’s)
The bowler: Tait’s violent slinging action and raw pace were on display when the fifth ball of his opening over to Craig Kieswetter was clocked at 100.1 mp/h by Sky Sports. The South Australian speedster also recorded a 160.7km/h ball against Pakistan at the MCG. Tait’s contorting action left him vulnerable to injury and the right-armer’s international career was eventually cut short by a succession of shoulder, elbow, knee and foot ailments.
The quote: “That first over was the fastest I’ve ever bowled. To be honest, I didn’t know I had bowled at 100mph until I looked up at the scoreboard in my second over.’
Brett Lee, Australia — 161.1km/h
The game: vs. New Zealand, 2005 (Napier)
The bowler: Lee broke the 160km/h twice in an over against New Zealand in an ODI in 2005, including the 161.1km/h thunderbolt believed to be his fastest. He also clocked 160km/h during the 2003 World Cup and was once timed at 161.8km/h in a Test against the West Indies in 2001, although Channel Nine conceded the reading was “almost certainly a mistake”. At his best, Lee was among the most terrifying quicks to play the game.
The quote: “I’m in the team to bowl fast and an effective line and length. My greatest asset is my speed and I’ll use it for as long as possible. I’m not going out to bowl 130km/h. There are different bowlers in the squad who do that job effectively.”
Jeff Thomson, Australia — 160.6km/h
The game: A 1976 fast bowling study at the WACA Ground
The bowler: Widely considered to be the fastest (and meanest) fast bowler in history. Those who played with and against Thomson are adamant he consistently exceeded the “official” times posted by the likes of Shoaib, Tait and Lee — and the man himself reckons he might have nudged 180km/h on occasion. His slinging action generated tremendous pace and carry and terrified batsmen the world over. He clocked in excess of 160km/h at net sessions in Perth in 1975 and 1976.
The quote: “When they timed me around the 161km/h, that was done at the batting end. These guys today are timed at the bowlers’ end. Who’s standing two metres in front of a bowler facing the ball? Nobody. They’re trying to make them look as quick as us. We were timed further down the pitch, where it slows down. If they had timed me out of the hand, it would have been close to 180km/h.”
Andy Roberts, West Indies — 159.5km/h
The game: vs. Australia, 1975 (WACA)
The bowler: The West Indies produced the greatest generation of fast bowlers the world has ever witnessed — and Roberts was arguably the quickest of all. The Antiguan right-armer combined raw pace with a huge work ethic. And unlike many other express bowlers, who rely purely on their speed, Roberts was adept at mixing his deliveries to keep opposing batsmen guessing at all times.
The quote: “You can’t bowl 95 mp/h all the time and hope a batsman would surrender. They get used to it after a while. You need to vary the pace, the angle, the seam or swing. I could bowl everything: seam, swing, pace, slower one, bouncer, cutters, everything.”
Fidel Edwards, West Indies — 157.7km/h
The game: vs. South Africa, 2003 (Wanderers)
The bowler: Another paceman who generated incredible speed courtesy of a slingshot action. Edwards’ career was blighted by injury and inconsistency. When at the height of his powers, however, there were few of his generation who could match him for pace and surprise bounce, given his relatively diminutive stature. Edwards has not played an international since 2012 but remains in demand as a Twenty20 gun for hire.
The quote: “One of my aims is to be the fastest and regarded as the best fast bowler in the world. That’s my goal.”
Mitchell Johnson, Australia — 156.8km/h
The game: vs. England, 2013 (Melbourne Cricket Ground)
The bowler: Quite possibly the fastest bowler in world cricket today. Johnson weathered a turbulent few seasons to re-emerge in 2013/14 as an international force, having worked hard to improve his strength and the height of his release. His slinging left-arm action allows him to generate express pace, bounce and swing. He has also proven effective with the old ball, able to produce prodigious reverse swing on occasion.
The quote: “I’ve surprised myself a little bit pace-wise. I think it’s just a rhythm thing at the moment. I’ve lengthened my run-up a little bit and I’m running in probably at a good pace to get through the crease.”
Mohammad Sami, Pakistan — 156.4km/h
The game: vs. Zimbabwe, 2003 (Sharjah)
The bowler: Imran Khan tipped him to exceed the speeds of Shoaib when he first came on the radar of national selectors as an 18-year-old. Despite flashes of brilliance and pace, Sami never quite lived up to the billing and was once described by Shoaib as mentally weak. He does, however, have the distinction of being the only fast bowlers to take a hat-trick at Test, ODI and Twenty20 international level.
The quote: “Those that have followed my career will appreciate that I have not had the best of luck. I am a better bowler than my statistics suggest and I will prove that in the coming months and years.”
Shane Bond, New Zealand — 156.4km/h
The game: vs. India, 2003 (Centurion)
The bowler: One of the best quicks of his generation and in the upper echelon of pacemen produced by New Zealand. Injury robbed Bond of some of his best years, and an early retirement/ban prompted by his signing with the rebel Indian Cricket League curtailed it further. But at the height of his powers, Bond was magnificent — combining sheer pace with unerring accuracy and movement both through the air and off the pitch.
The quote: “I’m probably a yard behind true express pace bowlers. It’s not always about express bowlers. I’m quick enough.”
CRICKET
Ten fastest deliveries in cricket history, Shoaib Akhtar, Shaun Tait, Brett Lee, Jeff Thomson
TWO of the fastest bowlers in recorded history face-off this Friday when the one-day international series between Australia and South Africa begins in Perth.
Mitchell Johnson and Dale Steyn have both unleashed deliveries in the top ten fastest ever recorded — an admittedly inexact science given the lack of uniformity and responsibility around speed gun technology in cricket.
So, where do they rate on the all-time express list? Check out below.
Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan — 161.3km/h
The game: vs. England, 2003 (Newlands)
The bowler: Queries over the legitimacy of his action and commitment to training could not detract from his raw, terrifying pace. Jeff Thomson saw a lot of himself in Shoaib: “I think there are similarities between me and Shoaib in terms of attitude. What he loves to do is to bowl fast like me. I never bothered about inswingers, outswingers, yorkers. I think the people also enjoy watching express fast deliveries.”
The quote: “It doesn’t matter to me whether somebody recognises the speed gun or not. For me, it’s satisfying that I have bowled the fastest-ever delivery.”
Shaun Tait, Australia — 161.1km/h
The game: vs. England, 2010 (Lord’s)
The bowler: Tait’s violent slinging action and raw pace were on display when the fifth ball of his opening over to Craig Kieswetter was clocked at 100.1 mp/h by Sky Sports. The South Australian speedster also recorded a 160.7km/h ball against Pakistan at the MCG. Tait’s contorting action left him vulnerable to injury and the right-armer’s international career was eventually cut short by a succession of shoulder, elbow, knee and foot ailments.
The quote: “That first over was the fastest I’ve ever bowled. To be honest, I didn’t know I had bowled at 100mph until I looked up at the scoreboard in my second over.’
Brett Lee, Australia — 161.1km/h
The game: vs. New Zealand, 2005 (Napier)
The bowler: Lee broke the 160km/h twice in an over against New Zealand in an ODI in 2005, including the 161.1km/h thunderbolt believed to be his fastest. He also clocked 160km/h during the 2003 World Cup and was once timed at 161.8km/h in a Test against the West Indies in 2001, although Channel Nine conceded the reading was “almost certainly a mistake”. At his best, Lee was among the most terrifying quicks to play the game.
The quote: “I’m in the team to bowl fast and an effective line and length. My greatest asset is my speed and I’ll use it for as long as possible. I’m not going out to bowl 130km/h. There are different bowlers in the squad who do that job effectively.”
Jeff Thomson, Australia — 160.6km/h
The game: A 1976 fast bowling study at the WACA Ground
The bowler: Widely considered to be the fastest (and meanest) fast bowler in history. Those who played with and against Thomson are adamant he consistently exceeded the “official” times posted by the likes of Shoaib, Tait and Lee — and the man himself reckons he might have nudged 180km/h on occasion. His slinging action generated tremendous pace and carry and terrified batsmen the world over. He clocked in excess of 160km/h at net sessions in Perth in 1975 and 1976.
The quote: “When they timed me around the 161km/h, that was done at the batting end. These guys today are timed at the bowlers’ end. Who’s standing two metres in front of a bowler facing the ball? Nobody. They’re trying to make them look as quick as us. We were timed further down the pitch, where it slows down. If they had timed me out of the hand, it would have been close to 180km/h.”
Andy Roberts, West Indies — 159.5km/h
The game: vs. Australia, 1975 (WACA)
The bowler: The West Indies produced the greatest generation of fast bowlers the world has ever witnessed — and Roberts was arguably the quickest of all. The Antiguan right-armer combined raw pace with a huge work ethic. And unlike many other express bowlers, who rely purely on their speed, Roberts was adept at mixing his deliveries to keep opposing batsmen guessing at all times.
The quote: “You can’t bowl 95 mp/h all the time and hope a batsman would surrender. They get used to it after a while. You need to vary the pace, the angle, the seam or swing. I could bowl everything: seam, swing, pace, slower one, bouncer, cutters, everything.”
Fidel Edwards, West Indies — 157.7km/h
The game: vs. South Africa, 2003 (Wanderers)
The bowler: Another paceman who generated incredible speed courtesy of a slingshot action. Edwards’ career was blighted by injury and inconsistency. When at the height of his powers, however, there were few of his generation who could match him for pace and surprise bounce, given his relatively diminutive stature. Edwards has not played an international since 2012 but remains in demand as a Twenty20 gun for hire.
The quote: “One of my aims is to be the fastest and regarded as the best fast bowler in the world. That’s my goal.”
Mitchell Johnson, Australia — 156.8km/h
The game: vs. England, 2013 (Melbourne Cricket Ground)
The bowler: Quite possibly the fastest bowler in world cricket today. Johnson weathered a turbulent few seasons to re-emerge in 2013/14 as an international force, having worked hard to improve his strength and the height of his release. His slinging left-arm action allows him to generate express pace, bounce and swing. He has also proven effective with the old ball, able to produce prodigious reverse swing on occasion.
The quote: “I’ve surprised myself a little bit pace-wise. I think it’s just a rhythm thing at the moment. I’ve lengthened my run-up a little bit and I’m running in probably at a good pace to get through the crease.”
Mohammad Sami, Pakistan — 156.4km/h
The game: vs. Zimbabwe, 2003 (Sharjah)
The bowler: Imran Khan tipped him to exceed the speeds of Shoaib when he first came on the radar of national selectors as an 18-year-old. Despite flashes of brilliance and pace, Sami never quite lived up to the billing and was once described by Shoaib as mentally weak. He does, however, have the distinction of being the only fast bowlers to take a hat-trick at Test, ODI and Twenty20 international level.
The quote: “Those that have followed my career will appreciate that I have not had the best of luck. I am a better bowler than my statistics suggest and I will prove that in the coming months and years.”
Shane Bond, New Zealand — 156.4km/h
The game: vs. India, 2003 (Centurion)
The bowler: One of the best quicks of his generation and in the upper echelon of pacemen produced by New Zealand. Injury robbed Bond of some of his best years, and an early retirement/ban prompted by his signing with the rebel Indian Cricket League curtailed it further. But at the height of his powers, Bond was magnificent — combining sheer pace with unerring accuracy and movement both through the air and off the pitch.
The quote: “I’m probably a yard behind true express pace bowlers. It’s not always about express bowlers. I’m quick enough.”
Dale Steyn, South Africa — 156.2km/h
The game: vs. Kolkata Knight Riders, 2010 (Eden Gardens)
The bowler: Steyn is showing no signs of slowing down with age. The South African tearaway remains one of the most feared bowlers in international cricket, revelling in his role as the Proteas’ chief enforcer. Speed, bounce and swing have been Steyn’s primary weapons throughout his career and his performances have been instrumental in guiding South Africa to the summit of world cricket. His fastest recorded delivery came in the IPL for Bangalor, but he has also been clocked at 155.7km/h during a one-day match against New Zealand
The quote: “You’re either born with fast twitch muscle fibres or you’re not. Usain Bolt was born to run fast. Me and other fast bowlers, we were born to bowl fast.”
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