Fastest Bowlers in Cricket History: Cricket Talks with Jigar Saraswat Part -2.
Jeff Thompson or Shoiab Akhtar who was the fastest and who will be breaking the record of 161.3kmph of Shoaib Akhtar? Will it be an Indian?
Here I am with my second article on Cricket, welcome to cricket talks with Jigar Saraswat. We have seen many legendary fast bowlers some terrorized with pace some with their swing and seam and some with line length. In cricket history, we have witnessed bowlers like
Joel Garner, Andy Roberts the Jaw Breaker, Jeff Thompson, Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee, Michael Johson, Shaun Tait, Mitchell Starc, Shane Bond. These all are the fastest bowlers world has seen. Even these guys are not 100% feet they bowl with speed over 145 on a permanent base which is quick. It needs lots of stamina, mental strength to bowl at such pace, especially in Hot conditions.
Andy Roberts bowling video courtesy Youtube.
160+ speed is touched almost by all these bowlers. On their day and they have destroyed opponents with their Raw Speed. Two bowlers names are always compared one is Shoaib Akhtar and the second one is Jeff Thompson. Shoaib is holding a record of the fastest bowl after speedometer, but many say Jeff Thompson was 5 to 10 kilometre faster than Shoiab Akhtar. Which means on his day Jeff would have a bowl with the speed of 165+ and you cannot say no to it as he was the quickest world has seen.
Jeff Thompson bowling video courtesy youtube.
There is always a debate on who is fastest on record till now. Well, we all know Shoiab Akhtar has recorded highest speed according to new speedometer 161.3 in the WorldCup against England.
To bowl at that speed, you need a good fit body, and all these bowlers were fit and lightning-fast. If you check the action of Shoiab Akhtar, Jeff Thompson, Shaun Tait, even Fidel Edwards who too bowled quick and also I will add Mitchel Johnson here in the list. All these bowlers are of the same action — the full swing of hand which allowed them to bowl at that pace.
With the action which Jeff, Shaun tait and Shoiab had you too can bowl at a reasonable speed but not more than two overs as it takes a lot out of you. Once Gregg chappel said in an interview he too bowled fast in nets with Jeff action but only ten bowls not more than that.
We have seen Shane Bond, Waqar Younis, Allan Donald, Wasim, Dale Steyn. There was another name called Eddie Gilbert who got Bradman for the duck was also known as the fastest bowler in starting of 19th century.
Eddie Gilbert getting out Bradman for Duck.
In recent times Starc, Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Shami to is fast, jofra archer, Mark Wood, Rabada, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne.
India's upcoming batch of fast bowlers looking good too as Nagarkoti who bowl 150 in under 19 world cup which is promising then Shivam Mavi who also can bowl at the same pace for good spells and recently Virat Kohli gave the name of Prasidh Krishna who too bowls at a speed of 154kmph.
World fastest bowler competition in 1979.
Video Source from YouTube.