James Anderson, Glenn McGrath, Jasprit Bumrah snubbed as Sir Geoffrey Boycott picks top 5 bowlers

Published - 12 Jul 2024, 05:27 PM | Updated - 24 Aug 2024, 05:13 AM

Sir Geoffrey Boycott
Sir Geoffrey Boycott (Image Credits: Twitter)

Former England batsman Sir Geoffrey Boycott has revealed his all-time top five bowlers seen or faced on his social media account. Sir Geoffrey Boycott ignored former Australia pacer Glenn McGrath, legendary Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, and modern-day great James Anderson in his choice of bowlers.

Geoffrey Boycott, known for his solid batting in the 1960s and 1970s, had a distinguished cricket career. He played 108 Tests for England and scored 8,114 runs at an average of 47.72, including 22 centuries. The former cricketer also contributed to the English team that reached the finals of the 1979 ODI World Cup.

The 83-year-old played 36 ODI matches and scored 1,082 runs at an average of over 36, with one century and nine half-centuries. In first-class cricket, he amassed 48,426 runs and smashed 151 centuries across 609 games. The former right-handed batter is the eighth-leading run-getter in first-class cricket.

Boycott played his final Test match against India at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 1982. After he retired from international cricket, he had a prominent media career, notably with the BBC's Test Match Special. The former England skipper served as a cricket commentator for 14 years before retiring in 2020.

Sir Geoffrey Boycott Picks His All-Time Five Bowlers

When asked about his top bowlers, Geoffrey Boycott named Malcolm Marshall, Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee, Wasim Akram, and Fred Trueman as his top five bowlers.

"Who are your top four bowlers you’ve seen or faced?" the user asked.

"Top 5 - Marshall, Warne, Lillee, Akram, Trueman," Geoffrey Boycott replied.

Malcolm Marshall, one of the greatest West Indies bowlers, took 376 wickets in 81 Test matches at an impressive average of 20.94, with best bowling figures of 7/22. Shane Warne is the second leading wicket-taker in Tests, claiming 708 wickets at an average of 25.41, including 37 five-wicket hauls in his career.

Dennis Lillee secured 355 wickets in 70 Test matches at an average of 23.92, with the best bowling figures of 7/83. Wasim Akram took 916 wickets in international cricket across 460 matches. Fred Trueman picked up 307 wickets in Test cricket at an average of 21.57, with his best bowling figures of 8/31.

I Have Throat Cancer - Sir Geoffrey Boycott

In a statement to The Telegraph, Sir Geoffrey Boycott recently stated that he has been diagnosed with throat cancer and will need surgery. Boycott emphasized the importance of medical treatment and luck in overcoming cancer while acknowledging the ongoing risks involved.

"In the last few weeks I have had an MRI Scan, CT Scan, a PET Scan and two biopsies and it has now been confirmed I have throat cancer and will require an operation," Boycott said.

"From past experience I realise that to overcome cancer a second time I will need excellent medical treatment and quite a bit of luck and even if the operation is successful every cancer patient knows they have to live with the possibility of it returning. So I will just get on with it and hope for the best," he added.

Also read: Jayden Seales reveals the reason behind West Indies not giving a Guard of Honor to James Anderson

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Sir Geoffrey Boycott Malcolm Marshall Dennis Lillee Shane Warne Wasim Akram Fred Trueman