Fast Bowlers With Most Test Wickets For Each Team
Published - 16 Apr 2020, 03:48 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:05 AM
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Fast bowling has been the most traditional type of delivering the ball to the batsmen. Most captains use fast bowlers at the start of the innings where the ball is new and hard, which enables them to generate swing to trouble the batters. Also, the skipper deploys the pacers in death overs in white-ball cricket as well to restrict the opposition from scoring briskly.
The likes of Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, and Allan Donald have made the art of fast bowling delightful to watch. With their ability to find swing, variations and bowling with intensity, these men ran through batting line-ups with ease. As such, most teams have discovered potent pacers of their own to measure up to their counterparts. Also, sub-continent teams, who are mostly known for producing spinners, have cultivated formidable fast bowlers too.
On that note, we take a look at leading Test wicket-takers among fast bowlers for each team:
Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh) – 78 wickets
As much fruitful his ODI career was, Mashrafe Mortaza couldn’t replicate the same in the Test arena. Mortaza made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in 2001 on the back of Andy Roberts endorsing his inclusion, who was coaching Bangladesh then. Even though he picked four wickets in his debut, constant injuries forced him to miss out on the action. The former captain played his last of 36 Tests in 2009.
He hasn’t announced his retirement from Tests, but the Board doesn’t allow him to feature in the most extended version, owing to injuries. Mortaza’s strengths comprise generating uncomfortable bounce and getting good movement off the seam. In his prime, he would also deploy pace as a weapon; however, injuries derailed it. With 78 scalps, the 36-year old is the highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh in Tests among pacers.
Heath Streak (Zimbabwe) – 216 wickets
Heath Streak was part of the Zimbabwean team that tasted success momentarily. Along with Henry Olonga, Andy Flower, Grant Flower, and Alistair Campbell, Streak formed the nucleus of the side. The Bulawayo-born could bowl deadly outswings with good pace and control. He was the first bowler from Zimbabwe to cross 100 Test wickets and highest for the country amongst all with 216.
As a captain, Streak had to deal with the turmoil within the country. He had taken control over a depleted side amid disputes within Board. Even as the conflict kept going, the 46-year old signed with the Indian Cricket League in 2008, which also flagged the end of his international career. With 1990 runs from 65 Tests, he was a handy batsman, having a century and eleven fifties.
Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) – 355 wickets
Chaminda Vaas was one of the most successful new-ball bowlers during his era. With the brand new ball, Vaas is capable of producing deadly in-swinging deliveries that find a late movement. The left-arm seamer was instrumental in leading Sri Lanka to their first overseas win in Napier in 1994-95.
In green conditions tailormade for seamers, Vaas picked up five wickets in either innings to deliver a 241-run win over New Zealand. Alongside 355 scalps in 111 Tests, the retired bowler also had a solitary century and 13 fifties with the bat. Vaas was only the third Sri Lankan to play 100 Tests and is only behind fellow countryman and spinner Muttiah Muralitharan in their highest wicket-takers list.
Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 414 wickets
At his best, not many would be rated above than Wasim Akram. By far, Wasim Akram is the best left-arm seamer ever seen in world cricket. The Lahore-born seamer was an expert in swing bowler, possessing complete mastery in that department. In addition to that, he deployed reverse swing, which was again challenging to deal with.
Apart from 414 wickets from 104 Tests, the 53-year old was no mug with the bat either. With nearly 3000 runs, Wasim had the best score of an unbeaten 257. Overall, he slammed three hundreds and seven fifties. His 414 wickets are the most by a Pakistani bowler in red-ball international cricket.
Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) – 431 wickets
Sir Richard Hadlee was the greatest New Zealand cricketer till date and laid the foundation for BlackCaps’ rise in the sport. Having made his Test debut in 1973, Hadlee was the first player to breach the 400-wicket mark. With 431 scalps from 86 fixtures, he is the highest wicket-taker for the Kiwis and the seventh amongst fast bowlers.
Hadlee was best remembered for playing an integral role in leading New Zealand to their first, and the only Test series win in Australia. The Christchurch-born received the man of the series award for that as he picked up a staggering 33 wickets in three Tests. Hadlee also smacked 3124 runs with two centuries and 15 fifties with a high score of 151.
Kapil Dev (India) – 434 wickets
Kapil Dev is India’s greatest all-rounder till date and amongst the best during that era alongside Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee and Ian Botham. In his early years of Test cricket, the Haryana Hurricane smashed the fastest half-century for India off 33 balls. The home series against Pakistan in 1979-80 marked the turning point in his career.
His all-round performances in that series included taking 32 wickets and 278 runs that enabled the hosts to win the five-match rubber by 2-0. In that series, Kapil also became the youngest player to reach 1000 runs and take 100 wickets in Tests. Furthermore, by the time he hung his boots, the World Cup-winning captain was and is the only player till date to score 5000 runs and pick 400 wickets.
Dale Steyn (South Africa) – 439 wickets
One of the most endearing sights of this generation was watching Dale Steyn steaming in with the red-cherry to send the stumps cartwheeling. Not only did Dale Steyn bow out of Tests as the greatest South African speedster, but also put an end to a golden era of South Africa. Having made his debut in 2004, Steyn could manage only eight wickets in the three-match series and faced an axe. The retirement of Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini thrust the speedster to the role of the new-ball spearhead as he made a stunning comeback in 2006.
The 36-year old became the fastest South African to reach 100 scalps and the second fastest after Dennis Lillee to cross a tally of 250. His strike rate of 44.82 is the best amongst bowlers, who have more than 400 Test scalps. In 2019, he surpassed fellow countryman Shaun Pollock as the highest wicket-taker for the nation. Unfortunately, a plethora of injuries continued to hurt him, due to which Steyn hung up his boots from the longest version. Former West Indies Michael Holding claimed that Steyn is one of the best fast bowlers across generations.
Courtney Walsh (West Indies) – 519 wickets
Courtney Walsh remained on the sidelines when Marshall, Garner, and Holding wreaked havoc on the opposition. When they retired, Walsh formed a fearsome bowling pair along with Curtly Ambrose and continued the trend. With 519 victims in 132 Tests at 24.45, Walsh surpassed his ancestors in terms of wickets to become the greatest speedster from the country.
As captain, the towering quick took it from Richie Richardson and captained them in 22 Tests, leading them to six victories and seven losses. The second half of the 90s saw the Jamaican pick-up scalps at will, having snared 62 wickets in 1995. In 2001, Walsh retired with 519 wickets, a record which Muttiah Muralitharan broke in 2004.
Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 563 wickets
Glenn McGrath was a genuine cricketing genius, whose accuracy and seam movement was the biggest weapon on his way to a staggering 563 Test wickets. His partnerships with Shane Warne and Brett Lee destroyed oppositions at will and ascended Australia to heights rarely witnessed before. Glaringly, the New South Wales bowler’s ten out of 29 five-wicket hauls came against England.
When he played his first-ever Test in England in 1997, McGrath bagged figures of 8/38 to stun the English batting line-up. During Australia’s victory over the unofficial Test-match champions, West Indies in 1995, he picked up 17 wickets to graduate as Australia’s bowling spearhead. His record of 563 wickets was the most by a seamer in Tests until England’s James Anderson breached it in 2018.
James Anderson (England) – 611 wickets
Having made his Test debut back in 2003, James Anderson established himself amongst the top-notch swing bowlers of the generation. His artistry and talent, especially in the English conditions, are invincible. With 611 wickets in 158 Tests, he is the most successful fast bowler in the format, leaving behind Mcgrath in 2018.
His 600th Test wicket came against Pakistan in August 2020 when he trapped Azhar Ali at The Ageas Bowl. The Lancashire swing bowler has been instrumental in more than three successful Ashes campaigns, including one in Australia. The victorious rubber down under in 2010-11 saw Anderson picking up 24 wickets across five Tests.
(All stats updated till 16th February, 2021)
Tagged:
Glenn McGrath Heath Streak James Anderson Kapil Dev Mashrafe Mortaza Sir Richard Hadlee Test Cricket Wasim Akram
