It has been said that a good bowler can single-handedly make his entire team win. There have been a number of excellent bowlers in cricket history, the following are the top 10s:
1. Glenn McGrath-Australia
Possibly the best bowler in cricket history, Glenn McGrath was persistently accurate when it came to taking wickets. He played for 14 years and has taken over 550 wickets. He is undoubtedly deserving of the number one spot in this list.
2. Courtney Walsh-West Indies
Walsh bowled his way till the top in this field and made it look so easy. His success is further consolidated by the fact that he was at the top for 17 years. This legend has taken over 500 Test wickets which was a record at one point.
3. Wasim Akram- Pakistan
This left-handed bowler is considered to be among the fastest in the field. His is fondly referred to as the Sultan of Swing and has taken over 350 Test wickets. Akram has also recorded two hat-tricks in both ODI and Test cricket.
4. Kapil Dev- India
Kapil Dev was definitely the best in the game during his time and is said to be an all-rounder. He gave his all no matter what the stakes were and he would deserve a mention even if he was terrible with the bat. However, both his batting and bowling were exceptional and he has taken over 430 Test wickets during his career. Last but not the least; he was also given the title of the “Cricketer of the last century”.
5. Allan Donald
Since his nickname was “White Lightening”, it goes without saying that he is among the top 10 bowlers in cricket history. Since South Africa was excluded from cricket, Donald gave his all at the age of 26 when he finally got his chance. His excellence in the field was proven when he took over 300 wickets.
6. Sir Richard Hadlee
New Zealand’s first few years in cricket were undoubtedly tough. However, Sir Richard Hadlee played the game well even during these years. At 22 he had taken over 430 wickets. It has been said that he could have won a game single-handedly any day.
7. Jeff Thompson
Along with Dennis Lillee, his team-mate, Jeff Thompson is said to have ‘terrorized’ the opposing team’s batsmen when it was his chance to bowl. Because of injuries, he could not take more than 200 wickets. However, he is still among the best and a few have been able to match his speed and precision.
8. Dennis Lillee
This bowler had a short temper and was fearsome when it came to bowling, to say the least. During the 1980’s, he set a record by taking over 350 test wickets and along with an average of 23.92, he was definitely among the best. Batsmen that were faced with Lillee knew that they would not walk away unscathed!
9. Michael Holding
This bowler was aggressive and single-minded when it came to bowling. He was passionate about taking wickets and took 248 during his career. While these statistics are impressive, what is even more remarkable is his nickname. “Whispering Death” is what his team-mates called him which explains more than enough about his abilities!
10. Malcolm Marshall
It has been said that Marshall had the ability to make batsmen very nervous. His pace was fast, his swing was ‘deadly’ and his accuracy was radar-like. He took over 370 Test wickets and is among the most phenomenal bowlers in cricket history.
Adapted From Top-Ten-List
