From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, the West Indies produced some of the most formidable pacers in international cricket. Meanwhile, Australia’s current trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood have been reliable performers in all forms.
Cricket fans recall the last three decades of the twentieth century as the “golden age of fast bowling”. The famed “Four Horsemen” were Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, and Colin Croft. They are widely regarded as the first class of West Indies bowlers to torture opposition formats, regardless of the conditions under which they played.
Roberts was recognised for his speed and ferocity. He was known as the “brain” of the quarter. Roberts employed two distinct bouncers. One of them was bowled at a slower pace, and batters usually avoided it. However, that was the Antiguan speedster’s strategy since he had another bouncer in his arsenal that he could bowl at a high tempo and surprise the batters. The Urlings Village native played 47 tests and 56 one-day internationals, taking 202 and 87 wickets, respectively.
Meanwhile, Holding was known for his quickness and menacing demeanour. His nickname, “Whispering Death,” well describes his bowling abilities. He could bowl at alarming speeds with a fluid motion. Holding played 60 Tests and 102 One-Day Internationals, taking 249 and 142 wickets, respectively.
Garner was the tallest of the four pacers, standing at an impressive 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 meters). He was nicknamed “Big Bird” because of his imposing stature and bowling style. The right-arm seamer could bowl lethal yorkers, primarily at the hitters’ toes. Because of his height, he didn’t have to bend his back as much to generate bounce. Garner grabbed 259 and 146 wickets in 58 Tests and 98 ODIs.
These three great fast bowlers combined for almost 700 Test wickets and 300 ODI wickets, delivering tremendous success to the Caribbean team.
Colin Croft played the fewest matches among the Four Horsemen, only five years with the West Indies team. He was a tearaway speedster, though, who would bowl directly behind the umpire and slant away only after reaching the popping crease. As a result, batters had little time to assess the situation. Croft agreed to participate in the guerrilla tour of apartheid-divided South Africa in 1982. This was in breach of the country’s foreign sports tour ban. As a result, he was permanently banned from international cricket.
Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, and Ian Bishop were the other renowned bowlers who played for the West Indies in future years. They all had unique characteristics that allowed them to dominate world cricket.
In contrast, Australia produced quality seamers such as Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, and Jason Gillespie. However, according to many Australian greats, the current pace assault, which includes Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins, is the best the country has ever produced.
Hazlewood has sustained multiple injuries throughout the years. Despite this, he has always recovered strongly. He is renowned for his unwavering precision, bowling a consistent line and length over and over. He may also get an odd bounce from a length. Over the years, the right-arm seamer has significantly improved his white-ball bowling skills, particularly in the T20 format. Hazlewood has taken 281, 138, and 67 wickets in 73 Tests, 91 ODIs, and 52 T20Is.
Pat Cummins, the current captain, has an excellent combination of speed and precision. He doesn’t bowl blistering yorkers, but he can move the ball both ways. Cummins’ ability to adjust to changing situations is impressive. He reads the pitch well and bowls appropriately. The 32-year-old has also been a successful Test and One-Day International skipper for his country. He has 301, 143, and 66 wickets in 68 Tests, 90 ODIs, and 57 T20Is, respectively.
Mitchell Starc’s left-arm bowling adds a fresh dimension to Australia’s pace attack. He is the fastest of the three and the best white-ball bowler as well. Starc can be erratic at times, but when he’s in sync, he’s nearly unplayable. The 35-year-old throws a terrific yorker that confuses batters when it swings late and gets them bowled or leg before wicket (lbw). He has taken 387 wickets in 97 Tests, 127 One-Day Internationals, and 65 Twenty20 Internationals.
They are one of the most successful bowling trios in world cricket, particularly in the longer format, with 429 wickets from 35 matches.
Conclusion
The West Indies pacers discussed earlier in this article bowled primarily to hitters who lacked adequate protective gear.
Without a helmet, facing Roberts, Garner, and Holding was a terrifying prospect. Pitches were also not as well prepared as they are today, which resulted in fast bowlers receiving uneven bounce. However, Hazlewood, Cummins, and Starc are playing in an era when batters have access to plenty of protective gear. A lot of technology has also entered the game, with hitters and bowlers attempting to evaluate one other even before they meet on the pitch.
Naturally, comparing two separate generations of pace attacks becomes sticky owing to external influences, but it is clear that both units were the best at the moment they produced the red cherry.
India
