Is Murali the greatest test bowler ever?

[kopash]

Well argued - made me think, but I stick by Warne.

Warne without doubt is the better cricketer given he was also a tremendous batsman and captain. Murali himself said no one in the history of cricket was a better thinking bowler than Warne.

Both legends we have been lucky to see.

It just annoys me when Aussies can't stand having someone better/as good as them...

[Tee]

Warne without doubt is the better cricketer given he was also a tremendous batsman and captain. Murali himself said no one in the history of cricket was a better thinking bowler than Warne.

Both legends we have been lucky to see.

It just annoys me when Aussies can't stand having someone better/as good as them...

I think the Aussies have been particularly cruel to Murali, but hey, he has had the last laugh....

[SouthAfricaRed]

Now he has the word record for most wickets in test matches, eclipsing Shane Warnes record in 29 fewer matches than Warne.

But is he the greatest, or given his very 'unorthodox' action should he even have been allowed to bowl?

I must admit I think his action is dodgy but he has been cleared by the ICC to play so they must have been satisfied with the reasons for this unorthodox action.

Despite all the question marks he has an incredible record and is still going strong, so he has my grudging respect.

Yes. Without a doubt

The fact that Sri Lanka was a real minnow when he started playing in 1992 is Wonderful for Cricket

[DeeGame]

Kumble is better than both Warne and Murali put together

Anil

hell yeah

[Shaggy]

hell yeah

Anyone know where I can find stats on total number of overs bowled in Test cricket, by both Murali and Warne?

[SouthAfricaRed]

Anyone know where I can find stats on total number of overs bowled in Test cricket, by both Murali and Warne?

CrickInfo

Murali bowled 2500 less balls than Warne

[Shaggy]

CrickInfo

Murali bowled 2500 less balls than Warne

Cheers mate.

[thesilverfoxlfc]

Kumble is better than both Warne and Murali put together

Anil

hell yeah

******Bias alert********

You idiots Murali and Warne<<<<<<<<<<Kumble....he has a long way to go before he can placed in their class

.....wouldnt of said yee were Indian

[ningnangnong]

Does anyone have any stats on how many wickets Warne and Murali have taken outside their countries?

[Neil Young]

[spoilsport]It depends on which characteristics you select to fit your definition. [/spoilsport]

[Jayesh87]

Murali had the England batters in a spin today

[Scratch]

If you take Murali's achievements against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe out of the equation, his record is STILL better than Warne's.

Warne is a genuine all-time great but Murali's record is markedly better. Stats don't lie - although the Aussies may not like it - Murali is the greatest.

Is it right that 130+ of MM's wickets have come against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, whilst something like 13 of Warnes came against the same opposition?

Take away the wickets against these two nations who shouldn't (IMO) be gracing the test arena, and Warne is far outfront in terms of wickets, but behind on averages still (I think, not definate about that bit).

[Shaggy]

Is it right that 130+ of MM's wickets have come against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, whilst something like 13 of Warnes came against the same opposition?

Take away the wickets against these two nations who shouldn't (IMO) be gracing the test arena, and Warne is far outfront in terms of wickets, but behind on averages still (I think, not definate about that bit).

That's about right, yeah, although as you say Murali's average and strike-rate is still much better than Warne's even with Bangla and Zim taken out of the equation.

Get this:

My mate has just copied some stats into excel and has been playing around with them.

He got a list of the top wicket takers in test cricket over 200 wkts.

You could argue the truest measure of the best bowler of all time is how many balls it takes him on average to get every wicket - so he sorted the list like that. Quite surprising really:



1. Waqar Younis
2. Marshall
3. Donald
4. Trueman
5. Hadlee
6. Garner
7. Holding
8. Ntini
9. Gough
10. McGrath
11. Lillee
12. Lee
13. Thomson
14. MacGill
15. Willis
16. Cairns
17. Imran Kahn
18. Murali
19. Ambrose
20. Wasim Akram
21. Hoggard
22. Gillespie
23. Andy Roberts
24. Botham
25. McDermott
26. Warne



OR....


By best average



1. Marshall
2. Garner
3. Ambrose
4. Trueman
5. McGrath
6. Murali
7. Donald
8. Hadlee
9. Imran Khan
10. Lindwall
11. Pollock
12. Waqar Younis
13. Wasim Akram
14. Holding
15. Lillee
16. Grimmett
17. Walsh
18. Statham
19. Bedser
20. Willis
21. Warne

[Tee]

That's about right, yeah, although as you say Murali's average and strike-rate is still much better than Warne's even with Bangla and Zim taken out of the equation.

Get this:

My mate has just copied some stats into excel and has been playing around with them.

He got a list of the top wicket takers in test cricket over 200 wkts.

You could argue the truest measure of the best bowler of all time is how many balls it takes him on average to get every wicket - so he sorted the list like that. Quite surprising really:



1. Waqar Younis And he had so many injuries when he was at his peak
2. Marshall
3. Donald
4. Trueman
5. Hadlee
6. Garner
7. Holding
8. Ntini
9. Gough
10. McGrath
11. Lillee
12. Lee
13. Thomson
14. MacGill
15. Willis
16. Cairns
17. Imran Kahn
18. Murali
19. Ambrose
20. Wasim Akram
21. Hoggard
22. Gillespie
23. Andy Roberts
24. Botham
25. McDermott
26. Warne



OR....


By best average



1. Marshall
2. Garner
3. Ambrose
4. Trueman
5. McGrath
6. Murali
7. Donald
8. Hadlee
9. Imran Khan
10. Lindwall
11. Pollock
12. Waqar Younis
13. Wasim Akram
14. Holding
15. Lillee
16. Grimmett
17. Walsh
18. Statham
19. Bedser
20. Willis
21. Warne

Waqar

Malcolm Marshall Incredible bowler.

[Shaggy]

Malcolm Marshall was a little beast of a bowler.

It's clearly down to the volume of cricket played these days - all it takes is a glance at the top 4 wicket-takers.

Also, Makaya Ntini has taken 70 more wickets than Michael Holding!!!

Says it all.