The Australian national cricket team has established itself as the most successful in the history of the sport, boasting an impressive record of winning five ODI World Cups. This achievement sets them apart from any other team in the world.
One of the key factors contributing to their success is the prowess of their fast bowlers, who have consistently dominated matches with their skill and technique. Let’s take a closer look at the top 10 Australian fast bowlers of all time, who have left an indelible mark on the game.
Brett Lee 161.1 km/hr (100.1 mph)
Brett Lee was one of the most exciting fast bowlers to watch in the world. He is the fastest bowler of Australia, and he was able to generate a lot of bounce and movement. He also had a very good Yorker, and he was able to dismiss batsmen in all parts of the wicket. Bret Lee holds the record for fastest over in the world.
In 2005, Lee bowled an over against New Zealand in which he recorded three of his fastest deliveries. The first ball was clocked at 160.8 km/h (99.9 mph), the second at 161.0 km/h (99.8 mph), and the third at 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph). This over is considered to be one of the fastest in ODI cricket history. With this over he became Australia’s fastest bowler at that time.
Lee took 310 wickets in 76 Tests at an average of 28.13, including 10 five-wicket hauls. He also took 380 wickets in 230 ODIs at an average of 23.32, including 21 five-wicket hauls.
Mitchell Starc 160.4 km/hr (99.7 mph)
Mitchell Starc is currently Australia’s fastest bowler with the best bowl at 160.4 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour). He is known for his ability to generate swing and seam movement, making him a difficult bowler to face on any surface. Starc has been a key member of the Australian national team since making his debut in 2010, and he has played a major role in their success in recent years.
In Test cricket, Starc has taken 261 wickets at an average of 23.20. He is the third-fastest bowler to reach 250 wickets in Test cricket, and he is the only bowler to have taken a hat-trick in both Test and ODI cricket. Starc is also a dangerous bowler in ODI cricket, where he has taken 250 wickets at an average of 22.87.
He is the third-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket among bowlers who have played at least 100 matches. And will always be remembered as one of the fastest Australian bowlers.
Mitchell Johnson 156.8 km/hr (97.4 mph)
Mitchell Johnson was a very fast bowler who was at his best when he was angry. He was able to generate a lot of pace and bounce, and he was very difficult to play. Johnson took 313 wickets in 73 Tests at an average of 27.01, including 12 five-wicket hauls. He also took 239 wickets in 153 ODIs at an average of 23.08, including 10 five-wicket hauls.
Johnson’s most famous spell of bowling came during the 2013-14 Ashes series against England. In the second Test at Adelaide, Johnson took 7 for 42 as England were bowled out for just 136. Johnson’s performance in that match helped Australia to win the series 5-0, and it is considered to be one of the greatest bowling performances in Ashes history.
It was this series that earned Mitchell Johnson a mention in the list of fastest bowlers for Australia.
Dennis Lillee 154.8 km/h
Dennis Lillee was another great Australian fast bowler. He took 355 wickets in 70 Tests at an average of 23.92, including 33 five-wicket hauls. He also took 310 wickets in 108 ODIs at an average of 23.92, including 10 five-wicket hauls. Lillee was a very fast bowler, and he was able to generate a lot of swing and seam movement. He was also a very aggressive bowler, and he loved to intimidate batsmen.
Craig McDermott 155.4 km/h (96.7 mph)
Craig McDermott is considered as most formidable Australian fast bowler. He was able to generate a lot of pace and bounce on the Australian soil which made hi very difficult to play. McDermott’s fastest ball was recorded during a Test match against England in 1991.
The delivery was clocked at 155.4 kilometers per hour (96.7 miles per hour), making it the fastest ball ever bowled in a Test match at the time. The ball was so fast that it knocked the bails off the stumps before the batsman had even had a chance to react.
McDermott took 281 wickets in 71 Tests at an average of 28.72, including 13 five-wicket hauls. He also took 208 wickets in 179 ODIs at an average of 27.53.
Pat Cummins 153.78 (95.55 mph)
Pat Cummins the current captain of Australia is also one of the fastest Australian bowler in the team. On November 27, 2017, during the first Ashes Test against England at the Gabba, Cummins bowled a delivery that was clocked at 153.78 kilometers per hour (95.55 miles per hour).
He is also a very accurate bowler, and he is able to hit the right areas consistently. Cummins has taken 213 wickets in 69 Tests at an average of 27.62, including 12 five-wicket hauls. He has also taken 131 wickets in 114 ODIs at an average of 23.95, including 6 five-wicket hauls.
Jason Gillespie 149.6 km/h (92.9 mph)
Jason Gillespie was a very consistent fast bowler who was always difficult to get away. He was a very accurate bowler, and he was able to generate a lot of swing and seam movement.
His fastest ball for Australia was recorded during a Test match against England in 2003, when he bowled a delivery that was measured at 149.6 kilometers per hour (92.9 miles per hour). The ball was so fast that it was said to have caused the batsman, Andrew Strauss, to flinch as he tried to defend it.
Gillespie took 259 wickets in 71 Tests at an average of 26.14, including 12 five-wicket hauls. He also took 142 wickets in 97 ODIs at an average of 26.94, including 6 five-wicket hauls.
Glenn McGrath 148km/h (92mph)
Glenn McGrath is widely considered to be the greatest fast bowler of Australia and the world in general. He took 563 wickets in 124 Tests at an average of 21.01, including 29 five-wicket hauls. He also took 381 wickets in 250 ODIs at an average of 22.02, including 7 five-wicket hauls.
McGrath was a master of line and length, and he was able to extract bounce and movement from even the most docile pitches. However, McGrath’s fastest ball was actually clocked at a blistering 158 kilometers per hour (98 miles per hour) during a One Day International match against New Zealand in 1999. This delivery earned him a place in the Australia’s fastest bowler’s list.
Ted McDonald
Ted McDonald was one of the fastest bowlers of Australia during his era. McDonald took 236 wickets in 52 Tests at an average of 21.07, including 11 five-wicket hauls. He also took 188 waickets in 111 ODIs at an average of 24.28, including 6 five-wicket hauls.
In 1921, McDonald bowled a ball to Jack Hobbs in a Test match at Lord’s that is said to have been clocked at over 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour). Hobbs was unable to even touch the ball, which passed him by at head height. However, the ball was not recorded officially, leading to Ted McDonald being named as one of greatest Australian fast bowlers but not the fastest bowler for Australia.
Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson was a very consistent fast bowler who was always difficult to get away. He was a very accurate bowler, and he was able to generate a lot of swing and seam movement.
Davidson took 186 wickets in 44 Tests at an average of 22.29, including 7 five-wicket hauls. He also took 116 wickets in 76 ODIs at an average of 22.24, including 3 five-wicket hauls.
These are just a few of the many great Australian fast bowlers who have graced the cricket pitch. They have all played a significant role in Australia’s dominance of world cricket, and they will be remembered as some of the greatest bowlers of all time.
