Shoaib Akhtar vs Brett Lee vs Laith Malinga. Who is Better

[ArcherMcKinley]

@Anjula: All formats of the sport are equally important, but test cricket is considered the biggest challenge. I'm not going to point-out why because that would be unnecessary.

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Let me add that we tend to rate players on the basis of their performance at the test level. That's perhaps the reason why Malinga will never be regarded as one of the greats of Sri Lankan cricket.

 

[Ahmad94]

Shoaib and Lee have always been at par with Malinga. Its not about records all the time. Shoaib and Lee were geniune fast bowlers, the players who have been developed in ages.

Yes my views are the same. Malinga should not even be as high as he is. You are giving a biased view. My is Ajmal under Gul.

 

[cricket_icon]

Wait are we seriously comparing the two best fast bowlers of the last decade to Lasith Mallinga?????

I'l be back one we are comparing Lee and Akhtar without Mr "No tests for me"

 

[ferg512]

I would say Brett Lee, he was so consistent for a long period while bowling at that pace is extraordinary. Had Shoaib been on the park more it would have been a lot closer because he was a really good test match bowler probably better than Lee (178 wkts at 25). Also I don't really know what Malinga has done to be mentioned in the same breath as legends like Shoaib and Lee.

 

[Jagar]

That is not true because I am pretty sure Tait hold that record. And its not the second fastest its the fastest that matters. NO body knows the second man to step on the moon but everyone knows Neil Armstrong( the first man to step foot on the moon)

Buzz Aldrin


Anyhow, I think Malinga gets a lot of wickets due to batsmen not knowing what a deliviries look like coming out of his hand due to his unique technique, (not rating him less just noting)
But my vote is for Akhtar. They are all legends though.

 

[juneidahmed]

Why lee above shoaib

I would say Brett Lee, he was so consistent for a long period while bowling at that pace is extraordinary. Had Shoaib been on the park more it would have been a lot closer because he was a really good test match bowler probably better than Lee (178 wkts at 25). Also I don't really know what Malinga has done to be mentioned in the same breath as legends like Shoaib and Lee.

I agree with what you have said.Specially the words "Had Shoaib been on the park more......" sums it all.Some people say that Shoaib was more talented etc.But they are only looking at his quick swinging deliveries.But what they do not realize is that a player come along as a package which requires other talents as well which we do not take into count.In Shoaib's case these things were missing from his package:

1) Ability to remain patient
2) Ability to look after his fitness like a good night sleep, proper diet and routine exercises
3) prolonging his career by bringing new variety to the armory.Just like
ajmal is doing right now.Or the English bowlers bringing on the slower
bouncer.
4) Talent to break partnerships or stopping flow of runs at "CRITICAL" points
of the match
5) Ablity to Analise the match situation and what is required of shoaib.
6) Absorbing the pressure of a BIG match.

Therefore these things are beside the basic skill but they do not come as easily as one would consider. These things also require talent and not everyone can cope with these.

 

[puddleduck]

One thing this thread highlights for me. The three genuine quickest bowlers of the last decade, Lee, Ahktar, Tait all failed to deliver consistent success at Test level.

Sort of like the most aggressive and attacking batsmen who succeed in the shorter forms but not Test Cricket. Which brings me to the question, just how important was their pace? Is raw pace more useful in limited overs cricket than it is in Test Cricket?

 

[Aoun13]

One thing this thread highlights for me. The three genuine quickest bowlers of the last decade, Lee, Ahktar, Tait all failed to deliver consistent success at Test level.

Sort of like the most aggressive and attacking batsmen who succeed in the shorter forms but not Test Cricket. Which brings me to the question, just how important was their pace? Is raw pace more useful in limited overs cricket than it is in Test Cricket?

Do you know why all these bowlers fail to deliver consistent success at test level? Because they were unfit for most part of their career.
Whenever these bowlers were fit, they won matches for their team single handedly.

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I agree with what you have said.Specially the words "Had Shoaib been on the park more......" sums it all.Some people say that Shoaib was more talented etc.But they are only looking at his quick swinging deliveries.But what they do not realize is that a player come along as a package which requires other talents as well which we do not take into count.In Shoaib's case these things were missing from his package:

1) Ability to remain patient
2) Ability to look after his fitness like a good night sleep, proper diet and routine exercises
3) prolonging his career by bringing new variety to the armory.Just like
ajmal is doing right now.Or the English bowlers bringing on the slower
bouncer.
4) Talent to break partnerships or stopping flow of runs at "CRITICAL" points
of the match
5) Ablity to Analise the match situation and what is required of shoaib.
6) Absorbing the pressure of a BIG match.

Therefore these things are beside the basic skill but they do not come as easily as one would consider. These things also require talent and not everyone can cope with these.

Too easy to sit back and comment. Shoaib was having and abnormal body with lots of defects in his joints.

 

[Anjula]

Malinga gets another 5fa

 

[Jagar]

One thing this thread highlights for me. The three genuine quickest bowlers of the last decade, Lee, Ahktar, Tait all failed to deliver consistent success at Test level.

I think Lee is the only one who really failed to perform on the field. Tait suffered from depression and never really got back into training and Akhtar destroyed his career through various scandals.

 

[Addy]

If you talk about talent, Shoaib is better among the mentioned guys. I mean nobody have had bowled such an awesome spell.

Awesome display of Fast bowling

 

[Owzat]

Buzz Aldrin

Buzz Lightyear, different kind of buzz

Anyhow, I think Malinga gets a lot of wickets due to batsmen not knowing what a deliviries look like coming out of his hand due to his unique technique, (not rating him less just noting)

Has to be an advantage, the angle etc Unfair advantage in my book, but if complicit with the current laws that doesn't seem to matter

 

[Anjula]

How about this,
Unplayable stuff by Malinga,
Brilliant

 

[Anjula]

And also this

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Off-Topic
Even better spell by Mendis

 

[Ahmad94]

Being a Sri Lankan fan Anjula you are giving the worst and most biased view ever. Malinga is good but not even in the same league as lee and akthar. Not even worth comparing. test is the real challenge and Malinga is not to be compared to the other two legends