Quality fast bowling has always been one of the greatest attractions in the game of cricket. The sight of a pacer charging on to the crease and delivering virtual thunderbolts to a concerned batsman has enthralled cricket fans ever since the sport evolved.
Most of the finest fast bowlers of all time have boasted of some great bowling run-ups which helped them add that extra yard of pace to their deliveries. Moreover, having an impactful run-up allowed them to gain a psychological edge over the batsmen even before the ball was bowled.
While it is extremely difficult to judge which pacemen over the years have had the best bowling run-ups, here’s who we think are the top 5.
#5 Dale Steyn
Although he may not have been at his best in recent years, Dale Steyn is arguably the best fast bowler of this generation. One of the greatest assets that Steyn has possessed throughout his career is his ability to bowl accurately at speeds in excess of 140 kph in a consistent manner.
An important factor that has aided the Proteas pacer in maintaining his pace for such a long time is his incredible run-up. It begins with a dash at express speed towards the bowling crease and culminates in a giant stride before the ball is delivered.
Dale Steyn’s speedy run-up has helped him intimidate many a batsman over the years and earned him an edge over them even before he is finished delivering the ball.
#4 Frank Tyson
Former England fast bowler Frank Tyson was one of the first few genuinely fast bowlers in the history of cricket. Although he played just 17 Tests in his career, Tyson is widely regarded as a legend of the game and was given the nickname ‘Typhoon Tyson’ due to his ability to bowl at express pace.
Much of the credit for the speed that he generated with the ball in hand should be given to the 38-yard run-up that preceded his deliveries. Tyson’s run-up was very different compared to that of conventional fast bowlers and gave a lot of impetus to his bowling.
Frank Tyson used to be a terror to the batsmen of his time and caused them a lot of discomfort with his accurate bowling at a ferocious pace.
#3 Dennis Lillee
Legendary Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee is considered as one of the finest fast bowlers to have set foot on a cricket ground. Although his pace fell towards the latter half of his career, Lillee made up for it with his consistency and also by adding a few more tricks up his sleeve.
At his quickest, though, the Aussie great was helped a lot by his long and highly effective run-up to the bowling crease. Lillee walked a long way back in the direction of the boundary and then came darting in to deliver the ball, ending his run-up with an extended stride.
To say that Dennis Lillee sent shivers down the batsman’s spine with just his approach to the crease would be an understatement.
#2 Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar’s career may have taken a nosedive after tremendous success in his early years but when at his best, he was perhaps the most dangerous fast bowler in the world. The Pakistani speedster rose in prominence after dismissing Indian stalwarts Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar bowled off successive deliveries in a Test at Kolkata in 1999.
The one thing that stood out about Akhtar’s bowling throughout his career was his extremely long and pacy run-up. The powerfully-built pacer used to start off just inches from the boundary rope and then charged to the bowling crease in a manner reminiscent of a freight train.
The sight of Shoaib Akhtar steaming in to bowl was enough to intimidate the batsmen and gave him a psychological edge over them. No wonder, Akhtar holds the record for the fastest ball ever bowled in a cricket match (161.3 kph).
#1 Michael Holding
While Michael Holding may be one of the several fast bowling greats to have emerged from the West Indies, he did manage to carve out a niche of his own. The iconic Jamaican pacer is known to be one of the quickest bowlers to have played the game, and there were very few days in his career when he was off the radar.
Perhaps the best thing about the way Holding bowled was his silky smooth run-up which led to umpires nicknaming him ‘Whispering Death’ as they hardly heard his footsteps as he passed them by. He used to walk back a long way towards the boundary and then begin his elegant run towards the bowling crease followed by a nice little stride before eventually delivering the ball.
When it comes to the best bowling run-ups of all time, the one that Michael Holding had is certainly on top of the list.
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