Relive some of the best fast bowling the cricket world has ever seen.
Shoaib Akhtar – 161.3km/h
Akhtar is regarded as the fastest bowler in the history of the game. He set the official world record by bowling the fastest delivery of 161.3km/h against England at the 2003 World Cup.
He took 178 Test wickets and 247 wickets in ODIs in a career that spanned between 1997 and 2011.
Brett Lee – 161.1km/h
Former Australia quick Brett Lee was a thorn in the side of many a batsman, taking 310 Test, 280 ODI and 487 first-class wickets.
He helped Australia win World Cups in 2003 and in 2007. His fastest delivery of 161.1km/h (100.1 mph) came against New Zealand in Napier back in 2005.
Shaun Tait – 161.1km/h
Another Australian comes in at No 3. Tait bowled his fastest delivery of 161.1km/h against England. Mostly known for his ODI performances, Tait took 62 wickets in his active ODI career from 2005 to 2016.
AB, Dale donate to All in Africa Challenge
Jeff Thomson – 160.6km/h
Surprise, surprise … another Australian. What are they feeding these Aussies?
Thomson clocked the speed gun at 160.6km/h.
He took 200 wickets in Tests and 55 in ODIs 1972 and 1985. He also took 675 wickets in first-class cricket playing for Middlesex and New South Wales. The Australian Cricket Board inducted Thomson into their Hall of Fame in 2016.
Mitch Starc – 160.4km/h
If you thought it’s time for a different nationality, think again. Another Aussie in Mitch Starc. The left-arm paceman helped Australia lift the World Cup in 2015. He has taken 244 Test wickets, 178 in ODIs and 43 in T20Is since his debut in 2010.
He clocked his fastest delivery at 160.4km/h.
Andy Roberts – 159.5km/h
Sir Andy Roberts is a former West Indian fast bowler, and a very good one to boot. He took seven wickets in an innings on two occasions. Roberts’ haul includes 202 Test and 87 ODI wickets during his career.
Known for delivering two kinds of bouncers, his fastest ball was clocked at 159.5km/h.
Fidel Edwards – 157.7km/h
Next on the list is another West Indian. Paceman Edwards took 165 wickets in Test cricket and 60 ODI wickets in a career that started when Brian Lara spotted him in the nets.
His fastest delivery of 157.7km/h was bowled against South Africa back in 2003.
Mitchell Johnson – 156.8km/h
Statistically, Johnson ranks as a genuine fast-bowling great of Australian cricket with his fastest delivery coming against England in 2013. He took 313 Test wickets, 239 in ODIs and 38 in T20Is. Not only was he a prolific paceman but could wield the willow, too, scoring a century and 11 fifties in his Test career.
Mohammad Sami – 156.4km/h
Sami joins his compatriot Akhtar on this list. He burst on to the scene taking a five-for on Test debut against New Zealand. He followed that up with a hat-trick in only his third Test when Pakistan played Sri Lanka.
Sami went on to take 85 Test, 121 ODI and 21 T20I wickets.
His fastest delivery was bowled at 156.4km/h against Zimbabwe in 2003.
Shane Bond – 156.4km/h
Fast, fearsome and yet frustratingly fragile, Bond will be remembered as much for his injury misfortunes as his wonderful ability. Unfortunately, he missed more games than he played.
Bond took 87 Test wickets, 147 in ODIs and 25 in T20Is.
His fastest ball was clocked at 156.4km/h during the 2003 World Cup.
Honourable mention:
Anrich Nortje – 156.22 Km/h
South African seamer Anrich Nortje bowled one the fastest overs in IPL history when the Delhi Capitals faced off against the Rajasthan Royals in 2020. Nortje was smashed for a couple of boundaries but he came back strong by cleaning up Jos Buttler.
