Fastest Cricket Bowlers of All Time

Nothing strikes fear into a batsman more than a fast bowler steaming in and unleashing deliveries at upwards of 90mph. From Mitchell Starc to Shoaib Akhtar, here are five of the bowlers who really got the speed gun purring, on top of a definitive top ten list below.

Mitchell Starc – Australia

Mitchell Starc is famously known for his magnificent pace but in a Test against New Zealand in 2015, even he was not expecting to produce a historic delivery like this one.

Starc steamed in before bowling a pitch-perfect yorker at top Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor. To everyone’s amazement, Taylor managed to keep it out but soon after the figures came in. Starc had delivered a ball which clocked in at 160.4kmph (99.6mph) which meant that it was the second quickest delivery in Australian Test cricket history.

Jeff Thompson – Australia

Jeff Thompson becomes the second Australian to make the list with his famous delivery against the West Indies in 1975.

Thompson clocked in at an incredible 160.6kmph (99.7mph) which was unheard of during that era of cricket. Thompson’s delivery would be the fastest delivery in cricket history for quite some time. The record stood from 1975 to 2002 until Pakistani Shoaib Akhtar finally broke it. Thompson’s delivery is to this day the fastest ball bowled by an Australian in a Test match.

Brett Lee – Australia

Another delivery, another Australian. When you think of Brett Lee, you are reminded of his aggression, his excellence and his speed. This all came into play against New Zealand in 2005.

Lee broke every Australian bowling record with this delivery after it flew by the stumps at a speed of 160.8kmph (99.9mph). Known for his fiercely fast spells that incorporated a good range of lengths, Lee is remembered to be one of the greatest Australian bowlers of all time.

Shaun Tait – Australia

Second on the list is once again an Australian that goes by the name of Shaun Tait. Tait was known as the ‘wild thing’ and that was a pretty apt description of the Aussie paceman. His deliveries shook the best batsmen in the world, but nothing came close to this delivery in 2007.

Tait’s fastest ever delivery in his career came against England in an ODI at Lords where he clocked in at a rip-snorting 161.1kmph (100.1mph). This was officially the fastest ball bowled in an ODI match and the fastest ball bowled by an Australian in any form of cricket.

Shoaib Akhtar – Pakistan

In number one spot is Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan. Nicknamed the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ due to fans believing that he was a train, Akhtar is the fastest bowler in cricket history.

Whilst featuring against England at the 2003 World Cup, Akhtar unleashed a ferocious delivery at England opener Nick Knight that clocked in at 161.3kmph (100.2mph) leaving commentators and viewers stunned. The delivery would officially go down as the fastest delivery in cricket history and to this day, it has still never been beaten.

Top 10 Fastest Cricket Bowlers of All Time

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