Top 10 great bowlers of all time in cricket

This time I am here with the top ten list of "great bowlers of all time in cricket". Though it has been seen that runs counts most in cricket game but beside scoring  runs there are times when bowlers prove themselves as the mighty part of the game. When it is a good/lucky day for bowler, the batsmen seem so weak in front of them. And interesting game can be witnessed as well. Today I will be presenting the top ten great bowlers of all time. Depending upon the wickets taken, playing atmosphere, match wining ability shown by the bowlers, here goes the top ten list of great bowlers!

10. Joel Garner (West Indies)

This West Indian right arm fast bowler make his place safe in the tenth position. It was a matter of fear for the batsman to face the ball from this tall and lanky bowler. He has played 58 tests and 98 ODI's claiming 259 (best 6/56) and 146 (best 5/31) wicket respectively. His 5/31 in world cup against England is considered as one of the great bowling performance by any bowler in World Cup.

Joel Garner (West Indies)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	58	111	259	20.97	6-56
ODI	98	98	146	18.84	5-31
T20	-	-	-	-	-

9.Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)

Comning to the ninth position, we have a great bowler from New Zealand. Hadlee is one of the fine bowler New Zealand has ever produced. He was a devastating bowler of his time and possessed a great instant intelligent bowling ability. He was the first bowler to reach the landmark of getting 400 tests wicket.

Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	86	150	431	22.29	9-52
ODI	115	112	158	21.56	5-25
T20	-	-	-	-	-

8.Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka)

Personally I feel Chaminda Vaas deserves to be one of the great bwolers of all time in cricket.    Despite being from Indian sub continent, where pitch does not help bowlers much, Vaas has proved his talent. Vaas also made his presence notable in the Srilankan  team where veteran players Muralitharan was also present. At times Vaas has been overshadowed by Murli but he has proved himself a fine bowler. He has 355 and 400 wickets in his name in test and ODI cricket.

Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	111	194	355	29.58	7-71
ODI	322	320	400	27.53	8-19
T20	6	6	6	21.33	2-14

7.Shaun Pollock (South Africa)

Pollock is in the 7th spot of all time great bowlers in cricket. Pollock is one of the great fast bowlers that South Africa has witnessed. Pollock has always been consistent in his performance in his bowling and is most successful bowler for South Africa. He has 0ver 800 wickets under his hood in the international cricket. He has contributed a lot in South Africa's winning moments.

Shaun Pollock (South Africa)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	108	202	421	23.11	7-87
ODI	303	297	393	24.50	6-35
T20	12	11	15	20.60	3-28

6.Anil Kumble (India)

Kumble is the rightful person to be in 6th position. He is the only bowler in the  history of Indian Cricket to win the most number of test matches for India. He was a great wristspinner. While believing the cricket pundits Kumble is so lucky that the pitch helped him at times by producing bounce which eventually helped him in garbbing more wickets. He is the greatest wicket taker for India in tests.

Anil Kumble (India)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	132	236	619	29.65	10-74
ODI	271	265	337	30.89	6-12
T20	-	-	-	-	-

5.Glenn McGrath (Australia)

This amazing Aussie bowler is safe in the 5th position of the list. Nicknamed by "Pigeon" McGrath has been one of the consistent bowler for the Australia. McGrath has been one of the fast bowler of his time for Australia after Merv Hughes. He has taken more than 900 wickets in the international cricket. He is the highest wicket taking fast bowler in test cricket after West Indies Courtney Walsh.

Glenn McGrath (Australia)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	124	243	563	21.64	8-24
ODI	250	248	381	22.02	7-15
T20	2	2	5	15.80	3-31

4. Courtney Walsh (West Indies)

Wlash is in the one of the fast and fierce bowlers the world cricket has encountered. espncriccinfo's correspondent Simon Briggs reports "Walsh probably bowled faster for longer than any man in the history". He is best remembered for his record of 519 wickets which was later broken of Aussie bowler McGrath. Being great with bowling ability, he holds a comic record of getting 43 ducks in test cricket.

Courtney Walsh (West Indies)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	132	242	519	24.44	13-55
ODI	205	204	227	30.47	5-1
T20	-	-	-	-	-

3.Wasim Akram (Pakistan)

Being popularly known as "Master of Seam" he was one of the top left arm fast bowler of all time. He was a great genius who could change the game with his great bowling ability and at times he could bat surprisingly well. He has over 900 wickets in international cricketing career. He is also one of the great succcessor to Pakistan's genius Imran Khan. Batsman fear his dangerous bouncer to this date also. Akram is in the third position of the list.

Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	104	181	414	23.62	7-119
ODI	356	351	502	23.52	5-15
T20	-	-	-	-	-

2.Shane Warne (Australia)

This great legspin Aussie bowler is in the 2nd place of the list. He has brought the legspin in cricket bowling to a great height. He has been seen always consistent in this performance. He is currently the second highest wicket taker in test cricket which still seems an unachievable task for any new comers to reach that landmark for. Though he has been in many critcisms and affairs in the last days of his career but his bowling ability has held his head high. 

Shane Warne (Australia)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	145	273	708	25.41	8-71
ODI	194	191	293	25.73	5-33
T20	66	31	66	25.81	4-21

1.Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)

Well, Murali deserves every right to be at the first position of all time great bowlers. In contrast to great leg spinner Shane Warne, Murali is one of the great off spinner. Murali is the man who holds the record of taking 800 tests wickets. Though time and again being criticized for his bowling action, his fame and great bowling ability has never been under dhadow. He is pride of World cricket and of South Asia as well where cricket game itself is at slow pace.

Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
Format	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Best
Tests	133	230	800	22.72	9-51
ODI	350	341	534	23.08	7-30
T20	12	12	13	22.84	3-29

(all statistics are courtesy of www.espncricinfo.com)

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