Steyn vs McGrath

I think this question can now be asked as Steyn has 250 odd wickets at 23 with a strike rate of 40 all over the world against diff teams, at the age of 28.

Who is the better bowler as things stand and a prediction on who you think will be the better bowler when Steyn retires.

And don't give me any of the "they're too different to compare" sh*t. Who would you rather have in your team.

My heart says McGrath for both, my head says Steyn.

McGrath dominated Lara and SRT

There is no-one around in their league.

Steyn bowls more jaffas than McGrath

I will still go with McGrath for reliability

No contest - McGrath every time.

Is the more pertinent question:

Steyn or Donald?

Well Mcgrath had over 550 test wickets, that is quite amazing for a fast bowler.
I personally don't even have 1 test wicket(bowling fast that is).

re: JGK's observation:

Yes.

But better still than that (only slightly less futile) comparison, is that Steyn and Donald would have made a mighty twin spearhead in tandem.

Yes they would.

What's the word on Philander apart from having the greatest name since Baptiste?

Taipan led us to believe he was a dibbly dobbling medium pacer. But he looked reasonably good last night (albeit in helpful conditions)

Yeah. Just checked his FC record. Not too shabby. Though that's fairly relative nowadays.

20 with the ball and 27 with the bat

Those numbers would do macco and paddles proud.

Looks like his figures had been gradually trending the right way too. Be nice to have the luxury to be able to develop a bowler rather than throwing them in every time someone at CA or in the pressbox gets a hardon.

Sure the conditions were conducive, but you still have to put the ball in the right spot and he did that.

I too was puzzled after the details of his FC flashed up on Fox last night. Mighty impressive numbers and why did it take so long to get him into the team.

and it would be hard to beat* his first delivery as a better debut ball

(*I am sure SBBOT has a list of people who have taken wickets with their debut balls)

Didn't Elmer recently do it?

I wouldn't read much into hi first class figures, It is particulaerly weak at the moment.

you had us thinking he was a poor man's Andrew Hall

Andrew Hall was a far better cricketer.

McGrath obviously has longevity and would be the guy you'd choose to bowl all day, keep it tight and even 'bore' people out. He didn't always attack the stumps though. Steyn would probably be chosen if you wanted someone to take a quick wicket and unleash unbridled aggression on the batsmen. McGrath generated more bounce, Steyn is skiddier.

One interesting thing about McGrath though, in the context of the Lillee top 25 argument, a few ex-players were saying that both Warne and McGrath were helped greatly by playing in a team so good relative to the rest of the competition. This meant that they invariably bowled at lots of runs which meant they could have attacking fields. Cricket today is much more even.

I'd expect McGrath to end with the better record because as a guy who's a lot taller and didn't rely on pace 120s-mid 130s average, he was always destined to have a long career. When Steyn's pace drops he might have to adjust a bit if the conditions aren't conducive to his swing.

A better comparison would be McGrath v Pollock

mcgrath wins that too

the only bowler in the last 20 years who would not suffer in comparison would be ambrose. that would be neck and neck

The One wrote:mcgrath wins that too

the only bowler in the last 20 years who would not suffer in comparison would be ambrose. that would be neck and neck

And Donald?

just a smidgen behind imo, along with wasim. all fantastic bowlers though

taipan wrote:A better comparison would be McGrath v Pollock

Agreed. Stain and Pidg are totally different types of bowler.

One things for sure, they were/are both class.

The One wrote:just a smidgen behind imo, along with wasim. all fantastic bowlers though

If Donald had a full career he would have been ahead of Ambrose.