Steyn vs McGrath

Aye. The Waugh/Waugh v Donald battle at the SCG in 97-98 was epic. And White Lightning set MtFTB's career back by about 3 years.

For me, McGrath's only peer is Ambrose. They're almost inseperable. I have a sneaking suspicion that playing in a fading team didn't give Curtly the 'help' that McGrath got... so I'd pretty much place them level because of this. Usually when such greats are compared, the longevity question comes into play. They were about the same in terms of years, just not in frequency of Tests.

Hence the likes of Donald are talked of in a different bracket. At least they are by me.

McGrath and Ambrose barely ever had a bad series. They were always in it. So, I'm going to reserve judgement on Steyn until he's neared the 100 Test mark, like the other two.

I'd say that Steyn's equalling Donald ATM, though.

I'm with the Monk here.
McGrath stands out head 'n' shoulders above the rest of the post war quicks - bar Curtly.

If only Curtly carried on for a few years more and had a decent team to back up his efforts, we might have witnessed a shed load more wickets than his record suggests. Tight as a gnat's a*se, he was both quick and accurate on any wicket and the bounce he extracted from the mildest of pitches was attributable to his almost 7 feet height.
He is also a fabulous guy, warmth personified in conversation, ever willing to show his guitar prowess at any given opportunity. The complete anti-thesis of a quick bowler "with venom". Curtly just liked bowling ....!

McGarth was a different animal. Accurate (at grossly lesser speeds) to boring levels by pitching just outside off stump and moving it slightly away, he induced batsmen to play and miss, play and miss, play and miss ... until bingo ... a nick to keeper or the slips. Also, he had his bunnies ... IRB and the Strausser being just two!! Guaranteed wickets !

But all that said ... McGrath still heads the pile - for sheer consistency and doggedness, plus the fact 505 wickets tell the story ... whether he played in a great team or not .. the guy was a great bowler.... BUT ... he did have Warne in his team ... enough said!

Steyn might one day threaten McGrath's figures ... but thus far, tgm leads the pack by a distance, Curtly runs a good second .. and Steyn ...along with Donald and the likes of Willis, Lillee and Hadlee make up the chasing pack.

Poor old Marshall hasn't even rated a mention in this thread ... I'd rate him above all those mentioned by Merlo above.

Aye, I didn't really mean peerless post-war. I just meant amongst his contemporaries. It would be too difficult to judge over eras, I can't bring myself to do so. Especially as I've only seen fleeting pieces of those bowlers. To really know, I think you'd have had to have seen them game in game out. Which I didn't. Some of you boys did, so I'd leave it up to your judgement. I was saying that, of the ones I've seen plenty of, McGrath and Ambrose went missing the least - whatever the situation. Pretty much flawless careers, that would definitely put them in contention for best of the 60 year bracket, but I'm not unequivocal.

lardbucket wrote:Poor old Marshall hasn't even rated a mention in this thread ... I'd rate him above all those mentioned by Merlo above.

Oh bugger.
How could I have forgotten him.
My bad!

Okay ... McGrath, Marshall, Ambrose .... the rest.

Watto clearly sh!ts on the lot of them - from a great height.

Bit of a choke today from Steyn when in sight of his 5fer.....

Watto Philander clearly sh!ts on the lot of them - from a great height.

Aye, I was just coming on here to push the merits of Vern.

Just thinking about it, Steyn v Mcgrath is a ridiculous comparison. Completely different types of bowlers in different eras from different countries.

Steyn v Anderson or Harris is a much better comparison.

not much of a comparison there. steyn murders the other two

Not really if you take recent form into account. It's a pretty close run thing.

on recent form you could get many into consideration, depending on when you ask the question

i thought we were discussing overall careers

What, Dale Steyn? What, James Anderson? what, Ryan Harris?

What's the comparison, baking skills? Scrumping? Knowledge of Bon Jovi top tens? Handshaking? Either version of watersports?

If it's bowling we're on about, Dale Steyn sh!ts on them from a great height, then runs down to their level, lets the sh!t drop on his head whilst he's hovering over them doing another sh!t.

That's a bit unkind.

Steyn's had a few more spicy pitches prepared for him compared to the other two.

I'm perplexed. Does Henry think it's like Steyn versus McGrath v.2011? Has he seen Jimmy's prize leeks and thought this was a veg growing competition?

Henry wrote:Steyn's had a few more spicy pitches prepared for him compared to the other two.

I mean, are you f*cking kidding me?

James "I couldn't bowl away until a couple of years ago and f*ck the spice of the pitch when I've got clouds" Anderson?

Or Ryan "I pull up lame after two Tests in a row because I'm a total weako" Harris?

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.... EASILY better than Steyn, what a totally apt comparison.

You're making me cry.

No need to rub it in, Monkehh - Henry's conceded already.

You'll be employing the weapon of sarcasm next.

Don't get me wrong, Jimmy's improved markedly. He's only two blocks behind Steyn now.

Harris? Let's see him string 10 Tests in a row together because at the minute he breaks into bits after a game and a half, starts crying and then has to make sure he 'doesn't go on the cakes, because it's a slippery slope'.

Jimmy's done the business when England have REALLY needed him to do it, recently. Against the best teams in the World. in all conditions. I'd go as far as saying Jimmy since 2009 has been just about as good as Steyn. I've said it before- I can't imagine Steyn bowling better than Jimmy did in Aus. He was immense.

You're making the Strhino sound like a right nancy boy. Worse than Watto used to be.

PeterCS wrote:You're making the Strhino sound like a right nancy boy. Worse than Watto used to be.

That's coz Harris is a nancy boy, Petey!

PS - HTF can Steyn be compared with Jimmykins?
Methinks Monkehs sh!tting analogy sums it up definitively.