Fast bowling is an art. The combination of pace, control and incredible speed can make the perfect yorker or bouncer impossible to deal with for batsmen. But who has the fastest delivery ever bowled? Which country develops the fastest bowlers? And which era was truly the one to produce the best bowlers in the game?
Let’s take a look.
Who are the top five fastest bowlers of all time?
First, let’s simply look at genuine pace. Here are our top five fastest bowlers in detail.
5. Mitchell Starc: Australia – 99.67 mph: 2015
The first Australian fast bowler on our list and the latest in a long line of Aussie pacemen, Mitchell Starc let fly against New Zealand in 2015 at 160.4 kph (just shy of the 100 mph barrier at 99.67 mph).
The batsman on the day was Ross Taylor, who managed to keep the ball out and preserve his current total of 137 not out.
So, what made Starc such a terrifying prospect for batsmen? It was all about the combination of the left-armer’s pace, his ability to swing the ball and the bounce generated from his height (1.96m).
4. Jeff Thomson: Australia – 99.8 mph: 1975
Thomson was widely considered the fastest bowler of all time, and held the record from 1975 to 2002. He claimed that he managed 180 kph, but his fastest ever recorded was 160.6 kph (99.8 mph) against the West Indies in 1975. That’s just below 100 mph, and an incredible feat for this era of cricket. No wonder his record stood for so long.
3. Brett Lee: Australia – 99.9 mph: 2005
Brett Lee is another legend of Australian cricket, and a key part of the Aussie team from the early 2000s that is considered by many to be the greatest Test side of all time.
Lee was part of a bowling attack that included legendary bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, but stood out for his incredible pace. He was determined to break the 100 mph barrier, but never quite got there, with his fastest delivery clocking up a speed of 160.8 kph (99.9 mph) against New Zealand in 2005.
While Lee’s Test record of 310 wickets stands up to scrutiny, many consider him to be the greatest ODI bowler of all time. And it’s difficult to argue with.
2. Shaun Tait: Australia – 100.1 mph: 2007
The only Australian bowler to break the 100 mph barrier, Shaun Tait hit the heights in 2007. Known as Wild Thing, the nickname was apt for Tate’s unpredictable bowling style that made him a daunting prospect for opposing batsmen.
Only the second ball ever to fly over 100 mph came against England, Australia’s fiercest rivals. The ball reached 161.1 kph (100.1 mph) in an ODI at Lord’s in 2007, putting Tait firmly in the history books. While he only played three Tests for Australia, taking five wickets, he had a decent ODI record with 62 wickets in 35 ODIs. But no one can take away from the speed of this one particular delivery.
1. Shoaib Akhtar: Pakistan – 100.2 mph: 2003
The first man to break the 100 mph record, Shoaib Akhtar was dubbed the ‘The Rawalpindi Express’ and it’s easy to see why with the pace of this delivery.
The scene was Cape Town, South Africa, at the 2003 Cricket World Cup. The batsman was England opener Nick Knight. Akhtar tore off in a long run-up, before unleashing the fastest ball ever clocked in competitive cricket. Knight managed to repel it, but was caught. The scoreboard immediately displayed the incredible speed of 161.3 kph (100.2 mph).
Akhtar’s numbers across his career are decent – 178 Test wickets, 247 in ODIs, and 19 in T20s – but they don’t necessarily reflect the impact he had on the world of fast bowling. His record has stood for well over 20 years. And we’re still waiting for it to be broken.
The top 10 all-time fastest bowlers
| Bowler | Country | Fastest delivery | Opposition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoaib Akhtar | Pakistan | 161.3 km/hr (100.2 mph) | England | 2003 |
| Shaun Tait | Australia | 161.1 km/hr (100.1 mph) | England | 2010 |
| Brett Lee | Australia | 160.8 km/hr (99.9 mph) | New Zealand | 2005 |
| Jeffrey Thomson | Australia | 160.6 km/hr (99.8 mph) | West Indies | 1975 |
| Mitchell Starc | Australia | 160.4 km/hr (99.7 mph) | New Zealand | 2015 |
| Andy Roberts | West Indies | 159.5 km/hr (99.1 mph) | Australia | 1975 |
| Fidel Edwards | West Indies | 157.7 km/hr (97.9 mph) | South Africa | 2003 |
| Mitchell Johnson | Australia | 156.8 km/hr (97.4 mph) | England | 2013 |
| Mohammad Sami | Pakistan | 156.4 km/hr (97.1 mph) | Zimbabwe | 2003 |
| Shane Bond | New Zealand | 156.4 km/hr (97.1 mph) | India | 2003 |
Which country has produced the fastest bowlers?
It’s impossible to deny Australia the crown of producing the fastest bowlers of all time. Yes, they don’t have the top spot in the all-time list, but they do have one of only two bowlers to break the 100 mph barrier in Shaun Tait. Four of the top five hail from Down Under too, with Starc, Thomson and Lee all taking their place.
Mitchell Johnson is also in the top 10, at eighth place with a delivery of 97.4mph. There must be something in the water in Australia.
Which era produced the fastest bowlers?
The first decade of the 21st century, 2001-2010, was the time when fast bowlers truly shone, with the top three fastest balls all coming during this era.
And it appears that 2003 was truly the year. Not only did Akhtar deliver his world-famous ball during this year, but three of the other fastest balls were bowled in 2003 too – by Fidel Edwards, Mohammad Sami and Shane Bond.
Interestingly, the last time anyone broke into the top 10 was Mitchell Starc in 2015, with no bowler in the last decade making the list.
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