The Most lethal bouncers ever bowled in Cricket
The most dangerous bouncers of all time
If you’re a cricket fan, fast bowling may be your favourite part of the game.
One of sport's most exquisite spectacles, not just in cricket, is the art of quick bowling.
It is exciting to watch a pace bowler run in with tons of talent, intent and artful skills- looking to execute strategies and deliveries throughout a match to dismiss batters.
However, it shouldn't be overlooked that the physical discipline of quick bowling is one of the body's most unique movements.
According to Ian Bishop "The best fast bowlers are consistently looking at their capability to step up against the greatest players and seize control." What better way is there to seize control than a fast-paced bouncer?
In this article, we have compiled a list of the top five most lethal bouncers of all time.
Top 5 Most Lethal Bouncers of All Time
What do Joel Garner, Curtly Ambrose, Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar and Dennis Lillee all have in common?
All of them were capable of throwing a hard bouncer that would cause batters to plunge for cover in the face of extreme aggression.
A fast-paced bouncer is the most thrilling sight in cricket, unless you’re on the receiving end.
The following are some of the most exciting, short-pitched deliveries ever!
1. Brett Lee against Alex Tudor
At the top, it is none other than Brett Lee. He is one of the world’s fastest and most aggressive fast bowlers.
The lethal delivery Lee bowled to Alex Tudor is still the best of all time.
That bouncer forced Alex Tudor to be carried off the WACA in Perth in late 2002 and it put an end to his Ashes tour.
Tudor, a tailender who is better known for his bowling, was unprepared for this vicious delivery that slammed into his helmet at 144.1 km/h.
The batter was taken away after suffering a fractured skull.
It has been more than a decade, but it still hurts to watch. This was not the first time when Brett Lee gave a hard time to a batter, as his career is full of such destructive deliveries.
2. Shoaib Akhtar against Brian Lara
Shoaib Akhtar and his obsession with bowling lethal bouncers are known to everyone. The Pakistani star ruled the world of fast bowling for a long time and is one of the fastest bowlers of all time.
Gary Kirsten, Sourav Ganguly, Jacques Kallis and Brian Lara- all these superstars faced the wrath of Shoaib Akhtar at least once in their career.
However, the best one came against the West Indies in the ICC Champions Trophy 2004.
The crowd witnessed Brian Lara being struck by a piercing bouncer from Shoaib Akhtar during that match. The legend immediately collapsed to the ground, and everyone, including Shoaib Akhtar, was stunned.
The West Indian superstar was then taken to the hospital, where he regained his consciousness.
3. Courtney Walsh against Robin Smith
The remarkable Courtney Walsh left batters battered and bruised throughout the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
Even England's Robin Smith, who was renowned for his courage in the face of difficulty, was unable to withstand Walsh's barrage while on tour in the Caribbean.
Walsh bowled a bouncer during the fifth Test in Antigua that broke Smith's jaw, forcing him to retire hurt and return home immediately for treatment.
There was a time when pacers from the West Indies ruled the world of fast bowling.
This is the reason why, even after so many years, this remarkable delivery remains in the top five best bouncers of all time.
4. Malcolm Marshal against Andy Lloyd
As we said, the West Indian fast bowlers were known for their extra pace and lethal deliveries- and this is another West Indian pacer who has managed to make our list of top five bouncers of all time.
Andy Lloyd of England was the unfortunate player; he had scored 10 runs when tragedy struck, and Marshall's delivery resulted in him being taken to the hospital.
The only silver lining from this incident was that Lloyd became the only player in Test history to begin the innings without getting dismissed- but this delivery by Malcolm Marshall ended the batsman’s international career.
5. James Anderson against Daniel Flynn
James Anderson is commonly known for his swinging deliveries and impeccable length. The English superstar is undoubtedly one of the best in the world.
If you have any doubts, you can surely ask Daniel Flynn. The New Zealander Daniel Flynn lost a tooth while attempting to handle James Anderson of England's brisk bouncer.
The contest was taking place in the 2008 NPOWER Test series. Despite all the protection, Flynn was hit by the ball so forcefully that it knocked his tooth out.
Honorary Mentions
Apart from the top five, there have been other bowlers who have delivered deadly bouncers that have caused batters to apologetically leave the wicket.
The ball delivered by Mitchell Johnsons against South Africa is still hard to forget. Graeme Smith was severely injured by a devilish delivery and had to retire.
Once more, Mitchell's ferocious energy resulted in a fatal bouncer to Jacques Kallis, who after being struck stood for a short while before squatting down with blood streaming from his face.
Similarly, the English batsman Mal Loye was struck on the chin by a bouncer bowled by Australian star Glenn McGrath during the tenth game of the CB Series in 2007.
After having his wound bandaged, Braveheart Loye decided to keep batting but got out on the very next delivery.
Conclusion
Similar to other sports, cricket is all about passion. Additionally, it is full of weapons that let off pent-up energy and emotion.
The bouncer is one of those weapons; it pitches far away from the batsman and rises to his chest or head. It is without a doubt a risky delivery that puts the batsman at risk of harm.
However, when faced with a bouncer, most batters try to duck and miss the ball. The best way to frighten a batsman is with a good bouncer. The entire game can be changed by such deliveries.
On the field, there have been a lot more deadly bouncers who have broken a few noses.
With every ball, the game of cricket changes, bringing with it great thrill and exhilaration that can take on both good and bad forms.
This is the aggressive, and a little more exciting, side of cricket.
