Some love it, and others hate it, but the fastest balls ever bowled in international cricket are some incredible sporting achievements.
Often maligned as one of the most boring sports in the world, cricket has polarised opinions since time immemorial. Ireland’s poor record probably doesn’t help matters regarding its popularity on the Emerald Isle. However, some speeds recorded among the fastest balls ever bowled in international cricket are incredible.
But we’re afraid you won’t find any Irish cricketers listed below…
- Some love it, and others hate it, but the fastest balls ever bowled in international cricket are some incredible sporting achievements.
- 10. Shane Bond, New Zealand vs India – 156.4 km/h
- 9. Mohammad Sami, Pakistan vs Zimbabwe – 156.4 km/h
- 8. Mitchell Johnson, Australia vs England – 156.8 km/h
- 7. Fidel Edwards, West Indies vs South Africa – 157.7 km/h
- 6. Andy Roberts, West Indies vs Australia – 159.5 km/h
- 5. Mitch Starc, Australia vs New Zealand – 160.4 km/h
- 4. Jeff Thomson, Australia vs West Indies – 160.6 km/h
- 3. Shaun Tait, Australia vs England – 161.1 km/h
- 2. Brett Lee, Australia vs New Zealand – 161.1 km/h
- 1. Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan vs England – 161.3 km/h
10. Shane Bond, New Zealand vs India – 156.4 km/h
New Zealand’s Shane Bond is unfortunately remembered among cricket fans as much for his proneness to injury as he is for his cricketing ability. Indeed, he missed more games than he played during his career, but the fella sure could bowl!
He recorded his fastest ball at the 2003 World Cup against India, bowling at an impressive 156.4 km/h.
9. Mohammad Sami, Pakistan vs Zimbabwe – 156.4 km/h
Mohammad Sami was a right-arm fast bowler for Pakistan between 2001 and 2016. He recorded the same speed as Bond with a bowl against Zimbabwe in 2003 clocking in at 156.4 km/h.
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8. Mitchell Johnson, Australia vs England – 156.8 km/h
Australian Mitchell Johnson narrowly pips Sami and Bond into eighth place on our list of the fastest balls ever bowled in international cricket. One of the country’s fast-balling legends, Johnson recorded a ball of 156.8 km/h against Australia’s bitter rivals England in 2003.
Johnson’s skills weren’t solely confined to bowling either. He recorded a century and 11 fifties with the bat in his hand during his Test career.
7. Fidel Edwards, West Indies vs South Africa – 157.7 km/h
Hailing from Barbados, Fidel Edwards turned out for the West Indies between 2003 and 2021. He caught South Africa out in a match in 2003 with a ball bowled at 157.7 km/h.
6. Andy Roberts, West Indies vs Australia – 159.5 km/h
Another West Indian, ‘the Hit Man’ Andy Roberts, came from Antigua and Barbuda and recorded an astonishing 159.5 km/h in a match against Australia back in 1975.
He was renowned throughout his career for delivering two kinds of bouncers. He threw a slower ball that was easier for the batsman to lull them into a false sense of security. He’d follow this up with a faster ball that would catch them off guard. Hustler.
5. Mitch Starc, Australia vs New Zealand – 160.4 km/h
Australian Mitch Starc is the first leftie to appear on our list. Starc enjoys a reputation as one of the best – and fastest – bowlers in cricket history. He clocked his fastest ball at 160.4 km/h against New Zealand in 2015, the same year he helped Australia win the World Cup.
4. Jeff Thomson, Australia vs West Indies – 160.6 km/h
Andy Roberts bowled an impressive 159.5 km/h for the West Indies against Australia back in 1975, but Australia’s Jeff Thomson repaid the favour – and then some – that same year. He bowled a ball against the West Indies in Perth that registered 160.6 km/h.
3. Shaun Tait, Australia vs England – 161.1 km/h
Right-arm fast bowler Shaun Tait played for Australia from 2004 to 2016. He developed a reputation in the ODI game, taking 62 wickets in his ODI career. His fastest ball came in 2010 against old rivals England when he bowled at 161.1 km/h.
2. Brett Lee, Australia vs New Zealand – 161.1 km/h
Are you sensing a trend here? Brett Lee is the fourth Australian bowler in a row so far on our top-five list of the fastest balls ever bowled in international cricket. During his stellar career, he took 310 Tests, 280 ODIs, and 487 first-class wickets.
His fastest ball of 161.1 hm/h came in 2005 against Australia’s closest neighbours, New Zealand.
1. Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan vs England – 161.3 km/h
Nicknamed the “Rawalpindi Express,” Pakistani bowler Shoaib Akhtar earned a reputation as the fastest bowler in the world during his career. He proved that he was well worth the reputation at the 2003 World Cup when he bowled a ball at a staggering 161.3 km/h against England.
This remains, to this day, the fastest ball ever bowled in international cricket.
READ MORE: Challenges and opportunities: the future of cricket in Ireland
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