The best series for fast bowlers
In the recently concluded Ashes series, Australia's fast bowlers took 79
wickets at an average of 18.35. Mitchell Johnson led the way with 37 at
a rate of 13.97 each, but the others played a huge role too: Ryan
Harris' 22 wickets came at 19.31 each, while Peter Siddle took only 16,
but was the most economical of the lot, and averaged 24.12 per wicket. Overall,
it was the best average by a pace attack in an Ashes series since 1890.
These were clearly special numbers
put up by the Australian pace attack, and this week's Numbers Game
looks at other such great fast-bowling displays in a series of at least
four Tests, since1970.
This Ashes performance by Australia is up there among the best ones, but
it isn't on top. There are two series of four or more Tests during this
period when fast bowlers from a side have done even better. The top
performance in the list below remains an Australian one, but not in an
Ashes series: against West Indies in the home series in 2000-01 - in
what was another 5-0 whitewash - the Australian pace attack took 59 wickets at 17.57. Glenn McGrath led the way with 21 wickets at 17.09 (including a hat-trick in Perth),
while Jason Gillespie took 20 at 18.40, and Brett Lee 11 at 16.09.
These numbers exclude the contributions from Colin Miller, who took 20
wickets at 18.25, because he also bowled some offspin to go with his
medium pace. Add his stats, and Australia's wickets tally goes up to 79,
exactly as many as they took in the recent Ashes, at an average of
17.75, still the best by any team during this period.
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