The sub-30 bowling machines
Bowlers with averages of less than 30 against every team they played, and in all countries they played in
Travis Basevi and George Binoy
25-Aug-2010
Pakistan was the only country in which Glenn McGrath did not average less than 30 • Getty Images
Which bowler has come closest to averaging less than 30 against all nine other Test nations and in all 10 of them? If you're thinking Muttiah Muralitharan, the taker of 800 wickets, with an average of 22.72 in 133 Tests, you'd be wrong. He conceded more than 30 per wicket against, and in, Australia and India. Shaun Pollock is a better guess, but he missed out in Australia and against them overall as well. The right answer is Glenn McGrath.
McGrath averaged less than 30 against all nine Test teams - the only bowler to do so - and 10 if you include the ICC XI as well (we haven't), against whom he took three wickets at 14 each in the Super Test. His best average, 15, was against Zimbabwe, against whom he played only one Test, and his worst, relatively speaking, was against the South Africans, who scored 27 runs for every wicket they lost to McGrath. He also averaged less than 30 in nine out of 10 countries he played Tests in, including India (21.30), where several celebrated bowlers have struggled to achieve the results they attained elsewhere. The only host country that spoiled McGrath's below-30 record is Pakistan, where he took 19 wickets in five Tests at 31 apiece.
There's only one bowler in the table below with sub-20 averages against every team he bowled against - John Trim, who played four Tests for West Indies between 1948 and 1952. Trim, a right-arm fast bowler, was the first West Indian cricketer from Berbice and he made his debut late, at the age of 33, because of the Second World War. Trim's four Tests were spread out against Australia, England and India, against whom he averaged 11, 14 and 18 respectively. He took 5 for 34 in his final Test at the MCG and little is known about why he did not play on, or why he played so few Tests during his career.
| Player | Span | Mat | Opp | List | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GD McGrath (Aus) | 1993-2007 | 124 | 9 | Zim 15 India 18 WI 19 Eng 20 Pak 21 SL 22 Ban 24 NZ 25 SA 27 | |
| RJ Hadlee (NZ) | 1973-1990 | 86 | 6 | SL 12 Aus 20 WI 22 India 22 Eng 24 Pak 28 | |
| Imran Khan (Pak) | 1971-1992 | 88 | 6 | SL 14 WI 21 India 24 Eng 24 Aus 24 NZ 28 | |
| KR Miller (Aus) | 1946-1956 | 55 | 6 | NZ 3 SA 21 Eng 22 India 24 WI 25 Pak 29 | |
| Mohammad Asif (Pak) | 2005-2010 | 22 | 6 | SL 10 NZ 19 SA 25 Eng 27 India 28 Aus 29 | |
| FS Trueman (Eng) | 1952-1965 | 67 | 6 | India 14 NZ 19 Pak 19 SA 22 WI 23 Aus 25 | |
| WE Bowes (Eng) | 1932-1946 | 15 | 5 | NZ 6 WI 16 India 21 Aus 24 SA 29 | |
| AK Davidson (Aus) | 1953-1963 | 44 | 5 | India 15 SA 17 WI 18 Pak 22 Eng 23 | |
| DW Fleming (Aus) | 1994-2001 | 20 | 5 | SL 20 Pak 25 Eng 25 Zim 26 India 29 | |
| MD Marshall (WI) | 1978-1991 | 81 | 5 | Eng 19 Pak 20 NZ 21 India 21 Aus 22 | |
| CEH Croft (WI) | 1977-1982 | 27 | 4 | Pak 19 Eng 23 NZ 26 Aus 28 | |
| WA Johnston (Aus) | 1947-1955 | 40 | 4 | India 11 Eng 24 SA 25 WI 27 | |
| FH Tyson (Eng) | 1954-1959 | 17 | 4 | NZ 10 Pak 11 SA 16 Aus 25 | |
| NAT Adcock (SA) | 1953-1962 | 26 | 3 | NZ 19 Eng 20 Aus 29 | |
| WW Daniel (WI) | 1976-1984 | 10 | 3 | Eng 24 India 24 Aus 28 | |
| TL Goddard (SA) | 1955-1970 | 41 | 3 | NZ 20 Eng 25 Aus 27 | |
| VWC Jupp (Eng) | 1921-1928 | 8 | 3 | WI 15 SA 23 Aus 28 | |
| James Langridge (Eng) | 1933-1946 | 8 | 3 | WI 14 SA 23 India 26 | |
| WJ O'Reilly (Aus) | 1932-1946 | 27 | 3 | NZ 4 SA 18 Eng 25 | |
| JM Patel (India) | 1955-1960 | 7 | 3 | Aus 21 NZ 22 Pak 24 | |
| PM Pollock (SA) | 1961-1970 | 28 | 3 | NZ 17 Eng 25 Aus 27 | |
| ERH Toshack (Aus) | 1946-1948 | 12 | 3 | NZ 3 India 13 Eng 28 | |
| J Trim (WI) | 1948-1952 | 4 | 3 | Aus 11 Eng 14 India 18 |
Among the current lot of bowlers, Mohammad Asif and Dale Steyn have the best shot at averaging less than 30 against every team, and perhaps in every country as well. Asif's average against Australia dipped below 30 during the "home series" in England, giving him a sub-30 average against all six teams he's played against. He also has excellent averages in Sri Lanka, New Zealand, South Africa and England, but his figures in Australia and in Pakistan are 35 and 42 in four Tests each.
Steyn averages less than 30 against six out of the eight teams he's played against, and in six out of the eight countries he's played in. He goes for more than 30 per wicket against Sri Lanka and England and in both of those countries as well.
| Player | Span | Mat | Opp | List | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SM Pollock (SA) | 1995-2008 | 108 | 8/9 | Ban 15 Zim 15 India 19 Pak 21 NZ 21 SL 22 WI 22 Eng 23 Aus 36 | |
| SK Warne (Aus) | 1992-2007 | 145 | 8/9 | Pak 20 Zim 22 Eng 23 SA 24 NZ 24 SL 25 Ban 27 WI 29 India 47 | |
| CEL Ambrose (WI) | 1988-2000 | 98 | 7/8 | Zim 12 SL 13 SA 18 Eng 18 Aus 21 NZ 21 Pak 27 India 38 | |
| AA Donald (SA) | 1992-2002 | 72 | 7/8 | Zim 16 India 17 SL 19 WI 20 NZ 21 Pak 22 Eng 23 Aus 31 | |
| CA Walsh (WI) | 1984-2001 | 132 | 7/8 | Zim 14 SA 19 India 20 NZ 21 Pak 23 Eng 25 Aus 28 SL 34 | |
| M Muralitharan (ICC/SL) | 1992-2010 | 133 | 7/9 | Ban 13 Zim 16 WI 19 Eng 20 NZ 21 SA 22 Pak 25 India 32 Aus 36 | |
| Shoaib Akhtar (Pak) | 1997-2007 | 46 | 7/9 | NZ 5 Ban 15 WI 20 SA 24 SL 25 Eng 26 Zim 28 India 34 Aus 35 | |
| Waqar Younis (Pak) | 1989-2003 | 87 | 7/9 | Ban 10 NZ 19 Zim 19 SL 22 WI 23 Eng 27 SA 28 Aus 33 India 48 | |
| Wasim Akram (Pak) | 1985-2002 | 104 | 7/9 | NZ 17 WI 20 Zim 21 SL 21 Aus 25 India 28 SA 29 Eng 30 Ban n/a | |
| RJ Hadlee (NZ) | 1973-1990 | 86 | 6/6 | SL 12 Aus 20 WI 22 India 22 Eng 24 Pak 28 | |
| Imran Khan (Pak) | 1971-1992 | 88 | 6/6 | SL 14 WI 21 India 24 Eng 24 Aus 24 NZ 28 | |
| KR Miller (Aus) | 1946-1956 | 55 | 6/6 | NZ 3 SA 21 Eng 22 India 24 WI 25 Pak 29 | |
| Mohammad Asif (Pak) | 2005-2010 | 22 | 6/6 | SL 10 NZ 19 SA 25 Eng 27 India 28 Aus 29 | |
| FS Trueman (Eng) | 1952-1965 | 67 | 6/6 | India 14 NZ 19 Pak 19 SA 22 WI 23 Aus 25 | |
| SE Bond (NZ) | 2001-2009 | 18 | 6/8 | Zim 9 Ban 13 India 16 Pak 19 WI 21 SA 26 SL 30 Aus 96 | |
| DW Steyn (SA) | 2004-2010 | 41 | 6/8 | NZ 16 Ban 17 WI 18 India 20 Pak 23 Aus 27 Eng 34 SL 36 | |
| JEC Franklin (NZ) | 2001-2009 | 26 | 6/9 | Ban 10 Zim 16 Pak 21 SA 25 Eng 27 SL 28 Aus 44 WI 44 India 290 | |
| JN Gillespie (Aus) | 1996-2006 | 71 | 6/9 | Zim 11 Ban 13 WI 21 India 25 SA 27 Eng 29 NZ 31 SL 33 Pak 37 | |
| MJ Hoggard (Eng) | 2000-2008 | 67 | 6/9 | Ban 16 Zim 19 SA 25 WI 28 India 29 SL 29 NZ 34 Aus 38 Pak 38 | |
| M Ntini (SA) | 1998-2009 | 101 | 6/9 | Ban 16 Pak 24 NZ 25 WI 27 India 28 SL 29 Eng 34 Aus 34 Zim 46 | |
| Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak) | 1995-2004 | 49 | 6/9 | Ban 18 Eng 24 WI 25 Zim 26 India 28 NZ 28 Aus 33 SL 34 SA 40 | |
| J Srinath (India) | 1991-2002 | 67 | 6/9 | Pak 20 Ban 22 SA 24 NZ 27 Zim 28 SL 28 Eng 38 WI 40 Aus 42 | |
| HH Streak (Zim) | 1993-2005 | 65 | 6/9 | Ban 16 Pak 22 Eng 24 WI 24 SL 26 India 29 NZ 33 Aus 50 SA 93 |
Curtly Ambrose wreaked havoc on batting line-ups wherever he went, averaging less than 30 in all seven of the countries he played Tests in. He averaged nine in his only Test in Sri Lanka, and his most expensive destination was Pakistan, where a wicket cost him about 25 runs.
Ambrose, however, never played any of his 98 Tests in India. West Indies toured India for Tests only once during his career, in 1994, when Ambrose was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Their previous visit was before Ambrose's debut and their next was after he retired in 2000. However, he did visit India for three one-day tournaments - the Nehru Cup in 1989, the Hero Cup in 1993 and the World Cup in 1996 - and took 32 wickets in 25 ODIs at 22 runs apiece.
He did play nine Tests against India, though, in the Caribbean - four in 1989 and five in 1997 - and took 15 wickets at an average of 38.26. They are the only team Ambrose averaged more than 30 against.
| Player | Span | Mat | Host | List | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEL Ambrose (WI) | 1988-2000 | 98 | 7 | SL 9 Aus 19 Eng 20 WI 21 NZ 22 SA 23 Pak 25 | |
| Imran Khan (Pak) | 1971-1992 | 88 | 7 | SL 18 Pak 19 Eng 24 WI 25 NZ 26 India 28 Aus 28 | |
| AK Davidson (Aus) | 1953-1963 | 44 | 5 | India 15 SA 17 Aus 21 Pak 22 Eng 25 | |
| J Garner (WI) | 1977-1987 | 58 | 5 | Eng 16 NZ 16 Pak 19 WI 22 Aus 25 | |
| IR Bishop (WI) | 1989-1998 | 43 | 4 | Aus 23 Eng 24 WI 24 Pak 26 | |
| WJ O'Reilly (Aus) | 1932-1946 | 27 | 4 | NZ 4 SA 17 Aus 24 Eng 26 | |
| PM Pollock (SA) | 1961-1970 | 28 | 4 | NZ 17 Eng 18 SA 26 Aus 28 | |
| JA Snow (Eng) | 1965-1976 | 49 | 4 | WI 18 Pak 21 Aus 22 Eng 29 | |
| MW Tate (Eng) | 1924-1935 | 39 | 4 | NZ 23 SA 24 Eng 24 Aus 28 | |
| HJ Tayfield (SA) | 1949-1960 | 37 | 4 | NZ 16 SA 25 Eng 26 Aus 28 | |
| FH Tyson (Eng) | 1954-1959 | 17 | 4 | NZ 10 SA 12 Eng 17 Aus 25 |
Pollock and Wasim Akram are the two other bowlers, along with McGrath, with averages of less than 30 in nine out of the 10 countries they played Tests in. Pollock's average against Australia was below 30 in Australia for a large part of his career, but his performances in his last couple of Tests there in 2005-06 lifted it from 29 to 34.
Akram played only two Tests in South Africa and took seven wickets at 39, his only average above 30 in a particular country. Among teams he's played against, Akram averaged less than 30 against all but two: he was wicketless in his 21.4 overs against Bangladesh, and took 57 wickets in 18 Tests against England at 30.66 apiece. His lowest average against England was 26.35, right after the tour in 1992.
| Player | Span | Mat | Host | List | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GD McGrath (Aus) | 1993-2007 | 124 | 9/10 | UAE 7 Zim 15 NZ 18 Eng 19 WI 20 India 21 Aus 22 SA 23 SL 29 Pak 31 | |
| SM Pollock (SA) | 1995-2008 | 108 | 9/10 | Ban 10 Zim 17 SA 21 Pak 22 NZ 23 SL 25 Eng 25 India 27 WI 28 Aus 34 | |
| Wasim Akram (Pak) | 1985-2002 | 104 | 9/10 | Ban 16 NZ 17 SL 20 Pak 22 Aus 24 Zim 26 WI 26 India 27 Eng 28 SA 39 | |
| Waqar Younis (Pak) | 1989-2003 | 87 | 9/11 | Ban 11 Pak 20 SL 21 Zim 21 UAE 23 WI 24 NZ 27 Eng 27 SA 28 Aus 40 India 76 | |
| SK Warne (Aus) | 1992-2007 | 145 | 9/11 | UAE 9 SL 20 NZ 21 Eng 21 Zim 22 SA 24 Aus 26 Ban 27 Pak 28 WI 39 India 43 | |
| AA Donald (SA) | 1992-2002 | 72 | 8/9 | Zim 11 India 16 SL 19 SA 21 Eng 23 NZ 24 WI 24 Aus 28 Pak 32 | |
| M Muralitharan (ICC/SL) | 1992-2010 | 133 | 8/10 | Eng 19 Ban 19 SL 19 NZ 19 WI 23 Pak 24 SA 26 Zim 27 India 45 Aus 75 | |
| Shoaib Akhtar (Pak) | 1997-2007 | 46 | 8/10 | NZ 7 SL 9 UAE 20 Ban 20 India 24 Zim 26 Pak 26 SA 29 Aus 43 Eng 64 | |
| Imran Khan (Pak) | 1971-1992 | 88 | 7/7 | SL 18 Pak 19 Eng 24 WI 25 NZ 26 India 28 Aus 28 | |
| D Gough (Eng) | 1994-2003 | 58 | 6/7 | NZ 19 SL 19 Zim 24 Pak 26 Aus 27 Eng 29 SA 45 | |
| RJ Hadlee (NZ) | 1973-1990 | 86 | 6/7 | SL 12 Aus 17 India 22 NZ 22 Eng 24 WI 27 Pak 44 | |
| RGD Willis (Eng) | 1971-1984 | 90 | 6/7 | India 22 NZ 22 SL 23 Eng 23 Pak 26 Aus 29 WI 51 | |
| DW Steyn (SA) | 2004-2010 | 41 | 6/8 | Ban 12 WI 18 India 20 SA 23 Pak 24 Aus 26 Eng 36 SL 36 | |
| CA Walsh (WI) | 1984-2001 | 132 | 6/8 | India 18 SA 18 NZ 20 Pak 21 WI 23 Eng 24 Aus 34 SL 60 | |
| HH Streak (Zim) | 1993-2005 | 65 | 6/10 | WI 8 Eng 21 Ban 21 Zim 25 SL 28 NZ 29 Pak 31 India 48 SA 84 Aus 130 | |
| J Garner (WI) | 1977-1987 | 58 | 5/5 | Eng 16 NZ 16 Pak 19 WI 22 Aus 25 |
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Travis Basevi is a cricket statistician and UK Senior Programmer for Cricinfo and other ESPN sports websites. George Binoy is an Assistant Editor at Cricinfo