Too much cricket affecting fast bowlers - Donald

Allan Donald has lamented the decline of fast bowlers due to hectic schedules and placid pitches and singled out the ability to swing the ball as key to success in such unfriendly conditions.

"The volume of cricket has taken its toll on some of the greatest bowlers in the world right now. It's the survival of the fittest, really," Donald said on Cricinfo's fortnightly audio show Time Out hosted by Harsha Bhogle. "I don't think we played as much cricket as the modern-day cricketer plays. The schedules are ridiculous and the bowlers are subjected to a lot of hard and flat pitches. We'll see bowlers diminishing as the years go on."

Donald criticised the lack of competitiveness in tracks such as the SSC in Colombo, which recently staged a high-scoring draw between Sri Lanka and India but said bowlers like Mohammad Amir, James Anderson and Dale Steyn were those best-placed to combat such conditions.

"Your skill level has to got to be of such a standard in the modern-day game that you've got to move the ball through the air. You've got to have the capability of moving the ball through the air with the new and the old ball on certain surfaces."

He rated the Pakistani pair of Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram as the best fast-bowling combination he's seen play. "Those two were the most skilful bowlers on any pitch around the world, especially in their own backyard. They reversed the ball beautifully. They had real pace through the air. These days you've got Shaun Tait, Dale Steyn and Brett Lee who are capable of doing that but those two were the most unbelievable.

"Wasim was the most skilful of all bowlers. He was outstanding, whether he was reversing over or round the wicket you just never knew what was coming.

"At the moment, at Test-match level, Steyn is the best bowler in the world. I would give Morne Morkel just a year or so from now…the best combination in the world for me is Steyn and Morkel."