top cricket bowlers of all time

12 Test matches; 50 wickets; 25.92 average; 5 28 BBI; 48 strike rate Into the top 10 we go, and this section of the list is opened by Doug Bollinger at No. 10. A left arm seamer who has played just a dozen Tests, Bollinger is capable of getting a great deal of swing in the air. He may yet return for Australia, but at 33 years of age, time is perhaps not on his side.

18 Test matches; 59 wickets; 28.23 average; 6 53 BBI; 47.8 strike rate Perhaps the unluckiest man to play for England, Simon Jones was one of the best in the world when he was in form but was prevented from staying in the side by a brittle body. Like many, he started out as a raw paceman but then began to rely more on swing and variation of pace, and that served him well. His demolition of the Australians in the 2005 Ashes will live long in the memory, especially his use of reverse swing. Unfortunately, his body failed him on a number of occasions.

72 Test matches; 330 wickets; 22.25 average; 8 71 BBI; 47 strike rate South African great Allan Donald follows at No. 8 after a decade of sustained brilliance in Test cricket. A crucial part of the Proteas' reintroduction to international cricket, Donald used raw pace and aggression to great effect. He set a high standard that South African bowlers look to live up to, and he will be remembered as one of their first modern superstars.

81 Test matches; 376 wickets; 20.94 average; 7 22 BBI; 46.7 strike rate With a skiddy action and the ability to find swing and bounce almost anywhere, Malcolm Marshall was one of the most versatile West Indian seamers of all time. In his countrys battery of fast bowlers, Marshall was arguably the best of all as he used his brain to out think batsmen rather than just his sheer pace. He more than made up for his lack of height and was widely mourned when he passed away aged just 41.

13 Test matches; 51 wickets; 29.64 average; 7 78 BBI; 46.3 strike rate For a time, West Indies thought they had found a successor to Marshall in the form of Jermaine Lawson. A tall man who was quick and accurate, Lawson looked more than capable of greatness as he destroyed Bangladesh and Australia in 2003. However, his career was dogged by allegations of an illegal action and having suffered some injury problems he quickly faded from the scene.

26 Test matches; 115 wickets; 21.57 average; 6 44 BBI; 45.8 strike rate A bowler who will have plenty of opportunities to move up this list in the future is South African Vernon Philander. He reached 50 wickets in just seven Tests the second fastest to ever reach the landmark and since then has affirmed his position as one of the Proteas best bowlers. Philander is not as quick as his counterparts but he is cunning and makes good use of swing and seam movement to pick up his wickets. If he continues at his current rate, he will surely only get better and better.

46 Test matches; 178 wickets; 25.69 average; 6 11 BBI; 45.7 strike rate The controversial Shoaib Akhtar follows at No. 4 after a Test career that was interesting, to say the least. Once the fastest bowler in the world, Akhtar ripped apart batting lineups seemingly at will with his searing pace and accuracy. Unfortunately, his radar would sometimes go awry and he was in and out of the side. Coupled with his poor disciplinary record, he never quite fulfilled his promise.

87 Test matches; 373 wickets; 23.56 average; 7 76 BBI; 43.4 strike rate Another Pakistan speedster follows at No. 3, as Waqar Younis is rewarded for a great career with a spot on this list. Exploiting reverse swing and doing so at express pace, Younis also had a yorker that was as deadly as any in the world. Like others, he had his injury struggles but always managed to come roaring back with more inspirational performances for his country. At his retirement, he held the record for the lowest strike rate of any bowler to have 200 Test wickets, and his mark of 43.4 will likely stand the test of time.

75 Test matches; 383 wickets; 22.56 average; 7 51 BBI; 41.7 strike rate Above Younis at No. 2 comes South Africas speed king Dale Steyn, a man more than capable of moving up in this list. His sustained excellence has taken him to the top of the ICC Player Rankings, and after a decade with South Africa he remains their most important fast bowler. Combining some incredible movement in the air and off the pitch, Steyn has decimated even the best batting lineups and will continue to do so for years to come. At 31 years old, he has plenty of time left in international cricket.

18 Test matches; 87 wickets; 22.09 average; 6 51 BBI; 38.7 strike rate Top of the pile comes a somewhat surprising name New Zealander Shane Bond. When on form, his pace was more than a match for any batsman, and his refusal to reduce it at all meant he was susceptible to injury. He broke down regularly, and managing just 18 games in an eight year span tells its own story. However, in full flight he was truly memorable to watch and a strike rate of 38.7 hints at what could have been a truly magnificent career had he fully realised his potential.