Extreme pace is over-rated

Who are the fastest seam bowlers in the world?: Shoaib, Brett Lee, Shane Bond.

(Bond is the fastest bowler with a 'pure' action - Shoaib and Lee both have hyper-extensible elbows; and both will chuck apparently deliberatley if not kept a close eye on; and Lee has bowled deliberate full pace beamers - which is despicable)

Shoaib and Bond are injured most of the time and have played very few tests. Lee... just isn't that good in test matches - he is expensive, and he doesn't take many wickets.

But who are the best seam bowlers in the world?: McGrath, Pollock (low eighties mph), maybe Ntini at present (about 85 mph)...

See - extreme pace is over-rated!

It is exciting (for the spectator, at any rate) - but pace above 85 mph doesn't appear to add very much, and the strain on the body is clearly too great for most physiques (Lee manages OK, he seems to be a superb athelete and very flexible).

So - don't worry about extreme pace, don't strive for extreme pace - if you are a selector don't be over-impressed by extreme pace - go for control and some variation.

My next item will be 'swing bowling is over-rated'.