The Best Pace Bowling Trio in Test Cricket History

Cricket's pinnacle and ultimate format - 'The Test' - is stunning. It has several dimensions associated with it that make it second to none, and glorify its aesthetics. From the tough grind of five days, braving variable conditions and the ebbs and flows, to the sheer intensity of battles, the format is synonymous with life. It examines the players on their skills, tenacity, patience and perseverance. The real growth in a player occurs when the performance at the elite level is matched with consistency, and the red ball game is a great teacher of that subject. 

One such beautiful aspect of the longest format of the game is 'Pace Bowling'. Speed, thrill, goosebumps, fieriness, aggression, lethality, impact, etc, are some of the superlatives that describe it. Further, proverbs like 'Smell the Leather', 'Perfume Ball', 'Chin Music', among others, have been used as colloquial sayings in Test Cricket. They are all its indispensable parts.

A bowler, adorning the whites, marking his run-up, striding ahead with firm steps, the ball like a red cherry in his hands, arriving at the wicket and the popping crease, and then releasing the ball with immense pace, is a sight to behold. Add to it the crowd rooting for him, and the entire scenario becomes a spectacle and a piece of art. It would be perfect to call it 'Poetry in Motion', after all, it's merely about rhythm, flow, momentum and resonance. The better these are, the higher the chances of the ball obeying the bowler's commands, making the batters dance with them. 

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This leads us to an intriguing question - 'Which has been the best pace bowling trio in the history of Test Cricket?' and how do numbers complement those players who are part of the said set. The eras that were decorated by their immaculate and fearful bowling, the comparison between them and their contemporary counterparts, and the legacy they had built for the current generations to take a cue from - all these shall aid in ranking the trios and provide an enriching insight into the folklore of bowling in Test Cricket. 

It is vital to mention that pace pairs are more common in a Test side. To support this assertion, one must look at the incisive swing bowling duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis of Pakistan, and the English pair of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Finding and getting three such bowlers involved in the same team is a rarity. This includes only pure quicks and excludes fast bowling all-rounders.

However, in the 1970s-80s, the West Indies team were blessed and privileged to have a deadly bowling arsenal which was a pentad - a set of five. It was made up of the likes of Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, and Colin Croft. They featured regularly and bowled in tandem. Back then, there used to be no respite from any end. The batters did not get any discounts, and each one of those who faced them was like a deer in the headlights. 

Marshall, Garner, Holding

The trio of Marshall, Garner and Holding played 26 Test matches together and amassed 331 wickets at a frightening average of 22.51. They operated as a group for a span of 7-8 years during the 1980s. Their fast bowling exploits brought glory to the West Indies, and consequently, the team ruled the game by a handsome margin over others. 

Ambrose, Bishop, Walsh

During the 1990s, the Caribbean Test Cricket team boasted a potent trio of fast bowlers in Ambrose, Bishop, and Walsh. They shared their 412 wickets almost identically and democratically. They are, in fact, believed to be more lethal than their predecessors. 

McGrath, Gillespie, Lee

At the start of the century, Australia dominated World Cricket with elegance and pride. At the heart of the matter were the trio of McGrath, Gillespie, and Lee. In 22 matches, they scalped 243 wickets at an average of 28.47, as a unit. Moreover, among those 22 games, they won 15 and lost just three. 

Flintoff, Hoggard, Harmison

Going neck and neck with their arch-rivals, Australia, England put across an impressive pace trio of Flintoff, Hoggard, and Harmison. During the same period and in 33 matches together, they struck 383 times. At home, they were almost unbeatable as they recorded 11 wins, 3 draws and just one loss. This included the famous Ashes series win in 2005. 

Steyn, Morkel, Philander

In the phase between 2011 and 2018, South Africa's red-ball bowling was spearheaded by three of the best quicks of this generation. Steyn breathed fire with his impeccable 'seam and swing' skills, Philander was consistently sharp, incisive and immaculate with his line and lengths, and Morkel extracted steep bounce courtesy of his height. As a combination, they were a nightmare for the opposition batters and were responsible for the Proteas holding the Test Mace during this period. Additionally, they ensured a perfect away record, winning 13 tests together, outside South Africa.  

Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood

Australia's current big three in Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood have become the epitome of pace bowling and are recognised as ambassadors of Test Cricket. They bear a knack for searching for different yet successful ways to challenge the batters. Their presence has made their home, Down Under, a fortress and difficult to breach. Each one of them has bagged more than 150 wickets in 38 matches together, so far. Cumulatively, they have hunted down 466 batters by victimising them at an effectively paltry average of 24.50. 

Boult, Southee, Wagner

The New Zealand trio of Boult, Southee, and Wagner are statistically head and shoulders above everyone else. Playing together, in 40 matches, the Kiwis relished and dismissed the opposition batters an astounding 535 times, making them perish at an average of 25.98. They also possess symmetrical bowling numbers. Further, their mean of 13.38 wickets, together, per game makes them, hands down, way ahead of all the other names mentioned.