Top 5 wicket takers, in ODI World Cups (part 1)
As we know the World cup is the ultimate prize in the cricketing World. Nothing is greater for a player, than a World cup success. Every team and every player waits for this occasion for four years, and indulges themselves to prepare for cricket’s biggest
prize.
Resultantly, every player in the World wants to perform brilliantly in World Cups. As, a result every cricketer eyes cricket’s ultimate prize and wants his name on the honours board. So they prepare for a precious month of ICC World Cup cricket that comes
after every four years.
In doing so, a player continues to perform well throughout these four years to gain consistency and rhythm, so that it can help him during the cause of World Cups.
Performing on the biggest stage defines someone as a cricketer. Player’s ability to perform on a stage where it matters the most, it shows the mental strength of a cricketer, it is how he handles the pressure, and his ability to survive in pressure situations
and hostile conditions.
Bowlers should have great courage and mental ability to come up with all the ingredients required, to pass the exam with flying colours.
In today’s cricket it is tough for the bowlers as there is a little margin of error. The best of the bowlers have to survive batting-friendly conditions. As a bowler you have to work extra hard to be at your best, especially, in pressure situations in World
cups.
There have been many great bowlers, who have been a great success on the biggest stage of the game. The list of the star performers, with the ball in the World cups is endless.
Consequently, we have to look at the top 5 wicket takers in the World cups. Currently the list comprises the following bowling greats:
Glenn McGrath
History will remember him, as the greatest line and length bowler ever to grace a cricket pitch. Keeping Dennis Lillie aside, few would dispute his status as the greatest Australian fast men ever, to play this great game of cricket.
Moreover, in addition to his accuracy, there was something more that really made him the man known as “Pigeon”. It was his ability to extract extra bounce from almost any kind of a surface, it has added value to his bowling.
Pace might not get a bowler many wickets. Pace and swing works, but extra bounce always does the trick. So, McGrath was not only about line and length, but he also used his height to good effect, and these qualities were backed up by a great bowling brain.
He knew how to trouble batsmen from around the world.
Most of the bowlers around the world have these qualities, but what made Pigeon great, was his ability to use his weapons consistently, and his ability to set up a particular batsman.
Test cricket was tailor made for Glenn McGrath. Critics said that he might struggle in ODIs due to lack of variety in his bowling, but he proved everybody wrong. His 381 wickets at an average of 22 in 250 matches is evidence of his success in ODI cricket.
Moreover, in his last World Cup appearance in 2007 in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292.
In all, Glenn McGrath has featured in 39 World cup matches and has taken 71 wickets at an impressive average of 18 with a best of 7/15. His tally of 71 wickets includes 2 five-wicket-hauls. Add to this, his economy rate of 3.96 and strike rate of 27 is exceptional,
considering the fact that this is a batsman’s game.
However, in the last World cup in 2007, he took an amazing tally of 26 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 13. His performance in the Caribbean earned him the Man-of-the-series-award that is the first by a bowler in World Cups.
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