Cricket is seen as a sport dominated by batters and considered as if once the batting line is strong, then that team would be difficult to chase or defend against due to their strong batting lineup. But one should never underestimate the contribution of the bowlers in the team cricket is a team game, and today we are looking at some bowlers whom batters feared to face not only because of their tight line and length but also because of their heights. We are looking at the Top 10 Tallest Bowlers in the World who have stepped into a cricket field and have terrorized their opponents with deadly bouncers, pace, and on-point Yorkers.
1. Joel Garner
Born on 16th December 1952, this West Indian is regarded as the highest-ranked bowler in ODIs by ICC's best bowling ratings. Nicknamed Big Bird, Garner was a part of the West Indian team who won the world cup in 1979. With his impressive height of 6 ft. 8 inches, he made his International ODI debut on 16th March 1977 against Pakistan. He was considered the tallest fast bowler to play test cricket debuted in 1977. Garner has played 58 tests and 98 ODIs, taking 259 and 146 wickets with an average of 20.97 and 18.84, respectively. Seven times he took a 5-wicket haul in test matches and 3 in ODIs.
2. Bruce Reid
Bruce Anthony Reid, born on 14th March 1963, is a 6ft. 8 inches tall Australian fast-medium bowler. He made his ODI debut on 9th January 1986 against New Zealand and his test debut in December 1985 against India, He was part of the Australian side that lifted their first world cup during the 1987 cricket world Cup tournament and the first Australian to take a hat-trick in the ODI format of the game. He played 27 tests and 61 ODIs for Australia, where he took 113 and 63 wickets with an average of 24.63 and 34.96 for Australia. He took five wickets haul five times in test matches and once in ODIs.
3. Boyd Rankin
William Boyd Rankin is the only player on this list to play for two countries during his career. Born on 5th July 1984, Rankin is a Northern Irish who formerly played for the Ireland International Cricket team and briefly for England. Standing at 6ft. 8 inches, he has a distinctive bouncing action which, according to him, is a modelled-on bowler in Curtly Ambrose and Glenn McGrath. Rankin made his test debut on 3rd January 2007 against Bermuda and his T20I debut on 8th June 2009 against West Indies. He has only played 3 test matches, where he took eight wickets at an average of 38, 75 ODIs with 106 wickets at an average of 27.87, and 50 T20Is with 55 wickets at an average of 22.16.
4. Curtly Ambrose
Born on 21st September 1963, Sir Curtly Elconn Lyn Wall Ambrose is an Antiguan former West Indian cricketer who played 98 test matches and took 405 wickets with a bowling average of 20.99. His great height of 6ft 7inches allowed him to bowl unusual bouncers, coupled with his pace and accuracy, made him one of the toughest bowlers to face, which is why he was regarded as the top player in the ICC Players Rankings for much of his career, he was reluctant to speak to journalists, he was chosen as Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1992 and, after his retirement, entered into ICC Hall of Fame and was selected as one of the West Indies all-time XI, Since his debut in test match in 1988 against Pakistan, replaced retired Joel Garner. He made his point by taking wickets with his 3rd and 9th deliveries and ended up with 4/39 in 10 overs. He has played 176 ODIs, took 225 wickets with an average of 24.12 and taken five wickets hauls four times.
5. Kyle Jamieson
Born on 30th December 1994, Kyle Jamieson is a New Zealand cricketer. Standing 6ft 8 inches tall, he made his international debut in February 2020 against India, the tallest player to play international cricket for New Zealand. During the 2019-2021 World Tes Championship, Jamieson was a member of the New Zealand side and got five wickets in the first innings during the final. He has also represented New Zealand in ODIs and T20I. Making his debut on 8th February 2020 and 27th November 2020 respectively. During his career, he has played 16 tests, 8 ODIs taking 72 and 11 wickets with an average of 19.45 and 26.90, respectively. He took five wickets haul five times in test match cricket and once in ODI.
6. Steven Finn
Steven Thomas Finn was born on 4th April 1989 and is a right-arm fast bowler for England. With a nickname of Finny (The Watford Wall), he stands 6ft 7 inches tall and made his test debut on 2nd March 2010 against Bangladesh. Since the senior bowling attack was restricted by injuries, Finn bowled some economical spells and got three wickets. He has played 36 tests, where he took 125 wickets with an average of 30.40 and 69 ODIs with 102 wickets at an average of 29.37. He also got five wickets haul five times in test matches and twice in ODIs.
7. Mohammad Irfan
Born in Gaggo Mandi, Punjab, Pakistan, Mohammad Irfan is the tallest player to play first-class and international cricket. With an impressive height of 7ft 1 inches, Irfan made his international debut for Pakistan in ODIs on 10th September 2010 against England. He has represented the international side in all formats, making his test debut on 14th February 2013 against South Africa and T20I debut on 25th December 2012 against India. During his short test career of 4 matches, and took ten wickets with an average of 38.98. He played for Pakistan in 60 ODIs taking 83 wickets with an average of 30.71.
8. Peter George
Standing 6ft 8 inches tall, Peter George, born on 16th October 1986, is an Australian right-arm fast-medium bowler. George's bowling style compared with former bowler Glenn McGrath. George holds the best bowling figures for Redbacks, where he took four wickets for 56 runs against Tasmania in Hobart. George has only played one test match, debuted on 7th October 2010 against India, and took two wickets with an average of 38.50; his bowling figure was 2/48.
9. Suliman Benn
The only spinner over 6 feet on this list is Suliman Benn standing 6ft 7 inches tall Suliman Benn was born on 22nd July 1981. Benn was a member of the West Indian side that won the 2016 T20I World Cup. He is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler who made his international debut for West Indies in 2008. His test debut was against Sri Lanka, and his ODI debut was in 2015. During his career, he played 26 tests and 47 ODIs, taking 87 and 39 wickets, respectively, with a bowling average of 39.10 in tests and 49.05 in ODIs. He has taken five wickets haul six times in test match cricket for West Indies with a best bowling figure of 6/81.
10. Taskin Ahmed
Standing 6ft 2 inches tall, Taskin Ahmed Tazim Bangladeshi cricketer born on 3rd April 1994, is a right-arm fast bowler. Taskin, nicknamed Dhaka Express made his international debut for Bangladesh on 1st April 2014 and took the wicket of Glenn Maxwell in his first T20I match. Making his ODI debut on 17th June 2014 against India, he got his first five-wicket haul and became the first Bangladeshi bowler to do so. While completing his test debut, he took out Kane Williamson as his first test wicket. With an impressive performance across all the formats, Taskin was the fastest Bangladeshi bowler during the 2021 T20 World Cup, where he bowled a delivery that clocked 150+km/h. Till now, he has played 12 test matches, 57 ODIs, and 52 T20Is, where he has taken 25, 67, and 48 wickets with a bowling average of 55.92, 32.67, and 29.40, respectively.
