Five greatest exponents of the yorker in cricket

#1 Waqar Younis

Nobody has bowled the yorker as effectively as Waqar Younis

Among all varieties of yorker, the most spectacular is one which curves in sharply, that too at a late stage. If such a delivery is bowled at a great pace, it is hardest for the batsmen. This is what Waqar Younis specialized in.

The art of reverse swing was taken to new heights by the duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar. But it was the latter who combined this rare skill with the equally special skill of hitting the blockhole to produce the most devastating toe-crushers in the history of the game.

A yorker is tough when it is bowled at a fast pace. It is tougher when swinging at a fast pace. And when swinging late at a very fast pace, the batsman can only rely on his luck to survive. This is why so many were at sea dealing with Younis’ toe-crushers. His yorkers were imbued with pace and reverse-swing. And, it is well known that when the ball reverse-swing, it swings very late.

As the batsmen tried to get their toes out of the way and bat in line to block these deliveries, the ball would keep curving in and follow the toes. Eventually, the batsman would be left limping or walking back to the pavilion with his stumps rattled.

Many batsmen lost their balance in their desperate attempt to get their feet out of harm’s way and suffered the double ignominy of ending up on their knees while seeing their stumps dismantled. Few sights in cricket have been as enthralling as this and Waqar produced them many times.