Top ten fastest bowlers in modern history

Shaun Tait

3. Shaun Tait (Australia)

Nicknamed ‘The Wild Thing’, the South Australian quick has a slinging action which reminds one of former great Jeff Thomson. He is also considered as one of the fastest bowlers in the world, often delivering the ball at speeds upwards of 150 km/hr.

In a T20 international game against Pakistan in 2010, Tait sent down a delivery clocked at 160.7 km/hr. Despite his speed, the slinger is very erratic and inclined to spray the ball around; as a result, he usually proves to be expensive, especially in ODI cricket. Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori and then-coach John Bracewell publicly expressed their doubts over the legality of Tait’s bowling action in 2007 – something that did not go down well with the tearaway.

He retired from ODIs after the 2011 World Cup to focus solely on Twenty20 cricket – he had helped the side win its fourth world championship title in 2007 with a series of strong performances. Injuries also have forced him to take an indefinite break from first-class cricket. His 160.7 km/hr delivery is the third fastest behind Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee.