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How many bowlers have broken the 100 mile an hour barrier when bowling in international cricket (ODI and Tests only)?

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    Speed guns are a relatively recent invention and are not nearly as accurate as they imply by quoting the speed to two decimal places. Breaking the 100mph barrier, as reported by the speed gun, takes a combination of speed and luck...
    – Bogdanovist
    Commented May 23, 2013 at 3:18
  • @Bogdanovist, true. I've heard quite a lot of how fast the WI bowlers were in the old times, but unfortunately, they weren't clocked for speed that well. Also, along with speed and luck, it takes a tremendous toll on the body. This is why Shaun Tait has retired from Tests and ODIs.
    – xylon97
    Commented May 23, 2013 at 7:07

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There was a rumor that Jeff Thomson of Australia was the first bowler to break the 100 mph while bowling in international cricket. Later Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan clocked more than 100 mph in a world cup match against England.

Once Mohammad Sami had also clocked the same but later it was found that the speed gun might be wrong in that case. Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Shane Bond are some of the bowlers who clocked near 100 mph but there are not enough evidence to support whether they have actually crossed this barrier(Most of the cases it was found that speed gun had problems and hence it showed wrong reading at times).

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    Yes, Shoaib Akhtar is well known across the world. 100.6 mph he clocked to set the world record, if I remember correctly. Shaun Tait also I have seen. The others are a surprise to me, especially Mohammed Sami. Anyways, good contribution, thank you.
    – xylon97
    Commented May 23, 2013 at 7:27
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ESPNcricinfo has a list of the fastest deliveries in World cricket (please read the notes carefully), but it has not been updated for a long time. Of those deliveries. According to this list, Shoaib Akhtar broke the 100mph barrier in an ODI against New Zealand in 2002. Australia's Brett Lee failed just short, with a delivery clocked at 160.8 kmh in 2005.

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    Love it! "If you are able to supply any substantiable information on deliveries not listed below, please contact Eddie."
    – user1564
    Commented Jul 25, 2013 at 18:09
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Just to add to @ACB answer:

Shoaib Akhtar was timed at over 100 mph and was the first bowler that has broken the barrier (I say first as Jeff Thompson was just a rumour!), but his pace was questioned along with colleague Mohammed Asif's, after it was discovered they had both taken the banned substance Nandralone, a steroid which enhances performance.

Therefore, it is widely considered that the pace either can bowl at was not genuine.

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    Very good information, +1. So the only is Shaun Tait, who is a modern day cricketer, so it is very unlikely that he was clocked incorrectly, or found taking drugs.
    – xylon97
    Commented May 24, 2013 at 14:13
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    Shoaib Akhtar's fastest ball record was in 2003 and doping case was in 2006... so it's not fair to say his speed was supported by doping as cricketers do get regular tests for doping and he may have done it in 2006 and not in 2003
    – codefreak
    Commented Jun 23, 2013 at 17:07
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Shoaib Akthar clocked 100 mph at the 2003 World Cup, and he was tested before the match too, its the same World Cup that had Shane Warne kicked out for taking performance enhanced drugs.

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  • This information is already there in other answer. Do you have any additional information?
    – Himanshu
    Commented Dec 9, 2013 at 12:54

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