In no particular order here’s our list of bowlers we expect to be near the top of the wicket taking charts at the Cricket World Cup beginning on February 14th in Australia and New Zealand. Odds courtesy of BetEasy.
1. Mitchell Johnson
145 matches, 224 wickets, 25.50 average, 4.82 economy rate, 6/31 best bowling
The left-arm quick has already ended a few cricket careers prematurely due to his fearsome pace, and there’s a very good chance he’ll do the same over the next six weeks. His ability to swing the ball late in conjunction with his accurate short balls should be too much for many of the associate nations’ batsman. He’ll probably be too much for the batsman of test playing nations too.
Odds – $10.00
2. Dale Steyn
96 matches, 151 wickets, 25.14 average, 4.80 economy rate, 6/39 best bowling
With the tournament hosted in New Zealand and Australia and the threat of spin accordingly minimised, quickies will play a big role in the tournament. One of the better quicks going around is the angry faced Dale Steyn. The spearhead of the South African team will take his team deep into the tournament and will enjoy the swimming conditions of both host nations. Unsurprisingly, he’s one of the favourites to top the wicket tally.
Odds – $11.00
3. James Anderson
188 matches, 264 wickets, 28.84 average, 4.90 economy rate, 5/23 best bowling
Another swing bowler that is likely to make an impression at the Cricket World Cup is England’s James Anderson. Anderson’s major weapons are his accurate outswingers and impeccable length. Not only will he nick off a lot of batsman, he’ll also keep the scoring rate down and take wickets by frustrating the opposition batting lineup by drying up their runs.
Odds – $21.00
4. Lasith Malinga
177 matches, 271 wickets, 27.21 average, 5.21 economy rate, 6/38 best bowling
Although’s Malinga has faced an uphill battle to get himself fit for the Cricket World Cup, we still expect him to play a huge role. The “slinger” is one of the best death bowlers in the business and one of the most sought after Twenty20 players because of it. An uncanny knack of bowling the perfect yorker is mixed with effective slower balls and change up bouncers in an arsenal of deliveries that will get wickets at the top and the tail of the innings.
Odds – $15.00
5. Morne Morkel
91 matches, 152 wickets, 24.69 average, 4.95 economy rate, 5/21 best bowling
At 6ft 5in Morne Morkel was never going to be anything other than a quick with steeling bounce (not Mohammad Irfan bounce, but close). South Africa doesn’t quite have the bounce friendly draw they would have hoped for, but Morkel will still take wickets because unlike in test cricket, batsman have to find ways to score off him – they can’t just leave hime all day.
Odds – $17.00
6. Rangana Herath
67 matches, 71 wickets, 31.07 average, 4.36 economy rate, 4/20 best bowling
The first spinner on our list is the 8th best ODI bowler according to the official rankings. Herath is a round arm leftie, who darts in tricky straight turners at an awkwardly slow pace. His preferred mode of dismissal is bowled and lbw we also think his slow loop through the air will catch a few of his opponents short on the bigger grounds and have them caught on the boundaries edge. Sri Lanka will be quarterfinalists at worst so he’ll get plenty of games in to take the wickets.
Odds – $26.00
7. Trent Boult
16 matches, 18 wickets, 34.94, 4.70 economy rate, 4/44 best bowling
It seems silly not to include a New Zealand when so many pundits are predicting the Black Caps to go all the way in the tournament it seems a shame not to include one of their frontline bowlers. But when the choice is between Southee, Boult, Vettori, Milne, McClengahan and Mills it gets tricky to pick one. We’re going with Boult. Complements Southee so brilliantly and makes top order batsman play more than any other opening bowler going around. Even without the abundance of experience that others on this list have we’re predicting big things from Boult.
Odds – $26.00
8. Moeen Ali
17 wickets, 17 wickets, 37.29 average, 4.69 economy rate, 2/34 best bowling
Without Sunil Narine and Saeed Ajmal the tournament is lacking in quality spinners. However, that doesn’t mean spinners won’t be a factor. One spinner we think has a big role to play is England all-round Moeen Ali. England might not play a specialist spinner in James Tredwell meaning Ali will more often than not bowl his ten overs, and with a support cast of Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes at the other end, he’ll get some cheapie brought on by the pressure they impose. Wickets in every single game of the recent tri-series indicates he’s in form too. We’re picking a list of Cricket World Cup wickets longer than his beard in 2015.
Odds – $67.00
9. Mitchell Starc
33 matches, 61 wickets, 21.27 average, 5.00 economy rate, 6/43 best bowling
Starc may just be the most in form bowler heading in to the Cricket World Cup out of all the contenders. He proved just how good he is with the first two balls of the Carlton Mid Tri-Series recently; taking wickets of both of them, dismissing Ian Bell and James Taylor, and he didn’t stop taking wickets at any stage during the tournament. Swing, and toe-crushingly good yorkers have seen Starc join the other Mitchell (Johnson) as the player performance market favourite.
Odds – $10.00
10. Shakib Al Hasan
141 matches, 182 wickets, 27.92 average, 4.26 economy rate, 4/16 best bowling
Every list has to have a smokey right? Even so, Shakib is an absolute smokey as he will probably play three less games than some of the others. Can he make up those numbers in earlier games? We think so. If his Big Bash League form (played on Australian soil) is anything to go buy. The canny spinner averaged 13.85 with the ball in the Twenty20 series, taking 7 wickets in just 16 overs. Probably worth a $1 punt.
Odds – $126.00
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
