Greatest_Game you do realise we beat Australia in Australia the last time we played them right? The SA series was a low point, lots of turmoil going on in the camp with the captain just being sacked and Taylor refused to tour SA because of that so the results can be taken with a grain of salt. Steyn is certainly better but no way is 'one hit wonder' Philander, he isn't even in the same league, he is averaging 45 with the ball this year. They are on par with Morkel and both will retire with better records. This is tests match cricket we are talking, Boult isn't even a regular in our ODI side. Sangakkara was taken to the cleaners by Boult in Sri Lanka.

@Greatest_Game They are right up there, because they do it on flat pitches with no help as well. Steyn and Morkel can't bowl well on the subcontinent. Plus Steyn and Morkel have more pace, which isn't so much a skill or how good you are but it's more natural. Like say in football, the fastest runner isn't the best player, but it helps his play for the position. If these two were that quick they'd destroy the figures of the south africans. I rate them equal at this time overall

Southee/Boult can lay claim to being the "best new ball pair" when they have success against one of the heavyweight teams like Australia or South Africa. They have not faced up to the best batsmen in the world since they last got hammered in SA, when the best "new ball bowlers" dismissed NZ for 49, soon before they dismissed Pakistan for 48, and not long after they shot out Aus for 47. Dismissing all three of those teams for under 50 runs is the mark of the "best" new ball bowlers. (Sangakkara is a highly ranked batsman, & a lion on the SC, but he blows hot & cold elsewhere.)

Meanwhile Southee/Boult remain well behind Steyn & Philander/Morkel, as we saw in the recent ODIs in NZ.