ESPNcricinfo Awards 2014 ODI bowling nominees: The all-pace all-stars
From Malinga to Taskin, it's wall-to-wall fast bowlers on this shortlist
13-Jan-2015
Taskin Ahmed took 5 for 28 on debut, but ended up on the losing side • AFP
Lasith Malinga
5 for 52 vs Pakistan
Asia Cup, Fatullah
Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal had put together a decent partnership and the crowd was all Pakistan in Fatullah. Suranga Lakmal broke the stand and then it was Malinga, coming off two wicketless spells. His first wicket, that of Shahid Afridi, was credit to Dinesh Chandimal, who took a great catch. Misbah departed two balls later, again not to a great ball, and the crowd was silenced. Pakistan's chances were slipping, and they were well and truly shot when the next three wickets in his two overs wrapped up the tail.
5 for 52 vs Pakistan
Asia Cup, Fatullah
Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal had put together a decent partnership and the crowd was all Pakistan in Fatullah. Suranga Lakmal broke the stand and then it was Malinga, coming off two wicketless spells. His first wicket, that of Shahid Afridi, was credit to Dinesh Chandimal, who took a great catch. Misbah departed two balls later, again not to a great ball, and the crowd was silenced. Pakistan's chances were slipping, and they were well and truly shot when the next three wickets in his two overs wrapped up the tail.
Lasith Malinga
5 for 56 vs Pakistan
Asia Cup final, Mirpur
As ever, Malinga proved Sri Lanka's weapon of mass destruction, although there was a twist to his Man-of-the-Match performance in the Asia Cup final. Rather than rule at the death, he made his incisions with the new ball, taking wickets in each of his first three overs to leave Pakistan 18 for 3. He returned in the middle of the innings to apply another brake, removing the set Misbah-ul-Haq, and although his figures took some damage later on, he completed a five-wicket haul in the final over. No other Sri Lanka bowler took a wicket, as Malinga single-handedly set about stopping the opposition.
5 for 56 vs Pakistan
Asia Cup final, Mirpur
As ever, Malinga proved Sri Lanka's weapon of mass destruction, although there was a twist to his Man-of-the-Match performance in the Asia Cup final. Rather than rule at the death, he made his incisions with the new ball, taking wickets in each of his first three overs to leave Pakistan 18 for 3. He returned in the middle of the innings to apply another brake, removing the set Misbah-ul-Haq, and although his figures took some damage later on, he completed a five-wicket haul in the final over. No other Sri Lanka bowler took a wicket, as Malinga single-handedly set about stopping the opposition.
Chris Jordan
5 for 29 vs Sri Lanka
third ODI, Old Trafford
England needed to respond after being rolled for 99 in the previous match at Chester-le-Street and on a slate-grey, dank and damp Manchester day (Sri Lanka played as though they expected a washout) Jordan helped lift spirits with a hostile spell of fast bowling. Sri Lanka's middle order could not cope with the swing or bounce, and three of Jordan's wickets came from edges to the keeper or the slips.
5 for 29 vs Sri Lanka
third ODI, Old Trafford
England needed to respond after being rolled for 99 in the previous match at Chester-le-Street and on a slate-grey, dank and damp Manchester day (Sri Lanka played as though they expected a washout) Jordan helped lift spirits with a hostile spell of fast bowling. Sri Lanka's middle order could not cope with the swing or bounce, and three of Jordan's wickets came from edges to the keeper or the slips.
Taskin Ahmed
5 for 28 vs India
second ODI, Mirpur
A spicy Mirpur pitch, freshened by a rain shower, provided two candidates for this list. Taskin utilised the conditions with alacrity on his ODI debut. His extra pace and high action were allied to excellent control as he removed three of India's top five in his first spell and then returned to help finish off the innings and complete his maiden five-wicket haul in List A cricket, as well as the best bowling by a Bangladeshi debutant. It was not enough to win the match, but at 19 years of age Taskin's emergence was hugely encouraging for his country's pace-bowling stocks.
5 for 28 vs India
second ODI, Mirpur
A spicy Mirpur pitch, freshened by a rain shower, provided two candidates for this list. Taskin utilised the conditions with alacrity on his ODI debut. His extra pace and high action were allied to excellent control as he removed three of India's top five in his first spell and then returned to help finish off the innings and complete his maiden five-wicket haul in List A cricket, as well as the best bowling by a Bangladeshi debutant. It was not enough to win the match, but at 19 years of age Taskin's emergence was hugely encouraging for his country's pace-bowling stocks.
Stuart Binny
6 for 4 vs Bangladesh
second ODI, Mirpur
The prime force in India defending 105 was the little-heralded seam-up of Binny, who became only the third bowler to take more wickets than the runs he conceded in a spell. Making adroit use of a helpful surface and late-evening movement through the air, Binny probed away in the channel outside off, conceding only two scoring shots as Bangladesh's increasingly nervous batsmen were picked off one by one. From 39 for 2, when Binny came on to begin with a maiden, Bangladesh collapsed to 58 all out. It was not quite the same stage as when his father, Roger, helped swing India to the 1983 World Cup, but Stuart claimed his own piece of history with the best-ever figures by an Indian bowler in ODIs.
6 for 4 vs Bangladesh
second ODI, Mirpur
The prime force in India defending 105 was the little-heralded seam-up of Binny, who became only the third bowler to take more wickets than the runs he conceded in a spell. Making adroit use of a helpful surface and late-evening movement through the air, Binny probed away in the channel outside off, conceding only two scoring shots as Bangladesh's increasingly nervous batsmen were picked off one by one. From 39 for 2, when Binny came on to begin with a maiden, Bangladesh collapsed to 58 all out. It was not quite the same stage as when his father, Roger, helped swing India to the 1983 World Cup, but Stuart claimed his own piece of history with the best-ever figures by an Indian bowler in ODIs.
Morne Morkel
5 for 21 vs Australia
second ODI, Perth
South Africa lost the first match on the Australian leg of their World Cup recce but evened the score on the surface that reminds them most of home, in Perth. Morkel immediately found the right length, and the extra lift removed David Warner in the first over. He also got Steven Smith on the pull to put Australia in early trouble at 34 for 4. He returned to pierce the middle order, where his biggest scalp was Glenn Maxwell, who played on without scoring. Australia were dismissed inside 42 overs and Morkel picked up career-best figures.
5 for 21 vs Australia
second ODI, Perth
South Africa lost the first match on the Australian leg of their World Cup recce but evened the score on the surface that reminds them most of home, in Perth. Morkel immediately found the right length, and the extra lift removed David Warner in the first over. He also got Steven Smith on the pull to put Australia in early trouble at 34 for 4. He returned to pierce the middle order, where his biggest scalp was Glenn Maxwell, who played on without scoring. Australia were dismissed inside 42 overs and Morkel picked up career-best figures.
Josh Hazlewood
5 for 31 vs South Africa
second ODI, Perth
With just 154 to defend, Australia needed quick wickets and Hazlewood provided them, generating the type of bounce Morne Morkel had relied on earlier in the match. He dismissed Quinton de Kock in his first over when the opener reached for a short, wide ball but the rest of his wickets came more strategically. Faf du Plessis was done in by a bouncer and Farhaan Behardien was caught fending a short ball off the next delivery, before AB de Villiers nicked to the keeper. Hazlewood did not manage to thwart South Africa's victory but he made it difficult for them to get there.
5 for 31 vs South Africa
second ODI, Perth
With just 154 to defend, Australia needed quick wickets and Hazlewood provided them, generating the type of bounce Morne Morkel had relied on earlier in the match. He dismissed Quinton de Kock in his first over when the opener reached for a short, wide ball but the rest of his wickets came more strategically. Faf du Plessis was done in by a bouncer and Farhaan Behardien was caught fending a short ball off the next delivery, before AB de Villiers nicked to the keeper. Hazlewood did not manage to thwart South Africa's victory but he made it difficult for them to get there.
Chris Woakes
6 for 47 vs Sri Lanka
fifth ODI, Pallekele
Bowling with increased pace and confidently deploying his variations at the death, Woakes shone on a dismal tour for England, finishing as the leading wicket-taker on either side. That was largely down to his haul in Pallekele, which set up England's second win in a match spread over two days. His initial burst was wayward, but after switching ends Woakes picked up the key wicket of Mahela Jayawardene. He then returned in the closing stages to claim the final five wickets, including Kumar Sangakkara for 91, keeping the Sri Lanka total to manageable proportions. The third-best figures for England also made him one of only eight players to have taken two or more six-wicket hauls in ODIs.
6 for 47 vs Sri Lanka
fifth ODI, Pallekele
Bowling with increased pace and confidently deploying his variations at the death, Woakes shone on a dismal tour for England, finishing as the leading wicket-taker on either side. That was largely down to his haul in Pallekele, which set up England's second win in a match spread over two days. His initial burst was wayward, but after switching ends Woakes picked up the key wicket of Mahela Jayawardene. He then returned in the closing stages to claim the final five wickets, including Kumar Sangakkara for 91, keeping the Sri Lanka total to manageable proportions. The third-best figures for England also made him one of only eight players to have taken two or more six-wicket hauls in ODIs.
Matt Henry
5 for 30 vs Pakistan
fifth ODI, Abu Dhabi
New Zealand's burgeoning pace stock was on full display as they rested Tim Southee and Trent Boult in the series decider. Henry produced the clinching display, removing Pakistan's top order with eye-catching pace to complete his maiden international five-wicket haul. After taking out two with the new ball, he ended Ahmed Shehzad's painstaking innings and then snuffed out the chase with the wickets of Sarfraz Ahmed and Shahid Afridi.
5 for 30 vs Pakistan
fifth ODI, Abu Dhabi
New Zealand's burgeoning pace stock was on full display as they rested Tim Southee and Trent Boult in the series decider. Henry produced the clinching display, removing Pakistan's top order with eye-catching pace to complete his maiden international five-wicket haul. After taking out two with the new ball, he ended Ahmed Shehzad's painstaking innings and then snuffed out the chase with the wickets of Sarfraz Ahmed and Shahid Afridi.