With the old ball, definitely Wasim and Waqar with the reverse swing.

With the new ball, possibly Lillee and Thompson or maybe Holding and Roberts.

I also like to add:
McGrath and Gillespie
Donald and Pollock
Srinath and Prasad
Marshall and Ambrose was short lived but lethal
Harmison and Hoggard had some good moments, but I think it’s also because they had Flintofff and Jones/Anderson to follow

Donald and Pollock was one I had forgotten. A good contrast in styles and pace.
I was never a massive fan of Gillespie's to be honest. Maybe the 2005 series was a memory I shouldn't lean towards?

Dennis Lillee? Please.

We're so quick to call batsmen "flat track bullies" and "home track bullies", about time we started applying it to bowlers as well.

Lillee played 74 test matches, an enormous 4 of them in the subcontinent where he averaged 68. He picked up a total of 355 test wickets, only 6 of them in the subcontinent.

Nothing but an average bowler that thrived on lively wickets.

Steyn/Morkel were a good combo.

comment by VK18 (U22300)
posted 5 minutes ago
Dennis Lillee? Please.

We're so quick to call batsmen "flat track bullies" and "home track bullies", about time we started applying it to bowlers as well.

Lillee played 74 test matches, an enormous 4 of them in the subcontinent where he averaged 68. He picked up a total of 355 test wickets, only 6 of them in the subcontinent.

Nothing but an average bowler that thrived on lively wickets.
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So you're rating Lillee on four matches only?

There were many English bowlers that the captain could throw the ball to when all seemed lost. Greatest workhorses ever were Snow and Underwood. Deadly Derek was better than any of the Indian or Pakistan spinners now or then.

comment by Barefoot (U19770)
posted 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
comment by VK18 (U22300)
posted 5 minutes ago
Dennis Lillee? Please.

We're so quick to call batsmen "flat track bullies" and "home track bullies", about time we started applying it to bowlers as well.

Lillee played 74 test matches, an enormous 4 of them in the subcontinent where he averaged 68. He picked up a total of 355 test wickets, only 6 of them in the subcontinent.

Nothing but an average bowler that thrived on lively wickets.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So you're rating Lillee on four matches only?
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He refused to play there because he knew he wouldn't get any wickets.

Boult and Southee deserve a mention. Especially in NZ where there is more grass on the wicket than my back yard.

All good opening pairs

I do think Lillee and Hadlee both suffered in the subcontinent and didn’t play enough there, but no doubt both were great bowlers

I think the 2005 Gillespie was terrible yes, but he was a very good bowler in the late 90s and early 2000s