Cricket or Baseball - What is the fastest?

[Sark79]

Who throws/bowls the ball the fastest?   

What is the most skillfull?   

[bolt pp]

baseball fastest

cricket more skillfull

[Sark79]

Do you have to be fit to play baseball?   I know cricket players have good fitness

[TightEnd]

Fastest bowler ever(recorded) Jeff Thomson at 99mph, though Shoaib Akthar came close

Baseball pitchers can get into low 100s


Baseball fitness? Oh yes...upper body for sluggers (and of course huge drug concerns eg Barry bonds, Mark McGuire and absence of mandatory testing for a long time) and general fitness for outfielders/general hitters..based around speed between bases and closing speed for fielding


Bowlers in cricket,of course skilful but can be pitch dependent..ie seam/spin helped by certain pitches and swing heplped by atmospheric conditions...this does not accotun though for geniuses like Warne, Muralitheran and the extremley brilliant quicks..

Baseball pitchers put a range of action on the ball..sliders (start high, end low) cutters (moving in), fast balls, sinkers etc etc all through wrist action and speed of arm...not reliant on pitch conditions

I would say baseball pitchers edge it for speed and skill

[matt674]

some fast bowlers have recorded bowling speeds of 95+mph - the record i believe is Akhtar with 100mph

most fast ball pitchers in the major league pitch with speeds of 95+mph

most baseball pitchers can continually pitch that speed - most fast bowlers struggle to keep the consistency that high

as with any sport it helps if you are in good physical shape (preferably without the steroids.....)

[Sark79]

Interesting, thanks.  I wonder what throwing action has less of a physical impact on the shoulder over time, I would imagine it is the cricket action.

[TightEnd]

Interesting, thanks.  I wonder what throwing action has less of a physical impact on the shoulder over time, I would imagine it is the cricket action.

yes, if it wasn't for the steroids then baseball pitchers....

[Sark79]

I read somewhere that Don Bradman played baseball once and didn't rate the game highly compared to cricket. 

[TheChipPrince]

Id say cricket for both, but never been into any american sport, and ive never tried baseball so not really a fair opinion

[Acidmouse]

I dont think you can compare cricket and baseball. Both require different skills to do well in.

I played baseball when in the states and you really need to be very strong upperbody to hit the baseball that far, god knows how they hit homers.