Cricket is a sport that demands mental strength and skill. While height may not drastically impact performance, tall players, especially bowlers, have unique advantages.
Taller bowlers can extract extra bounce, making life difficult for batters.
This list features the top 10 tallest cricketers, all of whom are bowlers, with a few notable tall batters like New Zealand’s Peter Fulton and England’s Tony Greig.
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Top 10 Tallest Cricketers
1. Mohammad Irfan | 7’1″ (216 cm)
Pakistan’s Mohammad Irfan is the tallest cricketer ever, standing at an astounding 7’1″. His height makes his deliveries rise to chest height, even at a good length. Irfan has played 4 Tests, 60 ODIs, and 20 T20Is for Pakistan. Despite his injury-prone nature, his unique bowling style remains intimidating for batters.
2. Boyd Rankin | 6’8″ (204 cm)
Boyd Rankin, standing at 6’8″, initially pursued rugby before focusing on cricket. Representing Ireland and later England, Rankin’s height and bounce made him a challenging bowler. His career highlights include being one of the few players to represent two countries in Test cricket.
3. Cameron Cuffy | 6’8″ (203 cm)
West Indian pacer Cameron Cuffy showed promise with his exceptional bounce but struggled to secure a regular spot in the team. Competing with legends like Walsh and Ambrose, Cuffy’s career was hampered by injuries and inconsistency. He finished with 41 wickets in international cricket.
4. Joel Garner | 6’8″ (203 cm)
Joel Garner, known as the “Big Bird,” was a fearsome fast bowler for the West Indies in the ’70s and ’80s. His height allowed him to deliver deadly yorkers and extract significant bounce. Garner’s 259 Test wickets and 146 ODI wickets made him one of the most feared bowlers of his time.
5. Peter George | 6’8″ (203 cm)
Australian fast bowler Peter George, who might have seemed like the next Glenn McGrath, only got a brief look at his international career. George was particularly fast and bouncy, famously dismissing master batsman Sachin Tendulkar in his solitary Test match. He now plays for South Australia and still actively chases his cricketing dream.
6. Bruce Reid | 6’8″ (203 cm)
Australian left-arm fast bowler Bruce Reid was a genuine swing bowler with considerable reverse swing. He also had subtle seam movement and good bounce. However, injuries affected his career, limiting him to only 27 Test matches and 61 ODIs. Despite his early retirement at 29, Reid dominated the game and later contributed significantly to coaching.
7. Marco Jansen | 6’8” (203 cm)
South African fast bowler Marco Jansen has impressed in Test cricket with his ability to generate pace even on placid wickets. He has taken 41 wickets in 10 Tests and scored 277 runs in the same number of matches. His bowling variety and batting abilities make him a valuable asset to his team.
8. Kyle Jamieson | 6’8″ (203 cm)
Kyle Jamieson from New Zealand, standing at 6’8″, rose to fame within local NZ domestic matches. In his first ODI, he received the Man of the Match award for his excellent performance in all departments. Jamieson’s height gives him a good bounce, making him a formidable bowler for the BlackCaps.
9. Sulieman Benn | 6’7″ (201 cm)
West Indian left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn was known as an ‘enforcer’ due to his aggressive demeanor. Disciplinary issues affected Benn’s career, but his tall frame and round-arm action made his deliveries awkward for batters. He claimed 144 international wickets, contributing significantly to his team’s success.
10. Jason Holder | 6’7″ (201 cm)
Jason Holder, standing at 6’7″, is the current West Indies Test and ODI team captain. Known for his discipline and ability to extract extra bounce, Holder has been key for the Windies side. He has taken 64 Test wickets and 125 ODI wickets. Additionally, Holder’s lower-order batting ability to score quickly and hit big shots makes him an invaluable all-rounder.
These tall cricketers have used their height to their advantage, demonstrating that physical characteristics can be as crucial in cricket as skill and mental toughness.
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