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[joeljonno]

There is no right or wrong answer, as on their day, both can produce exceptional bowling.

Averages show one thing, their whole career.
Rankings show form over the past few years.
Stats, I think stat are great and you can pick out one small stat to make your whole argument....

For instance, around 74% of Anderson's wicket are top 7, over his whole career. This drops to around 70% for Mitchell Johnson.

Therefore, taking this one piece of information out of context of all the others, like so many aready have done on here, you would have to rate Anderson higher than Mitch, overall in career terms.

[smilley792]

Not current ratings. But there highest ever achieved test ratings


Johnson 825
Anderson 813


12 isn't that big a difference, and either score if current would put them 5 th on today's list.


Steyn highest ranking score is 908 which shows what class he is.


Be interstitial to see what Johnson's ranking score will be if he keeps this form up for the next 2tests.

[vividgreen]

Anderson
92 Test - 343 wkts - 30.6 ave - 59.3 SR - 10.3 bat average
174 ODI - 245 wkts - 29.1 ave - 35.1 SR - 7.4 bat average
19 T20 - 18 wkts - 30.6 ave - 23.4 SR - 1.1 bat average

Johnson
57 Test - 254 wkts - 27.5 ave - 49.8 SR - 22.6 bat average
136 ODI - 208wkts - 25.8 ave - 31.9 SR - 15.9 bat average
30 T20 - 38 wkts - 20.9 ave - SR 17.2  - 10.9 bat average

The stats are compelling and there wouldn't be many people in the history of cricket that can and consistently single handily win a team a game of cricket off their own back with devastating spells of bowling like Johnson has. His match winning spells have been accumulating, even when he was a so called pie chucker....

[Chad]

As a neutral, I feel they're both pretty different bowlers, but I think it would be silly not to choose Johnson in his current form over Anderson. I would say that Anderson at his best isn't nearly as devastating as Johnson is right now. I admit, before the Ashes down under, I would have sided with Anderson being the better bowler, but that's probably because the only time I watched Johnson bowl was when he was erratic. But watching him bowl now, I think it is obvious who is the better bowler, and I've not even mentioned their batting! He would get into any side in the world right now - just shows what confidence can do to players!

That being said, if Anderson managed to bowl like he did in the last 2 tests with a broken rib, then it's pretty clear that he is a pretty damn good bowler too.

[Vic Nicholas]

And with that final comment you ruined any sort of point you may have made. I suggest you find a new hobby as clearly Anderson is making you rather bitter.

Bitter?

No.

Just stating the facts.

Anderson HAS played against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh (more than one series too), yet Mitch Johnson in his six years in test cricket has never played even one series against these minnows as we have never played them in that time.

The last time we played Bangladesh in a test, Dizzy Gillespie was racking up an unbeaten 200 and Gilchrist, Hayden and Warne were still in the team.