McGrath’s control, Steyn’s precision….: Ireland & Dublin Guardians star Matt Hollard creates his ultimate fast bowler!

Every fast bowler spends years developing their own style. But if Ireland and Dublin Guardians star, Matthew Hollard, had the chance to build the perfect pacer, he knows exactly who he would borrow each trait from.

The Ireland seamer recently offered a fascinating insight into the bowlers who have shaped his understanding of the craft, naming some of the game’s modern greats as the benchmarks for different aspects of fast bowling. From control and pace to mentality and precision, Hollard’s selections reveal the qualities he admires most in those who have mastered the art.

For control, there was only one answer.

“Glenn McGrath. I think he’s the epitome of it (control).”

Few fast bowlers have built their careers on relentless discipline quite like the Australian legend. McGrath’s ability to repeatedly hit the same area, over after over, made him one of the most successful seamers the game has ever known, a standard Hollard, who took 6 wickets in Ireland’s recent historic T20I series win vs India, believes every quick should aspire to.

When the conversation turned to speed, Hollard looked to another Australian great.

“Probably Mitchell Starc. He’s consistently over 140 kilometres an hour. He’s an absolute machine.”

Starc’s explosive pace, combined with his ability to swing the new ball at high speed, has made him one of the most feared left-arm bowlers of the modern era, and one whose physical gifts continue to impress the young Irish seamer.

For accuracy, Hollard chose one of his lifelong inspirations.

“I would have to go with Dale Steyn. He’s been a massive role model in my life, especially watching him bowl Test cricket with the red ball. The way he was able to just plug away at an area and always get rewarded.”

Steyn’s relentless intensity and ability to attack the stumps while maintaining exceptional control left a lasting impression on Hollard, who credits the South African legend as one of the bowlers he most enjoyed watching growing up.

The next parameter for his ideal fast bowler was mentality, and once again, Australia provided the answer.

“Pat Cummins. I feel like he’s always in control of the situation. Whenever Australia need a wicket, they bring on Patrick Cummins.”

For Hollard, the greatest fast bowlers are defined not only by their physical attributes but also by their temperament. Remaining composed under pressure and delivering when the team needs it most are qualities he sees in the Australian captain.

The next parameter, as he continued to build his ultimate fast bowler was swing.

For Hollard, that honour belonged to India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, whose ability to manipulate the ball in both directions has made him one of the most complete bowlers in world cricket.

“Bumrah is a magician with the ball. The way he moves it away, he moves it in, the way he sets up batsmen... yeah, Bumrah.”

Beyond Bumrah’s extraordinary skill with the new ball, Hollard admired the tactical intelligence behind every spell. Rather than relying on pace alone, Bumrah’s ability to outthink batters and create dismissals through subtle changes in angle, seam position and movement of course still makes headlines across the world.

The final ingredient in Hollard’s blueprint was variations, an increasingly vital weapon in modern white-ball cricket. His choice was South African quick Lungi Ngidi, whose slower ball has troubled some of the world’s best batters.

“I think he’s up there. He probably has the best slower ball in the world right now. To deceive so many players, the way it sort of just floats out of his fingers”

For Hollard, the perfect fast bowler is no longer defined by pace alone. The modern game demands adaptability, knowing when to swing the new ball, when to hit the deck hard and when to deceive batters with subtle variations. By combining McGrath’s control, Starc’s speed, Steyn’s precision, Cummins’ mentality, Bumrah’s mastery of swing and Ngidi’s deceptive slower ball, Hollard assembled perhaps the most complete fast bowler.