Lee, Akhtar to face off for the crown

Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar, currently the fastest bowlers in the game, are set for a showdown in a "world's fastest bowler" competition to be held later this year, the organisers said on Wednesday.

Australia's Lee and his Pakistan counterpart, both vying for the tag of the fastest ever bowler in cricket history, have agreed to take part, organisers International Management Group (IMG) said in a release from Bombay.

They will be joined by eight other bowlers in the event which may take place in India, IMG said.

Akhtar, 26, was clocked at 161 kilometres an hour in April, a fraction over the 100 miles per hour mark, during a one-day game against New Zealand at Lahore's Gaddafi stadium.

Lee had been clocked at 99.4 miles an hour against South Africa in Cape Town earlier in the year.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has however said such feats would remain unofficial.

The second fastest delivery ever is the 99.8 mph clocked by Australia's Jeff Thomson during a special net session in 1976. West Indies' Andy Roberts recorded 96.0 in the same trial.

Also read:
- ICC bans Shoaib Akhtar
- Akhtar's action was always legal: report
- Pakistan says Akhtar video footage is inconclusive
- The Shoaib Akhtar interview
- Akhtar's 100 mph delivery will remain unofficial
- ICC clears Lee's action

Mail Cricket Editor