CAPE TOWN, Feb 22: Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest ball recorded in cricket history on Saturday, but it did not do him much good.

The ‘Rawalpindi Express’ sent down an exocet at England opener Nick Knight with the final delivery of his fourth over in the World Cup Group ‘A’ day-nighter.

Knight blocked, the scoreboard showed 161.3kmh (100.23mph), the crowd cheered and Shoaib granted them a little wave of the hand.

Nine overs later, however, Shoaib had conceded 63 runs for Michael Vaughan’s wicket.

“I’m pleased with that delivery — I bowl it with a different action, taking the arm right back to get more power — but I’m not that happy overall,” he said. “I bowled really badly.”

Speed guns are not officially recognised by the ICC, although they appreciate that they help popularise the game.

Shoaib has the same effect.

He first broke the 100mph barrier in April last year in a one-dayer against New Zealand in Lahore, when he was timed — again unofficially — at 161kph (100.04mph).

Many people believe Australia’s Jeff Thomson was the fastest bowler of all time.

Using different, less reliable technology, he was timed at 99.8mph (160.5kph) in a specially arranged net session in the mid-1970s.

Australia Brett Lee was clocked at 99.4mph (159.93) against South Africa in Cape Town last year.

Both Shoaib and Lee, however, have recently stressed they are more interested in taking wickets than speed limits.

“I’m also thinking about line and length and sticking to a more consistent line. You can’t be a quality bowler without that,” Shoaib said.—Reuters