100 Greatest Cricketers of All-Time

rockvirtuoso · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:36 pm **Posts:** 2375

thats one of the best things ive heard

Yousha · **Posted:** Wed May 30, 2012 6:20 am

rockvirtuoso wrote:

:lol:

thats one of the best things ive heard

Waspsting · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 5:35 am **Posts:** 111

Avery_Island wrote:

OK, here's a revised top 30. Thoughts?

1. Don Bradman (Australia, Batsman)
2. Gary Sobers (West Indies, All-Rounder)
3. Jack Hobbs (England, Opening Batsman)
4. Imran Khan (Pakistan, All-Rounder)
5. Shane Warne (Australia, Leg-Spin Bowler)
6. W.G. Grace (England, All-Rounder)
7. Viv Richards (West Indies, Opening Batsman)
8. Dennis Lillee (Australia, Fast Bowler)
9. Sachin Tendulkar (India, Batsman)
10. Greg Chappell (Australia, Batsman)

11. Walter Hammond (England, Batsman)
12. Richard Hadlee (New Zealand, All-Rounder)
13. Malcolm Marshall (West Indies, Fast Bowler)
14. Brian Lara (West Indies, Batsman)
15. George Headley (West Indies, Batsman)
16. Ian Botham (England, All-Rounder)
17. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka, Off-Spin Bowler)
18. Glenn McGrath (Australia, Fast-Medium Pace Bowler)
19. Sunil Gavaskar (India, Opening Batsman)
20. Ricky Ponting (Australia, Batsman)

21. Keith Miller (Australia, All-Rounder)
22. Wasim Akram (Pakistan, Fast Bowler)
23. Graeme Pollock (South Africa, Batsman)
24. Sydney Barnes (England, Fast-Medium Pace Bowler)
25. Allan Border (Australia, Batsman)
26. Frank Worrell (West Indies, Batsman)
27. Kapil Dev (India, All-Rounder)
28. Adam Gilchrist (Australia, Wicket-Keeper)
29. Len Hutton (England, Opening Batsman)
30. Herbert Sutcliffe (England, Opening Batsman)

Couple of things -

1) I'm not feeling Greg Chappell as high as 10. Bunch of guys match him (Viv, Miandad, Border, Gavaskar), and Viv at least is hyped more. A good looking batsman, but was largely overshadowed by Viv. No particular records to his name.

Nothing special as a captain. It was under him that Australia's downhill slope started, nadir-ing with Kim Hughes. Biggest capataincy moment is probably getting underarm bowling banned.

Look at Hammond by comparison. Held the highest run scorer in tests position for decades, and was the first guy to take a 100 catches.

Waspsting · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 5:35 am **Posts:** 111

2) Warne as high as 5, i've resigned myself to, but just don't see it. He didn't reinvent spin bowling as some hype it out to be - Abdul Qudair retired just shortly before him, and Kumble and Mushtaq Ahmed were on the scene un-influenced by him.
Also note the restriction on bouncers that went in place, making it easier for spinners to flourish once again, against the tide of the last 20 years or so (IOW, point against Warne's supposed influence)

Murali, by contrast, was the first match winning off-spinner since Lance Gibbs (Prasanna, great bowler though he was, wasn't even a fixture in the Indian side) - that's about a 20 year gap.

He was an original of method.

Chucking controversy might count against him, but shouldn't the change in chucking laws count for him then?

No one could replace Murali. MacGill, though not as good as Warne, could have filled Warne's shoes to a certain extent (certainly a far greater extent than anyone could have replaced Murali)

I agree with Nick that we should try to keep Warne-Murali and Lara-Tendulkar as close together as possible.

Waspsting · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 5:35 am **Posts:** 111

Finally, I'd suggest some evening up of the basic ground rules between batsman and bowlers stats

Herbert Sutcliffe, Graeme Pollock and Headley are presumably so high up because of their big average.

But the best averages for bowlers (min. 200 wickets) are scattered all over the place.

On the original list, Garner is 55, Ambrose 39, Trueman 43, Donald 69. On the best averages list Garner is 2nd, Ambrose 3rd, Trueman 4th, Donald 6th.

Trueman, as the first guy to 300 hundred wickets should definitely be far higher up.

One last point that caught my eye, Stan McCabe at 38. That is way, way too high.

rockvirtuoso · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:36 pm **Posts:** 2375

macgill was an excellent bowler in his own right though, could have been one of the all time greats if he was playing for any other country at the time. murali on the other hand was a cheat that would have been banned from the game had he played either a generation earlier or for an anglo country. also took around 200 wickets against bangladesh and zimbabwe, far more than warne did.

rockvirtuoso · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:36 pm **Posts:** 2375

Waspsting wrote:

Finally, I'd suggest some evening up of the basic ground rules between batsman and bowlers stats

Herbert Sutcliffe, Graeme Pollock and Headley are presumably so high up because of their big average.

But the best averages for bowlers (min. 200 wickets) are scattered all over the place.

On the original list, Garner is 55, Ambrose 39, Trueman 43, Donald 69. On the best averages list Garner is 2nd, Ambrose 3rd, Trueman 4th, Donald 6th.

Trueman, as the first guy to 300 hundred wickets should definitely be far higher up.

One last point that caught my eye, Stan McCabe at 38. That is way, way too high.

agreed on all counts. headley is a class above those batsmen too.

rockvirtuoso · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:36 pm **Posts:** 2375

Waspsting wrote:

Couple of things -

1) I'm not feeling Greg Chappell as high as 10. Bunch of guys match him (Viv, Miandad, Border, Gavaskar), and Viv at least is hyped more. A good looking batsman, but was largely overshadowed by Viv. No particular records to his name.

Nothing special as a captain. It was under him that Australia's downhill slope started, nadir-ing with Kim Hughes. Biggest capataincy moment is probably getting underarm bowling banned.

Look at Hammond by comparison. Held the highest run scorer in tests position for decades, and was the first guy to take a 100 catches.

agreed about hammond, he should prob be in top 10. chappell is easily greater than those other guys when you factor in world series and other 5 day international matches though. comes out with 31 tons at 56. far superior fielder too. AB greater captain though. i recall that gavaskar has considerably lower ave once windies got the 4 fastmen happening.

John G · **Posted:** Wed Jun 06, 2012 7:33 am

rockvirtuoso wrote:

macgill was an excellent bowler in his own right though, could have been one of the all time greats if he was playing for any other country at the time. murali on the other hand was a cheat that would have been banned from the game had he played either a generation earlier or for an anglo country. also took around 200 wickets against bangladesh and zimbabwe, far more than warne did.

magill was very good he just didn't have the quality time he deserved. as far as warne, he is the greatest spinner fullstop, murali should never have been allowed to continue, it was ridiculous that he did, anyway warne DID basically reinvent spin bowling and made it his own, it was no fluke that australia nominated for so long, sure they had mcgrath and a good batting lineup and a keeper that could bat better than most, but they had Warne as the icing on the cake simple as that...

Quinnsy Lohan · **Posted:** Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:04 am

Brad Hodge and Stuart Clarke are two of Australia's unluckiest cricketers.

Yousha · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:50 pm

The way Aussie has treated Hodge is a fucking disgrace !!!

Waspsting · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 5:35 am **Posts:** 111

I was thinking sharing, discussing all time 11s might be fun.

I'll start -

Australia
1. Hayden
2. Ponsford
3. Bradman
4. G. Chappell
5. R. Ponting
6 A. Gilchrist
7. K. Miller
8. A. Davidson
9. S. Warne
10. D. Lillee
11. B. O'Reilly

I like to have a 3 paceman, 2 spinner attack if possible, but it usually weakens the batting.

Here, with a combo of Bradman, Gilchrist and Miller/Davidson, the batting stays solid while allowing for the perfect bowling combo.

Shout outs to Morris, Border, Harvey, Mcgrath and Lindwall among others.

Waspsting · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 5:35 am **Posts:** 111

England

1. J. Hobbs
2. L. Hutton
3. W. Hammond
4. D. Compton
5. K. Barrington
6. I. Botham
7. W. Rhodes
8. A. Knott
9. B. Statham
10. F. Trueman
11. J. Laker

Chemistry same as Aus teams, but without a Bradman or Gilchrist, batting looks a tad vulnerable.

Rhodes in as an all rounder, I'd prefer Underwood purely as a bowler.

Possibly change the chemistry to 6 batsman/3 pace/1 spin - what do you guys reckon? Barrington can back up Laker with decent leg breaks

Waspsting · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 5:35 am **Posts:** 111

South Africa
1. B. Richards
2. G. Smith
3. J. Kallis
4. G. Pollock
5. Du. Nourse
6. A. Faulkner
7. D. Lindsay
8. M. Procter
9. S. Pollock
10. D. Steyn
11. A. Donald

about the chemistry of the side - particularly the absence of a spinner - if you have 4 good quicks, i don't think you really need a spinner. Most even good spinners only become lethal when the wickets really crumbling, and the notable South African spinner, Tayfield, was more the type of wear batsman down with accuracy and flight than sharp turn anyway.

We have Faulkner for spin, with part timers Richards, Procter, Smith for some back up.

We have a tireless, top class pace attack.

Top class catching unit.

Lindsay's keeping record is excellent, and he's the best bat amongst the SA lot

Waspsting · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 5:35 am **Posts:** 111

West Indies
1. G. Greendige
2. D. Haynes
3. G. Headley
4. B. Lara
5. V. Richards
6. G. Sobers
7. J. Dujon
8. M. Marshall
9. J. Garner
10. C. Ambrose
11. M. Holding

regarding lack of a spinner - same deal as for the SA 11.

Lot of guys to leave out - Hunte, Weekes, Walcott, Worrell, Kanhai, Roberts, Croft - all bring a lot to the table

100 Greatest Cricketers of All-Time

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