Top 5 Australian batsman after Bradman.

[pasag]

Been hovering about in a few different topics so I thought we'd get this all out into the open although being a cricket forum around for over half a decade you'd think it's been done before, nevertheless - My top 5 Australian batsmen after Bradman (in order).

1. Greg Chappell
2. Neil Harvey
3. Steve Waugh
4. Ricky Ponting
5. Allan Border

With apologies to McCabe, Trumper, Ponsford, Hassett and Hayden (yes, get over it). Can see Ponting going up to number 2 or even 1 if he continues on his merry ways.

Yours?

(Oh, and take it easy on the stats as well, noone cares )

 

[NUFAN]

I agree on the 5. I would have Ponting ahead of S Waugh already, but I can understand you having Wuagh in front..

 

[NZTailender]

Bearing in mind I'm young so those that I have seen:

1. M Slater - was great to watch and IMO revolutionised the way openers go about it.
2. R Ponting - since 2000 he's been just a freak. I love watching him bat except when playing NZ
3. S Waugh - Determined comes to mind with Waugh. Wasn't always 'attractive' to watch but seems to be almost forgotten when Australian great batsmen are talked about lately.
4. D Martyn - such a joy to watch.
5. J Langer - so so so so so underrated.

 

[Matt79]

1) G. Chappell ahead for mine. ABC2 had a Ashes Gabba test from the early 80s on last night, and Chappell scored a breezy 50 odd before running himself out - just poetry to watch, plus a statistical record that by itself puts him in select company.
2) N. Harvey - from a boy amongst men on the '48 tour, he was hands down the best batsman in the team, and perhaps the world, for a decade and a bit, batting and scoring brilliantly against negative bowling that would not be allowed today, on variable pitches, including some shocking matting strips.
3) Border - carried so much weight for so long - like Lara except he handled being captain of a bad team a lot better and ultimately built a team in his own image. All the time he was doing this, he was scoring mountains of runs against some of the best attacks in the game's history.
4) S. Waugh - the legend. So much has been said about him and its all (well the good stuff) merited.
5) R. Ponting - Can't rate him higher than 5th, given the generally favourable conditions he's faced and the fact that he's still going and could conceivably come a long way back towards the field in the last third of his career. But he couldn't really be doing a better job than he currently is, and he's giving himself every chance of working his way further up the list if he keeps going the way he is.

Apologies to: Macartenay, Trumper, Walters (if only he could have had a decent tour of England!!!), Ponsford and Morris.

 

[pasag]

1) G. Chappell ahead for mine. ABC2 had a Ashes Gabba test from the early 80s on last night, and Chappell scored a breezy 50 odd before running himself out - just poetry to watch, plus a statistical record that by itself puts him in select company.

Ouch, missed it but checking now they've got the Adelaide test were he scores 115 on tonight. ABC2 > every other Australian fta station imo.

 

[Matt79]

What time?

 

[pasag]

11.30 for just over an hour.

 

[chaminda_00]

1. R Ponting
2. G Chappell
3. N Harvey
4. A Morris
5. L Hassett

Don't rate Waugh and Border that high TBH.

 

[Cameron-Moss]

1. Slater

2. Ponting

3.Hussey

4. Waugh

5.Langer

 

[andruid]

No Bowlers?
what about Mcgrath and Lillee?

 

[NUFAN]

No Bowlers?
what about Mcgrath and Lillee?

You serious mate?

Was thinking Ponting or McGrath, but yeah Ponting is just that little bit better at the crease.

 

[aussie tragic]

1. Greg Chappell
2. Neil Harvey
3. Steve Waugh
4. Allan Border
5. Ricky Ponting

Walters, Hayden, Ponsford, McCabe and Gilchrist are my next 5

 

[Richard]

Hmm...

Greg Chappell definately 2nd, little doubt there IMO.

Border and Stephen Waugh would probably be tied for 3rd and 4th place really, I've always found it hard to separate them.

Morris or Harvey probably 5th, or maybe Douglas Walters.

 

[JBMAC]

Just as difficult to select the next five as any others...divided into two...
BATSMEN

1. N.Harvey

2. N.O'Neill

3. R.Simpson

4. G.Chappell

5. M.Noble

BOWLERS

1. F.Spofforth

2. D.Lillee

3. S.Warne

4. A.Davidson

5. K.Miller


Lots of names could be put into both these are just my personal opinion.

 

[Richard]

Norman O'Neill?

 

[JBMAC]

Norman O'Neill?

YEP

69 times at bat for an average of 45.56 plus a handy "change" bowler..RH Leggie..could break up that stubborn partnership.

 

[Richard]

Never realised he played quite that much, TBH.

Any reason you can think of that he's commonly undervalued (as no-one's mentioned him yet, even on the "unlucky to miss" part, it's fair to say he is IYO)?

 

[andyc]

Struggle to see how Ponting wouldn't be on anyone's list tbh.

 

[JBMAC]

Never realised he played quite that much, TBH.

Any reason you can think of that he's commonly undervalued (as no-one's mentioned him yet, even on the "unlucky to miss" part, it's fair to say he is IYO)?

When he started his career Aussie side had "high profilers" in their side ie Benaud,Davidson,Grout,Burge,Mackay etc and by the time he retired side consisted of the likes of Bobby Simpson,Lawry,Booth and Redpath..They all seemed to overshadow him. It is interesting to note that he started his career at 2nd drop and when Harvey retired he moved up to first drop which is an unusual progression for a batsman approaching the end of his career.
BTW...He was such a good strong fielder he was offered a tryout in Major League Baseball in the US.

 

[Richard]

Struggle to see how Ponting wouldn't be on anyone's list tbh.

'Cos there were batsmen who did better or equally well against more challenging bowling than Ponting's faced when making the mountains of runs he has the last 6 years.