Who's the greatest opening batsman of alltime?

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hobbs.

 

[Julian87]

I think cricket has got to the stage where you can't compare anyone earlier than about the 1940's even realistically to someone who plays now. (A) virtually noone actually has seen the older player and the conditions are universes apart.

 

[SJS]

I think cricket has got to the stage where you can't compare anyone earlier than about the 1940's even realistically to someone who plays now. (A) virtually noone actually has seen the older player and the conditions are universes apart.

OK.

I promise you an article (based on statistics) which will do just that,

 

[The Sean]

Jack Hobbs. Ahead of WG Grace purely due to his achievements in Test cricket (which is circumstantial rather than any reflection on Grace.)

 

[SJS]

Jack Hobbs. Ahead of WG Grace purely due to his achievements in Test cricket (which is circumstantial rather than any reflection on Grace.)

Well said

 

[haroon510]

i have seen saeed anwar, hayden, langer, and sehwag playing... i would only vote for batsman who i have seen playing... so considering that i only liked saeed anwar from above guys... so i voted for saeed anwar...

 

[Ikki]

Oh, and anyone who thinks Hayden would be among the best openers in The World any time other than post-2001 or possibly (but only possibly) the 1930s needs 2nd lesson to be devoted to "cricket".

Anyone that thinks Nasser Hussain is better than Hayden needs to stay out of the conversation altogether.

 

[The_Bunny]

Dont see how Langer Sewag and Anwar belong on that list tbh.

 

[Perm]

Dont see how Langer Sewag and Anwar belong on that list tbh.

They don't, especially considering some of the very fine openers that have been left off the list.

 

[Richard]

For me, Hobbs, Sutcliffe and Hutton.

One of the few lists England can really contribute to.

However, Richards was 3 times the player that most of those guys were and he doesnt make the list even if there is a 10 Test min

Barry?

 

[Richard]

Anyone that thinks Nasser Hussain is better than Hayden needs to stay out of the conversation altogether.

Nah. It'd take extreme modern-day bias to say otherwise to either.

 

[Richard]

Saeed Anwar, Justin Langer and Virender Sehwag don't deserve to be mentioned, they aren't even close. To put them on the list and leave out names like Arthur Morris, Herbert Sutcliffe and WG Grace was very foolish.

Sehwag and Langer, yeah; Anwar... well he's not in Morris or Sutcliffe's league, undoubtedly, but he was a very fine opener, of that there's no doubt.

Certainly up there with the Athertons, Kirstens, Taylors and Slaters among the best openers of more recent times.

 

[Perm]

Barry?

Obviously.

 

[Perm]

Sehwag and Langer, yeah; Anwar... well he's not in Morris or Sutcliffe's league, undoubtedly, but he was a very fine opener, of that there's no doubt.

Certainly up there with the Athertons, Kirstens, Taylors and Slaters among the best openers of more recent times.

Anwar was a very good opener, but not as good as some of the names that have been excluded, hence why he doesn't deserve to be on the list. Do you not class Langer amongst those other batsman as some of the best openers of recent times?

 

[Richard]

Not really, no, he wasn't even an opener (like Sehwag) and I find it very conceivable that he'd not have lasted too long against the Donalds, de Villierses, Wasims et al of the 1990s they way Taylor and Slater did.

I said a little while ago (nearly 2 years now actually ) that it says one hell of a lot for the state of bowling that two people who aren't even openers were the best openers in The World (in Sehwag and Langer).

 

[pup11]

Sorry never seen Hobbs bat so can't really judge him, so with whatever options are left i would its a toss up between Gavaskar and Hayden, i would probably go for Gavaskar because he made so many runs against that mighty West Indian bowling line-up (mind you that too without a helmet), i have still voted for Haydos since i never liked Gavaskar much as a person.
I would have liked to see Michael Slater's name in there too, i won't say he was the best opener ever but he certainly was a player who i really enjoyed watching.

 

[Richard]

its a toss up between Gavaskar and Hayden

 

[The_Bunny]

If you dont include Hobbs in your options thats not that silly for mine.

 

[Richard]

To suggest Hayden is as good as the Athertons and Slaters is bad enough for me; to suggest he's on a plane with the Boycotts and Gavaskars is awful; to put him even remotely close to the Huttons, Sutcliffes, Hobbses et al is borderline an insult to humanity.

 

[Ikki]

To suggest Hayden is as good as the Athertons and Slaters is bad enough for me; to suggest he's on a plane with the Boycotts and Gavaskars is awful; to put him even remotely close to the Huttons, Sutcliffes, Hobbses et al is borderline an insult to humanity.

He is better than both, and still has a way to go. And let's keep the Hayden bashing to a minimum. Let's just speak for ourselves - i.e. your humanity.