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Langer vs Slater, who was the better opening batsman?

Who was the better opening batsman?

  • Total voters
    65
Eclipse

Eclipse

International Debutant
Jono said:
I respect and rate Ponting as a batsman heaps, so don't get me wrong here, but I for the life of me cannot see how anyone could describe him overall as a good batsman to watch.

His pull shot is brilliant, no doubt, no one plays it better. But there are just so many more pleasing on the eye batsman to watch (and yes I realise it comes down to subjective personal taste) I always find it weird when people describe Ricky as good to watch.

Same goes for Inzy as well.
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As you say it is all personal opinion because I love his batting style. So much so that I have copied it as much as I can when I bat.
 
aussie

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
James90 said:
Why do you say that? Slater probably had more flaws than Langer.
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More flaws?, i know i haven't seen Slats bat since the 2001 ashes so i probably have a very clear memory of his technique, but i can't remember him with too many flaws in his technique or his game other than the fact that he tended to get his himself out to bad shots i.e all those times he was dismissed in the 90's.

Langer as i mentioned before always had problems against quality spin especially off-spinners up until sub-continental tours to SRI & IND in 2004.


James90 said:
Surely you can't compare batsmen at different stages of their career. It's well known that most batsman peak after they are 30. Langer at his best was probably better because it was for a longer sustained period. Slater at his best was absolutely destructive though, joyous to watch.
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Yes, but unfortunately it was during a 5 and a half year period when bowler world-wide & pitches were extemely average. Although he did prove during the 2005 Ashes that he could handle the best bowlers in challenging conditons.

But on second thought after reading your post i guess i could agree to a level that Langer overall would be better than Slats given that he valued his wicket more than him & was more reliable. If i were to pick one to bat for my life it would have to be JL...
 
Mister Wright

Mister Wright

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I can never rate a batsman who runs down the pitch to Darren Gough and gets out chasing 5 to win ahead of another class batsman.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
TBH, while that was a stupid and wasteful dismissal, only Slater himself was ever going to suffer due to it, it's not like he didn't purvey far more heinous cricketing sins in his time.
 
Burgey

Burgey

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Mister Wright said:
Yeah. But, to say never, ever, ever, ever bowl a short one is just ridiculous. Fair enough if the bowler isn't a good bowler of the bouncer - if it's not a weapon don't use it. But, if you are a good bowler of the bouncer you have to use it as it is one of your weapons, no matter how good the batsman is at the other end.
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AWTA - even if a guy's great on the pull shot, you can't just bowl exclusively full to him and let him plonk on the front foot all day.

For a guy like Ponting, though, it's just got to be very, very well directed.
 
Jono

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Which Slater game are you referring to, I'm trying to think hard but can't remember. :(
 
Top_Cat

Top_Cat

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Well there you go, I had no idea which game it was either. So between Jono (a cricket nerd) and me (another cricket nerd) and everyone else in this thread bar Richard, the only person who remembers the incident you're using to judge a player with is you and even then you got the bowler and score required wrong! Maybe it's a commentary on how (in)significant the incident was, maybe it's a commentary on how significant the rest of his career relative to that incident was. For God's sakes man, let it go!

:D

Nah, in fairness he was dropped quite suddenly about two Tests later so obviously there were a few others who thought it was significant. I'm not suggesting he was dropped for that one incident but it would have been a factor no doubt. Always respect your opposition, even (and especially, really) when the game is won and you just have to score some tiny amount. Situations reversed, the righteous indignation would have reverberated around the globe.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Top_Cat said:
Well there you go, I had no idea which game it was either. So between Jono (a cricket nerd) and me (another cricket nerd) and everyone else in this thread bar Richard, the only person who remembers the incident you're using to judge a player with is you and even then you got the bowler and score required wrong!
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:dry:
 
Mister Wright

Mister Wright

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Perm said:
So you don't rate Ponting because he got out with 1 to win? :p
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Unless he was charging down the wicket and was out LBW no. However, I do think Ponting was lucky to get out of that series. His form wasn't that great going into the tour and the game where he got 140 odd he was caught but not given out.
 
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