Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
I think some people must genuinely believe that history only started on the day they were born.
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Ajantha Mendis: Can this mystery ever be solved?
- Thread starter pup11
- Start date
Perm
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Haha, indeed.
Ikki
Hall of Fame Member
Precambrian
Banned
Yep and consider the following and you have quite a paradoxical situation:
1. There is always dispute as regards to whether Muralitharan or Warne was the better spin bowler and there will ever be.
2. There will be always the Lara Vs Tendulkar debate.
3. Murali says, "Lara played me better than Tendulkar", and Warne says, " Tendulkar played me better than Lara"
So if the Champions themselves can't sort things among themselves, how can we expect?
1. There is always dispute as regards to whether Muralitharan or Warne was the better spin bowler and there will ever be.
2. There will be always the Lara Vs Tendulkar debate.
3. Murali says, "Lara played me better than Tendulkar", and Warne says, " Tendulkar played me better than Lara"
So if the Champions themselves can't sort things among themselves, how can we expect?
PhoenixFire
International Coach
Haha, if you had read any of my posts when I had just joined as a member, I don't think you would be making such ignorant comments.
I think that it is quite obvious that I am not taking into account every player that has ever picked up a bat, though if you are going to be pedantic and insist I say 'that I have seen in my life', then fair enough.
Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
What you said was "Andy Flower, by far, is the best ever player of spin IMO". How foolish of me to think you meant he was the best ever player of spin bowling.
Lostman
State Captain
Well if you think about it, The two greatest spinners played in the last 2 decades so in that regard, you would expect the greatest players of spin to be from the same generation and had succeeded against them?
Burgey
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It's so hard to make that pronouncement, so i commend your courage in doing so. I can't be so bold as to say who was/ is the best ever, but I don't doubt those you listed were very great players of spin.
Neil Harvey also belongs in this argument, imo. Of course, Bradman does too. Of those I've seen, certainly Tendulkar and Lara from the past decade or two. Before them, Border was a great player of spin - really, really great. So too Greg Chappell.
Salim Malik played Warne and May iirc very well in Pakistan, while Hansie Cronje handled Warne well in the mid-90s too.
So many great players of spin.
As for Mendis, I'd expect and hope him to be a very good test bowler, but I'd also expect top quality players to work out his mysteries with time. Of course, working them out doesn't mean you automatically succeed in playing them well, but it sure helps.
Precambrian
Banned
Rarely lasted till spinners got on.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Jakester1288
International Regular
Yes.
Uppercut
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Might have lost a little bit of X-factor in tests, Pakistan for some reason also seem to have got the better of him. Check out his stats though- there's a good reason he's had so much hype. If any young player has ever deserved this much hype, it's Mendis.
Pratters
Cricket, Lovely Cricket
Nah, he is over hyped. He is a good spinner but is no Shane Warne or Muttiah Muralidharan. He has a lot of deliveries in his stride but is not special like a Warne or a Murali. The more Mendis plays, the more the bubble regarding him will burst. I am not saying that he will not have a good career but I highly doubt that he will have a great one.
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Uppercut
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Who said he was?
Even those bowlers didn't have the performances Mendis has had behind them when they were his age. No one's ever an all-time great after nine tests; we can only say how likely to become one a player is. Mendis is as likely as anyone has ever been for me, which is still odds-against obviously, but it justifies the hype.
Even those bowlers didn't have the performances Mendis has had behind them when they were his age. No one's ever an all-time great after nine tests; we can only say how likely to become one a player is. Mendis is as likely as anyone has ever been for me, which is still odds-against obviously, but it justifies the hype.
Pratters
Cricket, Lovely Cricket
Just because he has the stats to back him doesn't mean he will turn out to be great. Whatever I have seen of him, he has looked good but is away from greatness. All the hype has been calling him the next big thing in spin which is a bit over stating it. Amit Mishra has talent as a player too but we don't see hype surrounding him for instance.
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