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Top 5 modern day greats
- Thread starter Xuhaib
- Start date
Ikki
Hall of Fame Member
Not that hard TBH.
Warne - Best spinner
McGrath - Best pacer
Gilchrist - Best wicket-keeper
Ponting - Best batsman
Hayden - Best opener
There's a reason why Australia have been far and away the best team of this era.
99*
International Debutant
Well Fleming is the best Captian on that list. Whatever floats their boat.Some Kiwis voted for Cairns and Fleming though, which is seriously
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Haha well it doesn't exactly hurt my feelings. In fact I got a good chuckle from it. I just can't take anyone seriously who doesn't rate Warne in the top five players of the last two decades.
He basically turned spin bowling into artwork. Particularly in his golden period from 1993-1998 he was simply unplayable and basically ended the career of Daryl Cullinan, along with making most other batsmen look like fools.
His struggles against India are well publicised, but they are his only blemish.
Anyway, you're allowed not to rate him in your top 5 of the last two decades. But similarly, I am allowed to giggle at your choices.
andyc
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Not really, everyone recognises that they're great players, but I'm not sure who they'd replace out of people like Tendulkar, Lara, Murali, McGrath, Warne, Kallis and Gilchrist.
Uppercut
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It's just kinda hard to make room for them, that's all. In my experience Donald in particular is rated extremely highly here.
Flem274*
123/5
No one else would, So i shall be.Some Kiwis voted for Cairns and Fleming though, which is seriously
Plus i'm Flemings biggest fanboy and as we all know, its not the evidence but the loudest shouter that decides who is the best on CW.
bagapath
International Captain
ikki, there is a reason why ponting is not getting enough votes on this poll. (hint: avg 20 in a major test playing country over 12 tests) sachin and lara have been far and away the best batsmen of the past two decades
(also, gilly was not the best keepr of the era; it was healy. gilly was the best keeper/batsman)
weldone
Hall of Fame Member
Yes, and even the case of McGrath is slightly (very slightly) debatable and the case of Warne is highly debatable.
Among the 5, Hayden is the only one who clearly comes across as the best opener of this era.
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
India really are Australia's bogey team. Warne and Ponting really haven't done well over there at all, and Warne didn't do well when they were here either.
Still, I think that Ponting is underrated, noone else seems to have an appetite for runs like he does.
The Sean
Cricketer Of The Year
I think they're all very highly rated here - I daresay if the poll was for a top 10 then Ambrose would be in just about all of them, Waugh most of them and Donald in his fair share. The problem is we're only asked for five players and once the four near-locks in Warne, Murali, Sachin and Lara are picked it's a very, very tough choice for that one final spot.
Matt79
Hall of Fame Member
He's rated but most people, correctly IMO, have him behind Tendulkar and Lara - and with only 5 spots to nom, there's not a lot of room for a third specialist batsmen in an era with Warne, Murali, McGrath, Ambrose, Wasim, etc.
In any case, I prefer Waugh to Ponting.
After nearly 70 people have voted, there's only five players who have scored votes with 50% or more voters, and it's hard to see Gilchrist in sixth catching McGrath at this point.
In any case, I prefer Waugh to Ponting.
After nearly 70 people have voted, there's only five players who have scored votes with 50% or more voters, and it's hard to see Gilchrist in sixth catching McGrath at this point.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Nah, play Tests or get out tbh.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
I don't know. I mean he'd make my top 5 Aussie players of last 20 years, but he'd be last on that list. Obviously that's partly due to the strength of their top three all time players basically pushing everyone else down.
- McGrath
- Warne
- Gilchrist
- Waugh
- Ponting
Uppercut
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Variance for me tbh. I reckon there's nothing to choose between Lara, Tendulkar and Ponting as batsmen other than personal preference, but that's not realllly all there is to being a "great". Tendulkar's a legend in every sense of the word, as Warne says, no player in the history of the game has had to deal with as much pressure as he has. Lara's iconic status is beyond question too. To put it simply, noone's going to release a game called "Ricky Ponting cricket". Well, not outside Australia
Yep, my 5 as well.
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
McGrath not feeling the love from a lot of people.
Why is that?
Many people would have him in or near an all time side. Certainly more than would have Lara or Tendulkar in that side. Regardless, it's pretty clear to all who have watched cricket over the last two decades that McGrath has been the best quick bowler by a fairly wide margin (to all but Ambrose). Averaging 22 in an era where a ridiculous number of batsmen average over 50 and the whole era has been geared towards the bat just shows how class of an act he is.
Gilchrist the other one who is a bit puzzling not to see in there. He was an excellent keeper, just a notch below the best pure keepers in history and he was a batsman who was one of the best in the world - renowned for stealing matches from the opposition. He was a more valuable allrounder (though most wouldn't consider him that) than Kallis, who many feel is the best traditional allrounder of the era.
I mean truth be told, the players who should be fighting for the fifth spot behind Warne, Murali, Gilchrist and McGrath are Lara, Tendulkar and Ponting. I find it puzzling how quickly Gilchrist's star in particular seems to have faded in people's minds so soon after his retirement. Especially given his last innings in the World Cup.
Why is that?
Many people would have him in or near an all time side. Certainly more than would have Lara or Tendulkar in that side. Regardless, it's pretty clear to all who have watched cricket over the last two decades that McGrath has been the best quick bowler by a fairly wide margin (to all but Ambrose). Averaging 22 in an era where a ridiculous number of batsmen average over 50 and the whole era has been geared towards the bat just shows how class of an act he is.
Gilchrist the other one who is a bit puzzling not to see in there. He was an excellent keeper, just a notch below the best pure keepers in history and he was a batsman who was one of the best in the world - renowned for stealing matches from the opposition. He was a more valuable allrounder (though most wouldn't consider him that) than Kallis, who many feel is the best traditional allrounder of the era.
I mean truth be told, the players who should be fighting for the fifth spot behind Warne, Murali, Gilchrist and McGrath are Lara, Tendulkar and Ponting. I find it puzzling how quickly Gilchrist's star in particular seems to have faded in people's minds so soon after his retirement. Especially given his last innings in the World Cup.