The best batsman and bowler of the 1990s

[Avada Kedavra]

We're talking about the 90s, can you read the thread title? You called me a liar, and completely forget the context of the statement.

Overall, Lara averages 46+ against McGrath. Tendulkar 36+. Yeh, you're still outta luck.



Haha, so if we're playing that game;

at home against Aus:

Lara averages 61.05
Tendulkar averages 32.00

Which is compounded by the fact that the pitches were much flatter in India and much tougher in WIndies for McGrath.

Good try, Precamb.

You may resort to any amount of name calling you want. On flat pitches against Mcgrath, he has done better than Tendulkar. In Mcgrath's own backyard, Tendulkar does better.

Lara's overall away average is 47. Tendulkar's is 54. Really shows how difficult the WI pitches were for bowlers

 

[Ikki]

WIndies in the 90s were flat pitches? Look where McGrath does better; in the WIndies or at home? Then also take a look at how he does in India for good measure .

 

[Avada Kedavra]

WIndies in the 90s were flat pitches? Look where McGrath does better; in the WIndies or at home. Then also take a look at how he does in India for good measure .

If McGrath does better in WI than in Aus, the WI pitches were better for bowling ?

Sachin does better in Australia than in India, Australian pitches are better for batting ?

Ambrose does better in Australia than in WI, your point is

And Lara scored a lot of his runs in the 00s. Stop trying to confuse yourself and everyone else by shifting from 90s to 00s.

And explain why Tendulkar averages a full 7 points away from home please.

 

[Ikki]

Because he is more consistent than Lara. Hence why I vote Tendulkar over Lara overall in the 90s. But Lara's record against Australia is superior to Tendulkar's, that's not really controversial.

 

[Avada Kedavra]

Because he is more consistent than Lara. Hence why I vote Tendulkar over Lara overall in the 90s. But Lara's record against Australia is superior to Tendulkar's, that's not really controversial.

My God, in the 90s alone Tendulkar has a better record. But then u will say he hasn't played enough matches. Overall Tendulkar has played more matches in the 90s and scored more runs and averages 58 to Lara's 51 from memory.

Anyway who do you think is the better bat overall ?

 

[Ikki]

My God, in the 90s alone Tendulkar has a better record. But then u will say he hasn't played enough matches. Overall Tendulkar has played more matches in the 90s and scored more runs and averages 58 to Lara's 51 from memory.

No, Tendulkar did play enough matches overall. But when we are talking strictly about Australia; Lara played more against the better attack so even though both had successes, Lara did better IMO.

Anyway who do you think is the better bat overall ?

It's between Waugh and Tendulkar in the 90s IMO.

If you mean between Lara and Tendulkar, I am nudging back towards Tendulkar after his recent resurgence. But I think Ponting is just as good if not better than Tendulkar overall.

 

[Avada Kedavra]

But I think Ponting is just as good if not better than Tendulkar overall.

I would agree with that. Perhaps I would give the slightest of edges to Tendulkar because I am not sure how Ponting would have fared against Warne (in particular) and McGrath. But I can understand if you rate Ponting higher so please no arguments.

 

[Pratters]

He started the name calling. I don't even know who Precambrien is. Can you do an IP trace and let these guys know ?

Further proof that this is Precambrian.

 

[UncleTheOne]

so much **** waving, so little time.

 

[MrIncredible]

In matches involving BOTH Donald and Pollock, Tendulkar averages 38.70 and Lara averages 33.33

Yes Bradman's opinion is only his opinion but the greatest batsman's opinion certainly has more value than Ikki's

I am also glad to see that you have edited "Really when" to "Lara only played 1 test against Imran Khan"

Just for the record. Tendulkar averages 35.83 against Imran Khan. Lara averages 24.50

In one test. Wow what a large enough sample!!

 

[zaremba]

Haha, you know what's funny? I was thinking to myself when reading the list..."if anyone ever calls me on picking too many Aussies I am gonna cite this list!"

Class.

 

[MrIncredible]

No, Tendulkar did play enough matches overall. But when we are talking strictly about Australia; Lara played more against the better attack so even though both had successes, Lara did better IMO.



It's between Waugh and Tendulkar in the 90s IMO.

If you mean between Lara and Tendulkar, I am nudging back towards Tendulkar after his recent resurgence. But I think Ponting is just as good if not better than Tendulkar overall.

In the 90s its Waugh no questions asked. Slightly inferior record to Tendulkar but did very good/great against all the best attacks of their time.

For me (if ne one cares) overall its slight edge to Lara but there are arguments for rating Tendulkar and even Ponting over Lara. What i have a problem with and y i pick on Tendulkar so much is when people start to say he is the best since bradman, the best cricketer of all time etc etc etc. One guy (Rivera i think) even had the temerity to come up with some futile argument as to y Tendulkar was greater/better than Bradman.

 

[SpeedStar]

Warne/Akram

Lara/Tendulkar.

 

[Burgey]

Another "Who's the best?" thread, another decline into abomination. Shame really, a lot of people have made some decent points in here imo.

 

[gwo]

For the record, if player A averages 50 in 100 matches (150 innings), while player B averages 48 in 100 matches (150 innings), the aggregate difference between runs scored in the 100 matches is 300 runs.

Whoop dee ****ing doo.

Just watch the bloody game, enjoy it and stop analysing it to death.

Tendulkar, Waugh top 2

Lara #3

 

[Pratters]

Waugh doesn't get enough mention in this thread. He was the best batsman for the first half of the 90s unquestionably and is an equal of Lara and Tendulkar for the 90s.

If I had to rank the three, I would rank them as follows -

BC Lara
SR Tendulkar
SR Waugh

 

[Pratters]

I would like to see some one post stats of the best 5-7 batsmen, bowlers in the 90s like bagapath does in his world XI threads if possible.

 

[honestbharani]

McGrath is a master bowler who succeeded in all conditions. His bowling style is suited to Indian conditions as he relies on seam movement and not swing. To have countered him successfully both in Australia and India makes Tendulkar the only Indian batsman to have dominated Australia in the 90s.

That is junk.. McGrath's bowling is hardly suited to India.. The only reason he was that good in 2004 was that they had fielders cutting off our main shots and McGrath's lines and lengths meant we were going to poke at one eventually... Indian tracks hardly EVER aid seam movement. There is a reason why most of our fast bowlers are and have always been "swing" bowlers than "seam" bowlers...

 

[honestbharani]

What you have to understand is that Tendulkar and Lara are both great batsmen, probably in the top 5 of all time. But Tendulkar has been significantly better against the greatest fast bowlers. He pummeled a Donald at his best in the 90s and scored 2 100s against him. This forced Donald to come out and say that Tendulkar is the best batsmen he ever bowled to. Lara despite facing a Donald well past his peak in the 00s couldn't score a single 100 against him. Lara's record against Pakistan improved very significantly after the retirements of the 2 Ws. Is it a coincidence that Lara's first 100 against Pakistan came after they retired ? Incidentally Wasim Akram also rates Tendulkar ahead of Lara.

This is not to mention that Lara didn't face 2 other great fast bowlers - Walsh and Ambrose. Obviously he can't face his own team mates, but as Tendulkar has faced 2 all time greats that Lara didn't (and done well), and still has a better overall record, I would give Tendulkar the edge there. And unless I am much mistaken he also has a 90 against Richard Hadlee. If u want to go purely on averages, a 16 year old Tendulkar performed better against Imran Khan than an older Lara.

All this and someone comes up and says Tendulkar can't play pace LOL

When you compare 2 greats as good as Lara and Tendulkar, the views of contempraries count for a lot (much more than your view and my view definitely). Bradman, Ponting, Hadlee, Wasim Akram, Donald, Sobers, Warne, Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh (and many more) rate Tendulkar ahead of Lara. Some go as far as to say that he is the best after Bradman. A few years back Wisden made a list of the greatest bats of all time, and Tendulkar came second in that after Bradman.

Don't go quoting off names mate.. Will like to see where Sobers and Imran rated Sachin ahead of Lara, for starters...


And MarkWaugh is not a great of the same standardsof the others mentioned there.. I don't really see why his opinion should count more than a McGrath or Murali who both rate Lara better.

 

[honestbharani]

1 test or not, he certainly did better. It can also be argued that Tendulkar averaged 36 over 4 matches. Isn't it harder averaging more over a longer period of time ?

I read you were making a point about Tendulkar scoring most of his runs against an out of form Warne and not against McGrath. Which is why I chose matches that had both Donald and Pollock. When you have two world class bowlers bowling from both ends, it is harder. 38 vs 33 is a significant difference in Tendulkar's favour.


"As for Bradman, again; he considered many batsmen to be better than he was himself. "

He was obviously being modest. He isn't likely going to shout around saying I AM THE BEST right ? Incidentally Lara says Tendulkar is better than him so what does that do to your argument I wonder. However when picking from other players, he would have no bias.

I have no problem with anyone rating Ponting or Lara ahead of Tendulkar as there is very little to choose between them. It is when people twist facts and lie to make their point that I see red. I like watching Lara a lot more than I like watching Tendulkar by the way.

Tendulkar has rated Lara better than him...