Greatest West Indian Batsman

[fredfertang]

Sobers was in his mid 30's by the time he came across Lillee and was a bit jaded through playing too much - I can't really remember him from the 60's when he was in his pomp but even past his peak in 1973 I remember a very special batsman - I also remember John Arlott expressing the view on TMS that had Sobers had Bradman's mentality he'd have matched his batting stats - I don't recall anyone disagreeing with him

 

[King Pietersen]

Interestingly, I remember hearing the same said of Sir Jack Hobbs.

 

[nightprowler10]

Garfield Sobers vs Dennis Lillee If you've not seen Sobers bat, then you have to give this video a watch.

Excellent video. Awesome to see him confidently hook Lillee with no helmet.

 

[King Pietersen]

Yeah, it's a pretty great video. Have to give credit to SJS for drawing my attention to it in the Cricket on Youtube thread. I love listening to Sobers and Lillee talking about the game, and their battles. 2 great characters of the game.

 

[andyc]

When you bat your majority of your career at 5 and below then you are a lower-middle order batsman and yes it does make a difference because if you are so great then you shouldn't have to have more then 1 lesser batsman bat ahead of you in the middle order.

Yeah, Steve Waugh was a mug too.

 

[The Sean]

I also remember John Arlott expressing the view on TMS that had Sobers had Bradman's mentality he'd have matched his batting stats - I don't recall anyone disagreeing with him

Interestingly, I remember hearing the same said of Sir Jack Hobbs.

Viv's another for whom that claim was made. I don't doubt it for any of the three, though surely it's exactly that mentality that goes a long way to supporting Bradman's position of unrivalled supremacy.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Exactly, that's the thing about Bradman that is beyond comprehension. Honestly, his mental application must have been out of this world.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Yeah, Steve Waugh was a mug too.

damn. beat me to it.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Yeah, it's true. That's why I rate Punter much higher then Waugh or Border.

 

[roseboy64]

Could just be that the player's comfortable in that position? Just like how Chanderpaul bats at 5 instead of 4.

 

[King Pietersen]

and like how Pietersen took a lot of convincing to move from 5 to 4, and looks unlikely to ever move from 4 to 3 in England's Test side. Rating batsmen purely on the position they batted is warped logic if ever I've seen it. If we're going by this logic Ben, then surely George Headley is a better player than Richards, given Headley was a number 3 and Richards batted the majority of his career at number 5?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

and like how Pietersen took a lot of convincing to move from 5 to 4, and looks unlikely to ever move from 4 to 3 in England's Test side. Rating batsmen purely on the position they batted is warped logic if ever I've seen it. If we're going by this logic Ben, then surely George Headley is a better player than Richards, given Headley was a number 3 and Richards batted the majority of his career at number 5?

Richards in his prime batted at 3.

 

[King Pietersen]

Played more innings at 5. It wasn't a serious point btw, I rate Headley highly, but not higher than Viv. Just thought it'd be entertaining to have Ben's view on Headley posted on here, as I definitey recall him saying he thought Mike Hussey was a better player in the past.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Played more innings at 5. It wasn't a serious point btw, I rate Headley highly, but not higher than Viv. Just thought it'd be entertaining to have Ben's view on Headley posted on here, as I definitey recall him saying he thought Mike Hussey was a better player in the past.

Viv was a number 3, and the best ever. Anyway, besides that, if by "entertaining" you mean comical then you have a good point.

 

[Maximus0723]

I agree with Ben. Sobers batting is overrated. You just have to look at his career closely. Where is Ikki when you need him?

Sir Viv for me.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I agree with Ben. Sobers batting is overrated. You just have to look at his career closely. Where is Ikki when you need him?

Ikki and his abacus have only ever made prawns of themselves over Sobers bowling, I don't think they've ever questioned his batting.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

and like how Pietersen took a lot of convincing to move from 5 to 4, and looks unlikely to ever move from 4 to 3 in England's Test side. Rating batsmen purely on the position they batted is warped logic if ever I've seen it. If we're going by this logic Ben, then surely George Headley is a better player than Richards, given Headley was a number 3 and Richards batted the majority of his career at number 5?

The very best batsman bat in the top 4, that's my logic King Pietersen. Plain and simple. Viv Richards batted the majority of his career in the top 4, whilst Sobers batted the majority of his career at 5 and below.

 

[Burgey]

Excellent video. Awesome to see him confidently hook Lillee with no helmet.

Check out how still Sobers is in that clip before the ball is bowled. There's no trigger movement there at all, it seems.

 

[SJS]

I am surprised no one has bothered to ask/tell why Sobers batted low in the batting order (although the reasons are well known and recorded) while all kinds of ridiculous conclusions are being drawn for his doing so.

I can understand people preferring Richards to Sobers, particularly if they hadn't seen Sobers bat, but to give Sobers position in the batting order as an argument to his being less than one of the three-four greatest batsmen of all time, is laughable. Most people writing on this matter have invariably wondered how much more he would have scored had he batted at his natural batting order at number one down.

Is someone going to do it or should I ??

 

[King Pietersen]

I think you should do the honours SJS, can't say I'm familiar with the reason for Sobers batting low in the order.