Best 3rd down Test batsman of all time

[Maximus0723]

An underrated position which requires great concentration and ability to perform in clutch.

Who are/were some players who played and succeeded for the majority of their career at this spot?

 

[Prince EWS]

The stats:

Qual: 2000 runs at #5

Player		Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0

TT Samaraweera	41	61	9	2929	231	56.32	9	16	6
SR Waugh	104	142	22	6754	200	56.28	24	29	11
GP Thorpe	52	78	18	3373	200*	56.21	10	18	3
MJ Clarke	45	68	7	3416	168	56.00	11	16	5
A Flower	55	82	13	3788	232*	54.89	9	22	3
Zaheer Abbas	35	42	4	2048	215	53.89	6	7	3
Mohammad Yousuf	52	78	7	3774	204*	53.15	13	19	5
S Chanderpaul	64	100	16	4409	203*	52.48	11	25	8
AR Border	58	70	11	3071	200*	52.05	9	15	1
Inzamam-ul-Haq	39	49	7	2144	119	51.04	6	14	3
VVS Laxman	37	51	9	2107	200*	50.16	5	13	4
DI Gower	34	49	6	2131	200*	49.55	7	8	1
MC Cowdrey	42	54	6	2377	154	49.52	6	16	1
M Azharuddin	72	94	5	4346	199	48.83	16	13	2
IVA Richards	49	63	6	2720	208	47.71	6	18	6
KD Walters	32	49	4	2134	242	47.42	5	14	1
CH Lloyd	54	72	6	3049	163	46.19	8	14	1
AG Prince	41	64	10	2396	162*	44.37	9	6	2
CL Hooper	50	75	6	2911	233	42.18	7	13	2
PD Collingwood	43	66	6	2508	186	41.80	6	11	4
NJ Astle	62	87	3	3181	222	37.86	8	16	9
WJ Cronje	38	56	2	2023	126	37.46	3	15	6
SC Ganguly	68	99	7	3440	144	37.39	6	18	5
A Ranatunga	59	82	4	2665	135*	34.16	2	19	10

Waugh was my thought before looking it up and that just backs it up, really. Thorpe averages a lot more at 5 than he does in his career overall though, ITSTL.

 

[Johnners]

The stats:

Qual: 2000 runs at #5

Player		Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0

TT Samaraweera	41	61	9	2929	231	56.32	9	16	6
SR Waugh	104	142	22	6754	200	56.28	24	29	11
GP Thorpe	52	78	18	3373	200*	56.21	10	18	3
MJ Clarke	45	68	7	3416	168	56.00	11	16	5
A Flower	55	82	13	3788	232*	54.89	9	22	3
Zaheer Abbas	35	42	4	2048	215	53.89	6	7	3
Mohammad Yousuf	52	78	7	3774	204*	53.15	13	19	5
S Chanderpaul	64	100	16	4409	203*	52.48	11	25	8
AR Border	58	70	11	3071	200*	52.05	9	15	1
Inzamam-ul-Haq	39	49	7	2144	119	51.04	6	14	3
VVS Laxman	37	51	9	2107	200*	50.16	5	13	4
DI Gower	34	49	6	2131	200*	49.55	7	8	1
MC Cowdrey	42	54	6	2377	154	49.52	6	16	1
M Azharuddin	72	94	5	4346	199	48.83	16	13	2
IVA Richards	49	63	6	2720	208	47.71	6	18	6
KD Walters	32	49	4	2134	242	47.42	5	14	1
CH Lloyd	54	72	6	3049	163	46.19	8	14	1
AG Prince	41	64	10	2396	162*	44.37	9	6	2
CL Hooper	50	75	6	2911	233	42.18	7	13	2
PD Collingwood	43	66	6	2508	186	41.80	6	11	4
NJ Astle	62	87	3	3181	222	37.86	8	16	9
WJ Cronje	38	56	2	2023	126	37.46	3	15	6
SC Ganguly	68	99	7	3440	144	37.39	6	18	5
A Ranatunga	59	82	4	2665	135*	34.16	2	19	10

Waugh was my thought before looking it up and that just backs it up, really. Thorpe averages a lot more at 5 than he does in his career overall though, ITSTL.

Interesting list, hopefully Clarke reads it and moves back to 5 (his best spot imo)

But yeah, Waugh was the first name I thought of to, WAG.

 

[Prince EWS]

Interesting list, hopefully Clarke reads it and moves back to 5 (his best spot imo)

But yeah, Waugh was the first name I thought of to, WAG.

Haha yeah Clarke averages about 18 at 4 IIIRC.

 

[Athlai]

Ryder obviously.

 

[Johnners]

Anyone else slightly amused at the 5 people with at top score at 5 of 200 exactly?

 

[gvenkat]

Sorry thoguht it was the best #3 batsman. :-)

 

[Migara]

Andrew Flower any day of the week.

 

[silentstriker]

Holy Crap Thorpe.

 

[morgieb]

Gotta be Tugga, looking at the stats.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Andrew Flower any day of the week.

Agree.

When you consider he was virtually carrying a poor side on his own and had the added responsibility of keeping wicket and sometimes the captaincy too then his record is ridiculously good.

 

[honestbharani]

I always thought AB batted a lot there.. seems I was wrong. Interesting.

 

[Prince EWS]

I always thought AB batted a lot there.. seems I was wrong. Interesting.

2000 runs is a lot to be fair. He has 1006 runs @ 62.87 in 22 innings. He's batted at six more than anywhere else though.

 

[sifter132]

Steve Waugh for the chance of a century, but he got a lot of ducks too. Flower for a more solid, consistent contribution. Depends what your team needs.

 

[AbhishekS]

Has to be Laxman without a doubt.

 

[Prince EWS]

Has to be Laxman without a doubt.

Lol?

 

[Migara]

Has to be Laxman without a doubt.

Who's Laxman?

 

[M0rphin3]

Samaraweera WAFLegend

 

[Himannv]

Samaraweera topping the list!!

 

[GotSpin]

Steve Waugh...from an Aus perspective. What an asset coming in at no.5