The Ten Best Cricketers Of All Time

[JBMAC]

WG Grace should make the list. His contribution to the game was enormous, arguably greater than any of the others.

Why?

 

[Engle]

He was the founding father of the game.
From CI :

Grace's towering presence, more than any other single factor, transformed it into the unrivalled spectator sport of summer, first of all in England, subsequently in other lands spread widely across the world. I would even suggest that a true measurement of WG's unique stature is that he is instantly identifiable, even by some who are uninterested in his vocation, by his initials alone. I cannot think of another human being in any sphere, not even W.C. Fields, of whom this is also true.
Geoffrey Moorhouse, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1988

 

[Burgey]

I am sure he remembers better than me, but in a Test in England in the 1960s Hawke (I think) ran into one of the English batsman as he was going for a run, and Grout refused to remove the bails when the English batsman was well short of his ground

There was also an incident in the Melbourne test in 60-61, where the Windies thought a ball which went for byes had flicked off a bail on the way through and bowled Grout. The match was really, really tight at that stage, and next ball Grout apparently had a huge swing and was caught. A number of the Windies players referred to the incident in the excellent Mike Coward documentary "Calypso Summer" and were of the view that Wally probably felt bad about the previous ball and did everything he could to get out as a bit of a get square.
May be a fair bit of myth about it, but it would be in keeping witht he guy's character, by all reports.

 

[archie mac]

There was also an incident in the Melbourne test in 60-61, where the Windies thought a ball which went for byes had flicked off a bail on the way through and bowled Grout. The match was really, really tight at that stage, and next ball Grout apparently had a huge swing and was caught. A number of the Windies players referred to the incident in the excellent Mike Coward documentary "Calypso Summer" and were of the view that Wally probably felt bad about the previous ball and did everything he could to get out as a bit of a get square.
May be a fair bit of myth about it, but it would be in keeping witht he guy's character, by all reports.

I remember reading that he (Grout) admitted that he did not think it the right thing and decided to give his wicket away. A true sportsman

 

[The Sean]

I remember reading that he (Grout) admitted that he did not think it the right thing and decided to give his wicket away. A true sportsman

Absolutely, and a top bloke off the field too by all accounts. Usually overlooked and under rated when we talk about the great keepers (I'm as guilty of this as any) but my dad reckons he's still one of the best he ever saw.

 

[JBMAC]

Either Grout or Tallon I would rate as the purest Keepers I have ever seen..Not the flashiness of Gilly,KnottMarsh or Healy with the bat but did score a few first class hundreds for QLD and a very dour fighter when the chips were down..He sold his wicket dearly,if not in runs just being there holding up an end and like all tailenders he {Grout} fancied himself as an opener.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I would have WG Grace umber 2 behind Bradman and just ahead of Sobers. Anything after that is highly debatable, but IMHO those three are all nailed on.

I wouldn't have WG there personally, but only because his methods were slightly suspect in my opinion.

 

[amjadghazi]

How about Saeed Anwar

Hey Man...

I feel Saeed Anwar from Pakistan was very under rated.
His timing was the best in world for me and he was a real match winner.

Most of his innings were match winning innings...

So does he not fit in your list??

Your views please..

Thanks
Amjad

 

[Austerlitz]

Anwar was very inconsistent,plus needed to play better abroad and avg in the high fifties to be a contender.He would be contender for top 100.

Big bump though.

 

[amjadghazi]

inconsistent????

Ah...

I am not too sure if I can agree to that.
He has a very good average of above 40 against a side like Australia..

I dont know if you remember the way he thrashed Aussies at Gabba..
For me he was under rated..

Inconsistent is surely not the answer....

 

[hang on]

he was an excellent batsman but if u really believe he is in the top 10 batsmen of all time, i'd say that u are having a laugh or are incredibly gullible! sorry but there is no other way to put it.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Since, it is all-time greats, most of my info would be second-hand.

In no particular order (except the top 3):

Garfield Sobers
Don Bradman
Dr. W G Grace

George Headley
Jack Hobbs
Imran Khan
Keith Miller
Muralidharan
Ranji
Richard Hadlee

 

[smash84]

Ranji?? Or Rajni

 

[Austerlitz]

For me [in no order]

Sobers
Bradman
Richards
Imran
Gilchrist
Marshall
Ambrose
Tendulkar
warne
Lara.

And by anwar inconsistent i meant inconsistent by all time great standards.
He remained a very good player imo,never made the transition to great.

 

[smash84]

it would be difficult to put anwar in even the top 50 of all time

 

[hang on]

top 100, morelike.

pretty sure that he would not make the top 10 greatest pakistani cricketers. top 15 at a stretch.

 

[smash84]

top 100, morelike.

pretty sure that he would not make the top 10 greatest pakistani cricketers. top 15 at a stretch.

I think he will make the top 10 cricketers of Pakistan

Imran
Miandad
Wasim
Waqar
Inzy
Shoaib
Saqlain
Fazal Mahmood
Hanif
Yousuf/Anwar


hmmm.....you might have a point

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Ranji?? Or Rajni

This game isn't challenging enough for Rajni. He doesn't play with ordinary mortals.

I was talking about Ranjit Singhji. And no, not this one:

 

[weldone]

Donald Bradman
Garry Sobers
Jack Hobbs
Richard Hadlee
Malcolm Marshall
Leonard Hutton
Sydney Barnes
Muttiah Muralitharan
Sachin Tendulkar
Wally Hammond

It's very difficult to compare an wicketkeeper-batsman with a spinner, an allrounder with an opener, or for that matter an a bowler with a batsman...that's why to keep it simple I have kept out all those who won't make my all-time XI...

 

[ankitj]

Since, it is all-time greats, most of my info would be second-hand.

In no particular order (except the top 3):

Garfield Sobers
Don Bradman
Dr. W G Grace

George Headley
Jack Hobbs
Imran Khan
Keith Miller
Muralidharan
Ranji
Richard Hadlee

Pretty interesting choices in Headley and Ranji there!