World Class list

[Blocky]

That's debatable.

Says you, trying to debate Bracewell is still our third best seamer.

 

[Howsie]

Good argument. Nevermind the guy averages mid 30's his last few years in test cricket, and just looks a shadow of his fomer self, both physically and with bat in hand. He's still world class because Blocky says so.

 

[hendrix]

Good argument. Nevermind the guy averages mid 30's his last few years in test cricket, and just looks a shadow of his fomer self, both physically and with bat in hand. He's still world class because Blocky says so.

is he even still playing any cricket?

 

[Viscount Tom]

Played a T20 other night but evens o you'd not select him to bat at 3 given his form over the past year or so.

 

[Blocky]

Good argument. Nevermind the guy averages mid 30's his last few years in test cricket, and just looks a shadow of his fomer self, both physically and with bat in hand. He's still world class because Blocky says so.

Yeah well, play back to back Ashes series and a series against NZ at home and see what you average.

 

[Maximas]

Think Herath is a bit unlucky to miss the cut as well tbh

 

[Howsie]

Yeah well, play back to back Ashes series and a series against NZ at home and see what you average.

Not much of a world class batsman then.

 

[Zinzan]

Top thread this. I've often asked myself the same question as to what exactly constitutes 'world class'. I've generally thought it's players who would make any other test line-up, as opposed to the more narrow criteria of making a world test XI. Having said that, the exception to that may be when SA had Smith, Kallis, Amla & AB in the same test line-up, very few supposedly WC batsmen would have been able to displace them.

 

[Coronis]

Yeah well, play back to back Ashes series and a series against NZ at home and see what you average.

Stop making excuses. Pieterson has always been overrated af anyway.

 

[Dan]

For me 'World Class' equates as 'too good to be get much more out of the domestix other than match fitness', or people you'd persist with for quite some time in a strong team, even if they fell into a slump.

Openers:
Warner
Cook
Dhawan
Latham
Silva
Brathwaite

Middle Order Batsmen:
Clarke, Smith
Mominul
Bell, Root, Pietersen
Pujara, Kohli
Williamson, Taylor
Misbah, Younis
Amla, de Villiers, du Plessis
Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Mathews
Chanderpaul

All-Rounders
Shakib

Wicketkeepers
Haddin
Prior
Watling
Chandimal

Spin Bowlers
Lyon (borderline)
Ashwin
Ajmal
Herath

Pace Bowlers
Johnson, Harris, Pattinson
Broad, Anderson
Southee, Boult
Junaid
Steyn, Philander, Morkel, Abbott
Roach, Taylor


This has more turned into a list of players who either have performances behind them, or I really, really rate as being potentially world-class, but that's ok.

 

[hendrix]

For me 'World Class' equates as 'too good to be get much more out of the domestix other than match fitness', or people you'd persist with for quite some time in a strong team, even if they fell into a slump.
.

yeah, that's my definition too.

Would nearly chuck Stokes and Neesham in the allrounders category too, tbh.

 

[Teja.]

Dan, seeing as your definition isn't as positional in nature - You'd have the likes of Latham/Braithwhite etc. in and not Rahane?

 

[Dan]

I've seen more of Brathwaite and Latham in recent time, so that obviously colours my judgement. I rate Rahane pretty highly, and he's probably deserving of a spot. Definitely borderline World Class, but I'd like to see him prove it a touch more before he's an automatic pick in my eyes.

Stokes is probably deserving of a spot (again, borderline because I'd like to see him prove it a bit more first), though Neesham's bowling is nowhere near good enough for him to be a 'world class' all-rounder, and I wouldn't be considering him a 'world class' batsman just yet.

I still think Stokes and Neesham have a bit to prove in 'domestic cricket', though arguably by that criteria cracking 'world class' is harder for all-rounders.

 

[NUFAN]

For me there is some statistical criteria that must be meet before I can consider someone world class. So basically, Brathwaite with a career average of under 29 with the bat is not making my world class list. The average doesn't have to be all that substantial as someone can start their career too early and be woeful but then come back as a classy player, but I wouldn't even consider any batsman with a career average under say 36.

 

[Dan]

His last series has been genuinely World Class IMO. Only going to improve.

Latham, Brathwaite, Mominul and Chandimal, in particular, aren't exactly 'proven' yet but I reckon that the little they've shown in recent times is enough to put them in the 'not going to get much more out of sitting in domestic cricket' category.

 

[NUFAN]

I respect your post Dan but just saying how my interpretation is different when it comes to inexperienced batsman. They need to do more before I say they are world class. For instance, why is Brathwaite world class but Chris Rogers isn't? Leading runscorer in the last Ashes series.

 

[Dan]

Yeah, definitely respect that. Rogers probably should be on the list tbh.

 

[uvelocity]

spikey, tweet b00nchmark that rogers is world class

 

[Teja.]

Using the 'Around the same level as the best in the world' criteria

Openers

Warner

Middle Order

Sangakkara
Clarke
Amla, de Villiers
Chanderpaul

Pujara is up there statistically over the last two years, tbh but would trust the above guys more. Mattews hasn't hit the same level but is doing excellently and might hit it in the future IMO.

Pacers

Steyn, Philander
Johnson, Harris
Southee
Broad (All-rounder)

Anderson hasn't really done anywhere as well as Steyn, Southee, Johnson and Philander have done over the last couple of years.

Spinners

Ajmal
Herath

Keepers

de Villiers

Must say, I'd prefer the term world class to be at least this exclusive.

I definitely prefer this definition with maybe Pujara, Matthews, Boult and Anderson thrown in, tbh. It just doesn't sit right with me that a term used as an adjective for high quality is attached to people who are merely decent/good at international level as opposed to excellent.

 

[marc71178]

Because Pietersen is still world class, even if his country doesn't select him anymore.

That's a myth, perpetuated by Piers Morgan.