How good is Sanga?

[Spark]

Maximas, known hater of Sri Lanka doing well.

 

[Maximas]

What's next? Maximas despises Herath? Jono is a Kohli hater?

UnderratedSanity IMO

 

[hendrix]

this is somewhat obligatory:

 

[Blocky]

You know what happens when Sanga scores another 26 runs...? Yeah, second most double centuries next to Bradman.

 

[cnerd123]

You know what happens when Matthews scores another 17 runs...? Yeah, 10th most tons for a Sri Lankan ever next to Michael Vandort.

 

[viriya]

As much as I agree that Blocky likes to bring this up too much, the most doubles since Bradman is a significant achievement.. Has a chance to break the Don's 12 before he retires.

 

[Blocky]

Unlike Sanga, you can't bank on Matthews.

 

[marc71178]

That's what Bradman would have averaged if he played the modern game. No, 65 after 75 or 62.5 after 100 is good enough to be the second best provided they don't have massive holes in the record.

Not this bollocks again. There is absolutely no way anyone can say that he wouldn't average 100 in this era because the bloke was just that good.

 

[Blocky]

ps - anyone saying batting is easy out there, look at how well Ajmal is bowling with scarce reward.

 

[marc71178]

Maximas is just having a sook. The fact is that I called it at 50 and he's gone on and made it a 150 - probably a 200, taken his average past 59 and done so against one of the better off spinners the world has seen in Ajmal. But let's write it off right? Because we should always over-state the achievements of Tendulkar, Dravid, Lara and Ponting and understate those of Sanga.

All 4 of those players you mentioned were better than Sanga, and by a considerable margin.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

How good would his record be if he hadn't been a keeper for those 48 games?

Makes you appreciate Gilchrist even more when you compare his stats with Sanga as keeper. Also Prior to a lesser extent.

 

[Blocky]

All 4 of those players you mentioned were better than Sanga, and by a considerable margin.

Yeah, is that why they pale in comparison to almost every single statistic? The only person you could hope to say was better in his prime was Ponting due to the winning percentage his team had, but as for the other three, Sanga's winning percentage is higher, his centuries per innings is higher, his overseas average is higher, it goes on and on and on and on. At a time where Ponting and Tendulkar faded away with the resurgence of great pace bowling in the world, Sanga continues his march towards an average of 60.

Next you'll tell me that Courtney Walsh is a better bowler than Curtly Ambrose.

 

[Blocky]

How good would his record be if he hadn't been a keeper for those 48 games?

Makes you appreciate Gilchrist even more when you compare his stats with Sanga as keeper. Also Prior to a lesser extent.

Yeah, Gilchrist was top class, really gave that Australian team (yet another) edge considering he generally came out and did it at near a run a ball too, but I don't think enough can be said about #3 batsmen who manage to average 55+... No protection in the case of an early wicket, straight out to bat.

 

[viriya]

Makes you appreciate Gilchrist even more when you compare his stats with Sanga as keeper. Also Prior to a lesser extent.

Not many keepers batted at 3 though. Makes a big difference when you don't have much of a break. Even Andy Flower batted at 4 as I recall. If anything you could say he was affected but not Gilchrist/Prior..

 

[Blocky]

Andy Flower generally batted 5 - Alec Stewart is the only other keeper I can think of that batted Top 3 for an extended period of time and managed a decent average (+40)

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Not many keepers batted at 3 though. Makes a big difference when you don't have much of a break. Even Andy Flower batted at 4 as I recall. If anything you could say he was affected but not Gilchrist/Prior..

Agree, Sanga is as much a freak as Gilly in a different way.

Just makes you realise how tough it is when a guy like Sanga has such a drop from his normal average when he had gloves. Obviously batting at 3 didn't help but gives you an appreciation of how tough it is for a keeper to average 40+ no matter how good a bat they are.

 

[watson]

All 4 of those players you mentioned were better than Sanga, and by a considerable margin.

Except for Tendulkar - wrong. Well, probably wrong.

 

[91Jmay]

Average could get above 60 if they get back out tomorrow!

 

[Maximas]

ps - anyone saying batting is easy out there, look at how well Ajmal is bowling with scarce reward.

It's not particularly easy but this is a very familiar environment for Sanga, it's not an innings that should change anyone's mind on him

 

[DingDong]

the greatest batsman of the last 25 years does it again. well done champ