Top ten greatest bowlers and batsmen of all time

[Coronis]

Round and round we go.

 

[Chrish]

I am not trying to compare McGrath's ODI stats to Marshall's.

I am comparing Marshall to his own peers and asking why isn't he in the top 3-4 in his own era in ODIs as well? Someone like Lillee [who is considered the golden standard of fast bowling by his peers and future generations] adapted so well to the new format and had his own impact back then. Why did Marshall fail to have any impact in ODIs? Its not that he played less ODIs, played like 130-140 matches. Thats the question ....Is it too much for the Greatest bowler of all time to adapt to the new format and at least be in the top 3 bowlers ?

When someone says Tendulkar is better than Lara then Tendulkar has the dominance in ODIs to back it. When someone says Lara is better than Tendulkar then the debate exists only because Brian was so amazing in the 90s in ODIs (Number 1 in ICC rankings from 1993 till 1999 I think). Had Brian been like crap in ODIs then there wouldn't be a Lara vs Tendulkarn debate because one also takes into account how the player adapted to different formats. Cricket is not just about Tests though Tests continue to be the primary rating parameter but not the only parameter. Same with Ponting he too is in fold because he isn't BS in ODIs. Someone like Dravid no one rates ahead of Lara/Tendulkar because its pretty clear on how he played in ODIs. Had Dravid been like Ponting in ODIs and you add that with Dravid the Test player and he too would be in the Lara-Tendulkar-Ponting mix .... See ODIs do matter a bit.

I preferred to watch Lara.. Dull moments were few when he was on the crease.. However SRT was a superior bat overall IMO. During his inning of 241 in Australia, for whatever reason he couldn't drive on off side.. So he left every single ball going outside of off stumps and put every single loose delivery on onside for a boundary.. Scoring runs in such fashion requires tremendous concentration and will-power. SRT's ability to adapt and score on any surface against any opposition puts him ahead of his peers.. Out of all the other players I have seen, only ABDV seems to possess adaption skill of such level..

 

[KINGOFKINGS]

I preferred to watch Lara.. Dull moments were few when he was on the crease.. However SRT was a superior bat overall IMO. During his inning of 241 in Australia, for whatever reason he couldn't drive on off side.. So he left every single ball going outside of off stumps and put every single loose delivery on onside for a boundary.. Scoring runs in such fashion requires tremendous concentration and will-power. SRT's ability to adapt and score on any surface against any opposition puts him ahead of his peers.. Out of all the other players I have seen, only ABDV seems to possess adaption skill of such level..

I too prefer to watch Lara more than Tendulkar. I would like to watch Lara's 277 in 370 balls kind of innings over Tendulkar's dull 241 in 450 odd balls both made on the same ground. Better Bat Sachin is for that reason but I felt Lara in a weak team with wickets falling around him never really tried to think/play like Sachin did. He often played at that pace because it was required and had he chosen a more defensive and stay on the crease approach instead of the fast runs stuff he probably could have constructed more solid innings like Sachin did like for example that 100 runs in India in 300 balls..... It was so unlike of Lara to bat like that but then after years of failure in India he finally did change his game to construct that.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Tendulkar being described as a dull accumulator using the 241 as an example is stupid. He wasn't Lara but he was no Kallis either.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

No I wouldn't say Sachin was an accumulator. But nor the vibrant flamboyant player of Lara's ilk. To me his style was aggressive but measured. Much like Bradman in that his aggression (as far as I was concerned) was usually within his own parameters. He had a lot of shots but not all, and he knew what he was good at.

 

[weldone]

No I wouldn't say Sachin was an accumulator. But nor the vibrant flamboyant player of Lara's ilk. To me his style was aggressive but measured. Much like Bradman in that his aggression (as far as I was concerned) was usually within his own parameters. He had a lot of shots but not all, and he knew what he was good at.

like which one?

 

[KINGOFKINGS]

Tendulkar being described as a dull accumulator using the 241 as an example is stupid. He wasn't Lara but he was no Kallis either.

To me he was a dull batsman compared to Lara, thats what I meant. Regarding Kallis he is so boring that I don't watch his batting at all so I am not bored of his batting cause I don't see any of it.

 

[weldone]

Chanderpaul is more boring than Kallis.

 

[Chrish]

Tendulkar being described as a dull accumulator using the 241 as an example is stupid. He wasn't Lara but he was no Kallis either.

Lol not at all.. SRT was anything but a "dull accumulator".. That would be Kallis.. 241 is just an example of the inning where Sachin adapted according to the situation and overcame technical difficulty. lara has shown weakness against genuine pace bowling.. Sachin hasn't really shown any apparent weakness

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Lol not at all.. SRT was anything but a "dull accumulator".. That would be Kallis.. 241 is just an example of the inning where Sachin adapted according to the situation and overcame technical difficulty. lara has shown weakness against genuine pace bowling.. Sachin hasn't really shown any apparent weakness

You guys really need to get over this Lara Tendulkar thing.

Or even Lara, Kallis, Tendulkar and Ponting thing.

Its over. Sangakarra won.

 

[smash84]

You guys really need to get over this Lara Tendulkar thing.

Or even Lara, Kallis, Tendulkar and Ponting thing.

Its over. Sangakarra won.

No he didn't. Sangakkara is a useless flat track bully who has been pulverizing bowlers on the flattest decks in Sri Lanka which suddenly turn into dustbowl minefields as soon as Murali or any of the Sri Lankan bowlers came on to bowl.

 

[Coronis]

No he didn't. Sangakkara is a useless flat track bully who has been pulverizing bowlers on the flattest decks in Sri Lanka which suddenly turn into dustbowl minefields as soon as Murali or any of the Sri Lankan bowlers came on to bowl.

ha

 

[Red]

To me he was a dull batsman compared to Lara, thats what I meant. Regarding Kallis he is so boring that I don't watch his batting at all so I am not bored of his batting cause I don't see any of it.

Tendulkar was anything but dull. So much **** is spoken about him, but seriously, he was a joy to watch. As near to perfect as you'll ever see.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

like which one?

I remember him playing a lot of 'uppercuts', and back foot drives, not many genuine cut shots. I could be wrong but that's one that jumps to mind

 

[Coronis]

I don't think Tendulkar was dull, I just think some people get that impression because thats one of the reasons some people prefer Lara i.e he was better to watch. Being less exciting than Lara can hardly be taken as a criticism, surely.

 

[weldone]

I remember him playing a lot of 'uppercuts', and back foot drives, not many genuine cut shots. I could be wrong but that's one that jumps to mind

Watch the Perth century 1991-92 for as genuine cut shots as you'll ever see from anyone in the world

Anything else?

 

[weldone]

Tendulkar was anything but dull. So much **** is spoken about him, but seriously, he was a joy to watch. As near to perfect as you'll ever see.

I don't think Tendulkar was dull, I just think some people get that impression because thats one of the reasons some people prefer Lara i.e he was better to watch. Being less exciting than Lara can hardly be taken as a criticism, surely.

Tendulkar might seem somewhat dull to some for a small period in his career after the tennis elbow injury, when he purposefully cut down on some shots...In 2004, he averged 91.5 - but some of those great innings (241* in Australia and 194* in Pakistan, for example) may seem dull to a casual observer (not to me of course)

 

[OverratedSanity]

Exhibition of cutting a cricket ball:

So many glorious cuts. All kinds too... 3-4 vicious ones through point where he just throws the kitchen sink at iot, delicate ones through backward point-third man, Couple of amazing upper cuts over the slips (maybe one of the first times he played it). Many of the balls aren't even that wide.

 

[Gob]

You guys really need to get over this Lara Tendulkar thing.

Or even Lara, Kallis, Tendulkar and Ponting thing.

Its over. Sangakarra won.

Can't be at batting.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Exhibition of cutting a cricket ball:

So many glorious cuts. All kinds too... 3-4 vicious ones through point where he just throws the kitchen sink at iot, delicate ones through backward point-third man, Couple of amazing upper cuts over the slips (maybe one of the first times he played it). Many of the balls aren't even that wide.

That first shot is as pure as you get.
Not being a huge fan of Sachin I haven't poured hours into watching his old stuff or overseas. Some are more what I'd call glides but he definitely has that cut shot on fire sometimes. I retract my previous statement and amend to say I still find him lesser between he and Dravid.