Player to bat for your life?

[Hurricane]

usually what I aim for.

Nice rejoinder.

 

[DriveClub]

I certainly thought so. Deliberately provocative. But it was lucid enough.

How was that provocative?

 

[Hurricane]

How was that provocative?

<insert jpeg of cat putting paw on posters hand on keyboard here>

We are talking at cross purposes and about different things. I am going to pull out of the thread for the night now.

 

[Burgey]

Brian Lara reportedly once said "Daemon is the best poster on CW"

Must have been during his slump in about 97 or 98.

 

[DriveClub]

<insert jpeg of cat putting paw on posters hand on keyboard here>

We are talking at cross purposes and about different things. I am going to pull out of the thread for the night now.

Ok sorry if I made you pull out

 

[Burgey]

Too many consecutive posts in here without reference to The One True AB

 

[honestbharani]

U can keep posting about TOTAB but we are having more fun with Hurricane Vs DC..

 

[Jono]

If you really are looking for a blockathon, you have to pick the real AB...

Haha this is good.

 

[subshakerz]

This is a very specific scenario. For someone to qualify for this role, they should be equipped to deal with every sort of worst case scenario you can think of and have extreme mental toughness.

- Have accomplished success in playing high-quality bowling attacks and poor quality pitches
- Have shown the ability to bat for long periods of time when necessary
- Most importantly, have performed in big match moments

For me, it definitely is Steve Waugh. He was one of the best in the 90s is playing great attacks. I cant think of a better innings on a poor pitch than his 63* at the Queens Park Oval in 1995 against Ambrose and Walsh. He had great concentration. And more than anything, when the chip were down and the stakes were high, he would deliver. Think of his 200 against the WI which came at a pivotal moment and decided the series. Or his 120* against SA in the 99 World Cup when Australia were at the brink? Or his twin centuries in 1997 in Old Trafford which changed the direction of the Ashes? Or his 2003 century in Sydney against England when he was being pressured to end his career? Or his final test match innings against India that saved the test and series? He was the best to perform when his back was to the wall.

 

[weldone]

VVS deserves a mention.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Steve Waugh for me, no contest. I think people forget over time just how good this bloke actually was.

 

[Chrish]

surprised lara being mentioned given how vulnerable he was for initial 30-40 deliveries

once got set yes but who has time to fool around when your life is on the line?

 

[mr_mister]

Steve Waugh's 120* is still the best ever ODI knock IMO

 

[Chrish]

This is a very specific scenario. For someone to qualify for this role, they should be equipped to deal with every sort of worst case scenario you can think of and have extreme mental toughness.

- Have accomplished success in playing high-quality bowling attacks and poor quality pitches
- Have shown the ability to bat for long periods of time when necessary
- Most importantly, have performed in big match moments

For me, it definitely is Steve Waugh. He was one of the best in the 90s is playing great attacks. I cant think of a better innings on a poor pitch than his 63* at the Queens Park Oval in 1995 against Ambrose and Walsh. He had great concentration. And more than anything, when the chip were down and the stakes were high, he would deliver. Think of his 200 against the WI which came at a pivotal moment and decided the series. Or his 120* against SA in the 99 World Cup when Australia were at the brink? Or his twin centuries in 1997 in Old Trafford which changed the direction of the Ashes? Or his 2003 century in Sydney against England when he was being pressured to end his career? Or his final test match innings against India that saved the test and series? He was the best to perform when his back was to the wall.

Yup Waugh for me.. The guy faced some of the most hostile spells of of pace bowling ever bowled. Not easy scoring runs when Ambrose/ Donald are coming after your head

 

[vic_orthdox]

Especially when the best of the time felt he had a weakness against the short ball - or at the least saw it as a way of stopping him from scoring, as he wouldn't pull. He had to cop as much fully sustained aggressive short bowling as anyone during the period because of that.

I still went with AB though, just because that's who it was as I grew up. Nothing was worse than when Channel Nine crossed to the races, and you came back to find Border was out while the 5th at Randwick was on - didn't even get to see our chances go up in flames live.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I always though of Dravid as a bit more of a nicker early than Kallis; just pushed at the ball a little bit more especially in Australian conditions. But I'd probably still take him next out of the guys named here. Didn't get to see enough Javed or Sunny to really take into count.

 

[Gnske]

If I wanted someone to fight for my life, Waugh. Dravid to protect it.

 

[Red]

Pity he couldn't get Chappell & Co to lay off Kim Hughes. Out toughed by the bullies.

If you knew anything about it, you'd know your statement is a load of crap.

 

[viriya]

Going by average balls per innings (balls/(inn - no)), the top 5 are:

1. Boycott: 124.65
2. Dravid: 123.06
3. Border: 122.18
4. Kallis: 120.43
5. Chanderpaul: 118.59

Using estimated strike rates for earlier era players, the top picks would be Bradman (163.95) or Sutcliffe (151.08).

 

[91Jmay]

Depends what the for your life criteria is surely? If your life is over unless batsmen hits 12 off two balls, then you pick McCullum or Gilly probably.