CW chooses the second greatest batsman ever redux, 100 men from 5 eras whittled to 1

[mr_mister]

yeah absolutely ridic tough heat. they'll all be this tough from here on out though, heat 4 especially is ridic having a look ahead at it

 

[harsh.ag]

Round 2, Heat 2:

Wally Hammond
Bill Ponsford
Bruce Mitchell
Stan McCabe
George Headley
Dudley Nourse
Len Hutton
Denis Compton
Frank Worrell
Clyde Walcott
Everton Weekes

 

[mr_mister]

Hammond
Hutton
Headley
Nourse
Ponsford
Weekes

 

[watson]

Round 2, Heat 2:

vote for the top 6


Wally Hammond
George Headley
Dudley Nourse
Len Hutton
Denis Compton
Frank Worrell

 

[OverratedSanity]

Hammond
Headley
Hutton
Mitchell
Worrell
Compton

 

[Red]

Wally Hammond
Bill Ponsford
Bruce Mitchell
Stan McCabe
George Headley
Dudley Nourse
Len Hutton
Denis Compton
Frank Worrell
Clyde Walcott
Everton Weekes


Hammond- England's greatest batsman (along with Hutton)

Ponsford- A run machine. FC average of 65 in 162 games. Was the wonder of the age before Bradman stole the limelight.

Headley- The black Bradman

McCabe- My favourite Australian cricketer (along with Archie Jackson). Underrated is a ****** term, but if any batsman is underrated, it's McCabe.

Hutton- The greatest opener of all time imo.

Walcott- Love Frith's description of him:

The reality was that Clyde Walcott preferred to laugh and accompanying the vision of his powerful strokeplay, for those who watched him and knew him, his deep voice resounds still - like his shots, an unforgettable mix of silk and gently rolling thunder.

 

[Zinzan]

Very surprised by how easily Ponsford won out over Leyland and Dempster.

Think you'll find there were 451 reasons.

 

[Zinzan]

Hutton- The greatest opener of all time imo.

Is he even the greatest English opener?

 

[mr_mister]

He also went 11 FC matches in a row scoring a ton in each one

 

[OverratedSanity]

Is he even the greatest English opener?

Yes

 

[mr_mister]

oh and Ponsford also hit 429 in his 4th FC innings lol


absolutely ridic when you think about it

 

[OverratedSanity]

Think you'll find there were 451 reasons.

He also went 11 FC matches in a row scoring a ton in each one

oh and Ponsford also hit 429 in his 4th FC innings lol


absolutely ridic when you think about it

All irrelevant since this is all about tests.

 

[Zinzan]

Behind Hobbs and Gavaskar in terms of greatest openers & behind Hammond & Hobbs in terms of England's greatest bats for mine.

 

[Zinzan]

All irrelevant since this is all about tests.

You don't know what '451' was in reference to?

 

[mr_mister]

yeah well Grace advanced on a pretty flimsy test record

 

[Red]

Is he even the greatest English opener?

I can understand people saying Hobbs is and I wouldn't argue with that.

Hutton played against some pretty great attacks though. Early on OReilly, then later Lindwall, Miller and Johnston from Australia. Apart from 3 innings against Pakistan, there are no flaws in his record whatsoever. Remarkable consistency. Well rounded batsman, near perfect technique for an opener. Excelled away from home as well as in familiar conditions.

 

[Zinzan]

yeah well Grace advanced on a pretty flimsy test record

More like he advanced for being W G Grace.

 

[Zinzan]

I can understand people saying Hobbs is and I wouldn't argue with that.

Hutton played against some pretty great attacks though. Early on OReilly, then later Lindwall, Miller and Johnston from Australia. Apart from 3 innings against Pakistan, there are no flaws in his record whatsoever. Remarkable consistency. Well rounded batsman, near perfect technique for an opener. Excelled away from home as well as in familiar conditions.

Yeah I've read plenty of his technique, so certainly appreciate that and it's a close thing.

Incidentally where do you rate Hutton in your top 5 all-time English bats?

 

[OverratedSanity]

You don't know what '451' was in reference to?

I do. Quoted that post by mistake.

 

[Red]

Yeah I've read plenty of his technique, so certainly appreciate that and it's a close thing.

Incidentally where do you rate Hutton in your top 5 all-time English bats?

I'd say Hutton and Hammond are tied for first, and I'd throw Hobbs in there as well to create a definitive top 3. Cant really split them, but if I had to rank them I'd go: Hammond, Hutton, then Hobbs. With virtually nothing to split them except personal opinion.