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The best after the Don? CW ranked 25 contenders, here is the countdown thread
- Thread starter mr_mister
- Start date
Coronis
International Coach
Love that stat.
Speaking of what ifs "what if Sanga was never a keeper" but I digress. I still find it amazing Bradman still leads the double centuries list after all this time. Most likely to catch him of the current crop would be Kohli.
mr_mister
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
i like the idea of doing 2-3 and then people can talk about those players for a day or so, its interesting to me reading the discussions. If i smash out 10 in a day heaps of players will just get forgotten about and yeah. but you raise a good point about in being Sunday, this is the most free time I'll have in a while so I will do a few more before the day is done
mr_mister
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
#13
Ricky Ponting (309 points) FC average of 55.90, FC H.S of 257. 82 FC centuries
Ah, Punter. A career I followed nearly from start to finish. A career of highs and lows, but mostly highs. He started off with all the expectations in the world, playing for Australia A as a teenager in that famous Tri Cup series where Australia A had quasi international status. He nearly tonned up in his debut test innings when he was 20, crunched a WC ton at 21, an Ashes ton at 22, equalled Australia's highest ever ODI score at 23, but it was nearly all over in 1999 when he had scored 3 ducks in a row against Pakistan and was looking a dead certainty for a dropping. And with the amount of players gunning for that number 6 spot in the Aussie test side at the time it might have been very hard for him to get repicked. Not to mention he'd already made the headlines a few times for offield dramas like when he got blackeyed by a bouncer the season prior. But anyway, he bounced back from the 3 ducks with a 197 and he never looked back from there. For a few years in the early 2000s he was far and away the best batsman in the world, averaging an enormous 85 over two seasons in 2002 and 2003.
2004 was a little lean but he was right back up to hero status when he smashed a heroic 4th innings 156 in a match saving knock in the 2005 Ashes. He never again reached that peak and we all know his final few seasons are better left forgotten, but on his day Punter was one of the most exciting batsman to watch around. It's for a number of reasons, his always-attack attitude and pull anything short mentality just makes for amazing TV. The pull and hook are easily some of the most exciting shots to watch as a viewer, and they happened to be Ponting's favourite shots and he was one of the most skilled exponents of them ever. It was sad in the final few seasons when he would still go for it but connect a second too late or early and end up skying them, but that's what happens when you hit 35 and your eyes falter. He's a great commentator these days, a little wiser and calmer than his playing days, and yeah I love the bloke.
Ricky Ponting (309 points) FC average of 55.90, FC H.S of 257. 82 FC centuries
Ah, Punter. A career I followed nearly from start to finish. A career of highs and lows, but mostly highs. He started off with all the expectations in the world, playing for Australia A as a teenager in that famous Tri Cup series where Australia A had quasi international status. He nearly tonned up in his debut test innings when he was 20, crunched a WC ton at 21, an Ashes ton at 22, equalled Australia's highest ever ODI score at 23, but it was nearly all over in 1999 when he had scored 3 ducks in a row against Pakistan and was looking a dead certainty for a dropping. And with the amount of players gunning for that number 6 spot in the Aussie test side at the time it might have been very hard for him to get repicked. Not to mention he'd already made the headlines a few times for offield dramas like when he got blackeyed by a bouncer the season prior. But anyway, he bounced back from the 3 ducks with a 197 and he never looked back from there. For a few years in the early 2000s he was far and away the best batsman in the world, averaging an enormous 85 over two seasons in 2002 and 2003.
2004 was a little lean but he was right back up to hero status when he smashed a heroic 4th innings 156 in a match saving knock in the 2005 Ashes. He never again reached that peak and we all know his final few seasons are better left forgotten, but on his day Punter was one of the most exciting batsman to watch around. It's for a number of reasons, his always-attack attitude and pull anything short mentality just makes for amazing TV. The pull and hook are easily some of the most exciting shots to watch as a viewer, and they happened to be Ponting's favourite shots and he was one of the most skilled exponents of them ever. It was sad in the final few seasons when he would still go for it but connect a second too late or early and end up skying them, but that's what happens when you hit 35 and your eyes falter. He's a great commentator these days, a little wiser and calmer than his playing days, and yeah I love the bloke.
ankitj
Hall of Fame Member
Must be better than even Bradman.
mr_mister
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
#12
WG Grace (325 points) FC average of 39.45, FC H.S of 344. 124 FC centuries
The most polarising player of the entire exercise. More than one poster put him at the top of their list, a few had him bottom 5. It really is nearly impossible to compare him to 21st century players. I think it was OS here who once said you either rate him second after the Don or you don't rate him at all when trying to decide if she should open in England's all time 1st XI or the 4th.
He played first class cricket for 43 years, which made up two thirds of his life. He saw tremendous change in the sport over those years, from round-arm to over-arm bowling and probably a few changes to the LBW rule as well. In several FC seasons he more than doubled the runs of his nearest competitor, and he was usually nailed on as number 1 in the batting averages and aggregates. His actual test batting average of 32 from 22 tests looks a little underwhelming, especially when you consider FS Jackson averaged 48 from 20 and had a fair bit of career crossover with Grace. But Grace was likely past his prime when test cricket was invented, let alone when he played his last, 19 years after his first one in 1880. He managed a 150 in his very first test, when he was not yet a shadow of himself and then only got to play 4 more tests over the next 6 years. Both his test centuries were 150s actually, an interesting stat.
What must be considered when looking at his test and even FC batting averages are that going by basically.... every bowler's bowling average(including Grace's himself of 2800 FC wickets @ 18) it's fair to say that it was a bowling dominated game until the 1900s. Pitch and ground protection from rain improved overnight during the 20th century and new batting techniques and styles made their impact. Grace might have privately thought Hobbs was lucky to debut right when the tables were turning in the balance between bat and ball.
Unlike Ranji, who was all finesse and timing, Grace was said to be more about power and brute force, which is no surprise when looking at pictures of him. A bit more of a Mitch Marsh than a Shaun Marsh if you will
WG Grace (325 points) FC average of 39.45, FC H.S of 344. 124 FC centuries
The most polarising player of the entire exercise. More than one poster put him at the top of their list, a few had him bottom 5. It really is nearly impossible to compare him to 21st century players. I think it was OS here who once said you either rate him second after the Don or you don't rate him at all when trying to decide if she should open in England's all time 1st XI or the 4th.
He played first class cricket for 43 years, which made up two thirds of his life. He saw tremendous change in the sport over those years, from round-arm to over-arm bowling and probably a few changes to the LBW rule as well. In several FC seasons he more than doubled the runs of his nearest competitor, and he was usually nailed on as number 1 in the batting averages and aggregates. His actual test batting average of 32 from 22 tests looks a little underwhelming, especially when you consider FS Jackson averaged 48 from 20 and had a fair bit of career crossover with Grace. But Grace was likely past his prime when test cricket was invented, let alone when he played his last, 19 years after his first one in 1880. He managed a 150 in his very first test, when he was not yet a shadow of himself and then only got to play 4 more tests over the next 6 years. Both his test centuries were 150s actually, an interesting stat.
What must be considered when looking at his test and even FC batting averages are that going by basically.... every bowler's bowling average(including Grace's himself of 2800 FC wickets @ 18) it's fair to say that it was a bowling dominated game until the 1900s. Pitch and ground protection from rain improved overnight during the 20th century and new batting techniques and styles made their impact. Grace might have privately thought Hobbs was lucky to debut right when the tables were turning in the balance between bat and ball.
Unlike Ranji, who was all finesse and timing, Grace was said to be more about power and brute force, which is no surprise when looking at pictures of him. A bit more of a Mitch Marsh than a Shaun Marsh if you will
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OverratedSanity
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He has a legit argument to be ranked above Bradman imo.
Himannv
Hall of Fame Member
Agreed. Sangakkara shouldn't even be in the top 25 and Barry Richards just hasn't played enough Tests to realistically be ranked ahead of someone like Border.
OverratedSanity
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Sangakkara is worthy of the top 10 but Barry Richards being this high up the list is pathetic.
Coronis
International Coach
Amazing how Sanga is still underappreciated. Another 10 years to get some perspective maybe?
fredfertang
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Shame you didn't see him bat mate - he's the best I've ever seen
Punter was the cricketer I feared the most as a fan, even more than Mcgrath, Lee, Akhtar, Gilly and Haydos. I followed his batting during an era before T20 and when internet was not so powerful. I had no knowledge about cricket stats then and the only way I would judge a cricketer would be his on field aura, and you could sense his aura even while watching on tv, imagine what it felt like watching him at the ground.
I also wonder what it felt like watching Viv live on television, he probably had a stronger aura than Punter.
I also wonder what it felt like watching Viv live on television, he probably had a stronger aura than Punter.
Better than Viv?
Burgey
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As an opposition fan, watching Viv was a mixture of awe and terror