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Jack Hobbs vs Len Hutton vs Herbert Sutcliffe vs Sunil Gavaskar

trundler

trundler

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Hobbs is undoubtedly the greatest. 'Best' ought to be much closer between Sunil and Hutton. A hair's breadth either way. Could any CWer have seen them both? Maybe JBMAC? Sjs?
 
Red

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
Hutton is the greatest opener of all time imo. Took on the Lindwall, Miller, Johnston combo with great aplomb. Also made his 364 against an attack containing OReilly, showing he was equally adept against high quality spin.

Hutton was pretty much technically perfect, similar to Sachin.
 
trundler

trundler

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To be fair, Gavaskar would be one of the first names that pop up in my mind when I think of faultless technicians. Maybe he didn't face the same quality of spin bowling though.
 
wpdavid

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
trundler said:
Hobbs is undoubtedly the greatest. 'Best' ought to be much closer between Sunil and Hutton. A hair's breadth either way. Could any CWer have seen them both? Maybe JBMAC? Sjs?
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JBMAC may well have seen both Hutton and Gavaskar.

And the more I read about these guys, the more I'd love to read someone knowledgeable comparing Hutton with the earlier pair. It must be out there somewhere. Cardus maybe?
 
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trundler

trundler

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I have not read direct comparisons. Wisden places all 3 of them in its list of Ashes masters though. In Hutton's obituary, Wisden calls him one of the 2 most accomplished professional batsmen alongside Hobbs to play for England. Comparisons to Hobbs would be difficult anyway because of how much the game changers between their careers.
 
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
silentstriker said:
Zero west indian fast bowlers in the short list! You can make an all time XI without having a west indian fast bowler but I think it's a little crazy to not have someone like Malcolm Marshall even in your short list?

EDIT: Whoops - was looking at the wrong list :p
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No you read it correctly. Benauds list is absurd
 
trundler

trundler

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That was published in 1963. Hutton must've been too fresh and human in his memory. Can't fault his selections though. I really don't understand Sutcliffe not being rated at all. There's nothing to warrant it statistically. Would've made sense if he was a downhill skier or if he had been unimpressive in the Ashes.
 
Pap Finn Keighl

Pap Finn Keighl

International Debutant
1. Sunil Gavaskar - only modern great among openers. Succeeded against most number of great Pacers as an opener.
2. Len Hutton
3. Jack Hobbs
4. Barry Richards
5. Victor Trumper

WG probably better than all 5 though
 
fredfertang

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Personally I think Sutcliffe is underrated because, unlike with the other three, there was never a time when he was indisputably the best batsman in the world
 
Red

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
Slifer said:
No you read it correctly. Benauds list is absurd
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It’s sort of absurd but not so absurd when you consider that Benaud loved the aesthetics of the contest.

As good as the 4 quicks were, they didn’t make for attractive cricket.
 
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