Nominate your top 15 best ever test opening batsmen - another in my countdown series

[stephen]

I guess he gets in because of his impact. And notoriety.

He gets in because he retired with an average north of 50. He would be largely forgotten if his average was 49 instead.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

You're allowed to be wrong.

All opinions...they are wrong when you look at them through tinted glass.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

He gets in because he retired with an average north of 50. He would be largely forgotten if his average was 49 instead.

Ah..that's a good shout. Also, Katich retired with an average of over 50...

 

[mr_mister]

He gets in because he retired with an average north of 50. He would be largely forgotten if his average was 49 instead.

A huge part of his legacy was the fact he comfortably passed Bradman's century count and put it to what seemed like near-unassailable heights at the time

 

[Teuton]

Jack Hobbs
Len Hutton
Herb Sutcliffe
Sunil Gavaskar
Barry Richards
Victor Trumper
WG Grace
Geoffrey Boycott
Matthew Hayden
Bruce Mitchell
Bill Lawry
Virender Sehwag
Bob Simpson
Arthur Morris
Alastair Cook

15 not enough....
honourable mentions to Graeme Smith, Gordon Greenidge and Hanif Mohammad

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

The 'Wag!

Yes. He sort of changed the role of the opener slot. I don't think we have one of his style in the game atm.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Ah..that's a good shout. Also, Katich retired with an average of over 50...

Actually a very underrated batsman. Would be looked at very differently if he was from another country, probably would have played 100 Tests and average ~45, possibly more

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yes. He sort of changed the role of the opener slot. I don't think we have one of his style in the game atm.

Definitely none that are anywhere near as good. Warner is pretty close but he's mellowed lately and started scoring at more reasonable rates

 

[Michaelf7777777]

1.WG Grace
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Barry Richards
4.Sunil Gavaskar
5.Len Hutton
6.Herbert Sutcliffe
7.Arthur Morris
8.Sid Barnes
9.Graeme Smith
10.Gordon Greenidge
11.Bob Simpson
12.Matthew Hayden
13.Conrad Hunte
14.Herbie Taylor
15.Bill Woodfull

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Actually a very underrated batsman. Would be looked at very differently if he was from another country, probably would have played 100 Tests and average ~45, possibly more

If he played for a different country, he'd be more of a Graeme Smith type of player.

 

[TNT]

Yes. He sort of changed the role of the opener slot. I don't think we have one of his style in the game atm.

You say he changed the role of opener but you also say we have no one like him.

 

[morgieb]

Jack Hobbs
Len Hutton
Herb Sutcliffe
Sunil Gavaskar
Geoffrey Boycott
Gordon Greenidge
Bob Simpson
Bruce Mitchell
Graeme Gooch
Bill Lawry
Victor Trumper
Graeme Smith
Matthew Hayden
Virender Sehwag
Alastair Cook

Didn't count Grace or Richards because of the "Test" requirement. Morris would be 16th.

 

[stephen]

Katich is underrated because he followed from Hayden and Langer, who were better than him. He also didn't end with a career average over 50.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Definitely none that are anywhere near as good. Warner is pretty close but he's mellowed lately and started scoring at more reasonable rates

And this is rather ironic because scoring rates in test matches are on the up...It's a different beast now...and the Pakistan roads have opened for transportation recently.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Katich is underrated because he followed from Hayden and Langer, who were better than him. He also didn't end with a career average over 50.

At the opener's slot he averaged over 50. That's why he was brought into the discussion.

He averages 50.48

 

[TNT]

Simpson
Amiss
Hayden
Katich
Gavaska
Sehwag
Warner
Smith
Langer
Boycott
Gibbs
Lawry
Anwar
Barlow
Turner

 

[TheJediBrah]

Katich is underrated because he followed from Hayden and Langer, who were better than him. He also didn't end with a career average over 50.

We're talking about openers

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Simpson
Amiss
Hayden
Katich
Gavaska
Sehwag
Warner
Smith
Langer
Boycott
Gibbs
Lawry
Anwar
Barlow
Turner

I was just looking at Gibbs' record.
In the same tier as Attapatu.

 

[stephen]

At the opener's slot he averaged over 50. That's why he was brought into the discussion.

He averages 50.48

Yes, but his career average was 45. He spent his prime opening. A bit like Langer, his overall average under sold how good he was as an opener.

 

[TheJediBrah]

There are no wrong answers, but Gibbs is a wrong answer tbh