Slifer
International Captain
Ambrose also played extensively vs very very good Australian and South African lineups which were genuinely better than his. So there's that as well...
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2nd greatest living cricketer
- Thread starter Fuller Pilch
- Start date
Coronis
International Coach
Wow really I hadn’t noticed that. Says a bit about me too I guess….
Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
There was a thread on this book back in the day.
Geoff Armstrong- The 100 Greatest Cricketers
Unsure if this book by Armstrong was reviewed on CW ever, but this thread stems from a discussion in the random auction draft about Martin Crowe not being included in Armstrong's list of 100 cricketers. Armstrong selects who he considers to be the 100 greatest, and then places them in 9 teams...
www.cricketweb.net
Teja.
Global Moderator
Recency bias was huge as evidenced by such disproportionately high votes for players who had played in the last decade.
The Sean
Cricketer Of The Year
That's even more bonkers than Armstrong not finding a spot for him in any of his first nine XIs.
Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
Donald got one vote in that Wisden thing. It was a complete nonsense. The voters admitted they voted for a couple of obvious choices and then chucked in personal favourites. Only Bradman got the full 100. Even Sobers only got 90. The biggest after that was 30/100.
www.espncricinfo.com
Five cricketers of the century
The selection of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year has always been the perquisite of the Almanack's editor of the day
The Great One
Cricket Spectator
Hi.
Just joined this forum this morning.
An interesting poll. I am assuming we rank all rounders higher than specialists.
No doubt Sobers is the best all round cricketer of my lifetime. Could do it all. Bat, field and bowl in three different styles. No one since comes close.
Of the players listed in the poll I went for Kallis. He wasn't exactly a dynamic player but he scored a lot of runs, take vital wickets and didn't drop many in the slips. Any player who can bat at 4, bowl second change and field where he did is hard to beat. Shaun Pollock played in that team and was also pretty handy.
Best bats of my lifetime it is hard to split Tendulkar, Viv Richards and Lara. I did see Barry Richards and Graeme Pollock play in Sydney with the 1971/72 Rest of the World team but didn't see enough of them to rank them alongside the other three.
When Australia had gun sides in the 90's we had the Waugh twins and Greg Blewett who were more than useful bowlers, in the batting order at 4 5 and 6. The flexibility that provides in the side can often be so vital.
Just joined this forum this morning.
An interesting poll. I am assuming we rank all rounders higher than specialists.
No doubt Sobers is the best all round cricketer of my lifetime. Could do it all. Bat, field and bowl in three different styles. No one since comes close.
Of the players listed in the poll I went for Kallis. He wasn't exactly a dynamic player but he scored a lot of runs, take vital wickets and didn't drop many in the slips. Any player who can bat at 4, bowl second change and field where he did is hard to beat. Shaun Pollock played in that team and was also pretty handy.
Best bats of my lifetime it is hard to split Tendulkar, Viv Richards and Lara. I did see Barry Richards and Graeme Pollock play in Sydney with the 1971/72 Rest of the World team but didn't see enough of them to rank them alongside the other three.
When Australia had gun sides in the 90's we had the Waugh twins and Greg Blewett who were more than useful bowlers, in the batting order at 4 5 and 6. The flexibility that provides in the side can often be so vital.
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honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
Welcome to the forum. Hope you have fun here.
The Great One
Cricket Spectator
Thank you.
kyear2
International Coach
Nice 1st take, and welcome. Having seen as much as you have, looking forward to your insights.
The Great One
Cricket Spectator
Thank you. Started playing as an 8 year old in 1962. Finished in 1986.
Coached juniors and Junior Reps in Sydney from 1976 to 1991.
Just a spectator now, but still enjoy watching the game. Bit of an armchair selector at times.
kyear2
International Coach
Aren't we all?
And nice, seems to have had a good run.
We're having a discussion in one of the other threads, how do you personally rank Steve Smith compared to Richards, Tendulkar and Lara?
The Great One
Cricket Spectator
I did some part time work at the indoor cricket centre in Bankstown when their winter Friday night junior comp was going early this century..
There was a curly haired little guy of 12 to 13 years of age who arrived every week at 4pm for a 615 game. It was Steve Smith. His parents both worked shifts and had to drop him off. We needed some umpires so I suggested to him that I train him to umpire the 415pm under 10's games. He learned quickly and did that for 2 winters. Really nice well brought up kid.
To answer your question I have always felt his funky technique at some point in his 30's will desert him and cause problems.
At this point it hasn't.
South Africa 2018 was really shattering. But I think it was more a case of not knowing how to handle the players involved. An error in judgement and leadership rather than corrupt.
At present one of the top 3 batters in the game.
Like Marnus his leggies are worth a try every now and then.
TheJediBrah
Request Your Custom Title Now!
Not a name I expected to see in this thread!
The Great One
Cricket Spectator
I was just highlighting the significance of having batters who can bowl a bit like the Waugh's and Blewett who were at one stage in the same test team.
They can contribute a few overs and the odd wicket while the main bowlers are resting.
At the moment our test team needs Cameron Green to develop both with the bat and the ball to give us a better balance.
TheJediBrah
Request Your Custom Title Now!
the perpetual Australian post-2005 Ashes hunt for an all-rounder still going strong
The Great One
Cricket Spectator
Where an all rounder comes in handy is on the sub continent where it gets stinking hot and there is a need for 2 spinners. This is where a fast medium bowler who can bat 6 comes into play. At the moment with our attack Marnus would be our 2nd spinner and while he is good for a few overs and the occasional wicket he is not a front line bowler.
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
Blewett or the Waughs were not genuine allrounders though, at least in tests. They are just guys who can bowl a few decent overs in a day to relieve the main bowlers. Even that is not happening with Australia right now which means your 3 seamers are often bowled to the ground.