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Sobers vs Viv vs Lara

The Best WI Batsman

  • Sobers

    Votes: 28 43.1%

  • Richards

    Votes: 17 26.2%

  • Lara

    Votes: 12 18.5%

  • Headley

    Votes: 8 12.3%
  • Total voters
    65
T

The Rock

Cricket Spectator
I never saw Sobers but i do think Viv is still the most magnificent looking batsman ever. The only player from his generation to spurn using the helmet when every other batsman was putting them on. Prime Viv had an aura and presence at the crease i've still never seen any batsman match.

I'd like to see Lara batting in his cap vs Bret Lee or Shoaib like Viv would have done. I think he would have struggled..
 
Pap Finn Keighl

Pap Finn Keighl

International Debutant
The Rock said:
I never saw Sobers but i do think Viv is still the most magnificent looking batsman ever. The only player from his generation to spurn using the helmet when every other batsman was putting them on. Prime Viv had an aura and presence at the crease i've still never seen any batsman match.

I'd like to see Lara batting in his cap vs Bret Lee or Shoaib like Viv would have done. I think he would have struggled..
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Gavaskar was an opener and never wore a helmet + played a lot against WI.
 
smash84

smash84

The Tiger King
Slifer said:
Viv. Here's why. Unlike Lara, against every very good/great bowler of his time, Viv had at least one series where he put them to the sword: Lillee, Hadlee, Imran, Dev, Willis, Thommo, Chandra and co etc. Then you look at his overall record, yeah his 50 or so average isn't particularly high but he did average 40+ home and away vs everyone (except 3 tests in NZ). He averaged 45 or so in the 4th innings. Those are clutch numbers imo. Lara never really conquered WWs or Donald. And Sobers, he did very good/great vs the two stronger teams of his time (Eng and Oz) but inexplicably sucked vs NZ. It's really a toss up between Viv and Gary but I've seen a lot more of Viv. Plus Viv like me, is from the Leeward Islands so I'll go with him.
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Richards probably had more swagg as well, by all reports Sobers wasn't too far lacking in it either.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Slifer said:
Viv. Here's why. Unlike Lara, against every very good/great bowler of his time, Viv had at least one series where he put them to the sword: Lillee, Hadlee, Imran, Dev, Willis, Thommo, Chandra and co etc. Then you look at his overall record, yeah his 50 or so average isn't particularly high but he did average 40+ home and away vs everyone (except 3 tests in NZ). He averaged 45 or so in the 4th innings. Those are clutch numbers imo. Lara never really conquered WWs or Donald. And Sobers, he did very good/great vs the two stronger teams of his time (Eng and Oz) but inexplicably sucked vs NZ. It's really a toss up between Viv and Gary but I've seen a lot more of Viv. Plus Viv like me, is from the Leeward Islands so I'll go with him.
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I agree with the Viv points.

But why does Sobers failing against NZ matter? They were a minnow, and he already did well against the main teams so its not like it shows some flaw in his batting.
 
Slifer

Slifer

International Captain
subshakerz said:
I agree with the Viv points.

But why does Sobers failing against NZ matter? They were a minnow, and he already did well against the main teams so its not like it shows some flaw in his batting.
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Just nit picking tbh. Imagine if Sobers had done his normal thing and had averaged 50+ vs NZ. I imagine that his average would be near 60.
 
kyear2

kyear2

International Coach
A source of pride was that there was an unbroken line of succession from Headley - 3W's - Sobers - Richards - Lara... then it just ended. Of greater pertinence is who will be next, and where will we find them..
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
kyear2 said:
A source of pride was that there was an unbroken line of succession from Headley - 3W's - Sobers - Richards - Lara... then it just ended. Of greater pertinence is who will be next, and where will we find them..
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Yeah a proud batting legacy. Now we have Gayle :p
 
A

Arachnodouche

International Captain
thierry henry said:
I can’t believe I just opened the last page and people are literally saying ‘aura’ and ‘swagger’. How many layers of irony are we operating at here and how many people do you think Viv beat up behind the grandstands on a typical day.
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Don't think those terms were hipsterized when Viv was playing. No irony then if they aptly describe his body language.
 
Aritro

Aritro

International Regular
FWIW it's before my time but Viv hit the ball better than anyone I've ever seen in any footage. Had the ball flying off his bat like it does off the modern jumbo jet bats when he was using a wafer.

Also probably the most incredible precision placer of the ball I've ever seen, bisecting fielders in an in-out field with just a patch of grass to aim at
 
Migara

Migara

International Coach
Now a thing about Lara is that he played a set of ATG spinners, no other great batsman has ever managed to play. Lara faced Murali and Warne arguably the greatest test spinners of all time, and Kumble, Saqlain and Mushtaq, who are not far behind. None of Headly, Viv or Sobers played such a galore of great spinners and dominated. That keeps Lara on a place where no other West Indian batsman, infact any other test batsman, has been placed.
 
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