My Post WWII Test Top 10

[h_hurricane]

Great question and it was a tough one.

For this exercise, I have put together lists of batsmen, bowlers, keepers and all rounders. I then rank them across their play areas and then across one another.

Those rankings are based on skill set, importance to the team, performances vs contemporaries, longevity and so on.

Originally, I ranked Steyn higher in my list of fast bowlers but the more I delved deeper, the greater Anderson's body of work. He has more wickets in many weaker sides whereas Steyn played in the greatest ever saffer teams of the 00s and early 2010s.

Having said that, considering I myself once rated Steyn higher, it goes to show a certain element of subjectivity and lists can change over time. But I'm comfortable as is now, but there really isn't much in it. Each of the 10 sections is a give and take between the best players. Remember these are all great players, so it's about deciding who is THAT much better.

Lucid, immaculate and hitting bulls eye.

 

[Xix2565]

How do you spew so much **** all the time?

It's his life's passion.

 

[Coronis]

Stats aren't everything though but I'm not going to deny, there's a great case for Steyn. But Jimmy is severely underrated and if you were to dive into his matches, performances, the poor quality of england attacks he had to drag along at times, you'd see he has a great case also.

Clearly you must rate Joe Root higher than Virat Kohli then, just compare either their batting or bowling lineups, Root is clearly a far better player right?

 

[jayjay]

Clearly you must rate Joe Root higher than Virat Kohli then, just compare either their batting or bowling lineups, Root is clearly a far better player right?

This doesn't make any sense. Can you explain further?

 

[Coronis]

This doesn't make any sense. Can you explain further?

You rate Anderson higher than Steyn because Steyn’s been a part of some excellent South African teams and has had excellent bowling support, surely in the same vein you you rate Root above Kohli due to Kohli being a part of some excellent Indian teams with excellent batting and bowling support, compared to Root?

 

[Line and Length]

You rate Anderson higher than Steyn because Steyn’s been a part of some excellent South African teams and has had excellent bowling support, surely in the same vein you you rate Root above Kohli due to Kohli being a part of some excellent Indian teams with excellent batting and bowling support, compared to Root?

You're asking for jayjay to exhibit logic and common sense. Both commodities seem in short supply in his lists.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

You could put 60 names in a hat and pick out 40 at random and still not produce a top 40 as bad as that. It’s a rare gift that should be encouraged.

 

[jayjay]

You rate Anderson higher than Steyn because Steyn’s been a part of some excellent South African teams and has had excellent bowling support, surely in the same vein you you rate Root above Kohli due to Kohli being a part of some excellent Indian teams with excellent batting and bowling support, compared to Root?

But if you actually read my post that's not the ONLY reason I gave, I'm saying it's slight margins, and in such margins you have to pick certain aspects of a career.

I do not think the margins between Kohli and Root are slight.

 

[jayjay]

You could put 60 names in a hat and pick out 40 at random and still not produce a top 40 as bad as that. It’s a rare gift that should be encouraged.

Looks like you have diarrhea of the fingers mate

So you think the likes of Sobers, Khan, Tendulkar, Warne, Murali, Akram, Ponting, Lara shouldn't be in a top 40...well how baout you list a top 40 and let's see just how different your list is. I doubt you'll do it though old man.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I only indulge trolls once a week, and that's your share, sorry.

 

[trundler]

But if you actually read my post that's not the ONLY reason I gave, I'm saying it's slight margins, and in such margins you have to pick certain aspects of a career.

I do not think the margins between Kohli and Root are slight.

Joe Root and Virat Kohli have an average difference of LESS than 1. Their careers have basically overlapped entirely. Anderson and Steyn have a much bigger difference in averages and it's an even bigger percentage difference.

 

[jayjay]

Joe Root and Virat Kohli have an average difference of LESS than 1. Their careers have basically overlapped entirely. Anderson and Steyn have a much bigger difference in averages and it's an even bigger percentage difference.

I keep saying it's not all about stats. Look at some of the remarkable work Kohli has put in, centuries in places Indian batsmen have usually found difficult, much better to watch, a wider range of shots and someone who revamped test batting similar to AB or Viv before him.

I rate Root highly but he isn't at Kohli's level. Maybe sheer stack of runs could have him rated higher at some point.

 

[jayjay]

I only indulge trolls once a week, and that's your share, sorry.

There, there it's ok. Cowards usually run when asked to put their money where their mouth is. I assume you would rank every 19th century cricketer above Khan or Pnting because it makes you look cool huh

 

[Lillian Thomson]

It's quality. You feed someone twice and all they come up with is that. Time to unban Precam and Watson.

 

[OverratedSanity]

a wider range of shots and someone who revamped test batting similar to AB or Viv before him.

This is a dubious claim. In ODIs yes. In tests I dont see what AB and Kohli did that was revolutionary.

 

[trundler]

I keep saying it's not all about stats. Look at some of the remarkable work Kohli has put in, centuries in places Indian batsmen have usually found difficult, much better to watch, a wider range of shots and someone who revamped test batting similar to AB or Viv before him.

I rate Root highly but he isn't at Kohli's level. Maybe sheer stack of runs could have him rated higher at some point.

Joe Root has scored remarkable match winning tons on subcontinental dustbowls as well as seaming South African and West Indian decks. The bloke scored the third most runs in a calendar year ever. He has a higher average away from home too. Root scores a much higher percentage of his team runs because he plays in the worst England batting order perhaps ever. All this should more than sway things in favour of Root who has the odds stacked against him. Unless your reasons for rating Dale Steyn, arguable the greatest bowler ever، over a bloke who averages 30+ away from home with 3 wickets per match are spurious and parochial.

 

[jayjay]

This is a dubious claim. In ODIs yes. In tests I dont see what AB and Kohli did that was revolutionary.

What?? Both AB and Kohli advanced test stroke play. Obviously they weren't as gung ho as they were in ODIs because that's the nature of test cricket but they certainly upped it a level.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I think Anderson did quite a bit over the years to become a really good overseas bowler as well. Even with his improvement though, he barely averaged a little over 3 wpm outside England. It's not that he was always shite overseas, he was just a different kind of bowler in less helpful conditions. Still good but not a true spearhead away from home like the best of the best are.

 

[jayjay]

Joe Root has scored remarkable match winning tons on subcontinental dustbowls as well as seaming South African and West Indian decks. The bloke scored the third most runs in a calendar year ever. He has a higher average away from home too. Root scores a much higher percentage of his team runs because he plays in the worst England batting order perhaps ever. All this should more than sway things in favour of Root who has the odds stacked against him. Unless your reasons for rating Dale Steyn, arguable the greatest bowler ever، over a bloke who averages 30+ away from home with 3 wickets per match are spurious and parochial.

I've said my piece on this. You can make your own list and compare if you like.

 

[jayjay]

I think Anderson did quite a bit over the years to become a really good overseas bowler as well. Even with his improvement though, he barely averaged a little over 3 wpm outside England. It's not that he was always ****e overseas, he was just a different kind of bowler in less helpful conditions. Still good but not a true spearhead away from home like the best of the best are.

True...the best of the best for me, in terms of fast bowlers, are McGrath, Akram, Lillee, Khan, Marshall, Holding, Donald and Garner.

Steyn and Jimmy both fall into tier 2, which isn't bad at all. I just think Steyn is grossly overrated (some have him above the likes of Akram) by modern fans. Thing is, it's all opinions based on some data/eye test so it can vary. Neither man could be ranked any higher on an atg cricketers list though than where I have/will have them.