Viv Richards vs Brian Lara

[PlayerComparisons]

Competing for second best West Indian batsman after Sobers

 

[Red]

Like comparing god and Jesus

 

[subshakerz]

Richards. Lara had a problem with high pace that Richards didn't.

 

[Coronis]

Lara

 

[anil1405]

Definitely one of those polls I'd hate to vote.

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

Viv.2nd Best/Greatest WI batsman after George Headley Imho.With Sobers at 3 and Lara at 4.

 

[Xuhaib]

Richards I believe was one guy who never played for his average he averages 50plus despite not caring one bit about it. Lara post 2000 would ensure he cashes in big if he got in.

Viv for me by the tiniest of margins.

 

[subshakerz]

Lara played 16 tests against Wasim, Waqar and Donald and never scored a century against them. He averaged 43, 21, 31 and 40 in his four series against them. He also failed in his single series against Bond in NZ.

McGrath is pretty much the only ATG class pacer Lara has a good record against and even that is mixed since McGrath took his wicket 15 times.

Richards never faced his own attack but has centuries against Lillee, Imran and Hadlee and at least one mega series against each of them.

 

[h_hurricane]

King Viv by a tiny margin. The best batsman I have been privileged to witness. Averaging 50 with a SR of 70 with a very balanced record across most conditions is something to crave for.

Brian Lara was one of my favorites too. Could do crazy things on a cricket field which very few can.

These 2 absolutely among the very best batsmen in history and should be in anyone's list of the most entertaining and accomplished batsmen ever.

 

[_00_deathscar]

Lara cos Viv was a mid 40s average hack barring one massive year

 

[Zinzan]

A question there's no categorical answer to.

 

[BazBall21]

Richards.

 

[Xuhaib]

Lara cos Viv was a mid 40s average hack barring one massive year

Wrong he averages 50+ in 8 calender years

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Viv, simply because as a kid watching I had fear when he came out to bat and given the closest to that I have had since were from Ponting, Lara and Tendulkar shows how good they were but Viv is the man.

 

[BazBall21]

Richards’ career average was only below 50 at the end of one of his 15-year career, so assume that comment was a joke.

 

[BazBall21]

I’m usually fairly rooted to numerical production when assessing players but I certainly have not hard people talk about fear factor in a player to the same extent as Viv. Even prime Steve Smith. Think Richards must be the second most feared batsman of all time behind the Don.

 

[trundler]

Richards’ career average was only below 50 at the end of one of his 15-year career, so assume that comment was a joke.

He means if you take out 1976 Viv's overall average falls to 45. Viv had a career of ups and downs obviously but I don't think it matters relative to Lara because Lara's average fell quite a bit in the second third of his career before he improved it again.

Anyway I've gone Lara because he had more big knocks. Spurious but that's what I want from my #3.

 

[subshakerz]

Viv, simply because as a kid watching I had fear when he came out to bat and given the closest to that I have had since were from Ponting, Lara and Tendulkar shows how good they were but Viv is the man.

The fear factor can't be underestimated.

However, I get bothered by those who say that if Richards cared about runs he would average much more or that he gave his wicket away when he got bored. I don't see how that is a point in his favor.

 

[BazBall21]

He means if you take out 1976 Viv's overall average falls to 45. Viv had a career of ups and downs obviously but I don't think it matters relative to Lara because Lara's average fell quite a bit in the second third of his career before he improved it again.

Anyway I've gone Lara because he had more big knocks. Spurious but that's what I want from my #3.

Yeah I know what he means, I was just offering a counter argument on whether or not Viv justifies an average of 50+.
Have always been Viv over Lara by a small margin.

 

[BazBall21]

The fear factor can't be underestimated.

However, I get bothered by those who say that if Richards cared about runs he would average much more or that he gave his wicket away when he got bored. I don't see how that is a point in his favor.

The theory there is he would have taken more care re his production if he didn’t play for such a dominant side. Probably quite a biased view.