Best Batsman Besides Bradman (inactive players only)

[subshakerz]

I’m guessing guys like Fazal, Trueman, Statham, Snow, Benaud, Davidson, Laker, Lock and McKenzie don’t count.

Yeah Sobers was tested plenty more than Smith.

And then he could play that knock of 254 against Lillee too.

 

[Godard]

They do. Still Sober murdered a lot of soft attacks.

I’m guessing guys like Fazal, Trueman, Statham, Snow, Benaud, Davidson, Laker, Lock and McKenzie don’t count.

 

[Godard]

Pitches in Australia around 2014 to 2017 were ridiculously batting friendly. Scores against soft attacks of India and Pakistan at that time.

The only worldclass pace attack Smith truly succeeded against was Steyn/Philander early in his career. Since then he faced some good attacks which he plundered.

I’d say Ashwin/Jadeja is wordclass in India, Anderson/Broad in England. Plus Steyn/Philander as you said.

 

[Godard]

Yeah Sobers was tested plenty more than Smith.

And then he could play that knock of 254 against Lillee too.

We’re only looking at Int cricket please.

 

[Coronis]

They do. Still Sober murdered a lot of soft attacks.

Everyone murdered a lot of soft attacks. Sobers also faced a lot of strong ones.

 

[Godard]

Yeah Sobers was tested plenty more than Smith.

And then he could play that knock of 254 against Lillee too.

I guess Ashwin and Jadeja In Ind, Anderson/Broad in Eng, Steyn/Morkel/Philander don’t count as worldclass.

 

[Godard]

Everyone murdered a lot of soft attacks. Sobers also faced a lot of strong ones.

So why does Smith get a bad rep for it. Smith also did well vs a lot of strong attacks at their homes(some career defining series like 2017 Ind, 2019 and 2015 Eng).

 

[subshakerz]

I guess Ashwin and Jadeja In Ind, Anderson/Broad in Eng, Steyn/Morkel/Philander don’t count as worldclass.

Steyn/Philander do. Ashwin/Jadeja do.

Anderson/Broad not quite the same level of challenge as those two tho.

Still these are slim pickings over an entire career even compared to Sobers.

 

[Godard]

Smith just has a more rounded record overall(averaging 44 and above against all major nations)

 

[subshakerz]

So why does Smith get a bad rep for it. Smith also did well vs a lot of strong attacks at their homes(some career defining series like 2017 Ind, 2019 and 2015 Eng).

Not a lot. Very few strong attacks.

 

[Godard]

Steyn/Morkel do. Ashwin/Jadeja do.

Anderson/Broad not quite the same level of challenge as those two tho.

Still these are slim pickings over an entire career even compared to Sobers.

Anderson/Broad are worldclass In Eng, not outside, but in Eng for sure. Smith has faced Bumrah and Rabada as well. Ashwin/Jadeja are a much bigger challenge than Benaud or Lake or other spinners mentioned.

 

[subshakerz]

Smith just has a more rounded record overall(averaging 44 and above against all major nations)

Yes so in terms of consistency and run output, Smith is ahead of all others for number two spot.

Only blemish is less to show against really strong attacks. Sobers averaging 57 but if you ask me he generally has more quality runs than Smith.

 

[kingkallis]

I didn't see more footages of Hobbs play or much of Sobers either. Saw some of the videos of Pollock and Barry play though and they did it with such ease.

Graeme Pollock even played incredibly well in the veterans trophy. He gets my vote

 

[subshakerz]

Anderson/Broad are worldclass In Eng, not outside, but in Eng for sure. Smith has faced Bumrah and Rabada as well. Ashwin/Jadeja are a much bigger challenge than Benaud or Lake or other spinners mentioned.

Anderson and Broad in the early mid 2010s had some pretty horrible batting pitches at home so you kind of felt it was easy to score against them sometimes. Anyways I guess they barely qualify.

Again, he faced some class bowlers, just not as often.

 

[Godard]

However Sobers hasn’t faced the quality of bowlers say Sachin or Viv did. So it’s a small difference for me. Plus Smith has clearly faced better spinners(Ashwin and Jadeja), and Steyn/Philander/Morkel is a better attack than any of the ones Sobers faced.

 

[Godard]

And post 2017, Smith has generally played in tougher conditions than Sobers overall, and still managed to keep up his peak.

 

[Godard]

So Smith beats Sobers in short and long term peaks, a more rounded home away record, playing in tougher conditions for the second half of his career, while Sobers faced on average Slightly better bowling.

 

[Ashes81]

For me it's a toss up between Hobbs and Tendulkar.

Hobbs was the outstanding player of his generation and its worth remembering that he missed some of his peak years due to WW1.

He would have been truly outstanding in any era and was an unbelievable player on poor wickets by all accounts.

Tendulkar's record is astonishing both in terms of his longevity and against all opposition in all conditions. He had no weakness and played his whole career in the full spotlight of the modern Indian media.

It's a really tough call but I'd just give it to Sachin.

 

[Slifer]

They do. Still Sober murdered a lot of soft attacks.

Sobers played 5 teams in his time and only really NZ had a weak attack. He failed vs them so that's moot. 55 of his 93 tests were vs Aust/Eng. Vs England he would've faced the likes of Truman, Lock, Statham, etc. Vs Aus: Miller, Lindwall, Johnston Davidson, Benaud. 60% of his career vs quality attacks and the rest vs India and Pak when they weren't necessarily top class but they were test class not minnows.

And all the teams without bouncer restrictions and with not even a cap on his head. Sobers plundered weak attacks my behind.....And Smith didn't play in tougher conditions. Not when he was protected from head to toe, with the tree trunk for a bat and enjoying the other creature comforts of modern cricket.

 

[fredfertang]

Richards, but Barry rather than Viv