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Who is the greatest spin all rounder of all-time?

Xix2565

International Regular
There's no way I'm saying he's a better bowler than Imran, or a better spinner than than many of those mentioned. I'm just saying he's the GOAT allrounder.

235 wickets - could open/bowl 1st change/4th seamer as a left arm seamer, bowl SLA or left arm legspin (then known as Chinaman), was a gun fielder, and contender for 2nd best bat behind Bradman (some genius innings (including World XI knock), highest test score pre-Lara, 6 6s in 1st class over etc.
Sure, but if we're talking about fast bowling all rounders then Imran is better. Bowling is the more valuable skill and Imran was better, enough to make up for the batting side of the comparison.
 

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
Aubrey Faulkner.

If Vettori wants to be considered an AR he should've batted above 8 when his bowling became unthreatening.
He did - batted a lot at 6 and 7 from 2009-12, although not exclusively. Did average more at 8 during that period but was also 30+ from 6 and 7, which is a hell of a feat given given he was 9-11 for the first five years of his career, and really had a lot less talent than a significant amount of guys who averaged less above him, or around the world at No.8.
 

The Sean

Cricketer Of The Year
According to ICC Richie Benaud had the best peak by a pure spin allrounder
How much of that is due to his batting? Average of 24 is perhaps low for all rounder.
It was a case of peaking with bat and ball at the same time.

Benaud had a 17-Test run over three years where he took 110 wickets at 19, and during that period he also averaged 32 with the bat. Hence the exceptionally high all-rounder rating.
 

Majestic

U19 Captain
It’s not his batting that was the issue (though if he was that decent a bat he should have batted higher - it’s not like NZ were stacked with batsmen).
He batted at higher spots too. His second half was very good with bat. 4500 runs won't come batting down at 8.
 

Qlder

International Debutant
Was bowling near-exclusively pace by then.
After your post I googled "when did Garry Sobers bowl spin" and found a cricketweb gem. Very interesting read
 
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CricAddict

Cricketer Of The Year
After your post I googled "when did Garry Sobers bowl spin" and found a cricketweb gem. Very interesting read
Lovely read. A lot of the good posts there would sadly just get a "OK" reply now.
 

peterhrt

U19 Captain
An excellent old thread.

Most of Sobers' Test wickets were in his quicker style. His wickets per match as a spinner would be around 1 - a similar level to Jayasuriya and Carl Hooper.

WG Grace switched to slow bowling in his thirties. From then on his first-class averages were 35 with the bat and 21 with the ball. As a medium-pacer he had averaged 50 with the bat and 14 with the ball.
 

Coronis

International Coach
Anyway for the subject of the thread I’ll say Shakib - close with a few competitors.

Only because Sobers took a large number of his wickets with pace bowling too.

If you asked me who was the best pace bowling allrounder I’d say Imran.

But if you ask me who the best allrounder is I’ll say Sobers.

I think the @SJS posts on the last page of that previously linked Sobers thread best summarise his career as a bowler.

Also gdi even as a more stats focused bloke, that thread reminds me of how much I ****ing love Neville Cardus.
 

Silver Silva

International Regular
Anyway for the subject of the thread I’ll say Shakib - close with a few competitors.

Only because Sobers took a large number of his wickets with pace bowling too.

If you asked me who was the best pace bowling allrounder I’d say Imran.

But if you ask me who the best allrounder is I’ll say Sobers.

I think the @SJS posts on the last page of that previously linked Sobers thread best summarise his career as a bowler.

Also gdi even as a more stats focused bloke, that thread reminds me of how much I ****ing love Neville Cardus.
I think Jadeja has gotten more high profile batsmen out than Shakib
 

peterhrt

U19 Captain
Mushtaq Mohammad. Low WPM but some great all round performances. Warwick Armstrong and Charlie Macartney with the same caveat also.
Mushtaq is a good call. Would have bowled more but for presence of Intikhab. Turned it more than Inti.

Armstrong has a strong claim to be number one in first-class cricket. Averaged 46 with the bat and 19 with the ball.
 

thierry henry

International Coach
It's Jadeja obviously

How can it be Sobers lol, I thought him bowling spin so terribly was to blame for his crap bowling record despite him actually being such a great bowler.
 

kyear2

International Coach
It's Jadeja obviously

How can it be Sobers lol, I thought him bowling spin so terribly was to blame for his crap bowling record despite him actually being such a great bowler.
Yeah, really can't be Sobers unless we're seriously weighing the batting over everything.

My suggestion is equally as silly, but Shane Warne if not, Richie Benaud
 

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