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Sir Richard Hadlee vs Sir Garry Sobers
- Thread starter ma1978
- Start date
shortpitched713
International Captain
I like both of them as a first pick in a draft, over Imran, although you can't go wrong with any.
Patience and Accuracy+Gut
State Vice-Captain
With regards to Hadlee,Don’t think it’s any close at all.Sobers was a phenomenon,Truly once in a lifetime type player.
The Sean
Cricketer Of The Year
Similar to Imran v Marshall, this is one where they are both so great that it feels somehow wrong to vote against either man. However, it can really only go one way.
In my opinion Hadlee is unquestionably one of the top 15 cricketers of all time, probably one of the top 10, and - while I wouldn't necessarily agree - you could even make an argument that he's in the top 5.
However, Sobers is unquestionably one of the top 3, probably one of the top 2, and - while I wouldn't necessarily agree - you could even make an argument that he's in the top 1.
In my opinion Hadlee is unquestionably one of the top 15 cricketers of all time, probably one of the top 10, and - while I wouldn't necessarily agree - you could even make an argument that he's in the top 5.
However, Sobers is unquestionably one of the top 3, probably one of the top 2, and - while I wouldn't necessarily agree - you could even make an argument that he's in the top 1.
Patience and Accuracy+Gut
State Vice-Captain
Feel Marshall/Imran is lot closer than Sobers /Hadlee. Marshall was definitely a better quick,a step above Imran imho with Imran probably the better cricketer due to his batting.
In this particular comparison though they are probably equal in the primary skill with Sobers lot ahead of Hadlee in the secondary skill which imho makes it a no contest.
I put Hadlee ahead in primary skill. He's definitely somewhere between 1 and 4 on the quick bowling rankings for me. I wouldn't particularly have a problem with ranking Sobers as high as 2 as a bat, but I also wouldn't die of indignation if you stuck him somewhere most would consider obscenely low, like 10th or 15th.
Even if Sobers is 15th, I still think he is better though. His bowling and fielding is>>> Hadlee's Batting.
Adorable Asshole
International Regular
There are many arguments for Hadlee being the best bowler. None for Sobers. Hadlee ahead in primary skills. Still Sobers is better because his secondary and tertiary skills are significantly better.
BazBall21
International Captain
I think I would have Hadlee the bowler over Sobers the batsman. But not because Hadlee has a case for greatest bowler of all time. Sobers is significantly disadvantaged there because Bradman is such an outlier.
And yeah, Sobers the bowler has Hadlee the batsman well beaten. Sobers was one of the best fielders of his time too.
And yeah, Sobers the bowler has Hadlee the batsman well beaten. Sobers was one of the best fielders of his time too.
shortpitched713
International Captain
I thought the whole point of an outlier was that you ignore it when analysing the rest of the dataset?
kyear2
International Coach
And it wasn't just him.
shortpitched713
International Captain
Neutral umpires saved Test cricket. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't spent enough time looking at home/away splits for individual players, and realized how damn uncommon away favored splits were before the age of neutral umpires.
Adorable Asshole
International Regular
Isn’t many WI ATGs are? Lara, Marshall, Headley and probably Richards also.
ashley bach
Cricketer Of The Year
Watching Hadlee nearly his entire career, I always thought he was either the best bowler I've ever seen or very close to it.
To be compared to the great Garry Sobers overall as a cricketer though seems somewhat far fetched.
To be compared to the great Garry Sobers overall as a cricketer though seems somewhat far fetched.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
He under-achieved with the bat a bit at Test level. At a level below he'd have walked into teams as a specialist #5 or #6 bat for quite a while even if he couldn't bowl, and he didn't really have that translate to Tests in the way Imran did. People who watched him bat - especially if they also watched him bat in county cricket - generally have a higher regard for his batting than the numbers bear out.
I think he if averaged in the low-mid 30s with the bat, which he was probably quite capable of with some more application there, he'd have a great argument for being better than Sobers. As it is his batting just wasn't anywhere near as valuable as Sobers' bowling, even if you think his bowling was better than Sobers' batting.
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