Wasim Akram vs Sunil Gavaskar

[kyear2]

Don't mind that. Could also entertain Hadlee there too. Prefer McGrath due to his playing a large portion of his career in a high scoring era though.

Edit: Steyn close too but i feel like he could go missing just a little too often. Magnificent on his good days though

Marshall had the pace and variety to succeed in every and any surface and was consistently brilliant everywhere. That's the edge for me, not grading by checklist, but by conditions and strength of opponent. Some of his best performances were on spinning and unresponsive tracks, very few quicks can make that claim.

He's the 3rd name that's written down when constructing my all time XI

 

[howitzer]

Marshall had the pace and variety to succeed in every and any surface and was consistently brilliant everywhere. That's the edge for me, not grading by checklist, but by conditions and strength of opponent. Some of his best performances were on spinning and unresponsive tracks, very few quicks can make that claim.

He's the 3rd name that's written down when constructing my all time XI

Fair enough. It's small margins between the three of them.

 

[howitzer]

Yes, most of the names from my top tier.

Three legit contenders for the best ever (in my opinion and order)

Marshall
McGrath
Hadlee

With

Steyn
Ambrose

Right behind, Imran next in line.

Lillee and Wasim in either order seventh and eighth?

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Marshall, Imran, Hadlee, Mcgrath are way better test bowlers than Akram. All have nearly perfect home/away records, and better peaks. I don’t know how Marshall is the 8th best bowler. Guy has complete a home/ away record as any, and at his peak took 6 wickets per match despite bowling in one of the most competitive attacks ever. Great SR and best average for anyone having 200+ wickets. Way ahead of Akram.

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

And Sachin is a far superior test bat than Gavaskar. Gavaskar’s record in bouncy conditions is unproven, and his best series against WI was one when one of best of the quartet was playing. Had a great series vs the quarter, but sucked vs them away. Sachin has greater longevity and better performance across conditions.

 

[howitzer]

Marshall, Imran, Hadlee, Mcgrath are way better test bowlers than Akram. All have nearly perfect home/away records, and better peaks. I don’t know how Marshall is the 8th best bowler. Guy has complete a home/ away record as any, and at his peak took 6 wickets per match despite bowling in one of the most competitive attacks ever. Great SR and best average for anyone having 200+ wickets. Way ahead of Akram.

I think PFK was judging McGrath as 8th best bowler. Still just as ridiculous, mind.

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

I think PFK was judging McGrath as 8th best bowler. Still just as ridiculous, mind.

McGrath’s 3rd best at worst(and 2nd for me).

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Sobers, Viv, Lara, Tendulkar, Hobbs, Hutton are clearly superior to Gavaskar

 

[howitzer]

Sobers, Viv, Lara, Tendulkar, Hobbs, Hutton are clearly superior to Gavaskar

Agreed. Think Smith has done enough too

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Agreed. Think Smith has done enough too

Yep. Forgot to mention him too. Those guys +Smith are the next tier after Bradman, with Viv, Tendulkar and Hobbs marginally better than others in that group as well

 

[howitzer]

Yep. Forgot to mention him too. Those guys +Smith are the next tier after Bradman, with Viv, Tendulkar and Hobbs marginally better than others in that group as well

Feel like Sobers is hard done by here

 

[howitzer]

Feel like Sobers is hard done by here

I'd probably rank the retired ones thus:

Tendulkar
Hobbs
Sobers
Viv
Lara
Hutton

Difficult to know where to put Smith before the dust settles as he's still playing

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Feel like Sobers is hard done by here

Very close, agreed

 

[kyear2]

4th greatest batsman vs 8th greatest bowler

Probably one of the more interesting takes I've seen here.

Kinda crazy though.

 

[kyear2]

Lillee and Wasim in either order seventh and eighth?

It seriously varies after Imran.

Candidates are

Donald
Garner
Lillee
Wasim
Holding
Lindwall
Trueman
Davidson

Probably missing someone.

 

[howitzer]

It seriously varies after Imran.

Candidates are

Donald
Garner
Lillee
Wasim
Holding
Lindwall
Trueman
Davidson

Probably missing someone.

Not Waqar though?

 

[kyear2]

And Sachin is a far superior test bat than Gavaskar. Gavaskar’s record in bouncy conditions is unproven, and his best series against WI was one when one of best of the quartet was playing. Had a great series vs the quarter, but sucked vs them away. Sachin has greater longevity and better performance across conditions.

One could say less than stellar in bouncing or swinging conditions.

 

[kyear2]

I'd probably rank the retired ones thus:

Tendulkar
Hobbs
Sobers
Viv
Lara
Hutton

Difficult to know where to put Smith before the dust settles as he's still playing

Umm, not to totally derail, but for me

Bradman

Tendulkar
Sobers
Hobbs

Richards
Smith
Lara

Hutton / Gavaskar / Hammond / Ponting / Chappell

 

[howitzer]

Umm, not to totally derail, but for me

Bradman

Tendulkar
Sobers
Hobbs

Richards
Smith
Lara

Hutton / Gavaskar / Hammond / Ponting / Chappell

Yeah we've gone very off-topic here

 

[kyear2]

Yeah we've gone very off-topic here

Well technically not fully. I've established that I have sunil around 9th among batsmen and Wasim 10th(ish) among bowlers.