Does Barry Richards deserve an exemption to be ranked among the greats of the game?

[kyear2]

No need to rate his accomplishments, we all know them, he even made the Cricinfo all time 2nd team with all but Sutcliffe available.
Anyone who saw him in country cricket would attest he was at the very least better than Sir Cuthbert, who he opened with.

I'm pretty sure I know the result, but let's hear it.

 

[Anil]

What exemption? He is already ranked among the greats of the game.

 

[capt_Luffy]

If we are rating Barry as a great (which I personally do in a heartbeat) then there's no way Mike Procter isn't one too....

 

[Coronis]

I rate him as a great cricketer.

Not a great test cricketer.

This is hard to seperate for some people. For some reason

I also rate Michael Bevan as a great cricketer.

Not a great test cricketer.

 

[_00_deathscar]

No

 

[Arachnodouche]

The opinion of his contemporaries and the fact that domestic scenes of his time were pulsing with the best cricketers in the world is enough to qualify him to that status.

 

[Socerer 01]

Barry richards was tested by more quality bowlers than many of the pre war cricketers who all get jerked by this forum as universe greats

so yes

 

[shortpitched713]

He's not an ATG Test cricketer, because he didn't play enough Tests.

He's still an FC great though, obviously. I don't understand why the hell this concept is so hard to understand.

 

[mr_mister]

I know he did a lot more in the unofficial/rebel tests as well as succeeding far more in his brief sample size of actual tests, but its intriguing the gap in reputation Barry Richards has over Jimmy Cook considering their similar FC records.

 

[shortpitched713]

Well on the one hand, why would you say their Richards' and Cook's FC records are similar? Isn't Barry's just markedly better both for average and longevity?

Secondly, I do think there is way too much stock put in Barry's excellent record in way too small a sample size of Tests. Cook, unfortunately did not deliver in the same way.

But neither can be considered Test ATG's obviously. It would be farcical to even consider. Might as well throw Ganteaume as the GOAT WK batsman as well, while we're at it.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I don't think anyone says he shouldn't be considered a great player.

A great test cricketer though? No. Richards/Procter sit with guys like Van der bijl, Le Roux, Franklyn Stephenson etc.

 

[rtramdas]

no..... simply because he didn't play enough tests. He would remain as a great talent with huge bad luck ..

 

[SeamUp]

I listen to his contemporaries and the greats before him & those knowledgeable about the game of his era and the regard for him probably is enough to rate him as an ATG of the game. Obviously all personal opinion.

Barry Richards says it well on Bradman. He was twice as good as anyone of his era. You haven't seen that since so it's probably a good measure. So I take that for his era & how he was judged and revered.

 

[shortpitched713]

I listen to his contemporaries and the greats before him & those knowledgeable about the game of his era and the regard for him probably is enough to rate him as an ATG of the game. Obviously all personal opinion.

Barry Richards says it well on Bradman. He was twice as good as anyone of his era. You haven't seen that since so it's probably a good measure. So I take that for his era & how he was judged and revered.

It's a hard luck story which we'll never get the final conclusion on.

The guys like Viv, Gavaskar, Chappell who actually got it done at the highest level from that era are rightly more revered, and considered the real Test ATGs, unlike Richards, who gets a few votes and mentions from the apartheid SA era cricket anoraks in the crowd.

 

[fredfertang]

The best batsman I've ever seen - only Sobers comes close

 

[Northerner]

As someone who has followed cricket since the 1960s i have seen some of the best ever,
Barry Richards was a great player, he would have been a great test player given the chance,
his performances in Kerry Packers World Series Cricket were excellent, the cricket world missed out on seeing the best of Barry. along with Graeme Pollock and Mike Proctor. all 3 would have had stella test careers,

 

[mr_mister]

Well on the one hand, why would you say their Richards' and Cook's FC records are similar? Isn't Barry's just markedly better both for average and longevity?

Secondly, I do think there is way too much stock put in Barry's excellent record in way too small a sample size of Tests. Cook, unfortunately did not deliver in the same way.

But neither can be considered Test ATG's obviously. It would be farcical to even consider. Might as well throw Ganteaume as the GOAT WK batsman as well, while we're at it.

You're telling me you don't think 80 centuries at 54 and 61 centuries at 50 are similar records?

The average gap especially is basically the difference between Sobers and Sachin/Lara/pick your poison

I'm not saying we can't say Richards is better, but one is considered by many to be one of the top 5 openers ever and nailed on for South Africa's ATG XI opening spot, one makes SA's D/E XI

And I'm just saying that is interesting


Edit - I should point out plenty of people wouldn't have Richards in the SA ATG XI opening batsman spot due to the lack of tests, but he did get enough votes to come 6th in my greatest openers ever countdown(only behind the big 4 and Boycott), a list Jimmy Cook didn't get enough votes to even make (and it was a top 40 iirc)

 

[shortpitched713]

You're telling me you don't think 80 centuries at 54 and 61 centuries at 50 are similar records?

The average gap especially is basically the difference between Sobers and Sachin/Lara/pick your poison

I'm not saying we can't say Richards is better, but one is considered by many to be one of the top 5 openers ever and nailed on for South Africa's ATG XI opening spot, one makes SA's D/E XI

And I'm just saying that is interesting


Edit - I should point out plenty of people wouldn't have Richards in the SA ATG XI opening batsman spot due to the lack of tests, but he did get enough votes to come 6th in my greatest openers ever countdown(only behind the big 4 and Boycott), a list Jimmy Cook didn't get enough votes to even make (and it was a top 40 iirc)

Well obviously this just means that the latter are overrated hacks.








YES THIS POST IS IN JEST

 

[mr_mister]

I knew it was in jest

Sorry if my post gave argumentive vibes. Just enjoy to discuss things in great detail!

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

I think so. Just from footage, idk if there has been better opener in decades. Though not sure about ATG in test cricket but a ATG in general, definitely.