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Heroes of the Heroes
- Thread starter Line and Length
- Start date
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
While this is true when it came to 'Childhood Heroes' and 'Ideal Batsmen/Bowlers' it isn't the case with 'Greatest Performances'. Only 3 players (Gavaskar, Imran and Viswanath) have picked fellow countrymen while 10 have picked players from outside their own team. Still, I've only scratched the surface of the 75 players interviewed so you observation may prove to be correct.
Coronis
International Coach
Yeah sorry you only posted those 4 so was just going off them - didn’t see the other post ahead of that one my bad.
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
When it comes to great bowling performances in the eyes of other players, there are 4 bowlers who are mentioned several times.
Understandably, Jim Laker’s 19 wicket haul received multiple nominations. GODFREY EVANS says, “Jim Laker’s 19 wickets for England against the Aussies has to come out on top. He tied the Aussie batsmen in knots and they found him just unplayable.” DEREK SHACKLETON and BRIAN STATHAM also mention this performance and both point out fellow spinner, Tony Lock, only took one wicket from the other end – despite them changing ends. TREVOR BAILEY and ROY TATTERSALL also nominated this Laker performance.
Dennis Lillee also received multiple nominations for a single effort. JOHN LEVER wrote, “Dennis Lillee’s 11 wickets for Australia against England in the Centenary Test in Melbourne was the greatest bowling performance I have witnessed. I was one of his victims when he took 6 for 26 in the first innings and can vouch for the fact that his bowling was as close as you can get to perfection. His line and length and movement of the ball either into or away from the bat was deadly accurate and his pace was just as phenomenal.” ROD MARSH also named his team-mate and stated, “In my opinion, ‘D.K.’ shuld have been Man of the Match.” ALAN SMITH, in naming Lillee’s performance noted, “He showed exceptional stamina and tremendous competitive drive and this, allied to his great pace and accuracy, added up to yet another match-winning performance for Australia.”
Michael Holding matched Laker’s five nominations with 4 being for a particular match. ALAN KNOTT say’s “Michael Holding’s 14 wickets for the West Indies against England in the fifth at the Oval in 1976 was the most impressive fast bowling I have ever seen.” PAT POCOCK added, “He managed to produce incredible pace on the slowest of wickets.” MIKE SELVEY and BOB WILLIS also named this great performance with Willis describing the wicket as ‘a featherbed’. On the other hand, DON WILSON recalls one particular Holding over, “It was his first over to Geoff Boycott for West Indies against England at Bridgetown in 1981. I have never seen a more hostile over and only a batsman of Boycott’s ability could have survived to the final ball which knocked out his off stump.”
Finally, two great ‘quicks’ nominated Bob Massie for his 16 wicket haul at Lords. DENNIS LILLEE wrote, “The stand-out memory for me is Bob Massie’s astonishing Test debut for Australia against England in the second Test at Lords in 1972. He took 8 for 84 in the first innings and then 8 for 53 in the second innings to send England tumbling to an eight-wicket defeat. The conditions were humid and he swung the ball around as if he had it attached to a piece of string.” JOHN SNOW describes it as a “mind-blowing experience” noting only Jim Laker and Sydney Barnes have taken more wickets in a Test.
Tomorrow: More great performances as described by Test players.
Understandably, Jim Laker’s 19 wicket haul received multiple nominations. GODFREY EVANS says, “Jim Laker’s 19 wickets for England against the Aussies has to come out on top. He tied the Aussie batsmen in knots and they found him just unplayable.” DEREK SHACKLETON and BRIAN STATHAM also mention this performance and both point out fellow spinner, Tony Lock, only took one wicket from the other end – despite them changing ends. TREVOR BAILEY and ROY TATTERSALL also nominated this Laker performance.
Dennis Lillee also received multiple nominations for a single effort. JOHN LEVER wrote, “Dennis Lillee’s 11 wickets for Australia against England in the Centenary Test in Melbourne was the greatest bowling performance I have witnessed. I was one of his victims when he took 6 for 26 in the first innings and can vouch for the fact that his bowling was as close as you can get to perfection. His line and length and movement of the ball either into or away from the bat was deadly accurate and his pace was just as phenomenal.” ROD MARSH also named his team-mate and stated, “In my opinion, ‘D.K.’ shuld have been Man of the Match.” ALAN SMITH, in naming Lillee’s performance noted, “He showed exceptional stamina and tremendous competitive drive and this, allied to his great pace and accuracy, added up to yet another match-winning performance for Australia.”
Michael Holding matched Laker’s five nominations with 4 being for a particular match. ALAN KNOTT say’s “Michael Holding’s 14 wickets for the West Indies against England in the fifth at the Oval in 1976 was the most impressive fast bowling I have ever seen.” PAT POCOCK added, “He managed to produce incredible pace on the slowest of wickets.” MIKE SELVEY and BOB WILLIS also named this great performance with Willis describing the wicket as ‘a featherbed’. On the other hand, DON WILSON recalls one particular Holding over, “It was his first over to Geoff Boycott for West Indies against England at Bridgetown in 1981. I have never seen a more hostile over and only a batsman of Boycott’s ability could have survived to the final ball which knocked out his off stump.”
Finally, two great ‘quicks’ nominated Bob Massie for his 16 wicket haul at Lords. DENNIS LILLEE wrote, “The stand-out memory for me is Bob Massie’s astonishing Test debut for Australia against England in the second Test at Lords in 1972. He took 8 for 84 in the first innings and then 8 for 53 in the second innings to send England tumbling to an eight-wicket defeat. The conditions were humid and he swung the ball around as if he had it attached to a piece of string.” JOHN SNOW describes it as a “mind-blowing experience” noting only Jim Laker and Sydney Barnes have taken more wickets in a Test.
Tomorrow: More great performances as described by Test players.
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
We return to look at batsmen who, like Garfield Sobers and Stan McCabe, received multiple nominations.
Not surprisingly, VIV RICHARDS receives 3 nominations - all for different innings. IAN BOTHAM wrote, "There are so many that I can choose from the gallery of great performances by my favourite batsman Viv Richards. The one I'll settle for is his 291 for West Indies against England at The Oval in 1976. He totally dominated the England attack and produced a procession of magnificent shots. He hammered 38 fours and this knock brought his record total of Test runs in a calendar year to a mind-blowing 1,710. Happily, I was not on the receiving end. He was in the sort of mood to murder any bowler's averages." MIKE BREARLEY said, "I have to go for a Viv Richards innings. There are so many I have applauded but if I have to be tied down to one it would have to be his match-winning 138 not out for West Indies against England in the 1979 Prudential World Cup Final. I speak from painfgul experience when I say that he can make it almost impossible to set a field against him." KIM HUGHES recalls, "I have never seen an innings quite like that which Viv Richards produced for the West Indies against Australia in a one-day international at Melbourne in 1979-80. He was given pain-killing injections before that match because of a back injury and hobbled throughout his stay at the wicket during which he scored an unbeaten 153 off just 131 balls. As I watched the power and genius that flowed from his bat I wondered to myself whether there has been a batsman from any era that could have produced a better performance. Somehow I doubt it."
Len Hutton received two nominations with PETER MAY saying, "Len Hutton produced a glorious innings of 205 against the West Indies in Kingston in the fifth and final Test of the 1953-54 tour. It was the first time an England captain had scored a double century in an overseas Test and it laid the foundation for a nine-wicket victory that squared the series." PHIL SHARPE recalls, "I was thrilled as a youngster to see Len Hutton in full flow during a Scarborough Festival match. It was poetry in motion and the memory of his innings has remained with me ever since. He scored 241, showing superb technique and a full range of strokes."
Also with two nominations is Neil Harvey. ARTHUR MILTON wrote, "The innings that has remained in my memory is the Neil Harvey knock of 167 for Australia against England at Melbourne in 1958-59. It was an innings rich with superb strokes and positive play. It was the first century by an Australian against England for 11 Tests and was a classic that set up the Aussies for victory by eight wickets." TOM GRAVENEY says "The tops for me was Neil Harvey's 92 not out for Australia in Sydney in 1954-55. It was a glittering performance, made all the more memorable because his team-mates were getting into all sorts of trouble because of the pace of Frank Tyson who bowled faster than anybody I had ever seen. He was the only Australian batsman who offered any real resistance but he ran out of partners before he could reach a deserved ton."
Earning accolades from two English openers was Lawrence Rowe. DENNIS AMISS relates, "The innings that sticks in my mind is Lawrence Rowe's treble century for the West Indies against England in the third Test in Barbados in 1974. Even though he made us work hard in the field it was a pleasure to watch him making his strokes all round the wicket. He was at the wicket for just over ten hours and was always in command with some superb shots." GEOFF BOYCOTT supports Amiss's nomination writing, "The best innings I've seen was Lawrence Rowe's 302. He batted for 612 minutes and hit a six and 36 fours. It was a beautifully constructed innings that was appreciated by all the England players and it was the first treble century by a West Indian batsman against England."
Tomorrow: More bowling performances
Not surprisingly, VIV RICHARDS receives 3 nominations - all for different innings. IAN BOTHAM wrote, "There are so many that I can choose from the gallery of great performances by my favourite batsman Viv Richards. The one I'll settle for is his 291 for West Indies against England at The Oval in 1976. He totally dominated the England attack and produced a procession of magnificent shots. He hammered 38 fours and this knock brought his record total of Test runs in a calendar year to a mind-blowing 1,710. Happily, I was not on the receiving end. He was in the sort of mood to murder any bowler's averages." MIKE BREARLEY said, "I have to go for a Viv Richards innings. There are so many I have applauded but if I have to be tied down to one it would have to be his match-winning 138 not out for West Indies against England in the 1979 Prudential World Cup Final. I speak from painfgul experience when I say that he can make it almost impossible to set a field against him." KIM HUGHES recalls, "I have never seen an innings quite like that which Viv Richards produced for the West Indies against Australia in a one-day international at Melbourne in 1979-80. He was given pain-killing injections before that match because of a back injury and hobbled throughout his stay at the wicket during which he scored an unbeaten 153 off just 131 balls. As I watched the power and genius that flowed from his bat I wondered to myself whether there has been a batsman from any era that could have produced a better performance. Somehow I doubt it."
Len Hutton received two nominations with PETER MAY saying, "Len Hutton produced a glorious innings of 205 against the West Indies in Kingston in the fifth and final Test of the 1953-54 tour. It was the first time an England captain had scored a double century in an overseas Test and it laid the foundation for a nine-wicket victory that squared the series." PHIL SHARPE recalls, "I was thrilled as a youngster to see Len Hutton in full flow during a Scarborough Festival match. It was poetry in motion and the memory of his innings has remained with me ever since. He scored 241, showing superb technique and a full range of strokes."
Also with two nominations is Neil Harvey. ARTHUR MILTON wrote, "The innings that has remained in my memory is the Neil Harvey knock of 167 for Australia against England at Melbourne in 1958-59. It was an innings rich with superb strokes and positive play. It was the first century by an Australian against England for 11 Tests and was a classic that set up the Aussies for victory by eight wickets." TOM GRAVENEY says "The tops for me was Neil Harvey's 92 not out for Australia in Sydney in 1954-55. It was a glittering performance, made all the more memorable because his team-mates were getting into all sorts of trouble because of the pace of Frank Tyson who bowled faster than anybody I had ever seen. He was the only Australian batsman who offered any real resistance but he ran out of partners before he could reach a deserved ton."
Earning accolades from two English openers was Lawrence Rowe. DENNIS AMISS relates, "The innings that sticks in my mind is Lawrence Rowe's treble century for the West Indies against England in the third Test in Barbados in 1974. Even though he made us work hard in the field it was a pleasure to watch him making his strokes all round the wicket. He was at the wicket for just over ten hours and was always in command with some superb shots." GEOFF BOYCOTT supports Amiss's nomination writing, "The best innings I've seen was Lawrence Rowe's 302. He batted for 612 minutes and hit a six and 36 fours. It was a beautifully constructed innings that was appreciated by all the England players and it was the first treble century by a West Indian batsman against England."
Tomorrow: More bowling performances
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
Today we look at some more outstanding bowling performances as nominated by past Test players.
ALEC BEDSER nominates Ray Lindwall for one particular over: “A single over by Ray Lindwall stand out in my memory. He was playing for the Australian tourists against Surrey at The Oval. I recall him bowling six balls to Peter May that were as close you can get to perfection. Every ball was perfectly pitched and each one of the was a vicious outswinger. Even a batsman of Peter’s outstanding quality was made to look distinctly uncomfortable against Lindwall’s pace and accuracy.”
A match-winning spell is remembered by JOHN MURRAY who wrote, “Richie Benaud gave a match-winning performance when he took 6 for 70 in England’s second innings at Old Trafford in 1961. Ted Dexter had been going like a train but Richie took command by switching to round the wicket and pitching consistently into the rough. It was a masterly exhibition of controlled bowling.”
From an earlier era, BILL VOCE recall’s, “I have never seen fast bowling to match that produced by Harold Larwood against Australia in the first Test in Sydney on the 1932-33 tour. An indication of how quickly the ball was coming off the bat is that there were six of us in the slips and we dropped six catches between us during one of his morning spells. We won the match by ten wickets and Harold took 10 for 124. It was devastating stuff.”
John Snow received two nominations. DAVID BROWN says, “John Snow’s 7 for 49 against the West Indies at Sabina Park, Jamaica, on the 1967-68 tour takes some beating. He bowled some devastating stuff and had the distinction of getting Garry Sobers out first ball for the second time in successive innings.” RAY ILLINGWORTH wrote, “John Snoe claimed 7 wickets for 40 runs in the second innings of the fourth Test at Sydney on our 1970-71 tour. His brilliant bowling helped us achieve England’s biggest victory over the Aussies in more than 30 years. We won by 299 runs. John bowled as well as any fast bowler I have ever seen during that tour. Few batsmen in the world could have played him with the new ball. He got chest high bounce from just short of a length, got movement off the pitch and, above all, he bowled a beautiful line. Time and time again he pitched the ball fractionally outside the off stump so that if it did even a little bit he had the batsman in trouble.”
Wayne Daniels is nominated by GEOFF ARNOLD for a performance in a county game. “I have rarely seen pace to match that generated by Wayne Daniels for Middlesex against Sussex in the 1978 Benson & Hedges tournament. Bowling down the hill at Hove, he skittled 6 of us out for 17 runs and we were dismissed for 60. It was the fastest bowling I’d seen since facing Lillee and Thomson at their peak in Australia.”
Tomorrow: Some lesser known players are nominated.
ALEC BEDSER nominates Ray Lindwall for one particular over: “A single over by Ray Lindwall stand out in my memory. He was playing for the Australian tourists against Surrey at The Oval. I recall him bowling six balls to Peter May that were as close you can get to perfection. Every ball was perfectly pitched and each one of the was a vicious outswinger. Even a batsman of Peter’s outstanding quality was made to look distinctly uncomfortable against Lindwall’s pace and accuracy.”
A match-winning spell is remembered by JOHN MURRAY who wrote, “Richie Benaud gave a match-winning performance when he took 6 for 70 in England’s second innings at Old Trafford in 1961. Ted Dexter had been going like a train but Richie took command by switching to round the wicket and pitching consistently into the rough. It was a masterly exhibition of controlled bowling.”
From an earlier era, BILL VOCE recall’s, “I have never seen fast bowling to match that produced by Harold Larwood against Australia in the first Test in Sydney on the 1932-33 tour. An indication of how quickly the ball was coming off the bat is that there were six of us in the slips and we dropped six catches between us during one of his morning spells. We won the match by ten wickets and Harold took 10 for 124. It was devastating stuff.”
John Snow received two nominations. DAVID BROWN says, “John Snow’s 7 for 49 against the West Indies at Sabina Park, Jamaica, on the 1967-68 tour takes some beating. He bowled some devastating stuff and had the distinction of getting Garry Sobers out first ball for the second time in successive innings.” RAY ILLINGWORTH wrote, “John Snoe claimed 7 wickets for 40 runs in the second innings of the fourth Test at Sydney on our 1970-71 tour. His brilliant bowling helped us achieve England’s biggest victory over the Aussies in more than 30 years. We won by 299 runs. John bowled as well as any fast bowler I have ever seen during that tour. Few batsmen in the world could have played him with the new ball. He got chest high bounce from just short of a length, got movement off the pitch and, above all, he bowled a beautiful line. Time and time again he pitched the ball fractionally outside the off stump so that if it did even a little bit he had the batsman in trouble.”
Wayne Daniels is nominated by GEOFF ARNOLD for a performance in a county game. “I have rarely seen pace to match that generated by Wayne Daniels for Middlesex against Sussex in the 1978 Benson & Hedges tournament. Bowling down the hill at Hove, he skittled 6 of us out for 17 runs and we were dismissed for 60. It was the fastest bowling I’d seen since facing Lillee and Thomson at their peak in Australia.”
Tomorrow: Some lesser known players are nominated.
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
Harold Larwood with 6 slips. Jardine certainly set aggressive fields.
kyear2
International Coach
@Line and Length thanks for your continued efforts in the thread.
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
This posts looks at a few “lesser-lights” nominated by former Test players.
JACK BIRKENSHAW wrote, “Paddy Clift took 8 for 17 with a brilliant spell of medium-pace bowling for Leicestershire against MCC at Lords in a dramatic opening match of the 1976 season. It was his first game as a fully qualified Leicestershire player after coming from Rhodesia. Thanks to his bowling, we dismissed MCC for 149 on a pitch that gave little assistance to the bowlers. We declared our second innings closed at 226 for 2 and looked in a strong position, with MCC needing 325 to win in four and a half hours. Then Dennis Amiss and Mike Brearley turned the game upside down with a 301 opening stand and they reached their victory target for the loss of one wicket with ten minutes to spare! So Paddy Clift found himself on the losing side despite producing the best bowling performance I have ever seen.”
Majid Khan is nominated by TONY LEWIS: “The innings I select is Majid Khan’s unbeaten 156 out of a total of 256 all out for Glamorgan against Worcestershire at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, in 1969. He produced a marvelous range of brilliant strokes on a broken wicket against an excellent attack. It was one of several superb knocks for Glamorgan that season and his accumulation of 1,547 runs played va major part in our County Championship triumph.”
ROBIN JACKMAN said, “It’s easy to recall a devastating spell by Surrey off-spinner Pat Pocock against Sussex at Eastbourne in 1972. He was virtually unplayable and took seven wickets in 11 deliveries: four in successive deliveries, five in six balls, six in nine with seven in 11. Five wickets fell in his final over, four of them bowled, the other run out.”
TED DEXTER opts for Mike Smith: “M.J.K. (Mike) Smith produced a marvellous innings in the Gentlemen v the Players match at Lords in 1959. He scored 79 in the first innings and followed this with 166 in the second innings on a broken pitch that gave most of the other batsmen, myself included, terrible problems. His second inning knock, including 25 fours, was as good as anything you could hope to see and earned him a place a week later in the Old Trafford Test against India during which he scored his maiden Test century.”
Footnote: It may seem a bit strange including 3 players with a total of 138 Test matches in a “lesser-lights” section (particularly Majid), but they certainly aren’t on the same level as so many of the ATG players mentioned previously.
Tomorrow: A few more to round off this aspect of the thread.
JACK BIRKENSHAW wrote, “Paddy Clift took 8 for 17 with a brilliant spell of medium-pace bowling for Leicestershire against MCC at Lords in a dramatic opening match of the 1976 season. It was his first game as a fully qualified Leicestershire player after coming from Rhodesia. Thanks to his bowling, we dismissed MCC for 149 on a pitch that gave little assistance to the bowlers. We declared our second innings closed at 226 for 2 and looked in a strong position, with MCC needing 325 to win in four and a half hours. Then Dennis Amiss and Mike Brearley turned the game upside down with a 301 opening stand and they reached their victory target for the loss of one wicket with ten minutes to spare! So Paddy Clift found himself on the losing side despite producing the best bowling performance I have ever seen.”
Majid Khan is nominated by TONY LEWIS: “The innings I select is Majid Khan’s unbeaten 156 out of a total of 256 all out for Glamorgan against Worcestershire at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, in 1969. He produced a marvelous range of brilliant strokes on a broken wicket against an excellent attack. It was one of several superb knocks for Glamorgan that season and his accumulation of 1,547 runs played va major part in our County Championship triumph.”
ROBIN JACKMAN said, “It’s easy to recall a devastating spell by Surrey off-spinner Pat Pocock against Sussex at Eastbourne in 1972. He was virtually unplayable and took seven wickets in 11 deliveries: four in successive deliveries, five in six balls, six in nine with seven in 11. Five wickets fell in his final over, four of them bowled, the other run out.”
TED DEXTER opts for Mike Smith: “M.J.K. (Mike) Smith produced a marvellous innings in the Gentlemen v the Players match at Lords in 1959. He scored 79 in the first innings and followed this with 166 in the second innings on a broken pitch that gave most of the other batsmen, myself included, terrible problems. His second inning knock, including 25 fours, was as good as anything you could hope to see and earned him a place a week later in the Old Trafford Test against India during which he scored his maiden Test century.”
Footnote: It may seem a bit strange including 3 players with a total of 138 Test matches in a “lesser-lights” section (particularly Majid), but they certainly aren’t on the same level as so many of the ATG players mentioned previously.
Tomorrow: A few more to round off this aspect of the thread.
the big bambino
International Captain
Majid Khan was a magnificent player and is pretty close to ATG level.
Wisden's editor refused to exclude the E v RoW "Tests" from the records until forced to do so by the almanack's editorial board in 1980.
shortpitched713
International Captain
Nelson Mandela's hero was apparently Ian Botham, and boy will he let you know about it.
RossTaylorsBox
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Lol
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
To conclude this section, a random selection from Test cricketers recalling the greatest performance they have seen.
We start with two players' memories of pre-war performances.
LEN HUTTON wrote, "There are two innings that I recall above all others. The first was Don Bradman's 344 at Leeds in the third Test in 1930. He scored 309 on the first day which is a record I can't imagine ever being beaten. His double century came up in just 214 minutes and I cannot remember any of his shots going above waist high. The other innings of which I have vivid memories is Walter Hammond's 242 for England against Australia at Lords in 1938. It was a magnificent captain's innings, full of fluent strokes and superbly judged running."
BILL BOWES says, "There has in my experience nothing to match Hedley Verity's ten wickets for ten runs for Yorkshire against Notts at Leeds in 1932. It was a magnificent performance heightened by the fact that the bowler at the other end was the redoubtable George Macaulay who was trying his hardest to claim a victim even when Verity had taken his ninth wicket."
... and we conclude with two post-war performances from the 40s and 50s.
NORMAN YARDLEY says, "I plump for Denis Compton's 145 not out for England against Australia at Old Trafford in 1948. He was struck on the head early in his innings when attempting a mighty swipe off a bouncer from Ray Lindwall, who was bowling faster than anyone I had ever seen. Denis had to leave the field to receive medical attention and returned after being stitched and bandaged to play a real hero's innings."
JIM LAKER's choice is fellow spinner Johnny Wardle. "I will always remember Johnny Wardle's seven wickets for 36 for England against South Africa at Cape Town in 1956-57. He switched from his natural leg breaks to a mixture of 'chinamen' and googlies. His variety, control and accuracy was quite remarkable, South Africa were all out for 72 and England won by 312 runs."
That concludes my selection of entries from the 1984 "The Book of Cricket Lists." I hope CW members have enjoyed reading them as much as I have revisiting them.
We start with two players' memories of pre-war performances.
LEN HUTTON wrote, "There are two innings that I recall above all others. The first was Don Bradman's 344 at Leeds in the third Test in 1930. He scored 309 on the first day which is a record I can't imagine ever being beaten. His double century came up in just 214 minutes and I cannot remember any of his shots going above waist high. The other innings of which I have vivid memories is Walter Hammond's 242 for England against Australia at Lords in 1938. It was a magnificent captain's innings, full of fluent strokes and superbly judged running."
BILL BOWES says, "There has in my experience nothing to match Hedley Verity's ten wickets for ten runs for Yorkshire against Notts at Leeds in 1932. It was a magnificent performance heightened by the fact that the bowler at the other end was the redoubtable George Macaulay who was trying his hardest to claim a victim even when Verity had taken his ninth wicket."
... and we conclude with two post-war performances from the 40s and 50s.
NORMAN YARDLEY says, "I plump for Denis Compton's 145 not out for England against Australia at Old Trafford in 1948. He was struck on the head early in his innings when attempting a mighty swipe off a bouncer from Ray Lindwall, who was bowling faster than anyone I had ever seen. Denis had to leave the field to receive medical attention and returned after being stitched and bandaged to play a real hero's innings."
JIM LAKER's choice is fellow spinner Johnny Wardle. "I will always remember Johnny Wardle's seven wickets for 36 for England against South Africa at Cape Town in 1956-57. He switched from his natural leg breaks to a mixture of 'chinamen' and googlies. His variety, control and accuracy was quite remarkable, South Africa were all out for 72 and England won by 312 runs."
That concludes my selection of entries from the 1984 "The Book of Cricket Lists." I hope CW members have enjoyed reading them as much as I have revisiting them.
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
I thought we might continue this thread by having CW members posting their Childhood heroes and their idea of the perfect batsman and perfect bowler. While not 'heroes' in the common interpretation of the word, we all have our moments when we might have achieved something special in some way.
I'll start this theme.
My Boyhood Heroes: In post-war Britain both DENIS COMPTON and KEITH MILLER brought both talent and glamour to the game and, like others of my vintage, they were the pin-ups of the day. They were also the original 'Brylcreem Boys'. When I learned we were going to migrate to Australia, LINDSAY HASSETT was added to my list.
My Idea of the Perfect Bowler: Before I started playing (I was a late starter) I would have said FRED TRUEMAN. However, as fast bowlers went I can't go past DENNIS LILLEE. His sheer pace combined with guile and a fierce competitive spirit saw him head and shoulders above his peers. We have subsequently seen other ATG 'quicks' but Lillee made a lsting impression.
My Idea of the Perfect Batsman: As a bowler, I refused to believe such a creature existed. However, I would have hated to bowl to VIV RICHARDS. He would have slaughtered me.
I'll start this theme.
My Boyhood Heroes: In post-war Britain both DENIS COMPTON and KEITH MILLER brought both talent and glamour to the game and, like others of my vintage, they were the pin-ups of the day. They were also the original 'Brylcreem Boys'. When I learned we were going to migrate to Australia, LINDSAY HASSETT was added to my list.
My Idea of the Perfect Bowler: Before I started playing (I was a late starter) I would have said FRED TRUEMAN. However, as fast bowlers went I can't go past DENNIS LILLEE. His sheer pace combined with guile and a fierce competitive spirit saw him head and shoulders above his peers. We have subsequently seen other ATG 'quicks' but Lillee made a lsting impression.
My Idea of the Perfect Batsman: As a bowler, I refused to believe such a creature existed. However, I would have hated to bowl to VIV RICHARDS. He would have slaughtered me.
capt_Luffy
Cricketer Of The Year
I love how much our choices are going to be different given the large gulf in our eras.
My Boyhood Hero: It was Virat Kohli. His rise coincided with my interest in the game and his peak with my formative years. He looked unstoppable back then when on song and that extra bit of aggression brought in such a flair. Then he came his decline, and him doing things in ways I am not very proud of. But by then, my boyhood has came to an end, so I think he fits here perfectly, especially how crazy for him I was in middle school.
My Idea of the Perfect Bowler: First of, I will lack to clarify I don't think anything "perfect" exists. Now, that being said I am going to select one of the most bowler unorthodox bowler I have ever seen, Jasprit Bumrah. His action is the antithesis of perfection, but his bowling is as close to it as possible imo. Swing, seam, pace, variations and most importantly near perfect line and length. He is the most complete bowler I have seen across all 3 formats, with tools to rule all 3.
My Idea of the Perfect Batsman: Keeping in theme with the unorthodoxy; and with an honourable mention to another unorthodox great Steve Smith, I select A B de Villiers as the closest thing to batting perfection. With every shot in the book and some from outside of it, AND in full flow was one of the most entertaining sights to behold. Equally adapt against pace and seam, and in slow, fast, swinging and turning tracks; there is hardly anything he lacked. Able to dominate any bowler in any format anywhere, with a level of destruction I have yet to see anyone match, God I have nothing but sympathy for those who had to bowl to him.
Coronis
International Coach
My boyhood hero: Shane Warne - What Aussie growing up in that period didn’t want to be a great legspinner? The huge turn, the blonde hair, the clear effort with his grunting every ball. Just loved it.
My idea of the perfect batsman: Well, Bradman technically. But from those I’ve seen, Smith. The commitment to excellence, the repetition of every shot played to every ball. The utter dominance at his best - looking and feeling completely inevitable.
My idea of the perfect bowler: McGrath. The unerring line and length, constantly testing the batsmen every ball despite relatively little variation.
My idea of the perfect batsman: Well, Bradman technically. But from those I’ve seen, Smith. The commitment to excellence, the repetition of every shot played to every ball. The utter dominance at his best - looking and feeling completely inevitable.
My idea of the perfect bowler: McGrath. The unerring line and length, constantly testing the batsmen every ball despite relatively little variation.
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
My Boyhood Hero: The 90s batch - Lara, Sachin, Ambrose, Wasim, Jonty etc. It was a great time to be a cricket fan.
My Idea of the Perfect Bowler: Shane Warne. He seemed to know exactly what he had to do to win games for his side across all stages of his career - as a young prodigy, as an established star and then as the legendary veteran.
My Idea of the Perfect Batsman: Hard to go past Sachin, but when Lara was set, he was at a level above all other batsmen I have seen.
My Idea of the Perfect Bowler: Shane Warne. He seemed to know exactly what he had to do to win games for his side across all stages of his career - as a young prodigy, as an established star and then as the legendary veteran.
My Idea of the Perfect Batsman: Hard to go past Sachin, but when Lara was set, he was at a level above all other batsmen I have seen.
HouHsiaoHsien
International Debutant
I am very envious of you being old enough to have had seen the 90s cricketers live- golden era of cricket IMO
HouHsiaoHsien
International Debutant
My boyhood hero: Virat Kohli. - He maybe still is. But the first great innings I remember seeing is Kohli’s 183 agaisnt Pakistan, and during that, there was this one shot where he hit Wahab(or Umar Gul) for a flat six that was all wrist work that converted me to Kohli fandom. Plus I was amazed this guy could get plan massive chases properly from start to beginning, and execute them with ridiculous consistency.
My idea of the perfect batsman: Probably Viv Richards as his peak, as he dominated high quality swing bowling(peak Botham and Willis), lethal reverse swing(Imran and Sarfaraz), pure pace and bounce(Lillee et al), and high quality spin(the quartet in WI and Qadir, Qasim in Pak), and he had like three ATG tours to different countries. From what I’ve seen, in ODIs, Kohli, in tests(what is the most important), Smith easily. He was impossible to get out in the 2019 ashes.
My idea of the perfect bowler: From those I’ve seen, Bumrah. He is easily the most talented and unique cricketer I have seen(in my time of seeing cricket obviously). The moment I saw this guy flawlessly defend 8 runs in the final over against England in a T20 from 2016, in a game that was gone, I knew he was a genius and very special
My idea of the perfect batsman: Probably Viv Richards as his peak, as he dominated high quality swing bowling(peak Botham and Willis), lethal reverse swing(Imran and Sarfaraz), pure pace and bounce(Lillee et al), and high quality spin(the quartet in WI and Qadir, Qasim in Pak), and he had like three ATG tours to different countries. From what I’ve seen, in ODIs, Kohli, in tests(what is the most important), Smith easily. He was impossible to get out in the 2019 ashes.
My idea of the perfect bowler: From those I’ve seen, Bumrah. He is easily the most talented and unique cricketer I have seen(in my time of seeing cricket obviously). The moment I saw this guy flawlessly defend 8 runs in the final over against England in a T20 from 2016, in a game that was gone, I knew he was a genius and very special
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