Wasim Akram vs Brian Lara

[Coronis]

Doesn't Wasim make your first ATG XI and Lara doesn't, thereby making Wasim better?

iirc he’s recently changed to Imran/Steyn instead

 

[BazBall21]

Not sure. Very close.

 

[Fanboy375]

There are very very very few bowlers in the league of Wasim but there are very very few batsman in the league of Lara

 

[DrWolverine]

Lara is top 5 batsman in the last 80 years

Akram is top 10 fast bowler in the last 80 years

 

[sayon basak]

Lara is top 5 batsman in the last 80 years

Akram is top 10 fast bowler in the last 80 years

Akram was a decent lower order bat too. And his rare left arm pace definitely puts him ahead in the 1st ATG XI selection. It's definitely close.

And think he is top 6/7 pacer in the last 80 years at least.

 

[sayon basak]

There are very very very few bowlers in the league of Wasim but there are very very few batsman in the league of Lara

very very very>very very imo.

 

[kyear2]

iirc he’s recently changed to Imran/Steyn instead

Where do you guys get this from?

 

[kyear2]

Akram was a decent lower order bat too. And his rare left arm pace definitely puts him ahead in the 1st ATG XI selection. It's definitely close.

And think he is top 6/7 pacer in the last 80 years at least.

Among pacers alone, I have him 9th, but can argue for at least 3 more ahead of him.

Just saying

 

[DrWolverine]

And think he is top 6/7 pacer in the last 80 years at least.

Debatable.

In Lara’s case top 5. Maybe even top 3.

 

[DrWolverine]

Among pacers alone, I have him 9th, but can argue for at least 3 more ahead of him.

9th in last 80 years?

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Greatest Bowler since Barnes
Vs 5th greatest batsman of alltime

 

[Coronis]

Where do you guys get this from?

iirc you had a thread talking about having Imran or Steyn a while a back as to who would suit an attack better

 

[kyear2]

iirc you had a thread talking about having Imran or Steyn a while a back as to who would suit an attack better

And where did I say I chose Imran or Steyn?

 

[kyear2]

9th in last 80 years?

Yeah

Marshall, McGrath, Hadlee
Steyn, (spinners), Ambrose

Imran, Lillee, Donald, Wasim

Arguably
Lindwall, Holding, Garner, Davidson

 

[kyear2]

Doesn't Wasim make your first ATG XI and Lara doesn't, thereby making Wasim better?

I choose these teams differently to most, following this template more so that others would Special reference being made to the last sentence.



Hence I don't just select the 3 best bowlers, that would be Hadlee or Steyn (lean latter), but instead Wasim is selected for 3 reasons
1. Best old ball bowler, with the ability to do anything with the ball and move it both ways.
2. Left arm variety
3. Can't have a World XI with only 1 member from the SC. Also helpful to have one in the attack.

I genuinely try to select the best possible team to actually take the field, and think I have.

Now with regards to the point you're trying to make. Most people do just place the best players in such XIs, with thought given to such minutia or context.

With regards to the precise point you're trying to make, I think that PEWS phrased it best.

I pick Imran because I mostly see it as an exercise of picking the best players in some reasonable balance. I used to think Imran was greatest Test cricketer of all time, and while I now think I was taking things a bit far by rating him ahead of Bradman I've still got him as a pretty firm #2, so I'm just pretty determined to find him a spot.

Basically exactly the only point I was trying to make, if you think he's locked in definitely no. 2 or 3 then yes you find a space for him in said team.

 

[smash84]

iirc he’s recently changed to Imran/Steyn instead

This did get a chuckle out of me.

 

[pardus]

For me, Lara as an ATG batsman ranks slightly better than Wasim as an ATG fast bowler, however, if I have to choose one of the two to have in my team, I would go with Wasim because of my bias towards great fast bowlers (shaped by watching live of the utter domination of West Indies team in the 80s - and the stiff resistance that Pakistan gave to them - because of Pak's own great bowling attack back then). I would rather have an ATG fast bowler in my team than a ATG batsman. So went with Wasim.
Added to this, Wasim was quite handy with the bat, significantly better in this aspect than other great fast bowlers ranked above him - has a Test century in Australia and a Test 50 against the West Indies in the 1980s.

 

[Coronis]

And where did I say I chose Imran or Steyn?

lol well you were specifically discussing who would help your attack minus Wasim most so… logical conclusion

 

[kyear2]

lol well you were specifically discussing who would help your attack minus Wasim most so… logical conclusion

Wasim was one of the options, so he was included in the discussion.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

I do not think he is underrated - There are only 3-4 batsmen who are “arguably” better than him in the last 80 years of test cricket.

And it is debatable too as you say