Battle of the Australians

[benchmark00]

Rich.

 

[Goughy]

This is actually quite a tough one.

The Kid was a good bowler but no Alderman or Reid , however he was Yorkshires first choice as their 1st ever overseas player until he got injured and they had to find a lesser player and bring in his backup, Sachin Tendulkar which obviously means a lot of people rated him very highly. .

The legend of Benaud has grown over the years and he has benefited from his high profile post-cricket job. Listening to old commentary and reading reports by his contemporaries it seems that he was not considered a great player during his playing days. Mainly a decent bat, decent bowler and exceptional captain.

In conclusion, both good, neither great. I like McDermott a lot but I go with Benaud for his captaincy and allround contribution over a number of generations to cricket.

 

[Anil]

benaud

 

[Perm]

Benaud

 

[Mister Wright]

Tough draw for McDermott, but you really can't go past Benaud.

 

[JBH001]

Tough draw on McDermott - always thought he was really under-rated in his time, and less appreciated than he should have been after he retired.
(Especially the way he worked back from his back injury and all that, and playing a crucial role in the Aus series win over the WI)

Still, Benaud it has to be.

 

[luffy]

McDermott

 

[nightprowler10]

17-2 to Richie Benaud.

Round 1, Battle 3

Victor Trumper

Test: 48 matches, 3163 runs @ 39.04 | 8 wickets @ 39.62

vs

Ian Healy

Test: 119 matches, 4356 runs @ 27.39 | 366 catches, 29 stumpings
ODI: 168 matches, 1764 runs @ 21.00 | 194 catches, 39 stumpings

 

[Mister Wright]

Ian Healy. Set a new standard for keepers world wide and often contributed important performances with the bat. Australia's greatest ever keeper.

 

[superkingdave]

Trumper,

 

[luffy]

Trumper played in an era where low cricketing scores were common and he had an average of 39. My vote: Trumper

 

[oz_fan]

Healy
Unlucky draw for both.

 

[howardj]

Trumper.

Healy trumped.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Has to be Trumper really for me. It's obviously hard to compare across the decades, but all accounts suggest Trumper was the best Aussie bat of his era (& generally regarded as the best there'd been until his retirement) & to be the best of one's era is all one can reasonably ask of any sportsman.

Healy was a great keeper & a nuggety presence in the lower middle order, but really the best service he made to cricket (or the non-Aussie part of it, anyway) was keeping Gilchrist out of the test XI for so long!

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Healy

 

[Goughy]

Trumper

 

[Jono]

Trumper.

 

[Johnners]

Healy, Australias best man behind the wicket, and who could forget that Six from Hansie in 1997/98 to win us the game!!!

Oh and he's a Queenslander to boot

 

[Matt79]

Trumper - bad luck for Heals to draw him.

Trumper changed the way people saw the game. Only a handful of players have done that.

 

[aussie]

Ian Healy. Set a new standard for keepers world wide and often contributed important performances with the bat. Australia's greatest ever keeper.

Sure he was a better keeper than Marsh?

Anyway i'm going for Trumper..