Best utility players??

[karan316]

Ravi Shastri was a pretty good one for India, could bowl a few tight overs, bat at different batting positions, was extremely good in either batting or bowling, but was quite useful if you consider his overall abilities.

At present I see Nathan McCullum as an excellent utility player, always bowls a few tight overs and doesn't give away easy runs, and has also helped NZ in crucial times with his lower order batting and won a few games.
Jadeja plays a similar role, but I guess he is still developing with the bat and lacks that impact required for a lower order hitter in limited overs cricket.

What are other such examples of players who are quite usefull overall although they might to be too great in one particular department?

(M talking about LO players only in this case)

 

[Daemon]

Hafeez probably the best atm.

 

[Dan]

Ian Harvey and Andrew Hall win this thread, IMO.

 

[karan316]

Ian Harvey and Andrew Hall win this thread, IMO.

Harvey was awesome. The range of deliveries he could bowl made it exciting to watch whenever he bowled. Dernbach can learn how to use his variations more cleverly from Harvey. And his batting was a lot better than the numbers suggested.

 

[paulted]

Chris Harris from New Zealand?

 

[Maximas]

Irfan Pathan was decent at this kind of thing for a while I guess

 

[karan316]

Irfan Pathan was decent at this kind of thing for a while I guess

I think he has always been this kind of a cricketer, and we need such guys for ODIs and Tests, especially overseas. But people always say his primary skill is his bowling and he is judged from that. Need 5 bowlers overseas, and with Irfan's improved batting and ability to play the pace bowlers well, he becomes a direct choice for the role. But no, he is not likely to get selected, Dhoni doesn't take risks, he will go with 7 specialist batsmen. Our lower order, and bowling depth would be so balanced with guys like Irfan/Rishi Dhawan/Jadeja/Binny/Ashwin/Rasool/Iqbal Abdulla/(any 2 out of these batting at 7 and 8) in the team. But doesn't seem like it'll happen.

 

[Red]

Andrew Symonds

 

[kyear2]

Carl Hooper.

 

[Adders]

Hate to say it, but Mitch Johnson needs a nod here. Devastating batsmen at 8 when he's on and athletic in the field.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Hate to say it, but Mitch Johnson needs a nod here. Devastating batsmen at 8 when he's on and athletic in the field.

He's very useful and could be used up the order as a hitter if needs be. Probably doesn't get considered as a genuine alternative top order bat but he definitely has ability.

 

[Red]

Might get howled down here, but I've always thought MJ could bat at #6.

 

[Dan]

There was that ODI where he made a 50 batting at 4 and more-or-less looked the part.

 

[Burgey]

Lack of love for Funky Miller in this thread needs redressing.

 

[Red]

There was that ODI where he made a 50 batting at 4 and more-or-less looked the part.

I thought he could've been a valid option at #6 and 5th bowler when he was bowling a bit **** and we didn't really have a #6 anyway.

 

[morgieb]

Dilshan.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Jayasuriya?

His little round arm SLA darts more than useful in the limited overs stuff and his batting speaks for itself.

SR Waugh a very decent limited overs seamer too; I believe his sometime sobriquet of "Iceman" came from his ability to bowl at the death rather than his nerveless batting.

 

[Maximas]

definition of a utility player needed, I think some people are taking it as a player who does a bit of this and that, batting up the order, down the order, pinch hitting, tight overs, attacking spell - basically whatever is required in the game whearas others seem to be listing off ODI all-rounders with regular roles

 

[karan316]

definition of a utility player needed, I think some people are taking it as a player who does a bit of this and that, batting up the order, down the order, pinch hitting, tight overs, attacking spell - basically whatever is required in the game whearas others seem to be listing off ODI all-rounders with regular roles

definition of a utility player needed, I think some people are taking it as a player who does a bit of this and that, batting up the order, down the order, pinch hitting, tight overs, attacking spell - basically whatever is required in the game whearas others seem to be listing off ODI all-rounders with regular roles

Exactly, guys like Jayasuriya, Dilshan, Symonds, Waugh, Hooper, Miller and Johnson are surprising examples, they are just too good at their primary skills to be termed as utility players.

We are talking about cricketers who can't make it to the team with their primary skill alone. People who are selected for the overall contribution they can make in the team and fill in certain areas where the team is lacking. For e.g. Nathan McCullum, gives a decent spin bowling option along with lower order hitting. Obviously he cannot be termed a "proper allrounder" nor can he make it to the team with any primary skill alone and he doesn't have a set/regular role unlike the other guys in the team. But if you take all the aspects of his game into consideration, he fits in well and creates a good balance.

 

[Dan]

I dunno, NMac is clearly the best non-Vettori limited overs spinner NZ has. He'd probably still get selected if was Trent Boult-standard with the bat.