CW chooses the best test spinner ever (50 names, but you only submit a list of 20)

[cnerd123]

I don't think Jadeja has played a Test match in the last 12 months, has he?

Played Vs Afghanistan

 

[Migara]

On the other hand I've heard people say India and maybe SL aren't necessarily good for MacGill's type of spin. More suitable for finger and top spinners. Men with a bit more pace, control and bounce than leggies like MacGill. Warne's India record would tend to back that up as well as the fact as Aussie spinners like Lyon and O'Keefe being better performers for us there. I wouldn't downgrade MacGill on patches in his record. That is just the irony of these best ever lists. Guys can make them that you wouldn't necessarily pick if you had another option. So for eg I'd rate MacGill over Gary and O'Keefe over a career but pick the latter two for the spinners in India if circumstance ever had them contesting for those spots.

Warne has a mind boggling record in SL. Kumble was carted around in SL and so was Harbhajan. Vettori has very good figures in SL. So there is nothing to suggest the association with pace they bowl. Oh, and finally, MacGill was carted around on Aussie pitches by both Indians and Sri Lankans too.

 

[Howe_zat]

I'll just chime in to add that while I find the arbitrary ranking of equally outstanding players quite boring, I enjoy your writeups MM, so I'm looking forward to the list.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'll just chime in to add that while I find the arbitrary ranking of equally outstanding players quite boring, I enjoy your writeups MM, so I'm looking forward to the list.

I'm actually always surprised when other people share my enthusiasm for this.

 

[the big bambino]

Warne has a mind boggling record in SL. Kumble was carted around in SL and so was Harbhajan. Vettori has very good figures in SL. So there is nothing to suggest the association with pace they bowl. Oh, and finally, MacGill was carted around on Aussie pitches by both Indians and Sri Lankans too.

Well I did qualify by saying "maybe SL" bcos I couldn't be arsed checking his record. Now that I have I see that he played 4 tests only v India all in Australia and four more against SL 2 of which were in Australia. 6 of 8 tests in Australia - or the exact opposite of your statement that he played the majority of his tests against them "... on spinning conditions not good enough". Its only a small hole in his record which means it doesn't argue against him nor does it deflect from the fact that our successful spinners in India at least, have been offies and left armers. Men you wouldn't rate over MacGill or Warne simply because of their record against India and SL.

 

[the big bambino]

I like Tony Lock

This sounds like the sort of thing Brick Tamland would say.

 

[Migara]

Well I did qualify by saying "maybe SL" bcos I couldn't be arsed checking his record. Now that I have I see that he played 4 tests only v India all in Australia and four more against SL 2 of which were in Australia. 6 of 8 tests in Australia - or the exact opposite of your statement that he played the majority of his tests against them "... on spinning conditions not good enough". Its only a small hole in his record which means it doesn't argue against him nor does it deflect from the fact that our successful spinners in India at least, have been offies and left armers. Men you wouldn't rate over MacGill or Warne simply because of their record against India and SL.

But the joke is you do against Australia . . .

 

[the big bambino]

But the joke is you do against Australia . . .

You left out the bit that gave your comment context and meaning.