CW Top 50 Cricketers of All Time - 2nd Edition

[Cabinet96]

I think it was weldone who wanted to know which player made the top 50 last time but failed to attract a single vote this time.

Now, Smali did the last 3 or 4 emails, so I'm not 100% sure if this player got mentioned in those emails, but from the first 53 lists, Jim Laker had 0 votes. Crazy hey.

That's amazing. I thought I'd actually voted for him, but my sent list says otherwise.

 

[smash84]

wow......11 all rounders out of 50 is a lot

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah I'm pretty sure I voted for Laker last time too although close to 25th.

From the top 50 we ended up having:
Australia 12
West Indies 11
England 9
South Africa 7
India 5
Pakistan 4
New Zealand 1
Sri Lanka 1

and..

Batsman 21
Bowler 17
All Rounder 11
Wicket Keeper 1

Obviously a little debatable what category some people belong to. For instance I had Wasim and Benaud as bowlers, but Hadlee as an all rounder so some might disagree with that.

Benaud was definitely an allrounder; I really don't think he would've made many lists on the strength of his bowling alone.

 

[Prince EWS]

Anyone else regret some of their picks? I'm not referring to those who were intellectually dishonest, but those who, after the process, realised they'd forgotten someone or even changed their mind about a player as a result of the discussion.

I inexplicably left Gilchrist out altogether. It's weird too because I considered sending in an entirely mathematical list but decided not to because it ignored things like wicket keeping, and decided to just use it as a guide instead because of that... and then still missed out Gilchrist. I also wish I had Marshall higher. To this day I don't know why I put him in as low as I did.

 

[kyear2]

I would have made some changes as well. Maybe some day a public vote can be done. Wouldn't be as difficult and peoples votes would be out there for all to see.

 

[Fusion]

I completely forgot Gavaskar on my list. Can't think of anyone else I forgot. If I did this exercise again tomorrow, my rankings would probably change (outside my top 5 maybe). I have a new pecking order every month, that's how little there is IMO to separate these great players.

 

[ankitj]

Despite his twitter account, Shaun Pollock is one guy who probably should've been in my list. I had Kapil at #24, Pollock is about as good or slightly better cricketer. In hindsight I think Kallis's position needed some sorting out as well. He ended up above Botham in my list which if I would consciously not allow to happen.

 

[kyear2]

Based on Benauds selection format of 2 openers, 3 middle order batsmen, 2 all rounders, 1 keeper, 2 fast bowlers and 1 spinner, the XI of our top 50:

Jack Hobbs
W.G Grace
Donald Bradman
Sachin Tendulkar
Vivian Richards
Garfield Sobers
Adam Gilchrist
Imran Khan
Malcolm Marshall
Shane Warne
Glenn Mcgrath

Happy Birthday Maco, R.I.P.

 

[NUFAN]

Benaud was definitely an allrounder; I really don't think he would've made many lists on the strength of his bowling alone.

Yeah true, it was always going to be subjective but I tend to agree with you.

I don't regret any of the players I picked nor the order..

1 Don Bradman
2 Malcolm Marshall
3 Imran Khan
4 Garry Sobers
5 Shane Warne
6 Viv Richards
7 Muttiah Muralitharan
8 Jack Hobbs
9 Curtly Ambrose
10 Fred Trueman
11 Richard Hadlee
12 Brian Lara
13 Wally Hammond
14 Dennis Lillee
15 Sydney Barnes
16 Glenn McGrath
17 Sachin Tendulkar
18 Keith Miller
19 Adam Gilchrist
20 Graeme Pollock
21 Ricky Ponting
22 Bill O'Reilly
23 Wasim Akram
24 George Headley
25 Ian Botham

 

[kyear2]

Best 11 of players not to make the list at all (thrown together in my head quickly)

Herbert Sutcliffe
Victor Trumper
Neil Harvey
Everton Weekes
Clyde Walcott
Tony Greig
Allan Knott
Alan Davidson
Ray Lindwall
Andy Roberts
Clarrie Grimmett

Kumar Sangakkara
Ken Barrington
Rohan Kanhai
Jim Laker
Harold Larwood

 

[morgieb]

Regret not including Ian Botham and Wally Hammond, and should've had Keith Miller higher.

 

[morgieb]

Had Lohmann and Davidson on my Top 25 who didn't make the top 50. Why Davidson didn't make it I don't know.

 

[NUFAN]

Davidson and probably Laker too didn't make it due to the 25 players per person criteria. I believe many posters familiar with the pair would consider them both inside their own top 50, but its not so easy to give them points when you can only pick 25. This is in contrast to someone like Sehwag who some people just absolutely love while others wouldn't even have him on a shortlist for a top 50.

 

[kyear2]

+1

My reasoning as well, also applies for Lindwall, Knott, Sutcliffe, Weekes ect.

 

[bagapath]

Steyn, sanga and ABDV would make the next list for sure

 

[ankitj]

Despite his twitter account, Shaun Pollock is one guy who probably should've been in my list. I had Kapil at #24, Pollock is about as good or slightly better cricketer. In hindsight I think Kallis's position needed some sorting out as well. He ended up above Botham in my list which if I would consciously not allow to happen.

I was totally wrong about Botham and Kallis.

 

[smash84]

Yeah true, it was always going to be subjective but I tend to agree with you.

I don't regret any of the players I picked nor the order..

1 Don Bradman
2 Malcolm Marshall
3 Imran Khan
4 Garry Sobers
5 Shane Warne
6 Viv Richards
7 Muttiah Muralitharan
8 Jack Hobbs
9 Curtly Ambrose
10 Fred Trueman
11 Richard Hadlee
12 Brian Lara
13 Wally Hammond
14 Dennis Lillee
15 Sydney Barnes
16 Glenn McGrath
17 Sachin Tendulkar
18 Keith Miller
19 Adam Gilchrist
20 Graeme Pollock
21 Ricky Ponting
22 Bill O'Reilly
23 Wasim Akram
24 George Headley
25 Ian Botham

I have found one person on CW who rates Marshall higher than kyear2. Didn't know it would be you n00fers

 

[kyear2]

No I rate Maco just as highly.

Definitely top 3, about half the time No. 2.

 

[watson]

That list of NUFAN is about spot on as a guess. Still think Sobers should be No.2 because of his decade long 70 plus batting average and so many rave reviews.

Still think that Marshall is the best fast bowler of all time though.

 

[smash84]

nufan's list is quite bowler dominated imo