CW's 50 Best ODI Cricketers of all time - The Countdown (2017 Version)

[ankitj]

5 out of 7 hundred+ scores by Abbas were scored at 100+ SR, and one more at 98.xx. I think we tend to rate in-general great cricketers with reasonably long careers ahead of ODI specialists. I am sure I have done that too. Ambrose and Donald made my list but Bond didn't which was probably a mistake. IMO Richards, Abbas, Jones and Greendige were early pioneers of ODI batsmanship and should find a spot in top 25 with G Chappell not far behind.

 

[harsh.ag]

Top 10 ODI batsmen:

1. Viv
2. Tendulkar
3. ABdV
4. Kohli
5. Sanath
6. Ponting
7. Dhoni
8. Hussey
9. Abbas
10. Bevan

 

[NUFAN]

30 Andrew Symonds
Total Points: 79
Highest Pick: 6th
2011 Ranking: 25th

Andrew Symonds brought gusto to whatever he did, whether firing down offbreaks or mediums, hurling himself around the field or vigorously ruffling the bowler's hair at the celebration of a wicket. He saved his loudest grunt for his batting, where he was that rarest of modern-day creatures - an unabashed six-hitter. In 198 ODIs he averaged a fraction under 40 and a strike rate over 92. He also took 133 wickets caught everything that came his way, saved a ton of runs in the field and had a powerful arm that caused many run outs.

Main Memory: The 143 against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup. Also the zinc cream on his lips.


29 Shane Watson
Total Points: 89
Highest Pick: 4th
2011 Ranking: 44th

By Red Hill

For a figure as much maligned as Watson was in test cricket, as a short form cricketer he is one of the most valuable of all time. As a batsman he averaged above 40 at a SR above 90. As an opening batsman he was able to make the most of the fields placed back, and his awesome straight driving allowed him to strike Australia into dominant positions in quick time. As a bowler he was a legitimate 5th option, and as he matured and his pace slowed he became cannier and more able to control the batsmen at the crease. In this way, he became a modern version of a young Steve Waugh or Simon O'Donnell, a bowler capable of damaging through economy despite lack of pace.

Nufan's Main Memory: The incredible 185 against Bangladesh from 96 balls which included 15 6's. Also his ability to take crucial wickets regularly.

 

[NUFAN]

50 Greg Chappell
49 Javed Miandad
48 Aravinda de Silva
47 Andy Roberts
46 Chris Gayle
45 Jonty Rhodes
44 Ian Freak Harvey
43 Gordon Greenidge
42 Shane Bond
41 Jacques Kallis
40 Saeed Anwar
39 Hashim Amla
38 Brett Lee
37 Kumar Sangakkara
36 Dennis Lillee
35 Nathan Bracken
34 Mark Waugh
33 Malcolm Marshall
32 Michael Holding
31 Zaheer Abbas
30 Andrew Symonds
29 Shane Watson

So that's 22 players. How are we looking for the teams? No genuine spinners yet and only 1 keeper could be a problem. Obviously some quality batsman were capable of bowling spin.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Looks like Desmond Haynes might miss out entirely which is crazy. The guy held the ODI hundreds record for ages. Below par WC record probably hurting him.

 

[NUFAN]

Actually 29 to 39 would make a decent XI.

1. Amla 2. Waugh 3. Abbas 4. Sangakkara 5. Symonds 6. Watson 7. Lee 8. Marshall 9. Holding 10. Bracken 11. Lillee

Good luck against that attack.

 

[honestbharani]

Didn't Twatto basically win Australia the 2009 CT? Would have merited a place in his write up I think in terms of memorable moments.

 

[harsh.ag]

Actually 29 to 39 would make a decent XI.

1. Amla 2. Waugh 3. Abbas 4. Sangakkara 5. Symonds 6. Watson 7. Lee 8. Marshall 9. Holding 10. Bracken 11. Lillee

Good luck against that attack.

Would go:

1. Anwar 2. Waugh 3. Abbas 4. Sangakkara 5. Aravinda 6. Watson 7. Symonds 8. Lee 9. Bracken 10. Lillee 11. Bond

Aravinda and Symonds spin partners. Loved Aravinda's offies

 

[NUFAN]

Yep harsh your team has a better balance, I was just picking the team from the last 11 only.

 

[Howe_zat]

50 Greg Chappell
49 Javed Miandad
48 Aravinda de Silva
47 Andy Roberts
46 Chris Gayle
45 Jonty Rhodes
44 Ian Freak Harvey
43 Gordon Greenidge
42 Shane Bond
41 Jacques Kallis
40 Saeed Anwar
39 Hashim Amla
38 Brett Lee
37 Kumar Sangakkara
36 Dennis Lillee
35 Nathan Bracken
34 Mark Waugh
33 Malcolm Marshall
32 Michael Holding
31 Zaheer Abbas
30 Andrew Symonds
29 Shane Watson

So that's 22 players. How are we looking for the teams? No genuine spinners yet and only 1 keeper could be a problem. Obviously some quality batsman were capable of bowling spin.

4th XI: 1. Chris Gayle 2. Gordon Greenidge 3. Kumar Sangakkara+ 4. Javed Miandad 5. Aravinda de Sliva 6. Jonty Rhodes 7. Ian Harvey 8. Brett Lee 9. Dennis Lillee 10. Shane Bond 11. Andy Roberts 12th man Greg Chappell

3rd XI: 1. Saeed Anwar 2. Hashim Amla 3. Zaheer Abbas 4. Jacques Kallis 5. Mark Waugh 6. Andrew Symonds 7. Shane Watson 8. [wicketkeeper] 9. Malcolm Marshall 10. Michael Holding 11. Nathan Bracken

2nd XI:

1st XI:

 

[CricAddict]

4th XI: 1. Chris Gayle 2. Gordon Greenidge 3. Kumar Sangakkara+ 4. Javed Miandad 5. Aravinda de Sliva 6. Jonty Rhodes 7. Ian Harvey 8. Brett Lee 9. Dennis Lillee 10. Shane Bond 11. Andy Roberts 12th man Greg Chappell

3rd XI: 1. Saeed Anwar 2. Hashim Amla 3. Zaheer Abbas 4. Jacques Kallis 5. Mark Waugh 6. Andrew Symonds 7. Shane Watson 8. [wicketkeeper] 9. Malcolm Marshall 10. Michael Holding 11. Nathan Bracken

2nd XI:

1st XI:

Thanks for that, Howe_zat. Couldn't login for the past couple of days and just seeing the updates.

 

[NZTailender]

I'd back 4th XI to beat 3rd XI just quietly.

 

[CricAddict]

I'd back 4th XI to beat 3rd XI just quietly.

Third XI needs another bowler at 8 with Kallis as the 12th man. Then the team will be better balanced to easily beat 4th XI. Good hitters at the top and at the end which is lacking in the 4th XI while the bowling line-ups will be equally strong once we add another bowler from the next list of Nufan.

 

[harsh.ag]

Would back 3rd XI if they were batting first.

 

[NUFAN]

28 Imran Khan
Total Points: 100
Highest Pick: 5th
2011 Ranking: 17th

Few would dispute that when Imran retired he was the finest cricketer Pakistan had produced. Imran Khan was known as a bit of a heartthrob. Suave, erudite and monstrously talented, he gave cricket in the subcontinent real *** appeal in the 1970s and 1980s. He also made himself into an allrounder worth a place for his batting alone, scoring an ODI hundred and averaging a very decent 33.41 at a strike rate of over 72. Imran also took 182 wickets at an average of 26.61 and economy rate of 3.80. He captained Pakistan as well as anyone, ending his career in style by winning the 1992 World Cup.

Main Memory: The 1992 World Cup was the first World Cup I remember watching so I just enjoyed watching the star captain from the winning team.

27 Allan Donald
Total Points: 110
Highest Pick: 7th
2011 Ranking: 27th

By Red Hill

When we discuss the great pace bowlers of history, I think Allan Donald is sometimes forgotten. He is not always mentioned alongside the greats like McGrath, Marshall, Ambrose and Hadlee, but you can mount an argument that Donald was every bit as good as them as a test bowler. And, with the emergence of Steyn, Donald's place as South Africa's greatest test paceman has probably slipped.

That said, I think it was in ODIs that Donald really stood out as a great. Better numbers than his contemporary McGrath, and an incisive and dangerous strike bowler. Donald preferred to bowl first or second change in ODIs, coming on after Pollock, DeVilliers or Ntini had shared the new ball. The proposition he gave to batsmen in the middle overs was certainly a challenging one. At a point when they might have expected to be able to relax after seeing off the openers, the most dangerous of his era would come on. Donald was super fast, very accurate, and an intelligent bowler. The ideal combo for a ODI great.

Nufan's Main Memory: run out (ME Waugh/Fleming/†Gilchrist)

 

[Starfighter]

Love the memory for Donald. That one will never, ever be lived down.

 

[harsh.ag]

Yeah, was absolutely brilliant but he can't live that down. Used to be scared of his bowling before that incident. Not so much afterwards.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Didn't put Donald in mine as he said he couldn't control the new ball, hence he'd bowl first change. Didn't see how I could include a guy with that handicap on his resume for the top 25.

 

[srbhkshk]

Didn't put Donald in mine as he said he couldn't control the new ball, hence he'd bowl first change. Didn't see how I could include a guy with that handicap on his resume for the top 25.

I'd say if there's one guy who could be excused for that, It's Donald.

 

[stephen]

Donald was gun though, even if he wasn't able to use the new ball. For much of his career Johnson couldn't use the new ball either but he was arguably the best bowler ever at his peak.