DoG's Top 100 Test Batsmen Countdown Thread

[Malcolm]

My favorite cricketer and the most naturally talented batsman I've seen after Lara and AB. IMO he deserves to be bracketed with Tendulkar and Lara.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yeah I didnt rate Sanga particularly highly for a long time because I thought he was lowkey a **** and had convinced myself he was a an HTB who was lucky not to have had to play more overseas, but the last few years, he went up into the Ponting tier for me. Never seemed to have a slump except for his last couple of series.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Almost every Indian fan around 2007-08 whether they admitted it or not, was kind of terrified that Ponting was going to soar past Tendulkar's hundreds/runs and end up with 65 tons or something.

 

[honestbharani]

Nah... my posting history here can back me up on it. I did think Alastair Cook had a shot of making the most test runs though.

 

[kyear2]

Can you please just accept that Barrington got fairly lucky? He is underrated IMO but not that badly.

This has nothing to do with Barrington. He is trying to bring Sobers to Barrington's level, and if it's questionable if Sobers is behind Barrington, he can't possibly be better than Tendulkar.

Hence the Harping on Sir Garry's record in NZ.

 

[kyear2]

Almost every Indian fan around 2007-08 whether they admitted it or not, was kind of terrified that Ponting was going to soar past Tendulkar's hundreds/runs and end up with 65 tons or something.

Wasn't just Indian fans. And I wasn't even looking at records alone. During his peak I was convinced he was going to be remembered as the best after Bradman and ahead of Lara.
He was a machine.

 

[vcs]

Yeah I didnt rate Sanga particularly highly for a long time because I thought he was lowkey a **** and had convinced myself he was a an HTB who was lucky not to have had to play more overseas, but the last few years, he went up into the Ponting tier for me. Never seemed to have a slump except for his last couple of series.

He would have runs of form when he just would never look like getting out. Kind of like Smith these days.

EDIT : Sangakkara, I mean. Ponting was always prone to the occasional early dismissal like Kohli.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Nah... my posting history here can back me up on it. I did think Alastair Cook had a shot of making the most test runs though.

whether they admitted it or not

...

 

[Slifer]

This has nothing to do with Barrington. He is trying to bring Sobers to Barrington's level, and if it's questionable if Sobers is behind Barrington, he can't possibly be better than Tendulkar.

Hence the Harping on Sir Garry's record in NZ.

Lol again I came more or less to the same conclusion....

 

[Coronis]

Surprised to see Ponting this low, but I guess it makes sense with his away record, ideally for me personally the last 3 outside the 10 would be Richards, Barrington and Kallis (in any order) we’ll see how that goes.

 

[stephen]

It's more down to his last 4 years than his away record IMO. He was barely test class for a long time and it was so frustrating because he often looked on the verge of making runs but could never truly put it together. I think it was somewhat mental since his last shield season he averaged 100.

 

[Burgey]

Wasn't just Indian fans. And I wasn't even looking at records alone. During his peak I was convinced he was going to be remembered as the best after Bradman and ahead of Lara.
He was a machine.

He was a great three because he had all the gears. 1 fer bugger all - could grind and re-establish. 1 fer 100, could strike at 60 odd from the get go and just give you no let up.

Was interesting hearing him commentate the other day when he said when he was first in the side batting six, he felt he really didn’t deserve it because there were a lot of cheap runs on offer batting there and the side was very good, so he kind of felt incidental.

Obviously his record in India and his last 4 or so years hurt him, but he was such a great player. Him at three basically secured that line up’s greatness. And it’s taken til now wth Labushagne for us to (hopefully) find a decent replacement for him.

 

[Logan]

This has nothing to do with Barrington. He is trying to bring Sobers to Barrington's level, and if it's questionable if Sobers is behind Barrington, he can't possibly be better than Tendulkar.

Hence the Harping on Sir Garry's record in NZ.

What a moronic post. I have not seen both Gary and Barrington play. Seeing that they played in the same time period and analysing their records, Barrington seems to have a better record than Sobers. Since none of us have actually seen both play, I questioned why Sobers is held in such high regard and why Barrington is often forgotten.

 

[Logan]

Surprised to see Ponting this low, but I guess it makes sense with his away record, ideally for me personally the last 3 outside the 10 would be Richards, Barrington and Kallis (in any order) we’ll see how that goes.

I am surprised Ponting is rated behind Kallis and Sanga. Outside of India, his away record is just fine IMO

 

[Logan]

To be honest, we always have to keep in mind that apart from Bradman, almost all of these batsmen belong in some or other clumps of rating. With that in mind, these have been a very good reflection of how most would rate them, I think.

Outside of Bradman, the difference between the top 15 batsmen is negligible.

 

[ataraxia]

What a moronic post. I have not seen both Gary and Barrington play. Seeing that they played in the same time period and analysing their records, Barrington seems to have a better record than Sobers. Since none of us have actually seen both play, I questioned why Sobers is held in such high regard and why Barrington is often forgotten.

You've never seen Barrington's FC record have you? His 36 matches away were basically just heaps of luck, mostly against terribad attacks. It is best just to take historians' word for it sometimes. By well-rounded record, what you mean is heaps of average 80 after 8 test cameos while averaging 50 in experienced venues. And also his inability to even really hit a knock like 50 (60) when declaration is coming you seem to ignore.

 

[ataraxia]

Outside of Bradman, the difference between the top 15 batsmen is negligible.

Hobbs will average what 60 odd adjusted. Ponting averages 48 adjusted. Now look at their records after the age of 34. The hardest years to be a cricketer. Compare them.

 

[Logan]

His 36 matches away were basically just heaps of luck, mostly against terribad attacks.

Barrington averaged 43 in WI, 50 in Eng, 69 in Aus, 72 in Pak, 73 in NZ, 96 in Ind and 104 in SA.

Calling someone who has played so consistently everywhere as lucky is ridiculous.


BTW, First class records are meaningless when we discuss about great Test batsmen. If FC records are taken seriously, Michael Bevan is as good as Sachin Tendulkar in Tests.

 

[Starfighter]

You've never seen Barrington's FC record have you? His 36 matches away were basically just heaps of luck, mostly against terribad attacks. It is best just to take historians' word for it sometimes. By well-rounded record, what you mean is heaps of average 80 after 8 test cameos while averaging 50 in experienced venues. And also his inability to even really hit a knock like 50 (60) when declaration is coming.

English FC record doesn't matter all that much in an era where pitches were often barely watered or rolled and moved excessively and inconsistently through the match, and a few grounds still didn't cover the pitch. Describing the attacks Barrington faced overseas as terribad is just that, while they weren't always the highest quality they were hardly like facing Bangladesh away. Saying that his away record is due to luck is just a pure, ludicrous assertion.

By well-rounded record, what you mean is heaps of average 80 after 8 test cameos while averaging 50 in experienced venues

This doesn't even make any sense and requires clarification.

 

[Logan]

Hobbs will average what 60 odd adjusted. Ponting averages 48 adjusted. Now look at their records after the age of 34. The hardest years to be a cricketer. Compare them.

I don’t believe in this average adjustment nonsense.

Jack Hobbs played 90% of his matches against one opponent when cricket was it’s infancy.

Cricket was much more competitive when Ricky Ponting played.

Impossible to compare them. Unless there is a Don Bradman level of difference.