Greatest opener of the last 20 years?

[watson]

Location updated

 

[GuyFromLancs]

For a fleeting moment on this thread, I thought someone actually said Ian Chappell was a better bat than Ricky Ponting.

Nah, must have imagined it.

 

[smash84]

tbf to Ian Chappell he is probably one of the gutsiest players to have taken the field ever. Kind of like Viv Richards in a way. Wasn't scared to take on short pitched fast bowling.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I always thought cricketers that wouldn't sign autographs were ****s too..........but I changed my mind on that when I saw that dead set tosser at one of the Ashes tests call KP over for an autograph, KP had to go out of his way to go to him and the ****head pulled his bat (or bit of paper) away at the last moment......Johnny Nobody thought it was the fumiest thing ever.

So after that if KP refuses to sign any more autographs who is the ****.....KP or Johnny Nobody??

Perhaps Hados had something similar to happen to him that day.

No-one can sign every autograph. For every fifty a guy signs, you'll hear more about the 51st that he didn't.

 

[Spikey]

i remember when matty nicholson didn't give me his autograph


i'd still pick him to open in my best XI since 1994 over hayden though

 

[smash84]

Yep, Ian Chappell gets a good mention

?I Look Around And All I See Are Jockeys? ? Croft And Roberts Talk Fast Bowling ? All Out Cricket

 

[Hooksey]

i remember when matty nicholson didn't give me his autograph


i'd still pick him to open in my best XI since 1994 over hayden though

Can't believe you asked Matt Nicholson for his autograph

 

[OverratedSanity]

Enjoying the Hayden love here despite my description of him in the poll. Getting 30 hundreds at 50+ is no joke. Very underrated on here like a lot of other modern players

 

[Furball]

I love how everyone who mentions Hayden's 2005 Ashes woes simultaneously overlooks the century he did score in that series at the Oval. Not a bad effort when the opposition bowlers have been all over you and you've been batting with a set of chopsticks all series.

One of the most under-rated knocks of the last 10 years IMO.

 

[Hooksey]

Enjoying the Hayden love here despite my description of him in the poll. Getting 30 hundreds at 50+ is no joke. Very underrated on here like a lot of other modern players

Haters gotta hate.

 

[Jono]

I love how everyone who mentions Hayden's 2005 Ashes woes simultaneously overlooks the century he did score in that series at the Oval. Not a bad effort when the opposition bowlers have been all over you and you've been batting with a set of chopsticks all series.

One of the most under-rated knocks of the last 10 years IMO.

Heh, he got lambasted for it at the time on here. Wish you were around, your reaction would have been great.

Mind you he didn't do himself any favours by talking about how it was a good test match for him immediately after they lost the Ashes.

 

[Red]

Hayden- meh.

 

[Furball]

Heh, he got lambasted for it at the time on here. Wish you were around, your reaction would have been great.

Mind you he didn't do himself any favours by talking about how it was a good test match for him immediately after they lost the Ashes.

Make no mistake, I ****ing hated Hayden. I just think that knock's a bit underappreciated.

 

[Jono]

If I recall correctly, and its almost a decade ago now (fmd), but everyone was hating on how slow he was batting (considering it was known weather would be an issue) during his innings, but once Australia started to collapse it got a little bit more credit.

But then he pissed everyone who thought he spoke selfishly. Also the fact he and Langer went off for bad light **** everyone.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah was just about to mention the bad light. Oz collapsed in part because Freddie is god but also because it was pitch black. If they'd scored quicker earlier on, might have wound up in a better position. I didn't post here then but I don't think it is an underrated knock anyhow. Played within himself to scramble back some form and still couldn't get the job done.

 

[Burgey]

Sounds like your *** life.

 

[Jono]

 

[Adders]

Yeah was just about to mention the bad light. Oz collapsed in part because Freddie is god but also because it was pitch black. If they'd scored quicker earlier on, might have wound up in a better position. I didn't post here then but I don't think it is an underrated knock anyhow. Played within himself to scramble back some form and still couldn't get the job done.

Yeah this. I actually didn't mind Hayden and I'm certainly not in the hater camp.......but I fail to see how that Oval knock is underrated, it was slow and ugly and didn't do much to help the team........it just saved his own arse basically.

Talking of underrated efforts in that test match then look no further than the Hogster.........Fred wasn't the only god like creature playing that day GIMH

 

[Saint Kopite]

Hayden/Smith, Langer, Sehwag.

In that order. Its tough to separate between Hayden and Smith. Different styles and all that but Smith would edge it for me. He was a clutch test batsman.

 

[Second Spitter]

Yeah this. I actually didn't mind Hayden and I'm certainly not in the hater camp.......but I fail to see how that Oval knock is underrated, it was slow and ugly and didn't do much to help the team........it just saved his own arse basically.:

Yes. Langer's hundred in the same innings was gutsier and less selfish. Hayden was on the verge of getting dropped and played the stodgiest innings of his life.