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Historical footage: Impressions of some greats

a massive zebra

International Captain
I don't know why, I just don't like Richards' batting aesthetically. Much prefer Pollock, even though the consensus seems to be that Richards was the one everyone found elegant.

That pulled six off Gilmour was ****ing awesome though.
Completely agree. They were both before my time and perhaps it's one of those very common "you had to have been there" situations. In my opinion, based on archive footage alone, Pollock looks like a paragon of batting beauty while Richards comes across as a bully of bowlers.

Look forward to being shot down in frames by those who actually saw them both play.
 

watson

Banned
Nice video Starfighter.

Cowdrey and Richardson were such good batsman I just wish they’d scored a few more runs to push them up a tier or two.

If Cowdrey had averaged 5 runs more then he would be in every England ATG team because he was so unbelievably talented and fantastic to watch - especially against fast bowling.
 
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a massive zebra

International Captain
Nice video Starfighter.

Cowdrey and Richardson were such good batsman I just wish they’d scored a few more runs to push them up a tier or two.

If Cowdrey had averaged 5 runs more then he would be in every England ATG team because he was so unbelievably talented and fantastic to watch - especially against fast bowling.
In this video, Colin Cowdrey states he needed a challenge to succed and if there was nothing to play for he lacked the motivation to get the best out of himself. On that basis, I've no doubt he would have averaged 50 if he had the Bradman mentality of pilling up as many runs as he possibly could under any circumstances.

 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Look forward to being shot down in frames by those who actually saw them both play.
Unlikely - problem with Richards was that for all his brilliance as a batsman he was a bit of a ****, and whenever he opened his mouth that always impacted on the enjoyment of his batting

Pollock on the other hand was and is a delightful bloke, who life hasn't deal the best hand to in recent years
 

JBMAC

State Captain
Nice video Starfighter.

Cowdrey and Richardson were such good batsman I just wish they’d scored a few more runs to push them up a tier or two.

If Cowdrey had averaged 5 runs more then he would be in every England ATG team because he was so unbelievably talented and fantastic to watch - especially against fast bowling.
That has been my argument all along. You can not judge ATGs based on stats alone. Colin Cowdrey was a fine strokemaker who never got his just rewards because of those 5 extra runs.
 

the big bambino

International Captain
I first saw Cowdrey on Illingworth's tour and didn't think much of him. I was young. It seemed like Boycott, Edrich and Luckhurst batted all summer long and Cowdrey by comparison seemed an easy wicket. I was thrilled to see him back the following tour as a replacement to face Lillee and Thommo at Perth. I was looking forward to seeing him get killed. I was still young and he was an Englishman after all. I was so convinced he'd be humiliated it came as a shock to see him face those two and play them better than anyone else. I just remember thinking courage. He really had a pair of stones. Same with Titmus and for displaying the same measure of courage and skill as Cowdrey. Even then i didn't know Cowdrey's pedigree. Subsequently I did find out and came to realise what a dick I'd been to wish him be humiliated. He was a great cricketer (and Titmus a very good one) and I like them both for forcing a change of attitude by the persuasive example of their characters.
 

Agar

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
0:35

That is why Procky is amongst the greatest fast bowlers to have ever played.
Mike Procter is the one cricketer I'd have liked to have watched a full international career of.

As if we weren't spoiled enough by the four great all rounders in the 80s, it could so easily have been the six great all rounders, including Clive Rice.
 

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
Start of the tied test, keeping with the tradition of not showing wickets.
But, there is a nice beamer from Wes Hall at 1:46.

 

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
4th test Aus. vs. W.I. 1960/61

Shots of the usual people: Davidson, Benaud, Sobers, Hall, Valentine, McDonald.

However, the best part is definitely the fight on the hill at 5.06:


There's also some other footage that seems to be film for odd or questionable reasons.
 

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
While this footage may be the wrong sped and have 'interesting' sound what it does contain is three nice, reasonably close shots of Mahomed Nissar bowling as England win the 1936 Oval test by nine wickets.

 

jimmy101

Cricketer Of The Year
I love how all the players are tripping over each other to grab a souvenir stump at the video's end. Times haven't changed that much.
 

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Even the losing team
When England were about to beat Australia for the first time since the war in 1950-51 Don Tallon collected the stumps before what was intended to be the final ball was bowled. Compton of course missed Hassett's rank full toss. And there was other chaos as well.

More from the final test England vs India in 1936

 

watson

Banned
Tantilsing glimpse of Nissar bowling toward the end of the video.

Not sure why they didn’t understand in 1936 that CW tragics might want see extended action of a player on the internet in the 21st century.
 

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
Third test (it says) of the 65/66 Ashes, featuring McKenzie, Hawke, Brown and Jones bowling.

Being an Australian newsreel, you have thought they'd have known better than to confuse Doug Walters with Graham McKenzie.

 
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the big bambino

International Captain
Tantilsing glimpse of Nissar bowling toward the end of the video.

Not sure why they didn’t understand in 1936 that CW tragics might want see extended action of a player on the internet in the 21st century.
They clearly lacked foresight.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
While this footage may be the wrong sped and have 'interesting' sound what it does contain is three nice, reasonably close shots of Mahomed Nissar bowling as England win the 1936 Oval test by nine wickets.

The answer to question "what would it sound like if R2D2 took amphetamines and then did some cricket commentary?"
 

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