matthew hayden or brian lara?

[hyounis786]

after seeing matthew hayden break laras record for highest individual score in a test match i felt he did not deserve to beat laras record cos it was a relatively rubbish zimbabwe team in which he concluded his 380 odd (summat like that) and lara broke the record against a well england team.
What do u lot think out there, whoz the better player, who deserves to b up there with the best in ur opinion??

 

[Richard]

Lara's innings was the better one and Lara is by far the better player for me.
But I can assure you St. John's, Antigua (where Lara made his 375) is in West Indies, not England.
Hayden is a flat-track bully and often a lucky one, too.

 

[Sanz]

L.A.R.A. Any day. He has been performing at the top level for almost a decade as compared to Hayden's 3-4 years.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Surely it's rhetorical.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Lara.

Simply a better batsman.

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

I can't understand why people say that Hayden didn't deserve to break the Highest Individual Score in Tests or that it was not a good innings.

Sure Hayden was up against Zimbabwe, but 380 is still 380 runs. It still take alot of hard work to attain a score like that.

What an innings it was from Hayden, 380 off just 437 balls (SR: 86.95)

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

This is a pretty difficult comparison to see if Lara or Hayden is the better player because Lara has played way more Tests & ODI's then Hayden.

This comparison would be better suited when either Hayden plays the same number of international matches as Lara, or when both have retired.

 

[Richard]

I can't understand why people say that Hayden didn't deserve to break the Highest Individual Score in Tests or that it was not a good innings.

Sure Hayden was up against Zimbabwe, but 380 is still 380 runs. It still take alot of hard work to attain a score like that.

What an innings it was from Hayden, 380 off just 437 balls (SR: 86.95)

To be fair I've never actually said, I don't think (marc or someone will doubtless check), that Hayden didn't deserve to break the record.
380 (and I am now assured it was chanceless) is a good performance regardless.
I still think Lara's 375 was the better innings, though.

 

[Anil]

Lara.....this is not a valid comparison.....Hayden just isn't in the same class....

 

[aussie_beater]

No comparison....Lara miles ahead.

 

[nibbs]

I find it hard to count Haydens record. It just doesn't seem right, that he scored it against a struggling nation such as Zimbabwe. If he had scored it against a decent test worthy line up then I might be able to count it, but I just can't...

Lara all the way...

 

[Langeveldt]

Hayden by a whisker. Im not a fan of Laras technique at all... , if someone had to bat for my life, id rather it was him than BCL (both pretty awesome tho)

 

[hourn]

i'll just take Haydo cause someone has gotta stick up for an Aussie

Lara has been better over the course of his career, as he's done the right stuff for a lot longer.

But Hayden could still play for another 5 years, and who knows what could happen in that time.

Hayden is a flat-track bully and often a lucky one, too.

as long as it helps you sleep when he's scored about 800 runs @ 100+ against your lot in 2005

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Hayden by a whisker.

So you either think Hayden is an all-time great or you don't think Lara is an all-time great.

 

[Langeveldt]

So you either think Hayden is an all-time great or you don't think Lara is an all-time great.

Probably the former more than the latter...

 

[IsuraE]

Lara is definitely more classy, a beautiful strokemaker. Hayden plays on a great batting team, so he can afford to fail. But time will tell, 4 more years at this rate and hayden will be one of the all time greats.

 

[age_master]

i rate lara as the best batsmen going around followed by Ponting so my vote definatley goes to Lara

 

[Mister Wright]

Both. If I were to pick my favourite XI they would both be in my team. Hayden as an opener and Lara in the middle order.

And Richard - Hayden's knock was chanceless until 376, it was the first ball after tea on the second day and he thumped Gripper down the ground and Blignaut dropped him on the deep mid-off rope (although he had to leap about 3 metres in the air to even get a hand on it) and it went for 4. He then swept the next ball out to deep square-leg where he was caught for 380.

P.S. This is about the 4th time this thread has come up since I have been a member.

 

[Rik]

But Hayden could still play for another 5 years, and who knows what could happen in that time.

So could Lara, he's only 34!

as long as it helps you sleep when he's scored about 800 runs @ 100+ against your lot in 2005

Brings up Hayden's record in England...

 

[Craig]

Lara - best batsman I have ever seen.

I rate him higher then SRT. Lara doesnt have as much support, but now that is changing that Sarwan and Chanders have grown brains and are now contributing.

SRT has Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, Ganguly.