Coronis
International Coach
Ponting was better in the 90’s even though Richards was way more experienced by then. Clearly Ponting is better.
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Ricky Ponting vs Dennis Lillee
- Thread starter PlayerComparisons
- Start date
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
To give a serious view on Ponting, after which I will shower.
my mate and I were reminiscing about our trip to day 1 of Headingley in the 2009 Ashes. A disastrous day for England and yet we could have still been in the game at close but for Ponting, and to a lesser extent, Watson.
Anyway how my mate put it - ‘best I can say is it was like the cricket version of when I watched Messi play.’
I don’t get seriously involved in too many comparisons as I like to know what I’m talking about and base it on what I’ve seen. Ponting is the best cricketer I’ve seen play live and I would probably vote for him over anyone from this century if I wasn’t so bitter and biased in my approach to polls.
Actually meant to put this in the Cummins thread but whatever
my mate and I were reminiscing about our trip to day 1 of Headingley in the 2009 Ashes. A disastrous day for England and yet we could have still been in the game at close but for Ponting, and to a lesser extent, Watson.
Anyway how my mate put it - ‘best I can say is it was like the cricket version of when I watched Messi play.’
I don’t get seriously involved in too many comparisons as I like to know what I’m talking about and base it on what I’ve seen. Ponting is the best cricketer I’ve seen play live and I would probably vote for him over anyone from this century if I wasn’t so bitter and biased in my approach to polls.
Actually meant to put this in the Cummins thread but whatever
kyear2
International Coach
Yeah, unless people saw him play, they're just unable to get it, to grasp how destructive he could be. A magnificent no. 3 batsman.
He was also one of the absolute greatest slip and infield performers of all time.
That combination for me is hard to beat, at least vs Lillee.
CricketFan90s
State Vice-Captain
Best Batsmen of the Decade in Test Cricket
| SM Gavaskar (IND) | 1971-1979 | 60 | 108 | 7 | 5647 | 221 | 55.91 | 6806+ | 44.32 | 22 | 25 | 6 | 530+ | 13 |
| AR Border (AUS) | 1980-1989 | 97 | 164 | 30 | 7386 | 205 | 55.11 | 17365+ | 42.26 | 20 | 40 | 4 | 765 | 20 |
| SR Tendulkar (IND) | 1990-1999 | 69 | 109 | 12 | 5626 | 217 | 58.00 | 10344+ | 54.28 | 22 | 21 | 7 | 732+ | 27 |
| RT Ponting (AUS) | 2000-2009 | 107 | 184 | 22 | 9458 | 257 | 58.38 | 15129 | 62.51 | 32 | 40 | 8 | 1102 | 59 |
| SPD Smith (AUS) | 2010-2019 | 72 | 130 | 16 | 7164 | 239 | 62.84 | 12886 | 55.59 | 26 | 28 | 4 | 795 | 42 |
CricketFan90s
State Vice-Captain
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
One of the greatest shots of all time.
ankitj
Hall of Fame Member
I think comparing any batsman with Viv Richards is not about how good/effective they are. It's about attitude and approach. I don't remember anyone saying Ponting reminded them of Viv Richards. While Ponting was aggressive too but didn't have the same destructive aura about him. Even Sehwag is a better candidate for Viv Richards successor (although in truth no one is a real successor).
ankitj
Hall of Fame Member
This is ridiculous
That’s where I disagree (and so think we are of the same general cricket viewing vintage). When Ponting was at his peak, he had exactly that “I stand 12 feet tall and will destroy you” vibe about him as Richards, and could deflate you in exactly the same way. Case in point - 2003 World Cup - but I could point to many different examples. That’s what differentiated him from Dravid who is statistically just as good and had as many match winning innings.
ankitj
Hall of Fame Member
Even Zaheer Abbas had a better ODI strike rate than Ponting (never mind era adjustment), let alone Viv Richards. Don't think Ponting fits the bill at all.
Pant Kameez
School Boy/Girl Captain
I thought you were exaggerating
CricketFan90s
State Vice-Captain
Ricky Ponting's Peak Years
Tests
ODIs
Viv Richard's Peak Years
Tests
ODIs
These Stats clearly prove that Ponting was a better Test Batsmen and Viv a better ODI Batsmen.
Tests
| Year 1999 | 11 | 17 | 3 | 883 | 197 | 63.07 | 1735 | 50.89 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 86 | 3 |
| Year 1998 | 24 | 24 | 2 | 1166 | 145 | 53.00 | 1516 | 76.91 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 93 | 6 |
| Year 2001 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 828 | 102 | 55.20 | 900 | 92.00 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 88 | 7 |
| Year 2003 | 34 | 31 | 6 | 1154 | 140* | 46.16 | 1413 | 81.67 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 87 | 27 |
| Year 2005 | 29 | 28 | 2 | 1191 | 141* | 45.80 | 1417 | 84.05 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 114 | 20 |
| Year 2007 | 27 | 24 | 6 | 1424 | 134* | 79.11 | 1553 | 91.69 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 144 | 16 |
Viv Richard's Peak Years
Tests
| Year 1976 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 1710 | 291 | 90.00 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Year 1980 | 10 | 14 | 1 | 893 | 145 | 68.69 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| Year 1981 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 342 | 182* | 57.00 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Year 1988 | 11 | 17 | 0 | 867 | 146 | 51.00 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| Year 1986 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 506 | 110* | 50.60 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Year 1979 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 526 | 153* | 131.50 | 587 | 89.60 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Year 1983 | 16 | 14 | 3 | 730 | 149 | 66.36 | 785 | 92.99 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Year 1984 | 18 | 16 | 3 | 695 | 189* | 53.46 | 686 | 101.31 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Year 1985 | 29 | 25 | 5 | 1231 | 103* | 61.55 | 1329 | 92.62 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Year 1987 | 21 | 19 | 1 | 890 | 181 | 49.44 | 969 | 91.84 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
These Stats clearly prove that Ponting was a better Test Batsmen and Viv a better ODI Batsmen.
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Coronis
International Coach
CricketFan90s
State Vice-Captain
HouHsiaoHsien
International Debutant
Some of the other contenders for me: An inside out six by Viv during the 189 innings(dug out a yorker near his pads with ridiculous ease), the Lara pull against Mcgrath(after getting hit on the helmet, a fabulous riposte), the Kohli six of Rauf, Sachin’s famous cover drive of Steyn
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
There are many for me.
Viv famous swivel six in the 79 final.
Miandad six in Sharjah in 86.
Lara boundary against Aqib Javed in 92 WC, still the finest shot I have seen.
Tendulkar six against Shoaib in 2003.
Ponting has this awesome six in the 2009 Champions Trophy.
Coronis
International Coach
After his back stuff coming back and bowling 43 overs per match (23 per innings) is extremely impressive. (He has Hadlee beat on overs and wickets per match whilst Hadlee has a lead on overs and wickets per innings because Hadlee bowled twice less often)
BazBall21
International Captain
He was an absolute machine.
Swamp Witch Hattie
School Boy/Girl Captain
Here is a comparison of the overall ("O") and away ("A") WPIs for some great pacers (from https://www.clanforgamers.com/greatest-fast-bowlers-of-all-time-in-test-cricket/):
