subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
Genuinely interested in who Cricketweb considers the greatest WI batsman and why. Respect to Headley but I assumed he wont be picked ahead of these three.
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Sobers vs Viv vs Lara
- Thread starter subshakerz
- Start date
Nikhil99.99
U19 Cricketer
but headley should at least be in the option.
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
I added him.
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
Sobers and Richards were the hands down best bats of their eras so I would want to choose between them. Lara is behind them to me.
SillyCowCorner1
Moooo
Devon Smith
kyear2
International Coach
All 3 were touched by brilliance, though all in different ways.
I think without his ridiculous bowling work load and batting down the order as a result, Sobers numbers would have been much higher.
At his very best though I believe Lara was the greatest ever, also think he consistently faced the better attacks of anyone bar Sachin who shared the era. Greatest player of spin ever.
It's between those two for me.
I think without his ridiculous bowling work load and batting down the order as a result, Sobers numbers would have been much higher.
At his very best though I believe Lara was the greatest ever, also think he consistently faced the better attacks of anyone bar Sachin who shared the era. Greatest player of spin ever.
It's between those two for me.
Calm_profit
State Vice-Captain
all 3 can bat at any position.
cricketsavant
U19 12th Man
Only 2 votes for Viv? He is arguably the greatest WIs batsman. Lara has good stats but he was in a team which failed consistently and barely won anything.
Sobers could potentially be regarded as the best but he never had to face a new-ish ball while Viv did.
Sobers could potentially be regarded as the best but he never had to face a new-ish ball while Viv did.
Calm_profit
State Vice-Captain
Sobers batted as an opener and at no 3 and did the great job.
cricketsavant
U19 12th Man
You mean the 18/93 matches where he averaged under 30 against England, NZ and Aus, while feasting on a hapless India bowling line up, when the WI won 3 back-to-back tests and the series in 1959? A season earlier, he feasted on a pretty average Pakistan side (better than the Indian one granted) and after his world record score, he never established himself as a top order batsman because he just was not good enough against seam and swing.
Arachnodouche
International Captain
I love how regurgitating stats leaves no room for ambiguities regarding cricketers most have never watched play live.
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
What about Richards between 1976 to 1980? Would argue his peak was better than theirs.
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
The team losing is hardly only Lara's fault. My problem with Lara is that I felt he was shaky against express pace and a bit loose when he first came to the crease. He was also owned by McGrath in the mid-90s in a way I have never seen an ATG humbled, except maybe Ponting in India. But he was still my favorite to watch.
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
Is that the real reason he was down the order or your take?
Calm_profit
State Vice-Captain
First thing Newzealand were an average side,Secondly he didnt hit his peak until 1958.And based on 6 matches against England and Australia(most were from before 1958) you are judging him as failed top order.
Nikhil99.99
U19 Cricketer
It’s G.A headley for me.Batted in a side where nobody was up to that standard.Despite the 1930s having some real good/great batsman he was arguably the 2nd best.
Australia had ponsford,McCabe
England had Hutton,Hammond
Sa had Nouse,Mitchell
Nz had Dempster
Ind had Merchant
But still G.A headley was probably no.2.He scored 26 percent of runs for Wi in 1930s.In the limited opportunity headley got he showed he was as good as any player in the world.And apart from the don himself, probably better than everyone.
Australia had ponsford,McCabe
England had Hutton,Hammond
Sa had Nouse,Mitchell
Nz had Dempster
Ind had Merchant
But still G.A headley was probably no.2.He scored 26 percent of runs for Wi in 1930s.In the limited opportunity headley got he showed he was as good as any player in the world.And apart from the don himself, probably better than everyone.
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Pap Finn Keighl
International Debutant
1. Sobers
2. Lara
3. Viv
4. Headley
For 2nd greatest batsman title, Lara's claim is the weakest.. I think.
2. Lara
3. Viv
4. Headley
For 2nd greatest batsman title, Lara's claim is the weakest.. I think.
ankitj
Hall of Fame Member
This has been done before.
Who is The Greatest West Indies Batsman of All Time
I always figured that this would be the most difficult question to answer with regards to the Windies. Personally, I think it is a toss up between Sobers and Viv. I never actually got to saw Sobers bat live, but the tales of his awesomeness were part of growing up for me. Everyone thought he was...
www.cricketweb.net
Greatest West Indian Batsman
Brian Lara Viv Richards Garry Sobers George Headley Someone else Probably one of the most contentious arguments one could ever have. For me there is no doubt in my mind that Viv Richards was by far the best batsman from the West Indies (and a definite top 5 of all time). Stats dont truly...
www.cricketweb.net
Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
Very different results in previous polls. Viv dips down as time passes and the younger demographic become more and more statsmongery.