Disagree on Donald. It is more than a fair opinion to say Donald > Lillee.I don't know how you could rate Dennis Lillee below Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock or Courtney Walsh tbh. But it's always subjective
Gavsakar played a great back to the walls knock against the same attack, some thing which lead to a great series levelling victory. The full strength attack couldn't win a series at home against a not so strong opposition.This is also why I rate Gavaskar below other openers who sit in the AT category. Averaged 17 here in the only series he played vs a full strength attack. I usually wouldn't hold it against him given it's so small a sample size, but if Lillee's no good because of four tests in Pakistan and SL, then Gavaskar must be marked down on the same basis. In fairness, I should probably add his stats vs Aus for the ROW in 71/72 when he averaged a hefty 28, if you want to take the sample size out to eight "tests."
You'll find many Australians don't rate Donald quite as highly as we perhaps should, given unlike Ambrose he never managed to win a test series against us. In fact part of the reason Steyn is rated so highly over here is that he was the guy who started South Africa beating Australia.Disagree on Donald. It is more than a fair opinion to say Donald > Lillee.
People rightly or wrongly give Lillee the benefit of not touring much in subcontinent, but white lightning doesn't even have that hole in his record. Toured all across the world and was pretty much great almost everywhere.
One of the reasons many Indians don't rate Lillee all that highly is precisely this. He couldn't win a test series against us, even playing at home, against a not so great opposition.You'll find many Australians don't rate Donald quite as highly as we perhaps should, given unlike Ambrose he never managed to win a test series against us. In fact part of the reason Steyn is rated so highly over here is that he was the guy who started South Africa beating Australia.
Another cool Sir RJ statBowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com
stats.espncricinfo.com
He averaged 17, what's your point? Honestly, was never a player to be feared here save in WSC & in the mid-80s when the Aus attack was barely FC standard save a post-shoulder injury Thommo in 77.Gavsakar played a great back to the walls knock against the same attack, some thing which lead to a great series levelling victory. The full strength attack couldn't win a series at home against a not so strong opposition.
Poor old Alan was a bit soft in the head when he wasn't taking poles early on, I'm afraid. Good bowler to watch though. Terrific pace.Disagree on Donald. It is more than a fair opinion to say Donald > Lillee.
The point is, inspite of a low average, he had one genuinely impactful performance with that sample size.He averaged 17, what's your point?
Donald had a genuinely great record in Australia (was averaging 23) until he took part in 2001-02 series when he was well over 35 and messed up an impressive record. Even then he averaged a pretty good 28 there. Mcgrath had a worse record in similar conditions at home against SA, so pitches played a part too.Poor old Alan was a bit soft in the head when he wasn't taking poles early on, I'm afraid. Good bowler to watch though. Terrific pace.
Donald wasn't great here at all. He demonstrated a heart the size of a split pea and a mindset as hard as a lemonade sandwich. The famous picture of the 99 WC run out was emblematic of his career against Australia. Standing next to the pitch, beaten and crestfallen.
Donald's team was a better side than the ones Steyn was in at the start of his career. One often felt like South Africa should have been beating Aus regularly during the 90s but they just never did. Steyn was the difference.One of the reasons many Indians don't rate Lillee all that highly is precisely this. He couldn't win a test series against us, even playing at home, against a not so great opposition.
On Steyn vs Donald against Aus, for sure, they were not up against comparably strong teams. The one which Steyn was up against was merely good. The one which Donald was up against was one of the GOAT. Not saying to hold it against Steyn btw. It is unreasonable though, to hold it against Donald. He didn't have the benefit of a great batting line up either.
He really wasn't.Donald was a better bowler than McGrath.
He was better, something that shows up in his average.McGrath played longer and had more wickets but wasn’t really a better bowler.
Really? This is true? ?Another cool Sir RJ stat
Number of overseas series victories
Jadeja - 5 (2 Aus, 2 WI, 1 SL) and more to come
Lillee - 3 (1 Eng, 1 NZ, 1 SL)
Of course it is. Believe in Sir RJReally? This is true? ?
Again these were one off game each and didn't Lillee performed very well in WI during WSC. Also your suggestion that every wicket in Australia and England during lillee's career as a fast bowler friendly wicket was very ill informed.Could very well be. Then his record in West Indies and against minnow Sri Lanka, and conveniently not touring India stacks heavily against what to suggest.