Who is the best all-rounder in world cricket?

[Tim]

Rubbish that Vettori has been performing poorly with the ball Marc!. How much of his bowling have you seen recently?

I know you defended Flintoff a while back when he wasn't taking wickets, don't set yourself up now!.

 

[marc71178]

No, but if his keeping went off, he'd make the team as a batsman.

Which isn't the point - his keeping isn't enough to get him in if his batting were poor.

 

[marc71178]

Rubbish that Vettori has been performing poorly with the ball Marc!.

2003 - 11 wickets @ 60.09
2004 - 38 @ 32.21
2005 - 8 @ 49.62

N.B., without the Bangladesh bump (probably the most extreme effect it's had on any player in recent times, 2004 becomes 18 @ 55.56

So I guess in one sense he is improving, and in about 5 years he'll be down to an average of 25 at that rate!

 

[Slats4ever]

With no offence to anyone. When people ask who is the best all rounder, they invariably refer to bowling and batting. Keeping all rounders are in a different category in a way and are best compared with other keeping all rounders in my humble opinion.

nah disagree. if i ask for the best all rounder i would refer to keepers as well

 

[EnglishRose]

Find me another player in the world who averages in the 40s with the bat and in the 20s with the ball in first class cricket. One, please.

Jai Prakash Yadav - the outstanding player of India's domestic 2004/2005 season.

http://content.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/36054.html

There probably are more in the English, Saf, Pakistani etc . leagues --- I just can't be bothered finding them -- but hey you only asked for me.

 

[C_C]

I would say if their careers are examined, its Pollock and then Kallis ( Kallis rarely bowled at worldclass level and hasn't done so with any consistency for a long time).

Currently, if the past 10 Test matches and last 25 ODIs over the last 1 year/1.5year are taken as a barometer, it lies as follows:

Tests:

#1: Flintoff:
16 innings, 2 not outs, 614 runs @ 43.85, 1x100, 5x50, 42 wickets @ 22.30 0x5wkts, 0x10wkts, 43.5 st/r

#2: Vaas :
15 innings, 4 not outs, 273 runs @ 24.81, 0x100, 1x50, 37 wickets @ 28.10, 3x5wkts, 0x10wkts, 60.8 st/r

#3:Vettori:
15 innings, 2 not outs, 374 runs @ 28.76, 0x100, 2x50, 42 wickets @ 30.85,5x5wkts, 1x10wkts, 67.4 st/r


#4: Pollock:
15 innings, 3 not outs, 205 runs @ 17.08, 0x100, 0x50, 32 wickets @ 30.84, 0x5wkts, 0x10wkts, 74.4 st/r

#5: I cant bloody figure out. They all suck.


ODIs:

#1: Flintoff:
24 innings, 7 not outs, 1023 runs @ 60.17, 3x100, 7x50, 33 wickets @ 18.54, 1x4wkts, 0x5wkts, 3.76 econ.


#2: Cairns:
21 innings, 4 not outs, 531 runs @ 31.23, 0x100, 4x50, 30 wickets @ 24.00, 1x4wkts, 0x5wkts, 4.55 econ


#3:
Tendulkar:
25 innings, 1 not out, 850 runs @ 35.41, 2x100, 4x50, 26 wickets @ 25.38, 1x4wkts, 1x5wkts, 5.73 econ.

#4:Afridi:
21 innings, 2 not outs, 661 runs @ 34.78, 1x100, 3x50, 28 wickets@ 34.35, 1x4wkts,0x5wkts, 4.82 econ


#5: Pollock:
18 innings, 7 not outs, 306 runs @ 27.81, 0x100, 2x50, 22 wickets @ 39.63, 0x4wkts,0x5wkts, 4.15 econ

 

[Top_Cat]

Best current allrounder - Andrew Flintoff.

Fast on the improve - Shahid Afridi.

I've said that within two years Afridi will be the best allrounder in the world. He seems right on track at the moment, just primed for a world-beating run.

 

[aussie]

pfft, watson? hack of a player...plz don't say he has the potential to be the best all rounder in the world. he is an ok bowler, and an ok batsman. nothing special in either discipline. would not even get a look in, if he couldn't do one or the other.

no one ever said he can be the best all-rounder in world cirkcet, but he certain has the potential, look when flintoff first came on to the scene he had potential but barely showed glimpses of it & many people including myself thought he didn't warrant a place in the ENG team period, he was a fat oaf .

But look a freddie now..........I wont be surprised if with experience at the international level, why Watson cant be a top class all-rounder.

 

[aussie]

watson would never get close to the australian team as a pure batsman, nor a pure bowler.

well at this stage of his career no, but in the future that could well be the case

 

[superkingdave]

I Find me another player in the world who averages in the 40s with the bat and in the 20s with the ball in first class cricket.

I can find you one who averages over 40 with the bat and under 20 with the ball in Test Cricket if you like?

 

[aussie]

I can find you one who averages over 40 with the bat and under 20 with the ball in Test Cricket if you like?

haha, very funny dave

 

[Scaly piscine]

no one ever said he can be the best all-rounder in world cirkcet, but he certain has the potential, look when flintoff first came on to the scene he had potential but barely showed glimpses of it & many people including myself thought he didn't warrant a place in the ENG team period, he was a fat oaf .

But look a freddie now..........I wont be surprised if with experience at the international level, why Watson cant be a top class all-rounder.

Flintoff showed lots of glimpses actually, he was just inept against most spinners and kept trying to hit the ball over the long-off fielder.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Jai Prakash Yadav - the outstanding player of India's domestic 2004/2005 season.

http://content.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/36054.html

There probably are more in the English, Saf, Pakistani etc . leagues --- I just can't be bothered finding them -- but hey you only asked for me.

Impressive. I never actually said there weren't any (and I am sure there are more), merely that they were very uncommon, and I don't think there are any with a significant number of games playing in either Australia or England, aside from Watson.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I would say if their careers are examined, its Pollock and then Kallis ( Kallis rarely bowled at worldclass level and hasn't done so with any consistency for a long time).

Currently, if the past 10 Test matches and last 25 ODIs over the last 1 year/1.5year are taken as a barometer, it lies as follows:

Tests:

#1: Flintoff:
16 innings, 2 not outs, 614 runs @ 43.85, 1x100, 5x50, 42 wickets @ 22.30 0x5wkts, 0x10wkts, 43.5 st/r

#2: Vaas :
15 innings, 4 not outs, 273 runs @ 24.81, 0x100, 1x50, 37 wickets @ 28.10, 3x5wkts, 0x10wkts, 60.8 st/r

#3:Vettori:
15 innings, 2 not outs, 374 runs @ 28.76, 0x100, 2x50, 42 wickets @ 30.85,5x5wkts, 1x10wkts, 67.4 st/r


#4: Pollock:
15 innings, 3 not outs, 205 runs @ 17.08, 0x100, 0x50, 32 wickets @ 30.84, 0x5wkts, 0x10wkts, 74.4 st/r

#5: I cant bloody figure out. They all suck.


ODIs:

#1: Flintoff:
24 innings, 7 not outs, 1023 runs @ 60.17, 3x100, 7x50, 33 wickets @ 18.54, 1x4wkts, 0x5wkts, 3.76 econ.


#2: Cairns:
21 innings, 4 not outs, 531 runs @ 31.23, 0x100, 4x50, 30 wickets @ 24.00, 1x4wkts, 0x5wkts, 4.55 econ


#3:
Tendulkar:
25 innings, 1 not out, 850 runs @ 35.41, 2x100, 4x50, 26 wickets @ 25.38, 1x4wkts, 1x5wkts, 5.73 econ.

#4:Afridi:
21 innings, 2 not outs, 661 runs @ 34.78, 1x100, 3x50, 28 wickets@ 34.35, 1x4wkts,0x5wkts, 4.82 econ


#5: Pollock:
18 innings, 7 not outs, 306 runs @ 27.81, 0x100, 2x50, 22 wickets @ 39.63, 0x4wkts,0x5wkts, 4.15 econ

You could try Michael Clarke in tests.

13 innings, 0 not outs, 457 runs @ 35.15, 1x100, 2x50, 8 wickets @ 7.13 1x5wkts, 0x10wkts, 13.0 st/r


Seriously though, I think that shows pretty conclusively that Andrew Flintoff is a mile in front of everyone else in the world on current form.

 

[Langeveldt]

sensing a bit of biasness in this statement Langeveldt

Why? If we are going by stats, Kallis's batting average makes Flintoff look embarassing, and kallis also averages less with the ball..

I guess it depends if you care more about form, or career returns..

 

[Kweek]

after my match today i feel i can take on everything...but hey im not a Flintoff ;p
personally i think Flintoff..good bowler and excellent batsman in both forms of the game!

 

[steds]

Imran Khan

At 52 year old and having not played FC cricket for about 13 years, I doubt he's in the right shape to just waltz back into the cricket world and be the best allrounder in the world. Let's give him 8 months to physically and mentally prepare himself first

 

[social]

Which isn't the point - his keeping isn't enough to get him in if his batting were poor.

Just what is your point?

Are you trying to infer that others could play on the strength of one discipline alone?

If you are, then i'm not sure who you'd be referring to.

Flintoff would've been consigned to the county ranks years ago as either batsman or bowler.

Afridi might have got the occasional game as a back up spinner.

Vettori probably comes closest because he is generally regarded as a specialist bowler anyway.

 

[marc71178]

Flintoff would get in the England team on his bowling alone for certain, and to be honest, his batting as well would warrant it of late.

 

[sledger]

hmmm if that sort of batting would get a player in the england side alone i would say pietersen would probably nudge freddie out on form advantage at this moment in time.