Worst Player to Play 100 Tests?

[_00_deathscar]

Ishant and Bhaji aren't the worst either - maybe one of, possibly, but not at the bottom of that rung. Ishant redeemed himself in his later years where he was genuinely a damn good player. Bhaji, as **** as he generally was, had one of the most memorable series in cricketing history.

Bairstow is mediocrity personified.

 

[Flem274*]

Was going to effortpost defend Boucher as quietly doing his job rather than being in and out shuffled around but then I remembered the racism thing so cbf.

 

[OverratedSanity]

It's between Bairstow and Hooper for me. Boucher wasn't spectacular but did a perfectly competent job for his role as keeper bat and is nowhere close to the worst. Utter **** obviously.

 

[OverratedSanity]

not having for a second Hooper was any better than Bairstow. Deffo getting brownie points for how classy he was.

it was only in the twilight of his career he achieved a level of real consistency. he was absolutely bog standard.

And Hoopers late career run scoring was spurred by the flattening of some of the pitches he got to stay pad on at the time. He just wasn't very good.

 

[Coronis]

My mistake, he just played 3 matches in India. Was referring to NZ. Gavaskar’s performance against WI is very good, but he dominated the quartet in India only(83). Viv had great series vs Lillee in Aus. Gavaksar was not very well tested in Aus(that gives Viv an edge record wise). Plus Viv’s SR gives him a big benefit over Gavaskar. So I’d go Viv over him, but Gavaskar in my top 9-10 bats as well.

Fair enough. But he played the quartet only twice; and did dominated a bowling attack of Holding and Garner in WI in the '76 tour. Gavaskar only played Lillee in one series, and on the 3 matches only scored one 50+ score (though that would been a century had not for very biased umpiring). Viv is much ahead in England, while Gavaskar has decently better record in Pakistan. I think it's closer between them than most people makes it out to be; and I just barely rate Gavaskar higher for opener's tax, as I rate it slightly over reputation and SR.

You guys do realise the famed quartet only actually played 6 matches together right?

2 against England in 1980 and 4 against India in 1983

fwiw (not much imo) best performances in those series

(all in 7 innings)

Amarnath 428 runs @ 61.14, 1 ton and 3 fifties
Gavaskar 221 runs @ 36.83, 1 ton
Sharma 219 runs @ 43.80, 2 fifties

(all in 4 innings)

Boycott 202 runs @ 50.50, 2 fifties
Willey 113 runs @ 37.66, 1 fifty
Botham 104 runs @ 26.00, 1 fifty

notable other performances: Kapil Dev 100*, 56 runs in his other 5 innings, Brian Rose 70 and 32 in his one match, Mike Gatting 56 and 33 in his one match

Fun fact: Windies could only win 3/6 matches with these famed four bowlers (plus Richards, Greenidge, Lloyd and Haynes in all the matches) playing together.

 

[capt_Luffy]

You guys do realise the famed quartet only actually played 6 matches together right?

2 against England in 1980 and 4 against India in 1983

fwiw (not much imo) best performances in those series

(all in 7 innings)

Amarnath 428 runs @ 61.14, 1 ton and 3 fifties
Gavaskar 221 runs @ 36.83, 1 ton
Sharma 219 runs @ 43.80, 2 fifties

(all in 4 innings)

Boycott 202 runs @ 50.50, 2 fifties
Willey 113 runs @ 37.66, 1 fifty
Botham 104 runs @ 26.00, 1 fifty

notable other performances: Kapil Dev 100*, 56 runs in his other 5 innings, Brian Rose 70 and 32 in his one match, Mike Gatting 56 and 33 in his one match

Fun fact: Windies could only win 3/6 matches with these famed four bowlers (plus Richards, Greenidge, Lloyd and Haynes in all the matches) playing together.

Interesting. I was confident that they played around 15 matches together and that also included a few matches on the away India tour of '83..... Will check the data later; but I think the quartet also refers to the less acknowledged but more common one of Croft in place of Marshall.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Ishant and Bhaji aren't the worst either - maybe one of, possibly, but not at the bottom of that rung. Ishant redeemed himself in his later years where he was genuinely a damn good player. Bhaji, as **** as he generally was, had one of the most memorable series in cricketing history.

Bairstow is mediocrity personified.

Yeah Harbhajan's Australia series has an argument for greatest series performance by any bowler ever. Bairstow had a good run in the first few months of Bazball but really not comparable.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

In an alternate universe, Mushfiqur, Shakib, and Tamim would have been on their 130th test caps, respectively.

 

[AndrewB]

Interesting. I was confident that they played around 15 matches together and that also included a few matches on the away India tour of '83..... Will check the data later; but I think the quartet also refers to the less acknowledged but more common one of Croft in place of Marshall.

Holding-Garner-Roberts-Croft played 11 Tests together.

Garner didn't play in India in 1983-4; Marshall, Holding and Winston Davis played in all 6 Tests, alongside Baptiste (1), Daniel (3) and Roberts+Harper (2).