The worst last five over batsmen ??

[SJS]

This should be fun. Name the TWO batsmen you consider the worst to have in the last five overs of a big run chase or in setting a big target.

Condition : They should be batting between 1 and 6 in the batting order !!

 

[twctopcat]

Nasser Hussain and Mark Richardson off the top of my head.

 

[garage flower]

Tricky one. Of current players - and off the top of my head so go easy on me! - what about Kallis and Laxman?

 

[steds]

Is this test or ODI?

 

[Jono]

Is this test or ODI?

Hah, that's a very good point.

This could be interpreted as there's 5 overs to go and you're 9 wickets down with one of your top 6 batsman still there playing for survival.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

what about Kallis and Laxman?

Kallis at his best is a very handy last 5 overs player. He just needs the captain to tell him how to bat, instead of leaving that up to him.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

My picks:

Jimmy Adams - in all live cricket I've watched with him, I've seen him hit one six and that was a top-edge over fine leg.
Ashwell Prince - he's a decent bat, but I don't see him being effective if he comes in with 5 or so overs to go.

 

[tooextracool]

Tricky one. Of current players - and off the top of my head so go easy on me! - what about Kallis and Laxman?

laxman isnt especially poor at scoring once hes set. kallis though is, and i think the game in the ICC championships 02/03 against india emphasises that. how in the hell did they manage to lose that?

 

[tooextracool]

off the top of my head and im really surprised that no one has mentioned either of the 1st 2:
gavaskar
boycott
atherton
prabhakar

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

laxman isnt especially poor at scoring once hes set. kallis though is

That's not true. Kallis can score as quickly as anyone when set (or even when he's just come in), he just seems to prefer not to.

 

[tooextracool]

how can anyone prefer not to score as quick as possible in the last 5 overs? AFAIC you can only score as fast as you can.

 

[Neil Pickup]

If that's the case - it'd be Dwayne Smith & Shahid Afridi.

*Shudder*

 

[Sudeep]

There's no way I'd put Kallis in this category. In fact, if set, he is one of the best batsmen to have batting in the last five overs.

 

[Langeveldt]

Err

Courtney Walsh
Mornantau Hayward
Andre Nel
Brett Schultz
Douglas Hondo

 

[Sudeep]

Err

Courtney Walsh
Mornantau Hayward
Andre Nel
Brett Schultz
Douglas Hondo

Only #1 to 6, Rich. Neither of those five would have batted there.

 

[Langeveldt]

Only #1 to 6, Rich. Neither of those five would have batted there.

Don't forget its the SA, Zim and WI selectors we are dealing with here..

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

how can anyone prefer not to score as quick as possible in the last 5 overs? AFAIC you can only score as fast as you can.

That's my point. I've heard Kallis has been given liberty to bat as he pleases. He does tend to a slightly selfish side to him.

 

[Dasa]

Ashwell Prince - he's a decent bat, but I don't see him being effective if he comes in with 5 or so overs to go.

I think Prince is the sort of player who would be very effective if there's a hitter at the other end. He's excellent at rotating the strike and running quickly.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I think Prince is the sort of player who would be very effective if there's a hitter at the other end. He's excellent at rotating the strike and running quickly.

Certainly not the worst - damn quick between the wickets (with occasional run-out tendencies) and got the Saffies home at Centurion, and also hit a six during the fourth (?) game in a rapid stand with Kemp.

 

[Fiery]

Chris Harris is/was infuriating at times. He would invariable scratch around for the first 20 balls and find it very hard to get the ball away if he had come in with only 5 overs to go. He was good if we were 80/5 and would always make sure we batted the 50 and got up over 200. Didn't like him coming in in the 46th over though.