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More devastating...Richards or Gilchrist??

Zinzan

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I can't think of many batsmen i've seen over the years who are as consistently as devastating as Viv Richards was in tests or Onedayers. But recently I've started to wonder if Gilchrist might be heading into that same league, particularly in test cricket. Obviously it's different coming in at 7 as opposed to 4 in the order. But the way Gilchrist has consistently changed test matches within an hour or two by scoring at close to a run a ball is incredible. No-doubt for me the most dangerous batsmen in cricket today.

Is he in Richards league yet though? That is in terms of placing fear on the opposition.
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
Richards was a better batsman who had a big impact on more matches, and there's no contest in terms of actual skill. However, in my opinion Gilchrist is the most 'devastating' batsman ever, insofar as he is capable of turning a match on its head in a matter of half a session, and does it with incredible consistency. He has the best scoring rate in test history and an average well above 50... before the last few years that would have been unthinkable.
 

SpeedKing

U19 Vice-Captain
FaaipDeOiad said:
Richards was a better batsman who had a big impact on more matches, and there's no contest in terms of actual skill. However, in my opinion Gilchrist is the most 'devastating' batsman ever, insofar as he is capable of turning a match on its head in a matter of half a session, and does it with incredible consistency. He has the best scoring rate in test history and an average well above 50... before the last few years that would have been unthinkable.
Spot On for me. it might be because i never actually saw Sir. Viv bat live but Gilchrist absolutely takes the p*ss. you thibk you have got through the Aussie line-up and they are 150-5. this guy comes in and in just one session, Aus are 300-5. it's like Afridi was amazing consistency
 

Swervy

International Captain
King Viv and Gilly have the ability to pick up line and length of the ball quicker than any batsmen I have ever seen
 

Adamc

Cricketer Of The Year
Irrelevant to the topic but SpeedKing, shouldn't your signature read JAAS instead of JMAS? :p
 

SpeedKing

U19 Vice-Captain
Adamc said:
Irrelevant to the topic but SpeedKing, shouldn't your signature read JAAS instead of JMAS? :p
True that . although it is still correct coz his full name in James Micheal Anderson. il change it anyway . thanks
 

telsor

U19 12th Man
I think the difference is the attitude.

Gilchrist is a force of nature..he can be devestating, but it's almost the luck of the draw if you get 'hit' and it's not personal.

Viv went out there intent on seizing the game away from the opposition and rubbing their nose in it.
 

age_master

Hall of Fame Member
telsor said:
I think the difference is the attitude.

Gilchrist is a force of nature..he can be devestating, but it's almost the luck of the draw if you get 'hit' and it's not personal.

Viv went out there intent on seizing the game away from the opposition and rubbing their nose in it.

interesting observation

the answer to the question comes from what you mean by devestating
 

C_C

International Captain
Gilly is extremely destructive but i will say that Richards is THE MOST destructive batsman ever, followed by Sehwag.
For one, they bat higher up the order and face bowlers at their freshest- not comming in with the score at 200 or 300 and bowlers already battered to oblivion.

And in Richard's case, his striek rate is mindboggling.......up until late 80s, ODI cricket was essentially played as one day of test cricket..... Richard's 90+ strike rate against excellent bowlers in a day and age when the next best sriek rate(after 100 matches) was in the low 70s is mindboggling to say the least.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
The fact that, in his prime, Viv did it at no. 3 vs Lillee, Thommo, Imran, etc puts him at the top of my list, despite Gilchrist being the best ever in his position.

Their longevity separates them from Sehwag IMO.
 

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
aussie

i'd go for richards richards i have seen clips of him bat plus i have heard so much about him from my father, and one main reason why i say him is because he has devasted much much better attacks with some greater bowlers than gilchrist E.g Lillee, Thompson. Imran Khan, qadir, Willis, Dev along with the great quartet of indian spinners, the great kiwi richard hadlee, those were some fantastic bowlers thses days all the great bowlers are in australia :D
 

Slats4ever

International Vice-Captain
yeah definately. i think richards was great... doing what he did at 4 in the thick of it's superb.... Gilchrist i think is just a freak of nature as well. i can't really seperate.
 

C_C

International Captain
Swervy- Why not ?
Sehwag scores his run at around the same clip Gillchrist does and he does so at the top of the order.......you can say Gilly faced Donald,Pollock,Akram and Younis but Sehwag faced the aussie unit which Gilly never has to.
I think the only reason someone could have of not including sehwag up there is because of his relative lack of experience compared to Gilly or Viv......but another 50-60 innings in the same vein and i dont think how anyone can consider him less destructive than Gilly.
 

Swervy

International Captain
C_C said:
Swervy- Why not ?
Sehwag scores his run at around the same clip Gillchrist does and he does so at the top of the order.......you can say Gilly faced Donald,Pollock,Akram and Younis but Sehwag faced the aussie unit which Gilly never has to.
I think the only reason someone could have of not including sehwag up there is because of his relative lack of experience compared to Gilly or Viv......but another 50-60 innings in the same vein and i dont think how anyone can consider him less destructive than Gilly.
if sehwag can average 55 over almost 70 tests at a rate that Gilchrist does, then fair enough...but I just dont think he will do. Fair play to him if he does though
 

Eclipse

International Debutant
Shewag does not score at the same rate as Gilly anyway, Gilly scores a whole 11 runs per 100 balls probably more after the end of this innings....

That's a big difference... I have also noticed Gilly now has i thnk 79 sixes in test cricket, he is very close to holding that record as well.. he had 74 before this game and has hit five sixes this innings so far.
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
Swervy said:
if sehwag can average 55 over almost 70 tests at a rate that Gilchrist does, then fair enough...but I just dont think he will do. Fair play to him if he does though
Exactly. Sehwag is a quality player, but I can't ever see him being as consistent OR as intimidating as Gilchrist. And frankly it shocks me a bit to see C_C, who is usually fairly reserved in his estimation of players early in their career, talking up Sehwag as the second most destructive batsman of all time when he is for all intents and purposes at the start of his career still. If he averages 55 in 5 years time, or ever manages to get his strike rate up to Gilchrist's level, I'll be surprised.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Sehwag is a tremendous cricketer BUT he has only played a relatively small no. of tests and he bats in the most favourable conditions in the sub-continent i.e. opening.

Let's talk more about him when he has played 50 or more tests.

BTW, how many saw Gilchrist today - UNBELIEVABLE.
 

slugger

State Vice-Captain
i would like to see gilly face his own bowlers, hey what the hell him and mccullum should swap for the 3rd match, i would just like gilly make his bowlers feel what he makes our bowlers feel (like crap)

on the serious side he is a pretty devastating batsmen, he and the aussie team have changed the way a test match should be played, they are always looking for a win no matter what situation their team maybe in at the time.

i think richards had the same mind set.

gilly and richards best defense was and is ATTTACCKKK.
 

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