Greatest Australian bowlers and batsmen of all time?

[Ikki]

AWTA.

z

 

[NUFAN]

Agree on Grimmett being unlucky to not make it but you can kind of understand why when everyone can pick just the 5 players.

It would be great if we had our own CW version, anyone keen to organize?

 

[intcricket]

Steve Waugh and Shane Warne.

 

[ankitj]

My take at the top 25 Aussies:

Don Bradman, Keith Miller, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Greg Chappell,
Bill O'Reilly, Dennis Lillee, Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, Steve Waugh,
Clarrie Grimmet, Adam Gilchrist, Alan Davidson, Ray Lindwall, Charlie Turner,
Fred Spofforth, Victor Trumper, Monty Noble, Jack Gregory, Mathew Hayden,
Hugh Trumble, Stan McCabbe, Neil Harvey, Warwick Armstrong, Richie Benaud

That's a serious amount of genius coming from one country! Hope, I haven't left out anyone obvious

 

[adub]

Agree on Grimmett being unlucky to not make it but you can kind of understand why when everyone can pick just the 5 players.

It would be great if we had our own CW version, anyone keen to organize?

Yeah, it's the format that's done him in for sure. I don't think I could include him in my top 5, or even a best 11, but would be in a top 25 for sure. Still I would have thought at least two old timers might have named him, especially considering how many votes Tiger got.

 

[smash84]

yeah difficult to understand Lillee > McGrath. The only thing that I can think of is the Ian Chappell argument

"Lillee could do everything that McGrath could and he could do it 10mph quicker"

 

[centurymaker]

yeah difficult to understand Lillee > McGrath. The only thing that I can think of is the Ian Chappell argument

"Lillee could do everything that McGrath could and he could do it 10mph quicker"

yeah it's basically--- the above, the intimidation factor, and the aura around him...

 

[BoyBrumby]

Voting probably rewards the guys who were the pre-eminent player of their time, with it being all former players. Garth was the leader of the attack throughout his career (IIRC), as opposed to Gillespie - so if the player has to spread their votes around, then you're not likely to vote for the second best pacer of an era (especially if you didn't play in that era).

Peter McIntyre stiff to miss out...

Yeah, I'd guess there's something in that, but Jeffrey Robert has made it in and he was usually seen as the support act for DKL, wasn't he? Although he was always box office.

He must be a better bloke than he comes across as. Was the media's go to arsehole pommy basher for quite some time.

 

[adub]

He must be a better bloke than he comes across as. Was the media's go to arsehole pommy basher for quite some time.

You say the latter as if it wasn't a qualification for the former?

 

[marc71178]

Yeah, I'd guess there's something in that, but Jeffrey Robert has made it in and he was usually seen as the support act for DKL, wasn't he? Although he was always box office.

He must be a better bloke than he comes across as. Was the media's go to arsehole pommy basher for quite some time.

Jeff Thomson is a first rate ****. Cardiff ODI is all the evidence you need.

 

[Redbacks]

Gilly comes in at number 4

'Sheez, look at that one!' - The Age - Melbourne'

After two years in Perth he had done enough for a call-up to the national one-day team. He batted in the middle order, until Mark Taylor's decline became unignorable and Gilchrist moved to the top, just seven weeks after taking over the gloves from Healy. That was in December 1997. South African players taunted him in Sydney, off-spinner Pat Symcox asking, "How many does this ground hold?"

Replied Gilchrist, naively, "35,000".

Said Symcox, grinning: "That makes 35,000 who hate you."

How wrong that statement would turn out to be.

 

[Redbacks]

The most entertaining player I've seen play for Australia. The fireworks at the start of an ODI innings was must see for a decade when Gilchrist was in the side and was a key cog in one of the greatest test sides of all time.

They have possibly given away the order:

Lillee at 3
Warne at 2
The Don at 1

Grimmett the unlucky man in this poll. Having to compete with 2 other great spinners has hurt him in selection.

 

[bagapath]

ah, that article on miller by ian chappell!! i am telling you guys. he is the straightest shooter in town and i love him for that. i especially liked the last line. quite revealing about what kind of a man ian actually is.

 

[dhillon28]

McGrath
Warne
Lillee

Bradman
G Chappell
Border

 

[Ikki]

ah, that article on miller by ian chappell!! i am telling you guys. he is the straightest shooter in town and i love him for that. i especially liked the last line. quite revealing about what kind of a man ian actually is.

Yeah, I always enjoy his opinions even if I disagree with him because he tells it so truthfully without a hint of cover up. Even though he absolutely worshipped Miller he abhorred the way he treat Peg, Miller's wife. I watched a bio on Miller where Chappell also spoke and it came across there too. One can say he came to really dislike Miller the man, even though he adored him as a cricketer.

 

[smash84]

why Miller's personal life coming into this?

 

[The Sean]

They have possibly given away the order:

Lillee at 3
Warne at 2
The Don at 1

Yeah pretty much - they're not going to get Mike Brearley to write about Bradman or Warne, considering how often he came up against DKL. And after that it just comes down to Bradman vs Warne, and we know how that will (or at least ****ing well should) end.

 

[Ikki]

If Tendulkar can be compared to The Don then Warne is better

 

[The Sean]

If Tendulkar can be compared to The Don then Warne is better

Ha ha, touche.

 

[Burgey]

Jeff Thomson is a first rate ****. Cardiff ODI is all the evidence you need.

He comes across that way doesn't he?

He's also the most terrifying fast bowler I've ever seen. He must have been a nightmare to face before his shoulder injury.