Battle of The Spinners

[chaminda_00]

Ok guys i made a shortlist of 50 players. I want to cut it down to 32, so we don't have extremly boring 1st rounds ties.

Abdul Qadir
Alf Valentine
Anil Kumble
Ashley Mallett
Aubrey Faulkner
Bapu Nadkarni
Bert Vogler
Bhagwat Chandrasekhar
Bill O'Reilly
Bishan Bedi
Bob Peel
Bruce Yardley
Clarrie Grimmett
Colin Blythe
Daniel Vettori
Danish Kaneria
David Allen
Derek Underwood
Dilip Doshi
Erapalli Prasanna
Fred Titmus
Harbhajan Singh
Hedley Verity
Hugh Tayfield
Hugh Trumble
Intikhab Alam
Iqbal Qasim
Jim Laker
John Emburey
Johnny Briggs
Johnny Wardle
Lance Gibbs
Lindsay Kline
Mohammad Rafique
Mushtaq Ahmed
Mushtaq Mohammad
Paul Adams
Paul Strang
Phil Edmounds
Ray Illingworth
Reggie Schwarz
Richie Benaud
Saqlain Mushtaq
Somachandra De Silva
Sonny Ramadhin
Stuart MacGill
Subhash Gupte
Tony Lock
Vinoo Mankad
Wilfred Rhodes

If you guys can think of anyone else just post there names. I think i've got everyone who comes close though.

So who do you want out? Try and not go straight for the Kaneria and Vettori, cus they been completely out bowled by Warne and Murali. Also they probably play on the some worse pitches of spin bowling, or bowling in general these days.

 

[adharcric]

I would remove the following 18 spinners.

Ashley Mallett
Bruce Yardley
Daniel Vettori
Danish Kaneria
David Allen
Dilip Doshi
Fred Titmus*
Harbhajan Singh*
Intikhab Alam
John Emburey
Lindsay Kline*
Mohammad Rafique
Mushtaq Ahmed
Mushtaq Mohammad*
Paul Adams
Paul Strang
Phil Edmonds
Somachandra De Silva*

The ones with stars are very close to staying in the list, IMO.

 

[shortpitched713]

I would remove the following 18 spinners.
Mushtaq Ahmed

Why? Doesn't make any sense in my opinion to leave in Saqlain and leave out Mushtaq.

 

[chaminda_00]

Lindsay Kline has one of the best records post WW2 for all spinners, would be hard to leave out. Mind you he didn't play many games overall.

 

[adharcric]

Why? Doesn't make any sense in my opinion to leave in Saqlain and leave out Mushtaq.

Saqlain > Mushtaq easily IMO. That said, the list I gave is approximate. There are plenty of guys like Harbhajan, Ahmed and Kline who could find a place in the top 32.
In fact, I can think of a few changes already.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

There are really some in that 18 who should make it ahead of the older spinners that thrived on pre-war wickets.

Ashley Mallett is the best off-spinner Australia has produced since Ironmonger, Vettori is the best spinner of any kind New Zealand has produced, Harbhajan is the best traditional fingerspinner in the world right now, etc. Picking the shortlist on records rather than reputation is the wrong way to go about it IMO, and even based on records some of the inclusions are a bit confusing.

Vogler for instance was important in South African cricket, but his average of 22 is not especially impressive for the era, compared to Bert Ironmonger who took more wickets in less tests @ 17, and did it 20 years later when spinners didn't dominate so much.

 

[chaminda_00]

Bert Ironmonger was considered but i went for more modern day spinners. Most of the spinner pre WW2 have taken 100 plus wickets, expect Vogler. Who i included for the same reason as Strang, Rafique and De Silva. The importance to their national team at their early stages of development.

 

[chaminda_00]

Ashley Mallett is the best off-spinner Australia has produced since Ironmonger

Hugh Trumble....

 

[adharcric]

There are really some in that 18 who should make it ahead of the older spinners that thrived on pre-war wickets.

Ashley Mallett is the best off-spinner Australia has produced since Ironmonger, Vettori is the best spinner of any kind New Zealand has produced, Harbhajan is the best traditional fingerspinner in the world right now, etc. Picking the shortlist on records rather than reputation is the wrong way to go about it IMO, and even based on records some of the inclusions are a bit confusing.

Vogler for instance was important in South African cricket, but his average of 22 is not especially impressive for the era, compared to Bert Ironmonger who took more wickets in less tests @ 17, and did it 20 years later when spinners didn't dominate so much.

Agreed. I did put too much emphasis on the records when picking the 18 to be left out.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Hugh Trumble....

Trumble retired 25 years before Ironmonger made his debut.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Go out to 64 or have three way battles in the first round with 48.

If you go for 64 you could run two battles simultaneously to save time.

 

[chaminda_00]

Go out to 64 or have three way battles in the first round with 48.

If you go for 64 you could run two battles simultaneously to save time.

You'll get some really boring first round battles if you go that high. I hate to admitt it but their isn't really 64 world class spinners who would make the list. I don't really want to start adding guys like Giles and Boje.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

You'll get some really boring first round battles if you go that high. I hate to admitt it but their isn't really 64 world class spinners who would make the list. I don't really want to start adding guys like Giles and Boje.

Yeah, but you don't want to have to exclude world class offspinners who didn't have the advantage of playing the 1880s like Ashley Mallett and Harbhajan Singh either. Either 48 or 64 should be a happy medium.

 

[steds]

Dave Mohammed ftw!

 

[adharcric]

Yeah 48 does sound like a good idea. You wouldn't really have any crap spinners in the list either.

 

[PhoenixFire]

How on earth was Danish Kaneria chosen over Alfred Freeman. 3700 odd FC wickets V 400..........

 

[gunner]

statswise saqlain mushtaq had the chance to be the greatest ever

infact he still does as hes only 28 and has 288 odi wickets and 208 test wckets

im hoping he makes a comeback soon

 

[Goughy]

Holy crap there are some ordinary bowlers on that list.

I guess it says more about the standard of spin bowling than anything else.

 

[BingLeeElectric]

Atherton should be there.

 

[Goughy]

I think having 100 wkts for the older players is a noble idea, but guys play far more cricket now and I think there should be exceptions.

Here are a few guys I would like to nominate. More personal favs as the greats (Emburey included ) have already been nominated.

- Reggie Schwarz- The other SA googly bowlers have been included and he was just as special.
http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/47168.html EDIT- Missed it 1st time round. I see he is already included.

- Jack Iverson- I like new and different method and he intrigues me. Brilliant but short career.
http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/5980.html

- Venkatapathy Raju- Always enjoyed watching him bowl and he has decent career figures.
http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/33044.html

- Tim May- Enjoyed him as a cricketer and despite not having the best record was a fine bowler.
http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/6534.html