Best Top 7 ever?

[aussie tragic]

Would this be the best performing top 7 ever?

Hayden - 10 tests, 916 runs @ 57.25, 4 centuries, 1 fifty
Jaques - 6 tests, 561 runs @ 56.10, 2 centuries, 4 fifties
Ponting - 11 tests, 984 runs @ 61.50, 3 centuries, 5 fifty
Hussey - 11 tests, 1049 runs @ 80.69, 4 centuries, 4 fifties
Clarke - 11 tests, 921 runs @ 70.84, 4 centuries, 4 fifties
Symonds - 9 tests, 745 runs @ 74.50, 2 centuries, 4 fifties
Gilchrist - 11 tests, 446 runs @ 37.16, 1 century, 4 fifties

Note: Above are the records over the last 2-years

 

[Richard]

Over the year of 1993 (possibly some of early 1994) this must run it close:
Taylor
Slater
Boon
Mark Waugh
Border
Stephen Waugh
Healy

I'll let you work it out. But start from the New Zealand tour of 1992/93 and finish with Border's final game.

Certainly IMO containing better batsmen.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Taylor > Hayden
Slater > Jacques
Boon < Ponting
Mark Waugh = Hussey
Border >>>>> Clarke
Stephen Waugh >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Symonds
Healy <<<< Gilchrist

 

[Richard]

Healy circa 1993-1998 > Gilchrist almost any time 2003/04-2007/08 TBH.

Though I'd have to say I'll be truly astonished if Hussey doesn't end-up >>>>>> Mark Waugh.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Did I put enough >> between Symonds and Steve Waugh?

 

[Richard]

Reckon you need a few more ITBT.

Almost an insult to Waugh that the two of them ever occupied the same batting position in a Test TBH.
















(Just in case - YES THIS POST WAS IN JEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! though with some meaning)

 

[gwo]

Phhht

Healy was never a good batsman.

And I'm a Queenslander who has bias for my states' players.

That said, his glovework > Gilchrist's by a mile


Gilchrist >>>>>>>>>> Healy's batting.

 

[NZTailender]

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
M. Waugh
S. Waugh
Martyn
Gilchrist


Possibly the best I've seen, ever.

 

[Top_Cat]

AWTA.

Taylor rated higher than Hayden is interesting. I don't agree, though.

 

[archie mac]

The England batting line up of 1928/29 was pretty impressive

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Taylor > Hayden
Slater > Jacques
Boon < Ponting
Mark Waugh = Hussey
Border >>>>> Clarke
Stephen Waugh >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Symonds
Healy <<<< Gilchrist

There's no way Taylor was a better batsman than Hayden, sorry. I was a big fan of Taylor and he's my favourite Australian captain and was a pretty good batsman, but he wasn't in Hayden's league. I also dispute the Mark Waugh = Hussey claim, but that's a bit too early to make a comprehensive call on. I think Hussey will probably end up being better than Mark Waugh, but you can't judge yet. Probably too early to judge Clarke vs Border too.

I'd say:

Hayden > Taylor
Jacques < Slater (to this point)
Ponting >> Boon
Hussey > M. Waugh (to this point)
Clarke < Border (to this point)
Symonds <<< S.Waugh
Gilchrist >>> Healy

The only point of dispute would be the number of young or not totally proven players in the current side. You can't really argue that someone like Hussey or Clarke is better than a player that has long since retired, but at the same time you can't argue they are worse either for exactly the same reasons.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
M. Waugh
S. Waugh
Martyn
Gilchrist


Possibly the best I've seen, ever.

Yeah. That is the best batting lineup I have ever seen, by a fairly comfortable margin, with my own eyes. If only Mark Waugh and Martyn's peaks (a little earlier and later than this point respectively) cooincided with Hayden, Langer, Ponting and Gilchrist...

 

[social]

Following WI lineup of 79/80 barely gets a mention due to strength of bowlers

Greenidge
Haynes
Richards
Kallicharan
Lloyd
Rowe
D. Murray

Of course, Rowe had seen better days and Murray was not in Gilchrist's class but still hard to beat

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Following WI lineup of 79/80 barely gets a mention due to strength of bowlers

Greenidge
Haynes
Richards
Kallicharan
Lloyd
Rowe
D. Murray

Of course, Rowe had seen better days and Murray was not in Gilchrist's class but still hard to beat

I think the top 5 compares pretty well with the Australian team mentioned above with the Waugh's in it, but the depth at 6 and 7 is lacking by comparison, IMO.

 

[aussie]

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
M. Waugh
S. Waugh
Martyn
Gilchrist


Possibly the best I've seen, ever.

seconded, only prop was that ATT the Waugh brothers where fading.

Some other solid batting-lineups from the past, England in the 1950s where pretty good.

ENGLAND 1955:

Hutton
B Edrich
May
Compton
Cowdrey
Bailey

Not sure how many test they played together though

 

[aussie]

The England batting line up of 1928/29 was pretty impressive

Oh definately, always good to hear you old timers speak..

 

[SJS]

By asking for the best top seven in the batting order (assuming its batting strength we are looking at) are we ruling out specialist wicket keepers ?

 

[Perm]

Healy circa 1993-1998 > Gilchrist almost any time 2003/04-2007/08 TBH.

Ian Healy
Adam Gilchrist

 

[Flem274*]

Richard is funny.

 

[Goughy]

Ive always liked this one.

Not a keeper or a specialist bowler in sight.

EDIT- Aus BTW, though SA had amazing depth in this game