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The hardest (merciless) hitter

Who do you think is the hardest hitter of the cricket ball

  • Total voters
    26
quick4mindia

quick4mindia

School Boy/Girl Captain
This time around its simple.
Who do you think is the hardest hitter of the cricket ball? Some obvious names that would come to mind are
Chris Gayle
Lance Klusner
Pat Symcox
Justin Kemp
Yusuf Pathan (124 m six in IPL)
Yuvraj Singh :ph34r:
Viv Richards
Ricardo Powell
Sanath Jaysurya
Chris Cairns
Shahid Afridi
Brendon Mccullum
MS Dhoni
Abdul Razzak




and................many more
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Probably someone we've never heard of. Bit of a pointless question for mine.

Of those I've seen, I'd say the one who struck me most for sheer power, who just looked like he could smash the ball however far from the middle of the bat it hit, was probably Klusener. His team-mate Symcox, though, was pretty remarkable too in that respect. He wasn't a front-line batsman nor even particularly close, although he could certainly bat far better than a rabbit. But he could most certainly hit a cricket ball.

However, it's sometimes difficult to differentiate between natural power and natural striking ability. I've never seen the ball struck further, repeatedly, in one innings than Nathan Astle managed in his famous 222, but that was an exhibition of backlift, fast hands, followthrough, elevation and timing. Basically everything you need for maximum distance on the ball.
 
NZTailender

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Not the easiest of questions to answer IMO because if you measure it on sixes alone it could be any one of them, and someone like Brett Lee can also stake a claim to this, as I've seen him hit quite a few massive shots (one at the Gabba IIRC was the biggest).

But for being able to hit a ball that really isn't there to be hit in the first place, and still able to make it fly, I'd go with Andrew Flintoff and Chris Cairns.

Also, feel Hussey deserves to be there. Has been the only player to hit he roof of the Telstra Dome, AFAIK.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
NZTailender said:
someone like Brett Lee can also stake a claim to this, as I've seen him hit quite a few massive shots (one at the Gabba IIRC was the biggest).
Click to expand...
Yeah, the one at Trent Bridge in 2005 also springs to mind, hit the roof of a stand. Trent Bridge isn't massive but it's not small and I've never seen anyone else come close to hitting that roof. Lee's a strange one - doesn't particularly give off that much of an aura of power, more gutsiness, but when he swings a bat through the leg-side he swings it mighty hard. I don't know how heavy his bat is and he doesn't look like a rank powerhouse along the lines of a Symonds, Hayden or White but I presume it can't be light if he can hit it as far as he has done on a few occasions.
Also, feel Hussey deserves to be there. Has been the only player to hit he roof of the Telstra Dome, AFAIK.
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Haha, that was ridiculous.
 
krkode

krkode

State Captain
Venkatesh Prasad...

Once saw him hit McGrath for 6 in that one ICC knockout tourney in the same game Yuvraj made his debut... legendary hit.

Anyway, in all seriousness,

I remember watching the games when Ricardo Powell was in his prime and I couldn't believe my eyes just how brutally he was murdering India... But yeah, one or two games doesn't do it for me. I'd still probably go for Jayasuriya given how effortless he makes his batting look and he's absolutely brutal whether it's 4s or 6s. I'm also subjectively considering quality of opponents, which is why I don't rate guys like Afridi as highly. Jayasuriya has dominated most attacks in his day. And unlike most hitters whose hitting remains inconsequential Jayasuriya is a bona-fide match-winner when it comes to ODIs. And I thought his performance in the recent IPL was also fantastic where here is this guy, over 38 years old, twice as old as some of his colleagues and he's blasting them around like it's child's play.
 
_Ed_

_Ed_

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Yeah he did, and he hit one out of Eden Park against India. That one landed on the outer oval. Biggest hit I've ever seen when I've been at the ground.

Went for Viv here though.
 
J

JimmyGS

First Class Debutant
_Ed_ said:
Yeah he did, and he hit one out of Eden Park against India. That one landed on the outer oval. Biggest hit I've ever seen when I've been at the ground.

Went for Viv here though.
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Ponting's leg glance at Eden Park which hit the roof of the ASB stand was the biggest, most effortless hit I've ever seen. It also did something not many other hitters did, ended a comeback career! I recall a look of shock on Jeff Wilson's face. :laugh:
 
Burgey

Burgey

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Richards. Of those listed.

No Botham in the poll either. That guy hit the ball so hard, it was ridiculous.

I'm thinking of it not so much as the hitter of the biggest sixes, but rather having to field to them when they smoke the ball in your direction.

Always remember Viv, when well past his best, hitting one back at Tim May at the Waca in 1988-89. The look on May's face was priceless.

The shot is here:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=82q-ThaVvzc

Doesn't show May's reaction unfortunately.

Here's Viv v Mike Hendrick:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=mfXn-sbp2aE
 
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