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Best cricketer for this decade ?

Ilovecric

U19 Cricketer
AR: And now to the question that you have picked as the best one that has come in for you this week. It's from Angus Wagstaff from Australia, who asks: with the end of the decade approaching, who do you think is the best cricketer of the decade?

Geoffrey Boycott: Great question, Angus, I wasn't expecting it actually. I made a list of the players who come to mind immediately and they are Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting and Mohammad Yousuf. I had a quick look at the figures, but it's not about figures alone, it's about how they dictate matches and contribute to winning or saving matches.

In 2006, Yousuf got the most number of Test runs in a calendar year, with 1788 runs at 99.33. He beat the great Vivian Richards' record - a 30-year-old record - of 1710 runs in 1976, at around 90. But I don't see Yousuf being a dominant force in one-dayers.

You have to talk about Lara every time he plays. But his 375 against England came in 1994 and his 501 - the highest first-class score - for Warwickshire against Durham also came in the same year. The one in this decade was the 400 against England. Honestly, I don't think that he has done enough in this decade to be called the player of this decade.

Warne has got lots of wickets, but he retired after Australia beat England 5-0 in Australia in 2006-07. He's done a lot but I am not sure about the decade.

You can't talk about a decade without talking about Tendulkar. He has been a superb athlete and figure for a long time now. He has made about 20 Test and ODI centuries [since 2000] and he helps win matches as well, particularly one-dayers. He has to be a factor.

Then you have Muttiah Muralitharan. How can you keep Murali out of anything? He has got over 500 Test wickets [since 2000] and he gets his wickets at early twenties and has many match-winning performances. He has five- and 10-wicket hauls and wins matches, particularly in the subcontinent. But I always have a worry about him. I feel the laws of the game have been altered through the ICC to accommodate his bent arm. I know it's all right to technically throw ball: you can bend and straighten your arm a few degrees and the ICC says it's all right. He is a lovely lad, I like him a lot, but it sticks in my throat, that. I am a purist.

I come down to two players. I come down to Ponting, who has been extraordinarily good. He has made something like 32 Test centuries and 23 ODI centuries [since 2000]. But I also come to another guy who is slightly overlooked - Kallis from South Africa. He has, I think, 26 Test centuries and about 11 ODI centuries. On top of that, both are great catchers at slip. Ponting is a great outfielder at midwicket and cover; he actually runs people out. Kallis has got over 200 [Test] wickets since 2000. He didn't do so well when he first bowled, but in the last decade he has got his wickets and he bowls in the ODIs as well. It's very difficult to separate them. If push came to shove I might go for Kallis, because bowlers win matches. But I really would prefer to bracket them both: Ponting has got more Test runs and hundreds, Kallis' wickets are as important as his runs. If I can and Angus is not going to get cross at me, I would like to bracket Kallis and Ponting together as the two players of this decade.




I have alot of problems with his answer.
 

Ilovecric

U19 Cricketer
No mention of chanderpaul, and the usage of number of centuries scored to judge the best cricketer.

How many games do most players play in comparison to ponting ? Doesn't he have more chances to score centuries ?
 

Zinzan

Request Your Custom Title Now!
AR: And now to the question that you have picked as the best one that has come in for you this week. It's from Angus Wagstaff from Australia, who asks: with the end of the decade approaching, who do you think is the best cricketer of the decade?

Geoffrey Boycott: Great question, Angus, I wasn't expecting it actually. I made a list of the players who come to mind immediately and they are Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting and Mohammad Yousuf. I had a quick look at the figures, but it's not about figures alone, it's about how they dictate matches and contribute to winning or saving matches.

In 2006, Yousuf got the most number of Test runs in a calendar year, with 1788 runs at 99.33. He beat the great Vivian Richards' record - a 30-year-old record - of 1710 runs in 1976, at around 90. But I don't see Yousuf being a dominant force in one-dayers.

You have to talk about Lara every time he plays. But his 375 against England came in 1994 and his 501 - the highest first-class score - for Warwickshire against Durham also came in the same year. The one in this decade was the 400 against England. Honestly, I don't think that he has done enough in this decade to be called the player of this decade.

Warne has got lots of wickets, but he retired after Australia beat England 5-0 in Australia in 2006-07. He's done a lot but I am not sure about the decade.

You can't talk about a decade without talking about Tendulkar. He has been a superb athlete and figure for a long time now. He has made about 20 Test and ODI centuries [since 2000] and he helps win matches as well, particularly one-dayers. He has to be a factor.

Then you have Muttiah Muralitharan. How can you keep Murali out of anything? He has got over 500 Test wickets [since 2000] and he gets his wickets at early twenties and has many match-winning performances. He has five- and 10-wicket hauls and wins matches, particularly in the subcontinent. But I always have a worry about him. I feel the laws of the game have been altered through the ICC to accommodate his bent arm. I know it's all right to technically throw ball: you can bend and straighten your arm a few degrees and the ICC says it's all right. He is a lovely lad, I like him a lot, but it sticks in my throat, that. I am a purist.

I come down to two players. I come down to Ponting, who has been extraordinarily good. He has made something like 32 Test centuries and 23 ODI centuries [since 2000]. But I also come to another guy who is slightly overlooked - Kallis from South Africa. He has, I think, 26 Test centuries and about 11 ODI centuries. On top of that, both are great catchers at slip. Ponting is a great outfielder at midwicket and cover; he actually runs people out. Kallis has got over 200 [Test] wickets since 2000. He didn't do so well when he first bowled, but in the last decade he has got his wickets and he bowls in the ODIs as well. It's very difficult to separate them. If push came to shove I might go for Kallis, because bowlers win matches. But I really would prefer to bracket them both: Ponting has got more Test runs and hundreds, Kallis' wickets are as important as his runs. If I can and Angus is not going to get cross at me, I would like to bracket Kallis and Ponting together as the two players of this decade.




I have alot of problems with his answer.
Haha, you bet me to it, was just about to start a similar thread having just heard the cricinfo audio clip.

Overall thought his assessment was pretty sound, apart from the fact he failed to mention Chanderpaul.

What specifically bothers you about it?

Edit: have since spotted your rationale above
 
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0RI0N

State 12th Man
Inb4 anti stats crew
anyway I am going to pick a batsman and a bowler so deal with it OP.
Batsman R Ponting
Decade Test form
103 matches
177 Inn
n/o 21
9253 runs
59.31 ave
S/R 62.36
32 100's
38 50's
8 0's
1077 4's
56 6's
*
Test Bowler M Muralitharan
79 matches
543 wickets
20.14 ave
2.41 Econ Rate
49.9 S/R
20 10fers
49 5fers
Player of the decade should be selected like the English batsman of the Season - Most Runs.
In this case we also have a bowler who has also put up a strong case.
These two are are also up there in the ODI list.
Batsman R Ponting
Bowler M Muralitharan
 

four_or_six

Cricketer Of The Year
Has to be Kallis, surely? Sounds like a pretty reasonable answer. Although I'm surprised McGrath wasn't mentioned.
 

Migara

Cricketer Of The Year
I feel the laws of the game have been altered through the ICC to accommodate his bent arm.
It was changed to allow bent arms of the majority of the bowlers.
 

Days of Grace

International Captain
Has to be either Ponting or Muralitharan, for mine.

New Zealand player of the decade has to be Shane Bond with only Vettori giving him some competition.
 

Isura

U19 Captain
Murali or Chanders for me. Their stats are amazing, and both respective countries depend heavily on them to win test matches (less so with Murali lately with Sanga and Mendis recent record).
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Has to be Kallis, surely? Sounds like a pretty reasonable answer. Although I'm surprised McGrath wasn't mentioned.
Taking account of time missed through injury, he barely played for more than half of the decade. I'd say someone needed to play at worst the majority if not all of the decade to qualify TBH.

Either way I'd say Kallis cannot be disputed as cricketer of this decade, regardless of how much people dislike his refusal to conform to type and score quickly. Ponting the best purely in terms of batting for me with Chandepaul also very much a contender, and Murali just about beyond dispute in terms of bowling.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
It was changed to allow bent arms of the majority of the bowlers.
Yes - but sadly there will always be those who don't realise \ refuse to accept this. I must say it disappoints me that ol' Sir Geoff is of that disposition, but sadly that's the way it is.
 

0RI0N

State 12th Man
Honourable mentions to Kallis and ofcourse the Brisbane Bull Haydos.
Ponting Murali Kallis Haydos
Can't believe I forgot about Haydos and Kallis in my 1st post ITT.
 

Uppercut

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Taking account of time missed through injury, he barely played for more than half of the decade. I'd say someone needed to play at worst the majority if not all of the decade to qualify TBH.

Either way I'd say Kallis cannot be disputed as cricketer of this decade, regardless of how much people dislike his refusal to conform to type and score quickly. Ponting the best purely in terms of batting for me with Chandepaul also very much a contender, and Murali just about beyond dispute in terms of bowling.
AWTA. Every word.

Surprised Hayden didn't get a mention though, come to think of it.
 
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four_or_six

Cricketer Of The Year
Taking account of time missed through injury, he barely played for more than half of the decade. I'd say someone needed to play at worst the majority if not all of the decade to qualify TBH.
Everyone's missed some time with injury (and obv for him his personal reasons), and therefore he played until mid 2007, which is most of the decade. He played as many tests as Warne in the 2000s who was mentioned (one more, acutally, 66 tests) and 88 more ODIs.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Bit of recognition for Jacques. Good to see.



If it was to come from anyone though, it'd be Boycott :ph34r:
 

Dissector

International Debutant
Kallis and Murali.

Ponting was the best pure batsman but Kallis's bowling puts him ahead. Murali was the best bowler.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Everyone's missed some time with injury (and obv for him his personal reasons), and therefore he played until mid 2007, which is most of the decade. He played as many tests as Warne in the 2000s who was mentioned (one more, acutally, 66 tests) and 88 more ODIs.
I wouldn't mention Warne either - he too barely played half of the decade taking into account his year-long ban. I'm aware everyone's missed some time with injury, but both Warne and McGrath had lengthy spells out of the game (in McGrath's case a couple). That's different to missing a month with a damaged wrist on one occasion then 5 years later missing another month with a dislocated toe (or whatever) in my book.

As for ODIs, I don't really count them in terms of "best cricketer of the decade" - I'd take that to mean "best Test cricketer of the decade". I've said before that I don't see the point trying to take "best" as some sort of composite. Tests are the ultimate form and I don't want ODI excellence-or-otherwise to impact on anything to do with them. Likewise ODIs should be judged for themselves.
 

The Sean

Cricketer Of The Year
Personally I think my top three would be Murali - Punter - Kallis in that order. Murali's performances this decade have been nothing short of phenomenal - 550-odd wickets at 20 in an era where bat has largely dominated ball is a staggering achievement.
 

bagapath

International Captain
it has to be murali - ponting - kallis in that order. with honorable mentions to chanderpaul, warne, gilchrist, mcgrath, hayden, sehwag, dravid, yousuff in no particular order. i wonder if pietersen would be the next decade's greatest.
 

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