Both amazing and the top two. Who is the top dog?
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Both amazing and the top two. Who is the top dog?
I think Bevan deserves to be with them. For me; Bevan > Richards > Tendulkar.
Simply for the fact that I grew up watching Bevan. The amount of big knocks he played in ODIs for us is unbelievable. Statistically, Richards is a behemoth and that's why I think if anyone is better than Bevan it is Richards. I think Tendulkar is just below these two for mine.
★★★★★
Richards is the only one who can seriously challenge Tendulkar IMO.
However, Tendulkar in 323 ODIs when he's opened averages a shade under 49, which is phenominal to have maintained over a period of 16 or so years.
For his sheer longevity I'd have Tendulkar just ahead of Viv.
I'll probably go Richards given he averaged 47 in an era when ODI batting scores ranged between 200-230 for entire teams and an average of 30 was considered decent.
Wow, didn't know he averages 49 opening. Amazing. Tendulkar has a very poor start to his ODI career and averaged very low in his initial matches as a kid. He would probably average higher in say the last 15 years he has played cricket.
Richards maintained his average in ODIs to his credit. I'll still give it to Richards.
What separates them is that Richards was more devastating and fearsome than Tendulkar and that's the key for me, the more I think about it.
Tendulkar averages 45 in ODIs and more when you consider he averaged less in his first 5 years or so. Richards averages 47. Bevan averages just 53 despite all the not outs. I think Bevan and Dhoni compare for 'the best finisher' ever but when we talk about all time ODI batting, I can't think of any one in the level of Richards and Tendulkar.
Statistically the thing for me which stands out about Viv is his strike rate. IIRC it's around about 91.
Phenominal when you consider that some of his contemporaries, like Greenidge and Haynes, who a) would have been considered attacking batsmen and b) were excellent ODI bats in their own right had strike rates in the mid 60s.
There's a reason why Bevan has so many not-outs, and simply batting down the order doesn't explain it. We've done averages and counted scores above certain averages when not outs, so I am not gonna get into that.
There are 3 players that stand out just that much more than all others in ODIs, and they are Bevan, Richards and Tendulkar. Your opinion is your opinion...and IMO you're dead wrong.
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