CW's 50 Best ODI Cricketers of all time - The Countdown

[NUFAN]

The voting period has ended and the votes have been counted.

A big thank you to the 30 forum members who have emailed me with their selections.

Just to remind you all, the way this worked was that everyone was required to email me the top 25 ODI players of all time in order. First would get 25 points, second 24 points etc. all the way down to 25th who would get 1 point.

For players who finished level on points, the player who was nominated the more times was ranked in the better position. This was stipulated when this process started a few weeks ago.

Now for the fun part...

Here is numbers 50 to 41 of CW's 50 Best ODI Cricketers of all time!

[NUFAN]

50 CHRIS HARRIS



Chris Harris | New Zealand Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo
Total Points 25
Nominated by 2/30


A cult hero in New Zealand cricket and, for a time, one of the most effective allround limited-overs cricketers in the international game, Chris Harris will be remembered as much for his versatile accumulation with the bat as for his nagging slow-medium wobblers. Harris's ability to score all around the wicket, pick the gaps and hit boundaries at just the right time turned him into New Zealand's answer to Michael Bevan, and his 62 not-outs in one-day cricket testify to his ability to close out an innings. His bowling was ideally suited to the shorter game - a gentle medium-pace that forces the batsman to do all the work allied to subtle changes in pace and the ability to cut the ball either way off the wicket. Harris was also a very safe fielder, particularly within the inner circle and in the covers.



49 CHRIS GAYLE


Chris Gayle | West Indies Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Total Points 25
Nominated by 3/30

A thrusting Jamaican left-hander, He is one of only five players in One Day International history to have three or more scores of 150. Gayle also bowls brisk non-turning offspin, with which he has turned himself into a genuine one-day allrounder. Maturing quickly, he has become a consistently prolific scorer in the ODIs.

He is of strapping frame with a bleach-white smile that belies a tendency to flay opposition bowling to all parts of the ground. Moreover, his lusty hitting through point, coupled with a Jamaican swagger unseen since Michael Holding, make him a fierce proposition in the modern game and a real crowd pleasure.



48 JONTY RHODES


Jonty Rhodes | South Africa Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Total Points 26
Nominated by 4/30

The Jonty Rhodes legend may have begun with the diving run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq during the 1992 World Cup but it would never have grown as it did without genuine substance. Rhodes worked harder than anyone else in a team of hard workers, frequently delaying the team bus at the end of practice for one more round of reflex catches hit from ten metres or less. Nobody has ever fielded better in the key one-day position of backward point, where he leapt like a salmon, threw off balance, and stopped singles by reputation alone.

Few batsmen have turned the quick single into a finer art form, and his willingness to experiment and adapt enabled him to lead the way with the reverse-sweep under Bob Woolmer's tutelage.



47 NEIL FAIRBROTHER



Neil Fairbrother | England Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Total Points 28
Nominated by 2/30

Fairbrother carved out a career for himself as England's leading one-day batsman in the middle order for much of the 1990s, picking the gaps with scientific precision, dabbing the ball behind square, occasionally hitting over the top on the leg side - and running like hell. He was a livewire in the field patrolling the cover region with great expertise.

The highlights of Fairbrother's international career were his appearances in three World Cups. He has been the architect of several one-day triumphs at Lancashire and for England.



46 AB DE VILLIERS

AB de Villiers | South Africa Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Total Points 30
Nominated by 2/30

A batsman of breathtaking chutzpah and enterprise, as well as the skills and the temperament required to back up his creative intent. He is a fielder able to leap tall buildings and still come up with the catch. A wicketkeeper who is perfectly at ease donning pads and gloves, Cricket should be pleased to have him.

AB de Villiers blasted the seventh fastest century in ODI cricket, in 58 balls, when he slammed an unbeaten 102 off just 59 balls against India in Ahmedabad in February 2010. De Villiers is currently ranked the second best batsman in the world in the ICC rankings.


45 MICHAEL HOLDING


Michael Holding | West Indies Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Total Points 30
Nominated by 3/30

It began intimidatingly far away. He turned, and began the most elegant long-striding run of them all, feet kissing the turf silently, his head turning gently and ever so slightly from side to side, rhythmically, like that of a cobra hypnotising its prey. Good batsmen tended not to watch him all the way lest they became mesmerised. To the umpires he was malevolent stealth personified so they christened him Whispering Death. No-one in the game has bowled faster.

In 102 ODI’s Holding took 142 wickets at the superb economy rate of just 3.32 runs per over.


44 SHANE WATSON



Shane Watson | Australia Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo


Total Points 31
Nominated by 4/30

At the crease he is an aggressive brute with a broad chest, a right-handed disciple of Matthew Hayden, and someone who often doesn't need to follow-through to gain a boundary. However, his drives and pulls are delivered in a much smoother style than his former Queensland team-mate and his technique is worth copying.

As a bowler Watson is willing and speedy, he picks up handy wickets and delivers useful overs. After years of doubt he has developed into a very modern, complete and enviable package.



43 ALLAN BORDER

Allan Border | Australia Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Total Points 32
Nominated by 3/30


Border was an artful one-day player with a deadly arm from short midwicket. Border took over the captaincy in the dark age of Australia Cricket. He applied himself to the task as proudly as to his batting and was rewarded with the World Cup win in 1987, Australia’s first.

In ODI’s Border averaged over 30 with the bat and under 30 with the ball, add in the captaincy and direct hits and you can see why AB was rated so highly.


42 CHRIS CAIRNS

Chris Cairns | New Zealand Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Total Points 32
Nominated by 5/30

One of the more colourful characters to come from New Zealand, he was one of the finest all rounders in the world taking over 200 wickets and making almost 5000 runs in his 215 matches.

Cairns was a lusty hitter who turned matches in the blink of an eye just like his father Lance did. On January 22, 2006, Cairns announced his retirement from ODIs in a tear-filled press conference.



41 MARTIN CROWE


Martin Crowe | New Zealand Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Total Points 38
Nominated by 4/30


Crowe was a classical batsman with a wide range of shots and seemingly all the time in the world to play them. In 21 World Cup matches he averaged a superb 55, which included a fine 100* against Australia at the 1992 World Cup.

With Richard Hadlee, Crowe was at the heart of a New Zealand side which enjoyed considerable success in the 1980s. He captained New Zealand in the early 1990s, and during this period he brought many innovations, such as opening with spin bowlers and utilising pinch hitting batsmen.

[8ankitj]

Damn. I forgot Chris Cairns

[Noble One]

10 worthy players, hard to argue with the names selected.

[NUFAN]

Yeah it is a solid list for sure.

Two players who didn't make the final 50 ended up having 4 and 5 nominations, but were obviously nominated towards 25th more often then not. They are probably the most unlucky players to not make the final list.

In all, 80 of the 100 qualified Cricketers got at least 1 vote.

[G.I.Joe]

I had exactly 1 out of those 10 in my list This means there are atleast 9 guys from my list who won't be making the top 25, and it surprises me.

[Fusion]

Great presentation Nufan. May I also suggest adding the highest ranking that each individual player received?

[gvenkat]

I certainly don't agree with Neil Fairbrother and Martin Crowe, Ahead of Chris Gayle and Jonty.

I think people on here are in too much history.. In all fairness.. Which two would you pick? Let's be real..

That's how the ratings should be.. Anyway opinions are like @$$,,,,, So.. I rest my case..

[gvenkat]

Originally Posted by G.I.Joe

I had exactly 1 out of those 10 in my list This means there are atleast 9 guys from my list who won't be making the top 25, and it surprises me.

I had two.. ODI's are more about Impacts.. As i stated in my other post I would certainly not put Fairbrother and Crowe ahead of CG and Jonty in any ODI team.. That would be bizzare..

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by G.I.Joe

I had exactly 1 out of those 10 in my list This means there are atleast 9 guys from my list who won't be making the top 25, and it surprises me.

How did you work that out? You might have 24 of the top 25 still.

Originally Posted by Fusion

Great presentation Nufan. May I also suggest adding the highest ranking that each individual player received?

Cheers mate, I originally had planned to add in the highest rankings but the format I used did not make it easy to do so. I could easy go through the emails though at a later point and wack the highest position in.

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by gvenkat

I had two.. ODI's are more about Impacts.. As i stated in my other post I would certainly not put Fairbrother and Crowe ahead of CG and Jonty in any ODI team.. That would be bizzare..

If everyone had to pick 50 players and say we took away the highest ranked score I'm fairly confident Gayle would rank above Fairbrother.

I don't agree with you re: Crowe. He was a terrific batsman and a place in the 40s is quite fair.

[weldone]

Originally Posted by G.I.Joe

I had exactly 1 out of those 10 in my list This means there are atleast 9 guys from my list who won't be making the top 25, and it surprises me.

Now, how do you come to this conclusion from your observation? What's the link between the first and 2nd sentence?

I had none out of those 10 in my list. Doesn't say a single word about how many from my list will make the top 25...unless I'm missing something very obvious here...

On a side note, 10 good players in 41-50...

[G.I.Joe]

Originally Posted by NUFAN

How did you work that out? You might have 24 of the top 25 still.

I had only 1 of those 10 players in my entire top 25, I mean to say. That means there are already 9 players that I didn't vote for who have displaced 9 players I did vote for.

EDIT: Wait, I see its the top 50 we're doing now. I was under the impression we were doing top 25. That makes sense now.

[smalishah84]

Originally Posted by G.I.Joe

I had exactly 1 out of those 10 in my list This means there are atleast 9 guys from my list who won't be making the top 25, and it surprises me.

I too had only one guy on my list over there and he finished on 41 . LOLn at Jonty and Gayle getting 4 and 3 nominations respectively but still ending below Neil Fairbrother.

Originally Posted by Fusion

Great presentation Nufan. May I also suggest adding the highest ranking that each individual player received?

Top notch presentation NUFAN. Keep up the good work. Highest ranking would be a good idea if you can do it easily otherwise no issues. I do feel that plenty of hardwork must be going in making these.

Originally Posted by gvenkat

I certainly don't agree with Neil Fairbrother and Martin Crowe, Ahead of Chris Gayle and Jonty.

I think people on here are in too much history.. In all fairness.. Which two would you pick? Let's be real..

That's how the ratings should be.. Anyway opinions are like @$$,,,,, So.. I rest my case..

I will pick Martin Crowe any day over Chris Gayle or Jonty Rhodes except if I want a third rate offie in my line-up or i want the greatest fielder ever to play the game in the side. Martin Crowe was a very dependable batsman unlike Jhonty or Chris Gayle

[weldone]

Originally Posted by G.I.Joe

I had only 1 of those 10 players in my entire top 25, I mean to say. That means there are already 9 players that I didn't vote for who have displaced 9 players I did vote for.

But you listed 25 players, and NUFAN is listing 50 players. Chill.