Minimum Requirement

[Agent Nationaux]

Due to the recent article by Hughes on Tendulkar being greater than Bradman, there has been an interesting debate on the topic.

My question relating to this debate is that suppose we have a new Batsman starting his career in international Test cricket; then what is the minimum requirement expected from him (by fans here on the forum), in order for him to be the greatest Batsmen ever? Does he have to have a slightly better average than Bradman or do some fans prefer the longevity factor?

My question is also for the greatest All-rounder and the greatest fast bowler (does speed matter).

 

[turnstyle]

Average over 100.0 after 70 innings?

Honestly, if he averaged within 5-6 of Bradman then we could start debating.

 

[robelinda]

Scoring BIG hundreds too, which was Bradman's and Lara's domain.

 

[weeman27bob]

Average over 100.0 after 70 innings?

Honestly, if he averaged within 5-6 of Bradman then we could start debating.

Surely 99.95 would do it?

 

[Ikki]

If he averaged 90 or over for about a decade (~ 100 tests) I'd think it a reasonable comparison and if his record was great across the board I may even be inclined to rate him better. But the chances of that happening are about as good as me shagging Nicky Whelan. Actually, I have probably a better shot at that.

 

[Challis]

lol, I was thinking exactly the same thing and was going to start a thread on this.

I don't think anyone is ever going to achieve a Bradmanesque average of anything near 100. The main reasons for this was highlighted by in the other thread, the development of the game since the days of Bradman and co: the rise in quality and professionalism across the board, many different teams (and obviously players) and conditions, new bowling techniques (reverse swing, doosra etc),

So to the question what would be the minimum requirement for a batsmen to be compared to Bradman and considered to be the greatest Batsmen ever. Well for me it has to contain a mix of conditions:-

-80.00+ average (not including any "minnow" teams)
-100+ Tests, 10+ years, 8000+ runs
-Average should not be inflated due to lots of Not Outs (not too sure what the determining criteria should be yet),
-Shold be accomplished in all forms of the game
-scoring big hundreds and being a "matchwinner"
-He should have batted in the top 4 for atleast 80% of his total career runs,
-Test average has to be consistent with a First Class average,
-Average has to be consistent all over the world ie no less than 65.00 in any country or verse a certain team provided a sufficient number of games has been played
-he has to be well ahead of his peers, so has to have an average atleast 15.00 higher than the next best.
- the bowling attacks of his era should be taken into consideration, has to be a strong bowling line ups, better than the ones we currently have so atleast something like the early/mid 90s

I can't think of any more but there will be some more conditions.

 

[Teja.]

100 over 20 years to be Bradman's equal.

 

[centurymaker]

Avg of 70+ over 15 years.
min 55 against all opponents, all countries.

 

[Jono]

Score 100 international centuries.



*runs*

 

[salman85]

You can come back.He only has 99