Which batsmen today or in 1990's you would expect to play the 1980's bowling easily?

[HeavyBall]

I'm wondering, whether who among today would have played Marshall/Lillee/Imran Khan at their prime with ease?

 

[Ikki]

Ponting for mine. Comfortably the best player of pace bowling since Viv.

 

[Eds]

Wouldn't expect anyone, ever (apart from possibly the Don), to play the likes of Marshall with ease.

 

[Shri]

Won't be easy but the usual suspects will play 'em best imo. Ponting, SRT, Lara, Dravid, Kallis, Sanga, Inzamam, de Silva etc.

Inzamam most likely among the above to be successful at it consistently imo.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

From the current lot, Trott, Kallis, AB, Clarke, Amla, Younis, Misbah, Cook, SRT, Ponting, Dravid, Bell, Bravo, Taylor, Hussey, Sanga and KP.

 

[zaremba]

A whole heap of high class pace bowling
Minus a whole heap of quality spin
=
RA Smith

 

[kyear2]

For once agree with Ikki, Ponting, Tendulkar, Lara, Kallis and Dravid in that order, the only incident that vies me pause on Ponting is that series when Ishant gave him no end of trouble and Sharma is no Marshall.
None of them would be able to play most of them with ease and none would be totally dominat, and to play that sort of fast bowling you have to be agressive or your finished.

 

[Burgey]

Any of the very good to great players, because they adapt. That's part of being great. If they'd grown up in a different era on different surfaces, they may well have played differently, but they'd find a way, and still be very fine players imo

 

[Spark]

Any of the very good to great players, because they adapt. That's part of being great. If they'd grown up in a different era on different surfaces, they may well have played differently, but they'd find a way, and still be very fine players imo

This is the key IMO.

 

[Days of Grace]

Hayden would slay the West Indies bowlers and Imran, tbh.

 

[Faisal1985]

ha! thats easy...Afridi!

 

[ankitj]

The fast bowlers of 90s were about as good as those in 80s. So fair to say that those who succeeded in 90s would've succeeded in 80s too.

 

[smash84]

Hayden would slay the West Indies bowlers and Imran, tbh.

Considering that Ambrose wiped the floor with Hayden I doubt Hayden would have done anything but roll over for the WI quicks and Imran

 

[Jono]

Ponting for mine. Comfortably the best player of pace bowling since Viv.

Comfortably the best? Won't argue that he's the best as I reckon he probably is the best player of pace bowling I've seen, but just not sure he's comfortably better than Sachin or Lara against pace. I know I'm being pedantic but hey.

In response to the question, no batsman of the last 20 years would face Marshall and Lillee and play them "easily". Some will succeed, but they won't play them easily.

 

[bagapath]

Ponting for mine.

ponting should be the first name. with inzy a close second. the usual suspects, tendulkar, lara, dravid, sangakara all can follow.

i would have loved to see gilchrist taking on the windies pace battery in full flow though. a few flying sixers over third man and back ward point peppered by broken ribs crashed helmet grills would have turned test cricket into a gladiatorial sport.

 

[Jono]

Why Inzy bagapath?

 

[weldone]

The fast bowlers of 90s were about as good as those in 80s. So fair to say that those who succeeded in 90s would've succeeded in 80s too.

True. In fact, a case can be made for 90s fast bowlers being slightly better than 80s...

Back to the thread topic, don't know about easily but Tendulkar, Lara, Dravid, Kallis Waugh, Ponting, Sangakkara and Inzamam would have done fine against 80s fast bowlers - all would have averaged above or close to 50 overall...

 

[smash84]

the De Silva of the latter half of his career too

 

[weldone]

the De Silva of the latter half of his career too

...yes, and Gilchrist of the first part of his career...

 

[Arachnodouche]

Ponting, with his LBW issues early on? He'd be chewed up in no time with a Marshall in cutter.

Kallis, Dravid, Tendulkar, Lara.