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CW50 2nd Edition - No 01

smash84

The Tiger King
Number 01 Sir Garfield Sobers

Highest Ranking
Total Points 1230
Number of Votes Received 55/57
Rank in 1st Edition 2

What they said of him


“A 5 in 1 cricketer” (Sir Donald Bradman)

“"It was not sheer slogging through strength, but scientific hitting with every movement working in harmony".” (Commenting upon Sobers' six sixes in an over against his team in 1968, Glamorgan captain Tony Lewis)

“"the greatest all-round cricketer the world has seen" (Richie Benaud, arguably the greatest cricket analyst of all time)



Garry Sobers

A cricketing genius, Garry Sobers excelled at all aspects of the game, and few would argue his claim as the finest allround player in modern cricket. His exceptional Test batting average tells little about the manner in which he made the runs, his elegant yet powerful style marked by all the shots, but memorably his off-side play. As a batsman he was great, as a bowler, merely superb, but would have made the West Indies side as a bowler alone. He was remarkably versatile with the ball, bowling two styles of spin - left-arm orthodox and wrist spin, but was also a fine fast-medium opening bowler. His catching close to the wicket may have been equalled but never surpassed, and he was a brilliant fielder anywhere. He was an enterprising captain - at times maybe too enterprising, as when a generous declaration allowed England to win a decisive match at Port-of-Spain. Born with an extra finger on each hand (removed at birth), Sobers excelled at most athletic activities, playing golf, soccer and bastketball for Barbados, and made his first class debut at the age of 16, appearing in Tests a year later. He was played initially mostly as a bowler, but four years later set the Test record for an individual batsman with a mammoth 365 against Pakistan. His achievments are numerous - including the six consecutive sixes hit off an over from the unfortunate Malcolm Nash, a superb innings of 254 for the Rest of the World against Australia in 1971 that earned the praise of Don Bradman, and much more. Like many West Indians, he plied his trade abroad, playing for Nottinghamshire, and South Australia. He was knighted for his services to cricket in 1975.
 
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ankitj

Hall of Fame Member
Average position of Sobers in the list of those that voted him = 3.6
Average position of Bradman in the list of those that voted him = 2.5

6 people not voting for Bradman did him in. I don't know how many of them were just kidding :)
 
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bagapath

International Captain
Well kallis is statistically as good as sobers. Imran is also equal to him when you cross compare their batting and bowling skills.

But sir don bradman is twice as good a batsman as anybody else in the vicinity. This ranking is flawed
 

ankitj

Hall of Fame Member
Considering the effort that Smali and Nufan were putting in it, people really shouldn't have submitted joke lists. At least for their sake. We all know CW rates Bradman #1.
 

Howe_zat

Audio File
Well if Bradman was going to be doomed by shenanigans, I can't think of someone besides Sobers I'd rather take his place.
 

Satguru

Banned
Yeah, Bradman not at #1 just sounds strange. shame those 6 who didnt vote for bradman swung the vote... not because i think bradman should be number 1 (even though i do) but because i think its not an accurate representation of the sentiment on CW

Still, good job with the list and writeups, though, smalishah84 :)
 

smash84

The Tiger King
Now that this is over I would like to give a special word of thanks to NUFAN who worked on collating all the list.

Thank You so much NUFAN. Really appreciate your help mate :)
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Don't have a problem with this. I think bradman is better but I don't think this is unreasonable. Having a bradman is effectively having two great batsmen. Having sobers is having one ATG batsman, a decent fast bowler, two types of spinner, and a superb fielder.

As I said, I would have Bradman but the difference isn't monumental. It also depends who you're facing. In a normal side, you'd expect to use all facets of sobers' skill while in an ATG side, you wouldn't think sobers would bowl a lot except as a partnership breaker type situation or to give the others a break or if the pitch warrants two spinners bowling in tandem, etc.

He gives so many options that I think even in an ATG Side you could make a case for him.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Don't have a problem with this. I think bradman is better but I don't think this is unreasonable. Having a bradman is effectively having two great batsmen. Having sobers is having one ATG batsman, a decent fast bowler, two types of spinner, and a superb fielder.

As I said, I would have Bradman but the difference isn't monumental. It also depends who you're facing. In a normal side, you'd expect to use all facets of sobers' skill while in an ATG side, you wouldn't think sobers would bowl a lot except as a partnership breaker type situation or to give the others a break or if the pitch warrants two spinners bowling in tandem, etc.

He gives so many options that I think even in an ATG Side you could make a case for him.
It would be reasonable if it actually reflected what people thought.
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Well if Bradman was going to be doomed by shenanigans, I can't think of someone besides Sobers I'd rather take his place.
Yeah and I always thought he was slightly undervalued if anything on here.

Obviously not won because people think he is better though, but hey who really cares, the first one of these was so great anyway.
 
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Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Don't have a problem with this. I think bradman is better but I don't think this is unreasonable. Having a bradman is effectively having two great batsmen. Having sobers is having one ATG batsman, a decent fast bowler, two types of spinner, and a superb fielder.

As I said, I would have Bradman but the difference isn't monumental. It also depends who you're facing. In a normal side, you'd expect to use all facets of sobers' skill while in an ATG side, you wouldn't think sobers would bowl a lot except as a partnership breaker type situation or to give the others a break or if the pitch warrants two spinners bowling in tandem, etc.

He gives so many options that I think even in an ATG Side you could make a case for him.
I absolutely agree.

I wouldn't have a problem with it in the slightest if I actually thought he made it to #1 because people were of that opinion. I didn't even put Bradman at #1, as it goes.

But that's not why this has happened, which is what makes it so disappointing. This has happened because people were taking the piss and submitting semi-serious but intellectually dishonest lists with a wink that distorted the results.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
I absolutely agree.

I wouldn't have a problem with it in the slightest if I actually thought he made it to #1 because people were of that opinion. I didn't even put Bradman at #1, as it goes.

But that's not why this has happened, which is what makes it so disappointing. This has happened because people were taking the piss and submitting semi-serious but intellectually dishonest lists with a wink that distorted the results.
Perhaps not but you'll get that with any vote. I think overall the list is solid regardless. This isn't a panel of experts - this is a popular vote and that's what happens.
 

Howe_zat

Audio File
Perhaps not but you'll get that with any vote. I think overall the list is solid regardless. This isn't a panel of experts - this is a popular vote and that's what happens.
Yeah agree. It's not the end of the world.

And besides, how do we know that it's hasn't happened to Sobers to a slightly lesser extent, i.e. a dozen people deliberately under-valuing him because they have a penchant for arguing for Imran or Kallis against him?

By and large, this is still a pretty good list, and I had fun following it. Well done to smalishah and NUFAN.
 

bagapath

International Captain
What happens to the rankings when you don't count the joke votes, something as obvious as Cindy Crawford on top?
 

Spark

Global Moderator
yeah but this isn't a random sample of votes. we know cw doesn't actually think this.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Yeah agree. It's not the end of the world.

And besides, how do we know that it's hasn't happened to Sobers to a slightly lesser extent, i.e. a dozen people deliberately under-valuing him because they have a penchant for arguing for Imran or Kallis against him?

By and large, this is still a pretty good list, and I had fun following it. Well done to smalishah and NUFAN.
that's different to just leaving people out as a laugh though.
 

Satguru

Banned
List a bit like Mass effect 3 tbh... wonderful throughout, with a couple of pleasant surprises along the way... but the all important ending makes no sense whatsoever, and is sure to make everyone mad
 

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